Learning about scripture (at church) improves my relationship with God as I believe he communicates with humankind via scripture
And a good worship service makes me feel closer to God
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Why Religion?
- Thread starter Willamena
- Start date
Learning about scripture (at church) improves my relationship with God as I believe he communicates with humankind via scripture
And a good worship service makes me feel closer to God
My judgment is my best tool at hand.
More advanced on the path from ego-centric consciousness to universal-consciousness.
Then you don't have a personal relationship with god, just a social one?
Right, we are each the judge for our jurisdiction of one person.
No, the Messenger presents Evidence to those that ask and look with Justice.
The first evidence they offer is their person and life, they ask you to judge them according to their Message as they are the first to live to the standard given.
Regards Tony
That's relative.
I don't see why my relationship with God can't be both personal and social
The Message given from God always includes a Covenant and Laws that we must Follow in the age the Message is given. It is an elixir that would cure the ills of humanity. As God is all knowing, God knows what humanity is about to face and thus the Messenger comes to give us what is required to avoid the calamity to come.
This is also a good way to recognize them, think of what humanity now faces and has a solution to this problem been given?
Regards Tony
It can, but I asked about the personal relationship.
Tumah
Veteran Member
How are you defining religion here?
That's a good thing, especially if the relationship with god is personal.
If a person has a personal relationship with god, what need do they have for a relationship with the courier?
Group worship, group prayer, group self-affirmation, that sort of thing.
And one I agree with.
Religion is for people who find rules, rites and rituals helpful. Not everyone does.
Organised religion (i.e. church) helps my personal relationship with God - for me the social side and the personal side are both sides of the same coin, I can't have one without the other
No religion and I'm all alone with my bible and prayers
And no personal relationship makes religious practice an empty ceremony
Edit: also, religion helps structure my personal faith
Following a spiritual path or cult and even having the fellowship of people following that same system of spiritual exercises does not mean that you have to be in a religion.
So the question arises, when does it cease to merely be a socio-spiritual oganisation and become part of a religion?
That depends on how you define or view religion.
I would say it becomes a religion when you and your fellow religionists believe that your system is somehow exceptionally privileged and people outside your religion cannot posibly be on the same path as you and by definition follow a false or at least inferior path.
So the question arises, when does it cease to merely be a socio-spiritual oganisation and become part of a religion?
That depends on how you define or view religion.
I would say it becomes a religion when you and your fellow religionists believe that your system is somehow exceptionally privileged and people outside your religion cannot posibly be on the same path as you and by definition follow a false or at least inferior path.
To a Baha’i God is the ‘unknowable essence’ so any imagined form of God would be just worshipping our own imaginations.
Because we are incapable of direct communication with God and our minds cannot fathom Him, He sends Mediators to communicate with us,
These Mediators such as Jesus, Buddha, Muhammad are Baha’is believe, Perfect Beings Who pre-existed and are All Knowing and possess both innate and infallible knowledge and wisdom.
They are sent by God to OFFER solutions for problems mankind faces especially during times of high corruption in both religion and politics and low morality with its negative effects on society.
Their one purpose is to promote human happiness and the further advancement of civilization. They all work together. For example Muhammad’s main role was to establish the nation now Baha’u’llah has appeared OFFERING solutions for world unity and harmony and teachings that are capable of uniting all people and creating a flourishing world civilization.
But as you said we can and do totally ignore Them as we so desire due to freedom of choice. That’s where we are at now.
I want there to be world peace and unity so after careful examination I have accepted the solutions which God’s latest Messenger has brought as I cannot find any better. Peace & unity have so far been evasive. Maybe we have overlooked the solution and it is in our midst.
Why can't you have a personal relationship with god that is fulfilling?
Are you a messenger? and, if not, why not?
I can and do have a personal relationship with God that is fulfilling, to me doing religions is a means of strengthening my personal relationship with God
I'd say that religion helps structure my beliefs and relationship with God
And it's nice associating with people who also want to strengthen their own personal relationship with God and who hold similar beliefs about him