Can you be spiritual without being religious?

[TruthSucker]

The only thing religions do is seperate people from each other, WHAT ELSE??? (on a worldwide scale)
(divide and rule)

If there would be places were you could come together praising faith in itself, I would be okay with it. No books, no Priests or Imams or whatever. Just people coming together peaceful in faith, where is the problem.
But most religious people need someone or at least something looking up to. They want structure because life itself is kind of structureless.

They want to make the impossible possible: the materialization of the immaterial. Of couse churches and mosques are only about coming together. Building a group, get to know people with the same ideas and beliefs.

I'm an agnostic. I don't need no church to be faithful. My values are: respect nature, don't harm no one (animals included) and be friendly, don't be greedy and share if you feel like (if you can), respect everyone as long as you get respected, help if you see help is needed. Job done.

I'm not perfect, I just try to be a good person. Christianity can kiss my ass, if they would live what they are preaching, they would spend nearly all of their money to the poor.
To me, religions are just tools of power.

I am my own power, my church is in me. It's just a moral compass, that's what religions are all about, right?

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

@TruthSucker

"I am my own power, my church is in me. It's just a moral compass, that's what religions are all about, right?"

First thing to say is that you sound like a really nice person by the standards you hold to. The world would be a nicer place to live if more people were like you ;-)

Inspiring moral actions may be what religions are all about, but, as the Bible puts it, compared to God "our righteousness is as filthy rags", which gives us a problem - that's why we need the gospel.

 

[TruthSucker]

@TruthSucker

"I am my own power, my church is in me. It's just a moral compass, that's what religions are all about, right?"

Inspiring moral actions may be what religions are all about, but, as the Bible puts it "our righteousness is as filthy rags" - that's why we need the gospel.

I disagree. I don't need no scripture to know what is right and wrong. And based on your statement all religious people should be doing no wrong, that's not reality.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

I disagree. I don't need no scripture to know what is right and wrong. And based on your statement all religious people should be doing no wrong, that's not reality.

I think you misunderstand (that's OK) - the message of the Gospel is not about how good we are. Maybe this will explain it better!

 

[TruthSucker]

@Red Sky at Morning
Ok, watched it. What is this, a Christian commercial?
I don't know what this should explain to me? You're good if you're religious? You're bad if not?

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

@Red Sky at Morning
Ok, watched it. What is this, a Christian commercial?
I don't know what this should explain to me? You're good if you're religious? You're bad if not?

It's just a sketch. We all fall short of Gods standards. True, Christians are often no more moral than other "good" people, and sometimes far less.

At the end, the person whose goodness is weighed is Jesus. That's why the thief on the cross knew that Jesus was his only hope. I don't think I am better than anyone, I just believe that Jesus died to pay for my sins and clothe me in his right standing before God.

That's what "grace" means.

- God's Riches At Christ's Expense.

 

[TruthSucker]

I just believe that Jesus died to pay for my sins and clothe me in his right standing before God.

So therefore you could be the greatest asshole on this planet and you're still welcome in heaven (lets pretend there is one)? Mass murderers, child rapist, as long as you are christian you come to heaven? Sounds like a good movie.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

So therefore you could be the greatest asshole on this planet and you're still welcome in heaven (lets pretend there is one)? Mass murderers, child rapist, as long as you are christian you come to heaven? Sounds like a good movie.

It looks like a good movie!

John Newton, in his own way, had a similar experience to Paul...

https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/john-newton.html

 

[TokiEl]

So therefore you could be the greatest asshole on this planet and you're still welcome in heaven (lets pretend there is one)? Mass murderers, child rapist, as long as you are christian you come to heaven? Sounds like a good movie.

Everybody got a golden opportunity to repent and turn from sin and become ex-criminals.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

Everybody got a golden opportunity to repent and turn from sin and become ex-criminals.

People say that if you have never been shocked by quantum physics, you have never understood it.

In the same way, if you have never felt the "scandal of grace", you have never understood the message of the Gospel.

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

I am not a denominations guy either - I like the simplicity of this short message.

You give us a garbage scenario of Jesus dying for us, while ignoring that he did so only after he condemned us unjustly.

You would make a hero of a satanic God.

Regards
DL

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

View attachment 7235

You would do what Jesus said not to do.

He said he came to serve us, and you would have us serve him.

Why would you deny Jesus what he desires and instead do what you desire?

Regards
DL

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

Spirit is alive, religion is dead. This is the way I look at it.

I wish it were so but religions are continuing to harm society with their homophobic and misogynous ways.

Religions are not dead.

Men of conscience and a moral sense will continue to try to kill the inmmoral mainstream religions.

Regards
DL

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

They are all around you when you notice them ;-)

Lies.

Jesus said that any true believer could do what he did and more.

There are no Christians if we look for the standard that Jesus said would be visible.

Regards
DL

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

@Gnostic Christian Bishop

"he condemned us unjustly"

Fortunately for me, the justice (or otherwise) of the condemnation is not for me to decide. That will be a conversation you will have one day.

I know you might think I am "against" you, but I am actually "for" you in ways I hope you come to understand one day!

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

The only thing religions do is seperate people from each other, WHAT ELSE??? (on a worldwide scale)
(divide and rule)

If there would be places were you could come together praising faith in itself, I would be okay with it. No books, no Priests or Imams or whatever. Just people coming together peaceful in faith, where is the problem.
But most religious people need someone or at least something looking up to. They want structure because life itself is kind of structureless.

They want to make the impossible possible: the materialization of the immaterial. Of couse churches and mosques are only about coming together. Building a group, get to know people with the same ideas and beliefs.

I'm an agnostic. I don't need no church to be faithful. My values are: respect nature, don't harm no one (animals included) and be friendly, don't be greedy and share if you feel like (if you can), respect everyone as long as you get respected, help if you see help is needed. Job done.

I'm not perfect, I just try to be a good person. Christianity can kiss my ass, if they would live what they are preaching, they would spend nearly all of their money to the poor.
To me, religions are just tools of power.

I am my own power, my church is in me. It's just a moral compass, that's what religions are all about, right?

That is Gnostic Christian thinking.

Do not relent.

Regards
DL

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

@TruthSucker

"I am my own power, my church is in me. It's just a moral compass, that's what religions are all about, right?"

First thing to say is that you sound like a really nice person by the standards you hold to. The world would be a nicer place to live if more people were like you ;-)

Inspiring moral actions may be what religions are all about, but, as the Bible puts it, compared to God "our righteousness is as filthy rags", which gives us a problem - that's why we need the gospel.

More lies.

Secular law is more righteous than your God's laws.

Meet me here and I will demonstrate that what you are doing is lying to us.

https://vigilantcitizenforums.com/threads/give-to-caesar-why-better-law-and-justice.3765/

Regards
DL

 

[Bacsi]

If I crawled on some glass, would you really consider the gospel?

For sure. You or any other Christian would not. Of course, "crawling on glass" is figurative.

 

[Bacsi]

I wish it were so but religions are continuing to harm society with their homophobic and misogynous ways.

Religions are not dead.

Men of conscience and a moral sense will continue to try to kill the inmmoral mainstream religions.

Regards
DL

I agree with you. What I meant, they are dead spiritually. No life in them whatsoever. But they are active in this physical world for sure! Spreading vile negativity everywhere.

 

[Gnostic Christian Bishop]

I think you misunderstand (that's OK) - the message of the Gospel is not about how good we are. Maybe this will explain it better!

Explain how you have ended in adoring a genocidal son murdering God and why you think such a prick would know anything about good morals and just laws?

Regards
DL