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Is the fact there are so very many different flavours the real secret to its longevity as a belief system?
And getting back to that first post. It would seem to me that other religions have a 'longevity' as well. Christianity has no single claim on that issue. Of course, individuals appear to gravitate to religions which fufill a need or want in themselves as they relate to the world and their fellow man. As we can see, there are certainly many ways to salvation. Perhaps, in the case of Christianity though, the religion presents a case say for some 'malleability', i.e. inducing a change with the times, with certain societal movements etc. Thus all the so-called 'sects'. Yet, it is kind of a paradox though that with all the pulling she still manages to stick around and not be completely destroyed with dissension and done from the face of the earth. Which leads me to say that perhaps there is that 'something' that intrinsically helps a long ago 'cult' to survive and has managed to coexist in the world for many centuries. To some it's mumbo-jumbo and nonsense but the reality surely differs.
Would you like to address the study or anything else in my original post?
Religion is man made and not what true Christianity is truly about. Say what you will but most of the non-believers may know about religion, but they know nothing about relationship with Jesus.
Folks can choose whatever brand of Christianity that best suits their personality, sense of morality, political leaning, hopes etc.
You make it sound like trying on a new jacket or dress. That sounds weird to me. I can only imagine that if I was a theist and I believed there was a god.... I would by choosing my religion.... or sub branch of religion..... based on which one seemed most likely to be true.... not one that simply subjectively pleased me the most.
Even if the one I deemed most likely to be true was totally abrasive to my "personality, sense of morality, political leaning, hopes etc." I would feel compelled to select it because I believed it to be the RIGHT one, not because it pleased me or was abrasive to me.
The people simply pick and choose religions to suit their mood..... it was once shown for example that US Religionists change religion more often than they change cell phone provider..... simply tells me that even theists do not take religion all that seriously themselves.
Religion is man made and not what true Christianity is truly about. Say what you will but most of the non-believers may know about religion, but they know nothing about relationship with Jesus.
Nor does anyone else. Sure, some people believe things about that relationship, but they can't reasonably claim to know it. That's the faith part of the Christian religion - believing in stuff that feels good even though there's good reasons not to.
What I would suggest my friend is this...keep in mind that all religions are man-made and thus unable to be "perfect" or flawless.
God is, however, perfect and incapable of flaws.
Do not let yourself be soured by man's inability to be perfect, just focus instead on a perfect relationship with God himself and ignore the argumentative humans
Quote:
Originally Posted by TroutDude
Folks can choose whatever brand of Christianity that best suits their personality, sense of morality, political leaning, hopes etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by travric
Is the fact there are so very many different flavours the real secret to its longevity as a belief system?
And getting back to that first post. It would seem to me that other religions have a 'longevity' as well. Christianity has no single claim on that issue. Of course, individuals appear to gravitate to religions which fufill a need or want in themselves as they relate to the world and their fellow man. As we can see, there are certainly many ways to salvation. Perhaps, in the case of Christianity though, the religion presents a case say for some 'malleability', i.e. inducing a change with the times, with certain societal movements etc. Thus all the so-called 'sects'. Yet, it is kind of a paradox though that with all the pulling she still manages to stick around and not be completely destroyed with dissension and done from the face of the earth. Which leads me to say that perhaps there is that 'something' that intrinsically helps a long ago 'cult' to survive and has managed to coexist in the world for many centuries. To some it's mumbo-jumbo and nonsense but the reality surely differs.
As lovesMountains suggests . . . it is belief in God that is the important element. . . not the specifics in the myriad religions. It is also true that having more than one version helps to increase its longevity and adapt to changing mores over time. My interpretation of Daniel 7 suggests that it was even predicted to occur this way. Daniel's dream about the four beasts in Daniel 7 is controversial because people keep trying to use a carnal and secular historical bias instead of a spiritual perspective for interpretation. Secular kingdoms are NOT the focus of Daniel's dream in Daniel 7. The Bible is first and foremost a spiritual book. Our consciousnesses are on a spiritual quest, not a carnal secular one.
It is much easier to draw symbolic spiritual connections to Daniel’s dream using as "kingdoms" the religious faiths that have emerged and persist even to this day. It is also important to remember that the order of appearance in the dream has nothing to do with the order of appearance historically. Linear time sequences were NOT part of the mindset of Daniel and our ancient ancestors . . . the character and specifics ALONE identify the "kingdoms" . . . NOT the order of appearance.
Daniel 7 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)
From Daniel 7:2, the origin of the beasts,
. . . And behold the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts, different one from another, came up out of the sea.
Thus, the origin of the beasts is heaven, a logical source of religious beliefs.
From Daniel 7:4,
. . . The first was like a lioness and had the wings of an eagle: I beheld till her wings were plucked off and she was lifted up from the earth, and stood upon her feet as a man, and the heart of a man was given to her.
