Religion Today

What is belief? The dictionary describes belief as: Assent to a proposition or affirmation, or the acceptance of a fact, opinion, or assertion as real or true, without immediate personal knowledge; reliance upon word or testimony; partial or full assurance without positive knowledge or absolute certainty.

The partial or full assurance, without absolute certainty can seem a bit confusing. In order for us to believe something, we must have assurance without certainty. This seems like a play on words of some sort, doesn’t it? How can we have assurance, without certainty? Well by believing, of course. The power of belief is most certainly a powerful thing.

Think about it, when you drive your car down a two lane road at fifty fives miles an hour (which we all do everyday), you believe that the cars that you pass won’t swerve into your lane and cause an accident. You believe that you’re safe, otherwise you wouldn’t drive anywhere. Yea, I would have to say that the power of belief is most certainly a very powerful thing.

Religion is based entirely on belief. You, as an individual, must believe in what the religion is “selling” in order for you to practice. Without belief, usually in God, there would be no religion. Religion literally wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for belief. Belief in something that can’t be proven by practical means.

Belief most certainly plays a very big role in all of our lives. In a way it connects all people, because at the end of the day, we all have to believe in something, or what’s the point? I think James Truslow Adams summed it up quite nicely when he said, “Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact,” That quote, in a nutshell, shows all of us the power of belief.

Christians often cite the biggest problem in society is that people are drifting away from god. Some evangelicals have even postulated that Hurricane Katrina was a punishment for the wicked ways of New Orleans. Personally, I think the odds just ran out on New Orleans, which was unfortunately, built under sea level and the big Hurricane Finally landed there.

Still, you will find many Christians who say it is god’s wrath and they also have detracting things to say against atheists. Of course, the atheists will be first to tell you that Human Religion is a real problem for the future of humanity, it is a thief of the life experience, a control mechanism and a prop up for those with little or no self-esteem, in their opinion. The atheist will say that this harsh criticism comes from observation, not by conviction or adoption of an alternative to gods or a god.

Yes, we must often debate these things and find strength in our own convictions, whatever they might be. The Christian will find comfort in defending his views and the atheist will feel happy to explains his, which might go something like this; religion was created to make people feel good, just like Santa Clause to make Children behave and do the right thing to “Get” gifts. It is a simple psychological add-on for them.

As we look at the Modern World religions that are prevalent today, a non-believer might conclude that any religion that wants to control over time, will have to modify their religion with the times. Those that don’t are problematic, like Islamic groups that have gone astray from that religion for instance. Of course, Christianity has done a bit of a better job in building control and progress, but it still lives a falsehood. The Christian will then warn the atheist, “You just wait, you will not be saying that on judgment day.”

Religion deludes and divides mankind

It misrepresents God and is not kind.

Promising power

Religion exerts control

Claiming to have truth

Religion deceives and acts uncouth

Projecting superiority

It alienates people in inferiority

Comparing and competing

With different doctrines

Separating from other sects

By segregation religion neglects

Humanity for whom Christ died

Ironically, religion is the great divide

Which widens the gap

Points the finger and does attack

Ridicule, scold, and demean

Sincere souls seeking spirituality

Religion is not what it seems

It is merely an illusion

Mankind’s search to satisfy

A deep inner quest and cry

To be reconnected to the Creator

To open faith’s glorious door

Historically however

Religion has been rotten to the core

Let us not embrace it any more

The sophisticated establishment

Is in reality an entrapment

Producing systematic enslavement

Obscuring the light of God

Making the narrow path broad

Discriminating and diminishing people

While it erects an edifice and steeple

Pursuing power at the expense of peace

From such ill will God give us release

Continual conflict, war without end

God in heaven wants to be our Friend.

Let’s expose the deficiencies of dead religion

Overthrow the dastardly defects of mere opinion

The concept of kingdom must be reintroduced

In wayward Western civilization

It’s not about imperialism, nor education

This is Christ within, a new creation

A changed heart, a divine work of art

This is not a political ideology

By which you appear smart

On the contrary, God in heaven

Graciously gives humanity a new start

Beyond blood, death, and diplomacy

Exists the kingdom of heaven in me

God alone can open your eyes to see

Righteousness, peace, and joy in me

The kingdom within brings victory

Birthed by the Holy Spirit of the Lord

Established and sustained by His Word

Conquering conflict, hatred, and fear

Blessing whosoever will humbly hear

Removing uncertainty, and corruption

Genocide, poverty, and starvation

The concept of Christ’s kingdom

Births a spiritual revolution

Empowering people with dominion

Removing religion’s pitiful opinion.

No more should we massacre millions

And claim we’re motivated by religion

God in heaven is a life-giver, not a killer!

God’s Son died for us

Therefore we don’t need to die for Him.

Just receive the King and get in the kingdom

Christ the King will make your heart sing

No need to bring an offering

Give Him your heart, submit to His Lordship

His mighty power will you equip

Your sin and bondage, He will strip

Embrace his purpose wholeheartedly

Transcend formality and religiosity

No more shall religion oppress humanity

For soon all shall taste and see

The spirit of grace that reconciles peaceably.

Christianity is the form of religion where people follow Christian denomination. To preach the Christian religion, people use to go for prayers in Christian church. Christian church are the worldwide traditions which represents the Christian faiths, preaches, worship, religion and saying of the god Jesus Christ. Christian church can be seen world wide and finds to be world wide spread religion. The followers of Christianity find a church through online church directory or any other church directory and make their prayers valuable. Online directory comprises of pictures, maps and other description about different Christian churches.

Christianity is spread world wide by the followers by preaching to the people regarding the religion, faith and saying of the god and also regarding the lord Jesus Christ. Christian churches can be classified as Catholic Church, Baptist church and Pentecostal church which comes up with different Christian church history church growth. Local church can be finded out in church directory for different states and different Christian classification. Christian church can be called or referred in different terms as it concept different for each individual.

