Organized Religion: Natural Or Unnatural?

[cardero]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

 

[3.14]

religion is humans way of organizing chaos
it could turn into massive gatherings for philosofers but most people need clearly divined lines so that probaly won't catch on

 

[Jeremiah]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

I don't know about the nature of God. But as far as nature goes; humans are a part of nature. Therefor anything we do is natural including organized religion, space travel and environmental pollution. We are as we were created, be it contingent or by divine spark.

 

[idea]

Organization is not a bad thing if youare organized under the right people with the right goals. Nature is organized, follows laws, has patterns. It is an efficient way to do things. If we all had to invent the wheel for ourself, we would all still be cavemen, it is not a bad thing to learn from others, and that is what organizations allow people to do, learn from one another, and work together. It is more efficient, and you get more done working together than isolating yourself. When you think of the greatest commandment, to love one another, this is not something you can accomplish living like a hermit – you have to be around others, work with others, to love one another. To be willing to be part of a group, to admit that some know more than you – I guess some people are too prideful to admit that others know things that they do not know, pride makes you think you can do everything on your own, that you have no need to rely on other people to help you… if you refuse to learn from other people, you will not learn very much. Those who advance the farthest are those who are humble and teachable…

Num 27:16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

A few more scriptures showing that the Bible supports organization with Jesus as the head of the church, then other offices such as apostles, prophets, priests, deacons, elders, bishops, etc… grouping people into specific roles rather than just leaving everyone to their own devices to try and figure things out for themselves…

Church Organization (see also Jesus Christ–Head of the Church; Stakes)
Gen. 14:18 Melchizedek ... was the priest of the most high God
Ex. 18:21 able men ... to be rulers of thousands
Ex. 24:9 (Num. 11:16) Moses, and Aaron ... and seventy of the elders of Israel
Num. 27:18 (Deut. 34:9) take thee Joshua ... and lay thine hand upon him
Deut. 27:1 Moses with the elders of Israel
Josh. 4:4 Joshua called the twelve men
Matt. 16:18 upon this rock I will build my c.
Luke 6:13 (6:12–16) chose twelve, whom also he named apostles
Luke 10:1 Lord appointed other seventy
John 15:16 have chosen you, and ordained you
Acts 1:25 take part of this ministry and apostleship
Acts 6:6 when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them
Acts 13:1 there were in the church ... prophets and teachers
Acts 14:23 ordained them elders in every church
Acts 15:6 apostles and elders came together
1 Cor. 12:27 ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular
Eph. 2:20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets
Eph. 4:11 gave some, apostles, and some, prophets
Philip. 1:1 with the bishops and deacons
Titus 1:5 ordain elders in every city

Your testimony is your own, your relashonshiop with God is your own - but as you are able to grow closer to the people around you - this is how you grow closer to God...

For inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me.

If you are unable to appreciate joining together with the rest of humanity, you will be unable to dwell with God, because His goal is to unite everyone to everyone else... I think He uses apostles and prophets to allow others the joy of teaching and growing together, He does not want to step between us, so He steps back and tries to get us to rely on one another

 

[cardero]

What of religions that do not organize themselves in similiar manner? Can all religions (even the ones that have different beleifs) be considered natural or unnatural? Do all religious organizations naturally lead to GOD?

 

[Burning Giraffe]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

Whatever happens tends to happen naturally, but I think I understand the distinction you are trying to draw. I think organized religion is natural because individuals do not want to have to invent their own complex belief systems, but rather belong to established systems that share the same values and understanding of human experience and the human condition.

 

[wednesday]

If religion is natural, how does one explain the lack of religion across the globe?

Who knows how it started but i think it was a natural occurance of mans fear of himself above all. However, it has just been organised into sects, each calling god a different name.

 

[Tau]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

Every organised religion is parochial and idiosyncratic to human culture.

I would not consider any organised religion to be natural, to be natural it would have to be universal and empirical, which is probably impossible.

 

[gnomon]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

Organized religion is natural. Quite frankly, stating otherwise seems like a supreme act of ignoring the obvious.

Is organized religion superior/inferior to other forms of spirituality? Based on the practitioners of both I have talked to I would say no.

 

[sojourner]

Humans are naturally "pack animals." That is, we thrive on community. since religion strives to be the ultimate expression of community, I tend t see religion as a "natural" thing.

 

[Heneni]

God has distributed the knowledge of himself through many civilizations and many nations. The combined truth of god is scattered all over the world, hence it can not be confined by any one religion or any one person.

If you look for the treasures of god, you will find it all over. Its only when you look for treasure that you will spot it when you see it.

I think religion makes the process of spiritual growth unnatural. Mostly the revelation of god comes from a relationship with him, and not by joining any particular religion.

I think people find comfort in religion because they have friends that share their interests and who walk with them. But religion has become something that god has not intended it to be....the authority figure on the matters of god.

God is in charge of god, and the matters of god. Religion says believe what i do and you will be right, god says believe me and you will be right. And since knowledge of him is all over i think that religion has missed the fact that your neighbour might be more enlightened by looking for clues of god in everyday life rather than studying the scriptures daily and finding nothing in it that would change your life.

Heneni

 

[Nessa Nenharma]

Given what we know about Nature and GOD, is the understanding of what we know about organized religion natural or unnatural?

Are these organizations a derivative if human nature or GOD Nature?

If you choose natural as an answer, what exactly is it that makes it natural? Is it as one believes, the belief in which God’s will is written on the hearts of men? Are there any religious props that are required? Is belief natural?

If you believe that organized is unnatural what could religion do to align itself into a more Natural state that reflects the aspects of GOD’s nature?

I believe it is a natural way of explaining and dealing with the World and people around us.

 

[Aqualung]

Unnatural, but the only way to truth. After all, the natural man is an enemy to God. It follows that the natural man is an enemy to God's organisation, and thus that God's organised church is unnatural to man.

 

[tomspug]

If "religion" wasn't natural, then why are there no cultures that are religion-less? It makes sense that people would attempt to create order from chaos. We do it when we farm crops, build buildings, and conduct energy.

The only religions that are truly distinct are PERSONAL religions (i.e. relationships with something divine). Organized religion has no distinctive value over other religions unless it nurtures the personal religions of its members.