If You Had To Have A Religion Which Would You Not Mind Belonging To? (page 5)

White Dove

I don't belong to anyone or anything but myself, however, I do follow the religious path of Wicca and follow its Rede.

I find it resonates with me like no other I've explored since leaving the WTS.

Markfromcali

Rephrased slightly:

"If You Had To Have A Religion Which Your Mind Would Not Belonging To?"

Sure.

I wonder if it isn't largely a result of being part of a consumer culture rather than a participatory one. Whether you take it seriously or not, you inevitably take in what others produce if you're content to be in that passive position. After all, isn't that why this is a multiple choice question? Even if you went with an existing religion if it's participatory it would change. So you can't exactly belong to it unless you decided to stop all work and just live by a static set of parameters put in place at some previous point in time and go to sleep after that, not to mention you'd only be one of the participants.

Religion or not, if you're content to passively consume then it essentially works the same way regardless of the system, high-control or not.

sooner7nc

Some form of Buddhism probably Zen or Pure Land.

blondie

believing exjw: Posted elsewhere

JimPenton

Lone Ranger Christianity

Veteran Member
301 posts
Joined: May 24, 2009

Posted at 6:05 am on Nov 10, 2010

I am well aware of the dangers of organization. Furthermore, I realize the fact that religion can go wrong in any type of community whether it be hierarchical, congregational or anything in between. That being said, I also recognize the need for community and organization. Cooperation is necessary to get much of anything done in society, and when individuals isolate themselves from others, both they and others lose much. We well know that institutions fail over and over again. That is true from everything from the nuclear family to the secular state. And it certainly is the case with religious movements of all kinds as well. But without organizations and rules regarding such, societies could not exist. Husbands beat wives, wives nag husbands, children are mistreated and are sometimes raised with the worst of values or few values indeed. Secular governments are sometimes vicious and rotten to the core. Religions and religious leaders act badly and sometimes as viciously as secular governments. But the family can bring great rewards. I will be married sixty years to the same woman next spring if we both live that long, and I praise God for our relationship, our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren. I am sick at heart over the terrible things done by the two countries of which I am a citizen, but I respect the much good that both do, and I do not believe that anarchy functions very well. So until Christ’s kingdom is fully established, I will obey the higher powers of this system so long as in doing so I do not violate Christian principles. And as far as religious organizations are concerned, while I simply cannot fellowship with most, I recognize the many positive things that those organizations have done in keeping the Scriptures alive and in presenting reflections on the Christian walk. Were it not for translators, biblical scholars, historians, archaeologists, and others working within the context of religious organizations over the centuries, how could we know anything about Christ and his message? I don’t think anyone on Channel C has had a direct revelation lately.

Undoubtedly, Jesus knew the importance of organization and association very well. He condemned much of what was wrong in the practice of Jewish religion, and he even condemned those who would claim to be his followers when, in reality, they were not. (Matthew 25:41-46) But that being said, Jesus did not believe that one should isolate himself or herself from others with spiritual concerns, nor was he anti-organizational. After all, he chose the twelve and sent out seventy evangelists to preach. Furthermore, he recognized the importance of the church. Note what he said at Matthew 18:15-20 and especially verse 20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.”

In other parts of the New Testament, the role of the church and organizational fellowship (koinonia) is stressed over and over again. Paul’s letters were ordinarily directed to congregations, not individuals, and when they were directed to individuals, it was with congregational concerns in view. That is why 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are regarded as the Pastoral epistles. However, what seems equally important is Paul’s and Peter’s use of metaphors for the church community. The church is, according to them, the “body of Christ,” “the bride of Christ,” “the Temple of the living God,” and members of it are called to be “a royal priesthood,” “a holy nation,” etc., etc.

So I reject Lone Ranger Christianity. Sören Kierkegaard once wrote a beautiful book entitled “Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing,” and that one thing was, according to him, the love of God for the sake of God. Yet despite the beauty of this book and my great admiration for Kierkegaard, I think he missed a very significant point: the Bible (and Christ) stress two great commandments of life, not one. So one must love neighbour and fellow Christian as well as God. As John tells us: “And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another....” (1 John 3:23) And loving one another means associating, fellowshipping, with one another. So I will urge others to enter into fellowship with brothers and sisters to the extent possible. Furthermore, I will continue to rejoice in my fellowship with the Free Bible Students and Christian Believers. I know they are not perfect, but I have given up looking for perfect churches. For if I found one and joined it, it would no longer be perfect with me present.Jim

keyser soze

I was ready to convert to Outlaw's Church of Beer, until I heard about OTWO's NFL church. Is there any way to combine the two?

agonus

Some form of Unitarianism, I would imagine. Though I admit part of me is drawn to some kind of Orthodox church, maybe Eastern or Greek (though I'm not ready to go back to the RCC - even to piss off the WT - except as an observer).

notverylikely

Church of the Subgenius

ProdigalSon

This is the AWESOME church I attend....

http://www.unity.org/

BurnTheShips

Well, I am Catholic, but there are a few other religions that I like too. Too bad you can't be a member of several....except Outlaw's Beer Church. From the book of Guinessis:

And God said, Let There Be Beer!

And there was Beer.

And it was Good.

Still, no disrespect to Outlaw's faith, but only in the Catholic Church can you be Canonized for a Beer Miracle.

St. Arnold of Metz:

He is said to have spent his life warning peasants about the health hazards of drinking water. Water was not necessarily safe to drink during the dark ages, especially around towns and villages. Nasty stuff. Arnold always had the well-being of his followers close at heart.

Beer, on the other hand, was quite safe. Arnold frequently pointed this out to his congregation. He is credited with having once said, "From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world." It goes without saying that the people loved and revered Arnold.

In 627, Saint Arnold retired to a monastery near Remiremont, France, where he died and was buried in 640.

In 641, the citizens of Metz requested that Saint Arnold's body be exhumed and carried from the monastery to the town of Metz for reburial in their local church - The church where Arnold had so frequently preached the virtues of beer. Their request was granted.

It was a long and thirsty journey, especially since they were carrying a dead bishop. As the ceremonial procession passed through the town of Champignuelles, the tired processionals stopped for a rest and went into a tavern for a drink of their favorite beverage - Beer. Much to their dismay, they were informed that there was only one mug of beer left, and that they would have to share it. That mug never ran dry and the thirsty crowd was satisfied.

Every Saint needs a miracle. That's how the Church decides you are a Saint. The story of the miracle mug of beer spread and eventually Arnold was canonized by the Catholic Church for it.

The Legend of the Beer Mug

It was July 642 and very hot when the parishioners of Metz went to Remiremont to recover the remains of their former bishop. They had little to drink and the terrain was inhospitable.

At the point when the exhausted procession was about to leave Champigneulles, one of the parishioners, Duc Notto, prayed “By his powerful intercession the Blessed Arnold will bring us what we lack.” Immediately the small remnant of beer at the bottom of a pot multiplied in such amounts that the pilgrims thirst was quenched and they had enough to enjoy the next evening when they arrived in Metz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnulf_of_Metz

"From man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the world" - St. Arnold of Metz.

And that is why I am Catholic.

BTS

If You Had To Have A Religion Which Would You Not Mind Belonging To?