Christian church expresses the ideas of different people and makes those ideas as shared one. They also share the faith, religion, saying with regards to the prayers and also bind with Christianity. Christian church comes up with wide church history and at also regarding its origin. Christian church finds its origin in roman and after realizing the value it has been spread world over. A Christian church becomes more important and essential place, which helps them to feel relaxed and share their thoughts and feelings with other people in the church.

Roman Catholic Church, Apostolic church, Lutheran church, charlotte church, Episcopal Church, Florida church, US church, Washington church and many other kinds of Christian church are available for people to have their prayers and services.Nowadays, large number of people started realizing the purpose and need of the religion Christianity and started going for different churches placed in different places and states. Even if people finds difficult to find out the church they required, they can seek the help of church finder or church ministry or through online church directory.

There are local churches available to facilitate the people with their prayers. Though Christian churches are classified as Baptist church, Pentecostal church and Catholic Church, they form under Christian churches. Generally, most of the people provide services to create broad Christian services and to have best resources for finding the local church or foreign churches located in different places of world. Church list are available and any festival are listed in the church to make the people share their joy and sorrow in church.

So many humans find fault with their religion or other people’s chosen religion? Wars are often fought over nothing more than religion. Silly culture wars over religious tradition and perception often arguing over what is morally right to think, say eat, wear, believe or do. Yes human wars are fought over many things, but what if we prevented religious wars?

For the sake of philosophical argument; What if We Ask an Artificial Intelligent Computer to Create a Religion for Mankind? How could this be done you ask? Oh so now you are intrigued by the latest philosophical conversation at the Online Think Tank are you?

Well first so many religions have contradictions in them. For instance live a life of peace but join in battle against an enemy? All religions have at least some contradictions, perhaps they are not so well thought out? In the future Artificial Intelligent Computers will surpass human thinking and reasoning skills, could we then ask our AI computer to design us a religion everyone could get along with and adopt Planet Wide?

There are endless contradictions in the Bible I agree and it is too bad they did not use the Future; Microsoft Professional MS Word 55.0 (with Contradiction Checker” and other AI features). But alas they were merely men trying to write the best air-tight case they could to enslave the minds of the masses for control. I’d say they did an excellent job, the trickery verbiage has worked for some 2000 years and from what I see here appears to be going strong still today.

Isn’t it time to use technology to upgrade human religion? After all soon man will become God and create artificial intelligence that will surpass him. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

If we examine the term ‘psychotherapy’ we will see that it literally means the ‘healing of the soul’. Much of emotional distress is actually a spiritual problem, where an individual has lost meaning and hope. In today’s society, we have lost sight of spiritual values and many have in turn decided to turn to the religion of bio-psychiatry.

Bio-psychiatry has a creed, the creed is that all problems of life are the result of so-called chemical imbalances. Any professional or individual challenging such conception is branded a heretic and subject to sanction.

The psychiatrist is the priest, and in some cases is also looked upon as a messianic figure. As the priest, the psychiatrist defines the Social Law and the infractions thereof.

The religion of bio-psychiatry has its ’sacraments.’ The sacrament of initiation occurs at intake, and confirmation occurs when the individual is indoctrinated into the credo of bio-psychiatry and led to believe that their problems lie in ‘wiring’ problems in their brains.

The religion of psychiatry has absolution. Through their ritual, adults and institutions are able to be completely absolved from taking any responsibility for meeting the real emotional needs of a person or examining how their own actions and choices could have impacted the challenges faced by the individual.

Ordination occurs at the conferring of the Medical Degree and the completion of a residency in psychiatry.

The religion of bio-psychiatry has the ’sacrament’ of Matrimony. Bio-Psychiatry is wedded to the pharmaceutical industry, and what a generous dowry the pharmaceutical industry has provided!

The American Psychiatric Association serves as the “Ecumenical Council” to promulgate the creed of bio-psychiatry and to institute the definitions of the Social Law and the infractions thereof.

The Bible of bio-psychiatry is the DSM-IV.

The Deity is the enormous ego of the bio-psychiatrists themselves.

Religion

Religion according to my edition of Webster’s dictionary is:

1- man’s expression of his acknowledgment of the divine

2- a system of beliefs and practices relating to the sacred and uniting it’s adherents in a community, e.g. Christianity, Judaism

3- adherence to such a system, a man without religion

4- something which has a powerful hold on a person’s way of thinking, interests, etc. football is his religion

5- monastic life, his name in religion was Damian

Other examples of the fourth definition are: science, medicine, technology, occult, sex, illicit drugs, food, drink, music, vanity, sports and possessions. You might think of more.

The Bible gives a definition for religion in James 1:27,

This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Some translations say to care for rather than visit.

To keep oneself unstained by the world, now that is a concept. That means that all those examples that I gave are unacceptable as a religion. To be unstained from the world you must therefore have available another option, a supernatural or spiritual way. The Bible is the word of God. In it we learn that Jesus said; I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

A warning is also given in Scripture; Whoever seems to himself to be religious, and does not bridal his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is futile. James 1:26

And they bend their tongue like their bow;

Lies and not truth prevail in the land;

For they proceed from evil to evil,

And they do not know Me, declares the Lord.

4 Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor,

And do not trust any brother;

Because every brother deals craftily,

And every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.

5 And everyone deceives his neighbor,

And does not speak the truth,

They have taught their tongue to speak lies;

They weary themselves committing iniquity.

6 Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit;

Through deceit they refuse to know Me, declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:3-6

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. Galatians 6:1-5

Another definition for religion, I think, is; the sum of one’s beliefs.