Religion or God

[Ubon]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Religion or God

No, thanks.

 

[Ubon]

No, thanks.

No thanks what

 

[Sha'irullah]

No, thanks.

Yes please!

 

[shunyadragon]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

As with others that take this view I object to the generalization of putting 'religion' in a box and throwing stones at it. Buddhism and all its variations is indeed a religion with various religious belief systems.

 

[Sunstone]

So far as I can see, religions that have much of anything to do with god(s) are a bit mixed when it comes to how they deal with deity. If you pause for a moment to think of god(s) as something wild and untamed, then most religions seem to be in the business of trying to domesticate deity. By that I mean they try to both define deity and define the "proper" role of deity in one's life. Of course, any effort to define deity or give it a proper role is an effort to limit it, to "domesticate" it, so to speak.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

God oriented religions and god are interconnected. You take out god, it religion means nothing. You take out ritual, god is an abstract concept that has no physical relation to people, environment, and everyday life. You can't separate the two.

If religion is wrong, then people's view of god will be affected as religion (practices such as prayer, ritual, and interaction with god) are the cornerstone of one's relationship with god. You can see this profoundly in culture where without religion/culture society in that said culture will fall apart.

Each culture has different ways of practice. Some practice in Church, some other people's homes, some in nature, and others in front of their shrines. In other words, if you take religion out, people would be walking around like zombies since you need to do something to connect with the spiritual world unless people just think they are spiritual without any way to show it.

Mental spirituality?

 

[Phantasman]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

I studied many religions. When to many different churches. Both are just group think, IMO.

I prefer saying I am on a path. I meet many that I learn from, as as others that learn from me. No religion or church can say that they are the truth and the only truth (spiritually). The big picture that is available to the seeker of truth is much larger than the boxes religions confine their thoughts. Even a child can expel wisdom that priests do not.

 

[Phantasman]

So far as I can see, religions that have much of anything to do with god(s) are a bit mixed when it comes to how they deal with deity. If you pause for a moment to think of god(s) as something wild and untamed, then most religions seem to be in the business of trying to domesticate deity. By that I mean they try to both define deity and define the "proper" role of deity in one's life. Of course, any effort to define deity or give it a proper role is an effort to limit it, to "domesticate" it, so to speak.

I agree. Religions who teach God (the Father) do more to bring him down to a level more equal with man than the truth that we cannot even understand who and what he is.

This is a big difference between the Hebrew God (whom had a name) and the Gospel Father who is nameless. A God so far above our understanding that a name cannot describe him/it.

 

[David T]

Panting... Love this painting 1865. It reminds me of John Muir writings. It's romantic yes but hey it's well done.

Albert Bierstadt

 

[shunyadragon]

I agree. Religions who teach God (the Father) do more to bring him down to a level more equal with man than the truth that we cannot even understand who and what he is.

This is a big difference between the Hebrew God (whom had a name) and the Gospel Father who is nameless. A God so far above our understanding that a name cannot describe him/it.

As far as I can tell from the scripture the Hebrew God did not have a name. The reference JHWY is descriptive of God and not a name.

 

[socharlie]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

RELIGION is one of the basic human instincts, it is build in human essence . This instinct is behind human religions which are human interpretations of God.

 

[sun rise]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

Religion can be a help or hindrance at certain stages for some people. Some abuse it to gain power and fight against anything that would impact their position including by ignoring what they don't want to hear.

 

[Phantasman]

As far as I can tell from the scripture the Hebrew God did not have a name. The reference JHWY is descriptive of God and not a name.

That could be true, depending on who one talks to. The OT has man verses of men saying they talked with God. Yet Jesus said we have never heard his voice nor seen his shape. You would think this was also true of the voice that said "this is my son" at two different times in the Gospel.

Stephen said that is was angels the Hebrews talked with (Acts 7).

