Originally posted by josephwNo, you are mistaken. "Religion" is a system of belief and worship of a superhuman controlling power. Whether you or I believe your religion - or any religion for that matter - is "man made" is irrelevant to the definition. Christianity involves a "system of beliefs, rituals, rites and conduct", as you put it, for the purpose of worshipping a divine controlling power, and so that is the reason why Christianity is a religion. If I happen to think all religions are "man made" and if you happen to think all religions are "man made" except yours, it has no bearing on the definition of the English word "religion".
Religion is just that, a man made system of beliefs, rituals, rites and conduct designed to ingratiate man to whatever God he has created, or thinks created man.;
Originally posted by josephwThe term "Superhuman controlling power" refers to your God figure. You believe in your God figure, right? You worship Him, yes? You believe God has revealed Himself to you and to all other members of your religion? Of course, you do.
What appears "obvious" to you isn't necessarily or accurately correct. For one thing, while it is true that I and other Christians share the same source of inspiration, it is false that we worship a "Superhuman controlling power". We worship and serve the living God, the creator of all things in "accordance with the Truth of God" as revealed by God to man.
Originally posted by josephwThe fact that religions are different doesn't affect the definition of the word "religion". The fact that Judaism and Christianity, for example, have different sets of beliefs and different concepts of God and the revelation of God that their systems of worship revolve around. This doesn't alter the fact that both Judaism and Christianity are religions. The fact Muslims see Jesus as a prophet and not the messiah as Christians do does not alter the fact that both Islam and Christianity are religions. The fact that you happen to believe ~ and there's obviously no dispute ~ that there are things that set your faith "at variance: to all other religions, as you put it, is neither here nor there.
The main thing that sets our faith at variance to all other "religions" is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's an exclusive faith.
Originally posted by JakeChessSo arrogant.
You deliberately misinterpreted what I said on the subject. I said that in my flawed, human, overall insignificant eyes, all religion or lack thereof, regardless of how many people believe in it and regardless of how long it's been around, is equally right and wrong. This is because we can't prove one way or the other, which means it is in a state of true ...[text shortened]... as wrong/right as any other belief or lack thereof. I am not special and neither is anyone else.
Just because you could be convinced otherwise does not actually apply your skeptism to your own beliefs, until convinced otherwise.
Originally posted by FMFChristianity isn't a religion. The resurrection of Jesus silences all arguments to the contrary.
The fact that religions are different doesn't affect the definition of the word "religion". The fact that Judaism and Christianity, for example, have different sets of beliefs and different concepts of God and the revelation of God that their systems of worship revolve around. This doesn't alter the fact that both Judaism and Christianity are religions. The fact ...[text shortened]... t set your faith "at variance: to all other religions, as you put it, is neither here nor there.
1 edit
Originally posted by josephwHey, still waiting for your reply to this post (on page 10):
The brain is the engine in the body. The soul sits in the drivers seat.
The soul is the real marvel.
"You misunderstand me old chap. I was discrediting 'double predestination.' - The Calvin belief eluded to by Eladar. (And it was to him I was responding)."