No Religion

[Cmbz423]

I choose to claim no Religion, just God.

Earth is Hell, God cast Satan to earth "for eternity" but I believe Satan can be forgiven, he just needs to get over himself. He's not God && never will be.

He is my brother so I love him as God loves me, unconditionally.

God created Satan just like he created us. 

If Religion was something truly from God it wouldn't be causing wars & hate. God is about unity & love. 

Choose your side.

 

[Gwynn]

Hello and Welcome. You share a common belief with another member. Shinebright123 also believes in the redemption of Satan. I have no opinion since I do not believe in the Christian God or Satan. But here there are a variety of beliefs and we all attempt to get along.

Bendithion (Blessings),

Gwynn

[Cmbz423]

I am Shinebright123... I got locked out of my account &&& didn't want to wait 13 min so I made a new account 

[Gwynn]

Hello Shinebright123. I'm glad I was able to recommend you talk to yourself. Silly me  Glad you are still hanging around, whether as Shinebright123 or Cmbz423. BTW, same thing happened to me. I originally registered as Gwynn.ap.Lludd in 2012, but re-registered as Gwynn when I came back because I had forgotten my password and changed my email 

[Dan56]

On 1/25/2017 at 8:03 PM, Cmbz423 said:

I choose to claim no Religion, just God.

Earth is Hell, God cast Satan to earth "for eternity" but I believe Satan can be forgiven, he just needs to get over himself. He's not God && never will be.

He is my brother so I love him as God loves me, unconditionally.

God created Satan just like he created us. 

If Religion was something truly from God it wouldn't be causing wars & hate. God is about unity & love. 

Choose your side.

 

There's nothing in the bible that says Satan can be or will be forgiven, he's already been sentenced to death; "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.." (Revelation 20:10). Its a done deal...

God isn't all about unity and love; "But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee" (Deuteronomy 20:17). "And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast..." (Genesis 6:7). "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:41-42). None of this sounds very lovey-dovey for a God who's love is unconditional?

Choosing to love sin and unrighteousness (Satan), is not choosing God's side. You may love Satan, but here's how Jesus felt about him; "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). I don't believe you can love Christ and Satan at the same time, they are polar opposites... 

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

There used to be something called the Process Church of the Final Judgement.  They had an interesting spiel:  Christ said Love your enemies.  Christ's enemy was Satan.  Through love, Christ and Satan have come together.  Christ to pronounce judgement and Satan to carry it out.

I guess there really is "nothing new under Heaven."   (Ecc.)

[cuchulain]

My dad used to start off his rants with, "Now I don't mean to talk bad about anybody..."...but then he did.  It seems like about the same thing, claim that you don't claim any religion, but then talk about that non existent religion.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

5 hours ago, cuchulain said:

My dad used to start off his rants with, "Now I don't mean to talk bad about anybody..."...but then he did.  It seems like about the same thing, claim that you don't claim any religion, but then talk about that non existent religion.

It's something that a lot of religious people do.

Ask any devout Christian.  You will be told that religion is Man reaching up to God.  Christianity is God saving Man.

Ask any devout Muslim.  You will be told that Islam is nothing more than submitting to the will of Allah.

Ask any devout Jew.  You will be told that Orthodox Judaism is nothing more than compliance with Torah.

Buddhism is frequently describe as a practice, like meditation.  No religion there.

At least some Wiccans will say that all they do is venerate Nature.

 

Me?  I'm an ordained Agnostic Minister.  I've gone in the opposite direction.       I regard Agnosticism as a religious philosophy.      You have a church with ordained ministers?  It's a religion.      

Edited February 4, 2017 by Jonathan H. B. Lobl

[Phillipe]

On 2/3/2017 at 8:41 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

Buddhism is frequently describe as a practice, like meditation.  No religion there.

Actually, it is both a philosophy and a religion. The Buddha did discuss metaphysical aspects of reality that are typically associated with religion. While the Buddha stressed this wasn’t as important as the practice, he still mentioned them, and they are a part of Buddhist teachings. The most “religious” aspects of Buddhism are probably the Buddha’s discussions of the afterlife and the various realms of existence.

