Lots of people have no idea what religion is. The bible thumpers and other like minded people think it's whatever book they choose. Memorizing fancy words isn't what the core of religion is.

The creation of original life is where it starts. Either you believe God spoke the word or we're made of stardust. Both versions aren't 100% provable either way. Thus, it's a matter of faith. Of cause there's other variation on these two things I used the modern scientific view as well as Genesis since they're the most well known.

The contemplation allows a person to realize their life matters. Then extends that to other life. This is where respect for life comes from. Since you're alive you need to live. Living is doing. There's a thing known as reality which is an abstract. You need to reach out and touch it. The only way to do so is through the Truth.

Touching reality with the truth allows the spark of reason to form in one's mind. Reason allows you to make choices and then turning them into actions. What's known as "free will" comes from your soul or lifeforce.

This is the core of all religions, formal or personal, from ancient to modern and beyond. A respect for life, acceptance of reality and the truth is call "Good". Remove the concept of evil and people will become evil. Evil being a disregard for life, rejection of reality and lies. Ethics and morals comes from good.

From the above core people follow a philosophy that makes sense to them. There's many different religions that have doctrines they adhere to. Good religions tend to have similar commonalities because they are based off the truth. Evil religions tend to be an posit of one of the good religions.

My philosophy for example is what makes sense to me. I don't disregard God, I just don't count on him. When I die the kinetic energy in my body will become potential energy in the atmosphere after I'm torched. Then Ill be a lightning strike or whatever else. Yin & Yang, cause and effect, destiny and fate along with the Web Of Life is how I see the world.

Reality is. So now you know what religion is and how it works. It's your choice.

I’m in.

Observing reality teaches one to have nerves of steel. Religion is how one proactively shapes their outcome in life. It is like fundamental software programming of the mind, and it is necessary for trust in ones own abilities. Experiencing life with a mind is a magical thing. One can better understand others by how they relate to the world based on their religion. The way people relate directly to each other is their personality.

This is all just my interpretation. it is not directly from the dictionary.

I tend to agree somewhat. since religion is not provable bu science I do not actually believe in God. that being said I do not believe in any God. For as christian people think that their god is the only god how can they look at another religion and have the gull to say or make one of another religion feel they are inadequate with their beliefs. For no one of the christian religion would like another to tell them that their god is not a real god. It is something for the people who follow to have a faith within. something to live for. I once was a god follower but since I have discovered a great amount of science I have yet declined such as provable. I do not oppose the teaching of the bible and in fact believe without it the world would be a far worse place and more rage and corruption would exist. In other words I would never steer a child to not believe in christ but would probably condone such belief until they were to become of an age where they could make a proper educated decision as to what they would like to believe

People of other religions and people with no religion tell us Christians our God is not real all the time. Belief in one God is not exclusive at all to only Christianity. There are many who try to make us feel inadequate also. Every religion gets ridiculed and sometimes persecuted. Christians are not exempt.


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Oh yes I am aware. I was only using christian as an example. maybe I should have signified that. all peoples and other religions are free to believe as they wish. At least here in the USA at least. Trust me, my mother tells me all the time I am going to hell when I die when I attempt to instruct to her she is wrong in her thinking. But she is my mother and I do love her but her interpretation of religion is a bit construed. She tries to persuade me that if I was to get into heaven then I would have a demeaning position which would not be a popular place in heaven. Lolol, so in other words I will be living in hell inside heaven. this makes absolutely no sense at all but in essence is exactly what she is saying to me

I think people of different religion and non-religion would trust each other more if they understood each other better. It is all the same reality; a religion is just a lens and the focal distance is different for everyone.

I like my religion and I like hearing the views of people from other religion. It helps me to understand the world in ways I would not have otherwise.

Woah. I can see why you believe how you do it then. What a deep journey of belief!

I feel like I can relate to John the Baptist more than I actually can to Christ. John the Baptist, who was known for saying “someone is coming who’s sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

May I ask how old do you consider the bible to be? In years?

I have heard most scholars believe was written starting with Genesis around 1400 BC, up to the last book, Revelation, written 96 AD.

so in other words about 3400-3500 years ago? give or take ?

Yes.

Everyone is in heaven at this very moment. Just not everyone realizes it.

hmmmmm, interesting

I disagree. Why do you think that?

If you said that to someone from my grandfather's generation they'd laugh in your face. The old-timers believed that Earth is Hell's front lawn. Then again, those guys and gals who were from the last of the wooden ships an' iron men generation had it way tougher then any of us. Such as being chewed in the first world war, dropping dead at an early age, working almost all the time and so on.

An attempt at standardization of: morals, ethics, thought processes.

Here is why I say that.

Heaven is real. I have had glimpses of heaven when inspired by the amazing things in nature made by God, and in communal worship. But it does not make sense to think that these glimpses of heaven are ALL of heaven. How can one man experience that? Heaven divided would not be heaven, so it must be all inclusive.

Based on “the fall“ and the premise that all things are made right in heaven, knowledge in heaven must not be biased by knowledge of good and evil.

Awareness and action must not like that of the human mind. Perception of time in heaven must not be limited to linear perception, and when one dies they live on in a way. However, it would be absurd to think that one would have to die in order to get into heaven.

There are many ways one can follow God. Knowledge of good and evil can even be useful for shaping one’s life to experience heaven while on earth. The vantage point of heaven is generally just a fragment of a view or a good place to take shelter. People are very different and the way one lives their life is very subjective to that person.