Religion is man-made.

[Jen]

Jesus did not teach religion
He taught love and forgiveness.
His message was for us to love our Father in Heaven
and to love others as we love ourselves.
Then, in the ultimate act of love, He traded His life for yours and mine.
Loving others as we love ourselves isn't easy and isn't instant.
It's a work in progress throughout our lives.

In a discussion here on PJ a while back someone told me that if I was a Christian, I had to be religious. The two were inseparable.
I will agree that I am religious.
But I do not belong to a man-made religion.
I am a Christian because I believe what Jesus taught and work toward following it.

Discussion?

 

[gabriel]

you only know what religious people TELL you he taught!

 

[NightSwimmer]

Gabriel has a point. What we know of Jesus was provided by the Christian religion through their official canon. Many people admire the teachings of Jesus, but do not belong to the Christian Church. They are not actually Christians, in the true sense of the word, but that differentiation should not be taken as an insult.

One could likewise admire the teachings of Muhammad, yet not be a Muslim.

 

[gabriel]

i doubt jesus was a christian

 

[MaryAnne]

No argument from me,Jen. Faith and Religion are 2 different things. I have always known that.

Man made rules are just that. You make the choice of what you do. That is why you have a conscience.

 

[wookie-leeks]

Religion is man made, but it is based on events that happened thousands of years ago.

It is man's duty to decide whether it really happened the way they said it did or not.


Now that being said, I think there is an "invisible hand" that has been at play all along. And yes, long before mass brainwashing methods had been developed.


Like I said, I was born a skeptic, and do not preach to people on this subject. My attitude is you can believe whatever you want to.

 

[MaryAnne]

One of the best posts,yet,Wookie! I agree with every word!

***** for you!

 

[PhilFish]

But if, excluding mass brainwashing exercises....one comes to an understanding that there is an 'invisible hand' at work... and then chooses to follow/believe in it....hasnt one just created a religion?