You have a church with ordained ministers?  It's a religion.    

Not necessarily. As the ULC itself has proven over the years, your "church" can be a third-floor walk-up flat in Brooklyn with no heat, and the "ordained minister" can be your dog Spot. No religion there (unless of course you CREATE one to surround Spot).

2

 

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

5 hours ago, Phillipe said:

 

That was actually my point.  We have Jews and Christians and Muslims who are obviously practicing religion.  People who will look you right in the eye -- and explain that everybody else has religion.  They have a special relationship to God that is not religion.

Buddhists play a similar game.  They don't have a religion.  They have a practice.  A practice suitable for members of all religions.

For the rest, if you care to thrash out the distinctions between a religion, a church, a philosophy and a practice -- that could be interesting.  This thread is not the place for it.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

On 1/25/2017 at 9:33 PM, Cmbz423 said:

I am Shinebright123... I got locked out of my account &&& didn't want to wait 13 min so I made a new account 

You have gone silent.  Are you still here?

[LeopardBoy]

On 3/22/2017 at 1:47 AM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

For the rest, if you care to thrash out the distinctions between a religion, a church, a philosophy and a practice -- that could be interesting.  This thread is not the place for it.

As someone who practices an orthopraxic religion, that's a topic I would be interested in discussing.

[scottedward]

 

I believe that things would be better in the world if more than a few religions simply became practices with which to venerate the objects, churches, or the focus of the religion in question.

It's good to see everyone.

Edited March 26, 2017 by scottedward

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

On 3/26/2017 at 6:01 PM, scottedward said:

 

I believe that things would be better in the world if more than a few religions simply became practices with which to venerate the objects, churches, or the focus of the religion in question.

It's good to see everyone.

Have you ever looked into the Transcendental Meditation of Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi?  Sometimes, a simple practice is so much more in disguise.

[scottedward]

8 hours ago, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

Have you ever looked into the Transcendental Meditation of Mahrishi Mahesh Yogi?  Sometimes, a simple practice is so much more in disguise.

Wow.  That is quite a mouthful! 
I agree about meditation. It is a simple practice, but it is quite rewarding.

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

8 hours ago, scottedward said:

Wow.  That is quite a mouthful! 
I agree about meditation. It is a simple practice, but it is quite rewarding.

That is true.  Meditation is an excellent practice.  I participate myself.  However, that is not what I was refering to.

Transcendental Meditation is pushed as a secular practice.  To not see the religious elements, including an initiation ceremony, for what they are requires willful blindness.

I don't have an issue with Vedic  religious meditation.  It works and works well.  People who want help for their blood preassure are getting it.  However -- False advertising bothers me.  Deceit bothers me.  BS bothers me.  TM is truly full of it.

[scottedward]

On 3/29/2017 at 3:58 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

That is true.  Meditation is an excellent practice.  I participate myself.  However, that is not what I was refering to.

Transcendental Meditation is pushed as a secular practice.  To not see the religious elements, including an initiation ceremony, for what they are requires willful blindness.

I don't have an issue with Vedic  religious meditation.  It works and works well.  People who want help for their blood preassure are getting it.  However -- False advertising bothers me.  Deceit bothers me.  BS bothers me.  TM is truly full of it.

In life, remaining positive and both avoiding and limiting exposure to willful deceit is a good thing, regardless of what our practices might be.  I'd avoid it all together if it bothers you so deeply.

Edited March 31, 2017 by scottedward

[Jonathan H. B. Lobl]

7 hours ago, scottedward said:

In life, remaining positive and both avoiding and limiting exposure to willful deceit is a good thing, regardless of what our practices might be.  I'd avoid it all together if it bothers you so deeply.

I do avoid it.  Outlandish exploitation also bothers me.  Charging people seriously big bucks, for basic instruction in mantra meditation, is disgusting.  Such outrageous exploitation.  People in the West are so vulnerable to Eastern con artists.