The World's Newest Major Religion - No Religion

[2timothy316]

Article from NATGEO: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/201 ... -religion/

Article from the Pew Research Center: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/20 ... ous-nones/

They are called 'Nones' or people that are religiously unaffiliated. Perhaps you have asked someone their religion and they answered 'I'm spiritual but don't believe in religion'.

For debate: Is the 'None' dogma trend healthy or good for society? Is it scripturally supported to be a 'None'? Are all 'Nones' beliefs acceptable to God? What scriptures support or condemn the idea of 'many beliefs and teachings all serving one God'.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 50 by tam]

No you gave me an example I asked for a list of criteria. Can you not simply say by what criteria you identify an organized religion?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 43 by JehovahsWitness]

Okay so would it be fair to say when you say "That was then... this is now" you are saying that yes, that first century christianity as depicted in scripture did indeed meet what one would normally catagorize as "an organized religion" but that for various reasons you don't believe that Christians need follow that first century model?

No.

Ok so how would you define an organized religion?

[tam]

[Replying to post 50 by tam]

No you gave me an example I asked for a list of criteria. Can you not simply say by what criteria you identify an organized religion?

Yes, you changed your post again after I had already responded.


Here is what you added:

For me an organized religion is that which meets the criteria in post 44 if you agree fine, then the first century Christianity was an organized religion.

Listing similarities and ignoring differences does not seem to be an accurate way to determine if two things are the same.

We could do the same thing with Christian religion. All Christian denominations - including your own - believe that 'Jesus' sacrificed His life for us; and that He rewards those who believe in Him with eternal life; that the bible is the Word of God, etc. If we end the list at the possible similarities, should we then conclude that they are the same?

If not can you provide the criteria for an organized religion. Don't tell me what it isn't just tell me what it is.

The example that I gave you DOES tell you what it is. I understand if you might not want to consider that point though.



Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[JehovahsWitness]

Yes, you changed your post again after I had already responded.

Yes, I do edit as I go along. Anyway, can you provide me with your criteria (rather than examples) of what exactly is an "organized religion". What would a religion have to be to be considered "organized" indeed, what in your opinion qualifies as "a religion" whether that be a pagan or a Christian one?

An example is helpful but a definition can be applied to any circumstance

To illustate: An apple is a fruit a chair is not a fruit. Helpful of course but ...

A FRUIT: The sweet and fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seed and can be eaten as food.

Better and much more helpful!

So The Apostle Peter not part of an organized religion. helpful of course but

AN ORGANIZED RELIGION: If you could just provide his information here it would be most enlightening.

JW

[tam]

Yes, you changed your post again after I had already responded.

Yes, I do edit as I go along. Anyway, can you provide me with your criteria (rather than examples) of what exactly is an "organized religion". What would a religion have to be to be considered "organized"...

Ah... I think somehow you have gotten hung up on the word 'organized'.


Religion - organized religion - institutionalized religion... these are all the same. No faith is required.

Some people (like myself on occasion) will place the word 'organized' in front of the word 'religion', because other people define religion as simply belief in God.

But belief in God is not even needed to be in a religion. Belief in God is not even needed to be the leader of a religion.



Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[dio9]

[Replying to dio9]

So in my opinion organized religion has become something of a mental graven image made by man in our attempt to reconnect with God. Religion is not the end it is only an imperfect means to an end. the end being re connection with God.

[onewithhim]

For debate: Is the 'None' dogma trend healthy or good for society?

Yes I think so, in these days religions seem to be the cause of so much suffering dividing people into us and thems. Because of extent and violence of religous fanaticism today , I honestly think it would be better if people didn't practice religion. Maybe religion is something thats time has passed. Jesus knew he was the son of God, we should all know it.

Is it scripturally supported to be a 'None'? Well not Paul's letters caus he is all about religion, but Jesus' teaching on religion on the other hand is questionable . in saying Man was not made for the sabbath , rather the sabbath was made for Man.

are all 'Nones' beliefs acceptable to God? Lets just say one doesn't need religion to meet God, we need loving people.

What scriptures support or condemn the idea of 'many beliefs and teachings all serving one God'. " In that day All the nations will come to the Lord God" , or something like that by Isaiah.

That is....all the people out of the nations that want to practice the true religion will come to Jehovah. Not all the nations in totality, with all their various beliefs.

In the second chapter of Isaiah you will notice that the people that stream from all the nations are searching for Jehovah to instruct them.

"It must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations must stream. And many peoples will certainly go and say: 'Come, you people,
and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.'
" (Isaiah 2:2,3)


So it's the people that are in the nations that want to be instructed by Jehovah that stream to His "mountain," or, His heavenly organization.

[/u]

[onewithhim]

For debate: Is the 'None' dogma trend healthy or good for society?

It's a great start. Hopefully it will grow to the point that religion loses the grasp it has on so many humans. If we are lucky, there will come a time when individuals are free to state casually that they are atheists and no one will make the false assumption that they are evil people. This would be a great advance for society.

No one I associate with calls atheists "evil people." Heck, I really like and admire many things about Bill Nye (the Science Guy); and Charles Darwin, though he said more than once that he considered himself an agnostic rather than an atheist. I love reading his letters to his son Francis. He had a way with a phrase.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 1 by 2timothy316]

This subheading is very confusing, "The World's Newest Major Religion - No Religion". How could "No Religion" be "The World's Newest Major Religion".

How could no religion be a religion? This would be the equivalent of claiming having no gas at all in your car's tank would be evidence of a full tank of gas.

That's what I would call nit-picking.

What he meant, I'm sure, is that the world's newest religious stance is that there is no religion that is approved of by the majority.

[onewithhim]

[Replying to post 11 by JehovahsWitness]

* The Oxford Living Dictionary defines RELIGION: The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.

That is why I always use the term 'organised religion' to denote the gathered groupings of individuals drawn to one particular doctrine and dogma or another.

Sometimes the dictionaries lack a full coverage of definitions. Technically, a religion could be one that does not worship any God. BUDDHISM for example.