cej@ll1.UUCP (Chuck Jones) (02/08/84)
[] No, I don't think God does care for religions, including the new groups like "The Way" which refuse to let themselves be called religions. In fact, I have said to a born-again friend of mine, much to his annoyance, that all the good from all "rules to live by" from all faiths can be summed up in two quotes, one from Christ, and one from Shakespear. (It was the fact that I put "The Bard" in the same class with Christ, as far as wisdom, that bothered him.) All there is to it is "Do on to others as you would have them do unto you.", and "To thine own self be true." That covers it all... Chuck Jones AT&T Communications ..we13!ll1!cej
amra@ihuxj.UUCP (Steven L. Aldrich) (02/13/84)
The following article/column is by Sydney J. Harris. I read it
in the Chicago Sun-Times about 2 years ago and believe it is still
relevant today. It sums up my views fairly well at least. So without
further rambling on my part here it is. Hope you enjoy it, let me
know your opinions/views/gripes/etc by mail or posting to net.religion
and/or net/philosophy. Thanks in advance for your reply!!
"Does God Really Care for 'Religion' as
Humans Now Define It? Sydney J. Harris
What we loosely call "religion" in our society turns some people
on and some people off. What I find especially interesting is that
just as many good people are turned off as are turned on. It does not
separate the sheep from the goats by any means.
Some of the best people I have known-including my father-have been
atheistic, in the conventional sense of the word. And some of the
worst-we have all seen them in the front pews-are the most pious, the
most devout, the most orthodox.
One of the first things you should learn in life-or should learn, if
you mature-is that you cannot divide people by what they believe, or
think they believe, or profess to believe.
Goodness and mercy in people-the kind the Old Testament prophets
preached and Jesus revived-seem to have little to do with religion in
its organized form, as a cult, or a creed, or a canon.
It is basically a matter of character more than creed, or your feelings
and acts toward others more than any articulated philosophy of life or
death.
In fact, this is what I think Jesus was trying to get across-and failed,
even with most of his disciples.
When he said, "I am the way," he wanted people to imitate his actions
and behavior, and not to worship him. In my reading of the New Testament
,he had no notion of setting up a new religion, and least of all a new
church.
As a believer, I am not convinced that God is particularly interested
in what we call "religion," or that it even exists as a concept for him.
What is demanded of us is that we be kind and just to one another, even
if there is no redeemer, no hell, and no afterlife.
All these seem like advertising and promotion to me; unworthy of a
cosmic diety, too small and petty for the creator of an infinite and
unfathomable universe. Prompted by human fears more than divine faith.
What the Old Testament prophets asked,-as distinct from the priesthood-
is that we render justice and mercy to each other. What Jesus asked-as
distinct from his later followers-is that we go even further, walking
the extra mile, returning good for evil.
This is hard, the hardest thing in the world to do. It is so hard that
religion tries to make it easier by letting us obey creeds and mumble
prayers and support churches, and thus feel "religious" without truly
being so. Look at the world today, and try to deny it.
Sydney J Harris
Chicago Sun-Times (Views Section)
Send all mail to IHNP4!IHUXJ!AMRA or reply to net.religion and/or
net.philosophy. Always glad to hear opposing views, but am not
obligated to agree with them. I don't expect everyone to agree with
my views either, so we're even. Please keep all comments/critisisms
relevant and to the point. Any tpographical errors, mis-spellings,etc.
are my own.gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (02/29/84)
When he said, "I am the way," he wanted people to imitate his actions
and behavior, and not to worship him. In my reading of the New Testament
,he had no notion of setting up a new religion, and least of all a new
church.
That isn't true. Somewhere in the New Testament (I forgot where) Jesus
says something to Peter about "the rock" and "the foundation" ... what
he is referring to is Chrisitianity.
Please, someone who reads this tell me what scripture this comes from.
--
By the power of Grayskull!
Greg-bo, Prince of Eternia, Defender of the Secrets of Castle Grayskull
{decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds (UUCP)
Gds@XX (ARPA)tld@ssc-vax.UUCP (Thomas L Davis) (03/02/84)
The Scripture quotation is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16, vs. 18. "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it." (RSV). In the Greek, the words for 'Peter' and 'rock' are 'Petros' and 'petra.' In vs. 16 Peter had said "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." The rock that Jesus refered to is His divinity, not the person of Peter. -- Tom Davis uw-beaver!ssc-vax!tld