Due to the tainting of scriptures, we have seen changes (such as naming God). The Nag Hammadi books have been untouched for over 1600 years, and I feel what they reveal has been much less tainted by men with agendas. The NT has been redefined many times since it was translated into English and German by Wycliffe and Tyndale. And even more within the last 30 years, with the new age paraphrasing.

Even the Codex Sanaiticus doesn't line up complete with the Catholics Codex Vaticanicus. Some books and words added or removed.

 

[Sha'irullah]

To me it is dangerous to keep a religion static and it must be based off a principle that is applicable and not just some sacred text of lore and fable. To me this is the downfall of religion and why polytheistic societies lasted for so long despite all there hardships. The great monotheisms of today had to be forced and thrust into the lives of those in society by their leaders and it inevitably failed us so early. Everything that came out in philosophy during these periods did so against the behest of these religions.

 

[Father Heathen]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

Religion is a profitable racket.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

It is not that the elders would conspire to keep the discovery secret. They wouldn't have the opportunity to conspire, because people do not listen. If one or more religious elders discovers a catastrophic error in doctrine they are helpless to change anything. It does not matter what the religions elders say in the situation you have envisioned, because people do not listen. Even when we try we don't listen or just barely. If people want to be told something, then they go and find someone who is saying it. Otherwise they do not listen and do not hear the sound. So no, the elders would not conspire to retain the religion. They would be held in check by anyone they tried to tell. Only children would pay any attention.

 

[Quintessence]

If any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

I think it's worth thinking about some of the underlying assumptions that go into a scenario like this, because it impacts what outcomes would logically follow. Here are some things assumed in this scenario that may or may not be granted by or present in a religious community:

• There are "right" and "wrong" ways to practice, and this distinction is important
• There are "right" and "wrong" ways to think about the gods, and this distinction is important
• community elders play a central role in establishing what is "right" and "wrong" - that is to say, they hold authority that is expected to be followed

I think about these in regard to contemporary Paganism, and my own path of Druidry, and scratch my head a bit, because all of these three things are absent by and large. Since they are absent, there's no reason to shut down anything. They're not problems. Our traditions are expected to grow and evolve. And all religious ultimately do that in the face of change. What you end up with are schisms between traditionalists and progressivists. It's how new religious movements get born. Thus, I see this question as less about "religion before gods" and more about "how religions change and develop."

 

[PureX]

So far as I can see, religions that have much of anything to do with god(s) are a bit mixed when it comes to how they deal with deity. If you pause for a moment to think of god(s) as something wild and untamed, then most religions seem to be in the business of trying to domesticate deity. By that I mean they try to both define deity and define the "proper" role of deity in one's life. Of course, any effort to define deity or give it a proper role is an effort to limit it, to "domesticate" it, so to speak.

This is the basic flaw I find with religion; in that it promotes unity through homogenization. Which I find to be fundamentally antithetical to human spirituality.

However, at the same time, I can see that a lot of people recognize their spirituality through their relations with other people. So that this unity is, for them, essential to their spiritual experience.

So even though, myself, I reject the homogenization of spirituality by religion, I must acknowledge and appreciate that a great many of my fellow humans feel and experience spirituality through their religion. And so for them, it is an essential component of their spirituality.

 

[TheBannerofHomuraAkemi]

Are Religions puting the actual Religion before God.
for eg, if any Religions elders discovered with certainty that what they practice is wrong in every way and God was not what they thought and the Religions practices were wrong.

would they discontinue and shut down or simply keep the new findings secret in order to save the Religion.

If God Said no need for Churches, shut them down, pack it in and Worship from home as individuals, would they keep it secret, disregard Gods wishes and continue on as is.

is the Religion more important then the God they worship due to mankinds material wants.

Religion should be a relationship between Man and God. But churches have been corrupted, They have turned into a place thats filled with politcal agenda's, hate mongering, gosseping, and places where the weak and unwanted are socially isolated But then again that happens wherever humans gather.