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Then, that's not a religion -- it does not require the followers to follow any codes (nothing to follow) -- that's not a religion.
It is a religion because they try to answer the great classical questions like what is good / evil, or how to live in balance with your environment etc. but they don't care whether you wish to believe them or not, simply because you are free to believe or not. I would call that a religion of free will.
I think it's important to remember that Christianity did not start-out as a fear-based religion. Hell, Jesus was a liberal pacifist; he associated with prostitutes and sinners and Samaritans and was forever ticking-off the Pharisees by bending their stodgy old laws, like working on the Sabbath. Even the very word "gospel" is translated to mean "good news." And that good news is basically that, hey, y'all can be included in God's Grace without having to live by the letter of the old law and mindlessly obey the teachings and fear-mongering of the church elders.
That being said, yeah, many fundie Christian denominatons have become a bit fear-based. And I think this all started with the Catholic Church, in its quest for power. As someone once said, "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely." Also remember that the four gospels found in the NT were chosen by the early Catholic Church out of hundreds of gospels! And you can bet your last communion wafer that they picked the ones that best fit their paradigm and supported their views.
So if Christianity has become fear-based I don't think we can blame it on Jesus or his original message. He would be just as disgusted with what has become of Christianity today if He were to return. (A favorite imaginary scenario of mine is Jesus flipping through the "Churches & Religious Organizations" section of the yellow pages of any big city directory today. I can just see him shaking his head sadly and saying, "No, no...this is not what I had in mind for you.")
Christianity is fear-based. All religions are fear-based.
There is a fundamental logic to it: the core goal of religion is to control its followers. Love can not do the job; fear is a perfect tool.
"Sin" = "you are no-good since birth, and for the entire lifetime".
"Sin" is one of the pillars of Christianity. It is to create a fear among the faithfuls, and to make them to believe they are miserable sinners for the entire life. The goal is to make them pray, pay church, follow religious codes interpreted by some human beings (these human beings have their own personal agendas to push).
Another concept coercions in Christianity is "hell". In Christianity, a dead person has another life -- afterlife, what really counts. And, faithfuls have been told to do this and that, otherwise -- go to hell.
Just as I posted earlier. Perfect love cast's out fear and if God is love Christianity (True Christianity) is based on love. I also quoted the scripture that says that we love because He first loved us.
It took me fourteen years after first becoming a believer to fully understand that God loved me. He showed me he loved me when He blessed me with something that I didn't deserve. I asked Him why he did that and he used my two-year old son for an example. God answered me, "Why do you give your son gifts when he disobeys and is sometimes difficult to deal with". I answered Him and said, because I love him Lord, I love him so much and he said "and I love you Raelyn, even more than you love your son." It touched me so deeply that I fell to the floor lifting my hands to God and thanking Him. It was one of those moments that will forever stay in my heart.
You see Bud many well-meaning Christians are caught up in doing this or that, trying to please God, trying to work hard for acceptance, but God loves us unconditionally and He always has. Unfortunately man does a really poor job of walking in God's love because it requires receiving God's love and then letting that love be the motivator for everything. In other words we need to receive God's love to overflowing and then that love spills out on others. It is sad to say that not many walk this way...in love toward one another.
I learned that day when God spoke to me that I would listen to Him and hear His voice above the voice of man. I truly KNOW that God loves me and there is nothing I can do to change that. God is Love...
I pray that God would show you His Love dear friend...
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:16-19, RSV)
This passage speaks of a special kind of love, a love that has power even to banish fear. It is also a love that is part of the divine nature: "God is love."
"As he is, so are we": if we receive God’s Love, we partake of the substance of God. "We love because he first loved us"
I still have fearful days though as I have yet to reach perfection in God's Love...but I am working really hard at it In the end I know I will get there so my fear is minimal.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:46-48, RSV) Jesus calls upon us to love not only those to whom we have a "natural" connection, but the stranger also, and even our enemy. What could be less "natural" than that! What does it mean to love our enemy? Not to feel for our enemies affection as though they were members of our family, but to become aware of their individuality, to understand them fully, so that we may desire God's blessings for them even if we cannot approve of what they do. Clearly, only the Divine Love can bring about such a transformation within us....and with such transformation CASTETH OUT ALL FEAR.
I am greatly saddened that anyone considers Christianity a fear based religion. It isn't.
There are a few basic principles of Christianity that I would like to share, there are more. But I find these three items sum up the love the drives Christianity. I am no Bible thumper at all, but think it's important for me to share some selected scripture.
First, the standard, John 3:16: For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son, for whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish but have ever lasting life.
Yes, this means that God LOVES us and was willing to sacrifice his son for us in order for us to be with HIM for eternity. It doesn't say anything about hate or fear.
Next, when Jesus was asked what the most important law, he said the following from Matthew 22: 37-40, "Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” No fear there either, only love of God, and loving our neighbor.
This is the basis of my own personal relationship with the Lord. God loves us by giving us Jesus. Loving the Lord, and loving my neighbor as myself. Again, no fear in any of this either.
Christianity has many versions that people practice. Mine happens to be one that is truly love based. Too often the more vocal versions of Christianity are the ones that take a more fundamentalist version of the Bible which can come across as much less loving, much more focused on rules, and yes fear of hellfire and brimstone. Just remember many Christians follow their faith in a far more loving path and the fear mongers do not speak for us.
Opinion should come from scripture. There are alot of unbelievers who read these threads and opinion is a dangerous thing. Christians that give their opinions are ships in a storm without an anchor.
So you're saying that christians shouldn't think for themselves unless their thoughts/opinions come directly from scripture. And that non-christians who think or opine at all, since they don't follow scripture, are acting in a dangerous manner. That is disturbing. I understand that you place value on what the scripture says, and obviously you like to adhere to the scriptures pretty strictly, but to follow the words of the bible blindly and exclusively, and refuse to allow yourself the leeway to keep your faith in mind but see things as they are in fairness and reality and how they relate to your own life and others in this world- now THAT is dangerous. And if that doesn't sound like living in fear I don't know what does.
In fairness, however, I do not think that every christian lives this way, nor are all christians' beliefs rooted in fear. It's pretty unfair to lump all christians together when there are clearly a VERY extreme differing of beliefs within the same basic religion. But the more open minded, kind and giving christians without peculiar agendas seem to be the exception, not the rule as I've come to find, unfortunately.
So you're saying that christians shouldn't think for themselves unless their thoughts/opinions come directly from scripture.
That is exactly what I am saying. Scripture is the ultimate authority-God's word, if your opinion is opposite of scripture then you are wrong but if you think you are right, what authority do you base your opinion if scripture doesn't support you.
Last edited by Fundamentalist; 01-15-2010 at 10:42 PM..
I'm pretty sure Christianity is based on love. Whose love? God's love!
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
That, in a nutshell, is the basis of Christianity.
Bud
This is the answer in a nutshell and I will say there are many religious people that really don't have a complete understanding of this verse as it is mere words to them. This is a very comforting verse to know that we have a Saviour and we need not fear when we put our complete trust in Him.
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I would call that a religion of free will.
