THE WHOLE TRUTH

[lordb1]

Popular belief today is that there is no ultimate truth.Everything is relative I have heard it said "well that might be true for you but its not true for me".That is a nice concept until you come under the authority of someone elses truth.According to the teaching of relative culture everyone is entitled to their own truth and noone has the right

Comments

Why are some so opposed to the concept of organized religion?

[anonymous]

Something to ponder in response to the previous post. The following article was taken, in part, from:

http://home.nyc.rr.com/mysticalrose/religion2.html

"If two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Mt 18:19-20).

"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Why Organization?

Many human institutions are organized, or structured, but that does not make them bad. The most basic unit of human society - the family - has a structure to it. Families may not be perfect, but that's because they are made up of imperfect human beings. It is not per se the fact that they are "organized" which makes them bad; in fact, the family structure is necessary for the secure upbringing of children. So despite any flaws, the family is overall a good and necessary part of organized society.

Government is also organized. Like the family, government is not perfect because people are not perfect, but it is still necessary since the alternative - anarchy - is far less desirable! In case an "anarchist" is reading this, please consider that our ancestors developed various forms of government over the millennia in order to keep the peace and preserve order in society. If we reject government because it is imperfect - or because it is "organized" - we would be discarding millennia of human wisdom. And past attempts to do that have caused tremendous problems!

Similarly, our ancestors also developed structured religions over the millennia. Even primitive tribes have some form of "organized religion", with holy men, rites, festivals and other social religious observances. As religion developed to satisfy the human need for worship, so organized religion developed from the basic human need for socialization. Humans are not solitary creatures, we are by nature gregarious. We need to be around other people. The human race developed both societies and organized religions out of that basic need for human contact and support.

Christians believe that the Church was founded by God Himself. God made us social creatures and gave us a need for one another which is so strong that it even manifests itself in natural human religious observance. Surely any religion founded by our Maker would fulfill our innate, God-given human need for a social, organized expression of faith. Thus the True Religion would naturally be an organized religion! Organized religion may not be perfect, but like family and government, it is necessary.

Some might argue as the philosopher Rousseau did, that civilization is bad and that people should return to "nature". Yet even in the untamed wilderness one could still not escape order, for nature herself has incredible order and structure! The seasons process in an orderly fashion, the various natural and reproductive cycles follow a set pattern. Even the smallest leaf has a complex structure which enables it to photosynthesize and so contribute to the life and growth of the plant. For that matter, even molecules and atoms have "structure"! The natural world could not exist without these structures, this "organization". So nature herself displays the usefulness of organization. If the Creator so organized nature, why would He not organize the true Faith as well?

Our own bodies are also marvels of order and organization. If our internal organs were not organized (no pun intended) into systems, and if all our systems did not work in tandem, we could not live! It's interesting that the Bible compares the Church to a "body"! Bodies have structure and organization, as should the Church! This is the will of the Creator, who "is not a God of confusion but of peace" (I Cor 14:33)

Personal Note: I really did post this comment, I hope you don't mind that I took that liberty.

Re: Why are some so opposed to the concept of organized religion?

[lordb1]

I couldn't have said that better myself ,AMEN, sis

Re: Why are some so opposed to the concept of organized religion?

[anonymous]

opposition to organized religion has alot to do with the fact that every organized religion believes that their way is the only way and that is over silmplistic bunk, i have personally known christians i wouldnt walk across the street to spit on if they were laying in the gutter and buddhists and jews that exibited more christian characteristics and if you believe they are going to hell because they arent christians then you are extremely arrogant. we must all learn tolerance for each other and realized that no one on this earth has the answers, just try and tell a christian about the missing books from the bible or the fact that Jesus was married and had children, then stand back and watch the backs raise . every major war thru out history has been waged for "holy" reasons, what a contradiction. if anyone doubts the damage caused by organized religion, just look at at the catholic church. i rest my case, fanatics occur in all religions and it it those fanatics who profess to know all and believe their way is the only way, that give all religions a bad name. my god is a god of love, who rejects no one, loves all and does not punish. we create our own punishments. it is more important how you live your life the other 6 days of the week than what pew you are sitting in on sunday morning or how much you drop in the offering plate which in alot of cases doesnt help those who need it. i am sorry but a beautiful big church doesnt need my money, i give it to someone i know needs it. let the hipocrits sitting there on sunday morning support the church and the coruption therein, i will give my money to someone i know needs it.