This would be a reference to Judaism (the lion of Juda) from whom the wings of eternity were plucked and the heart of Jesus was given to her in crucifixion.
From Daniel 7:5,
. . . and behold another beast like a bear stood up on one side: and there were three rows in the mouth thereof, and in the teeth thereof, and thus they said to it: Arise, devour much flesh.
This is a reference to Islam, (the bear of Persia) and the rows of teeth are the offshoots of it. Indeed, the holy war or Jihad that established Islam "devoured much flesh" and it continues to do so.
From Daniel 7:6,
. . . After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, and it had upon it four wings as of a fowl, and the beast had four heads, and power was given to it.
The four heads immediately bring to mind Brahmanism (the leopard of India). Originally five heads were assigned to Brahma, but one was destroyed by Siva. The four heads symbolize the main offshoots of it. The power that was given to it was probably the Taoist philosophy, or the way of life which stresses charity (agape love). The wings most likely symbolize the capability of each offshoot for flight into heaven.
From Daniel 7:7,
. . . After this I beheld in the vision of the night, and lo, a fourth beast, terrible and wonderful, and exceeding strong, it had great iron teeth, eating and breaking in pieces, and treading down the rest with its feet.
This would be the Christianity of Roman Catholicism, (the Iron of the industrial revolution) and the eating and breaking in pieces, signifies the splitting into various "Protestant" sects that it has been undergoing during its spread throughout the world.
From Daniel 7:23
23And thus he said: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be greater than all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
<snip> (References to the many Christian Kings of Europe)
From Daniel 7:28
28 Hitherto is the end of the Word.
The phrase "end of the Word," since the Word is God (John 1:1) would seem to further corroborate this general line of interpretation. Since the fourth beast is Christianity . . . which seems to have special significance, e.g. "shall devour the whole earth" . . . I am confident that Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Religion is man made and not what true Christianity is truly about. Say what you will but most of the non-believers may know about religion, but they know nothing about relationship with Jesus.
Uh, no ... that statement is incredibly false.
As MANY atheists have said on this board (over and over again), we were believers once, and we had our little "relationships" with Jesus.
But then we realized that it was all a trick of the mind. Science knows exactly where religiosity is triggered in the brain, and they are able to fool people into thinking there is a "divine" presence in the room simply by jolting that part of the brain with a little electricity.
The point being is that, for those of us who had imaginary friends growing up, they seemed pretty damn real when we believed in their existence. We could fool ourselves into actually feeling their presence. Of course, there was no one there, and an empty room really was an empty room.
So while you can pretend that atheists have never had a "relationship with Jesus" if that makes you more comfortable, know that such an assertion simply isn't true. I know you probably think that if we had such a relationship, we would never turn away from it. But you know what? We turned away from imaginary friends at some point in our growth, and they were our best friends!
The point being is that, for those of us who had imaginary friends growing up, they seemed pretty damn real when we believed in their existence. We could fool ourselves into actually feeling their presence. Of course, there was no one there, and an empty room really was an empty room.
Nor does anyone else. Sure, some people believe things about that relationship, but they can't reasonably claim to know it. That's the faith part of the Christian religion - believing in stuff that feels good even though there's good reasons not to.
You are wrong of course, but please go ahead with your delusions. I have a relationship with Jesus and God and it is real and that is not faith. You really have no understanding of what faith is. You just proved that point with your post above.
As MANY atheists have said on this board (over and over again), we were believers once, and we had our little "relationships" with Jesus.
But then we realized that it was all a trick of the mind. Science knows exactly where religiosity is triggered in the brain, and they are able to fool people into thinking there is a "divine" presence in the room simply by jolting that part of the brain with a little electricity.
The point being is that, for those of us who had imaginary friends growing up, they seemed pretty damn real when we believed in their existence. We could fool ourselves into actually feeling their presence. Of course, there was no one there, and an empty room really was an empty room.
So while you can pretend that atheists have never had a "relationship with Jesus" if that makes you more comfortable, know that such an assertion simply isn't true. I know you probably think that if we had such a relationship, we would never turn away from it. But you know what? We turned away from imaginary friends at some point in our growth, and they were our best friends!
Uh, no....your statements are wrong about it being a trick of the mind. If you truly believe this then it is not anyone's fault that you all were born with less than others. If you truly would have had a relationship with our Lord then you would not be an atheist. It is that simple, but you are free to believe what you will, but quite the trying to constantly put others down because we believe and have a relationship with the one true Lord. Enjoy your hate, and it is hate. If it wasn't hate then you would not feel it necessary to continually post about how you were duped and all. You are still mad at something and you need to fix your own problems before you can even think of trying to lead people away from something they believe in.
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is this...keep in mind that all religions are man-made and thus unable to be "perfect" or flawless.
