I need a firm answer in the whole religion thing.

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RomanRyan1088

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How do we, as Catholics, feel about the whole “Religion” thing. I’ve heard that religion is stupid from many of my non demoninational friends, and that as long as you believe in Jesus, that is the important thing. I guess the word would be Denominationalism, not religion. What does the church say, and how can i refute the claim that “religion is stupid”
 
Ryan,

Didn’t you post on another thread that you were thinking of being Catholic, or thinking about not becoming Catholic? That says you aren’t Catholic yet?

Gracie 🙂
 
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RomanRyan1088:
How do we, as Catholics, feel about the whole “Religion” thing. I’ve heard that religion is stupid from many of my non demoninational friends, and that as long as you believe in Jesus, that is the important thing. I guess the word would be Denominationalism, not religion. What does the church say, and how can i refute the claim that “religion is stupid”
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If you believe in Jesus you will do what he says to do. He set up a church and taught certain men what to teach. If you truly believe in Jesus you will find out what he taught the apostles. Christ set up a church with required sacraments, doctrines and structure. There was nothing “non-denominational” about the early Christian church. If they think organized religion is stupid then they think Christ is stupid, he’s the one who organized it in the first place. Don’t take my word for it. Do a little research.
 
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Gracie2004:
Ryan,

Didn’t you post on another thread that you were thinking of being Catholic, or thinking about not becoming Catholic? That says you aren’t Catholic yet?

Gracie 🙂
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I am Catholic, and would be nothing else. People on this website though have asked me to leave the Catholic Church, but you would have to kill me first
 
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RomanRyan1088:
How do we, as Catholics, feel about the whole “Religion” thing. I’ve heard that religion is stupid from many of my non demoninational friends, and that as long as you believe in Jesus, that is the important thing. I guess the word would be Denominationalism, not religion. What does the church say, and how can i refute the claim that “religion is stupid”
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Religion is VERY important. Without the Church we would be without the Sacraments. Surley you’ve seen (being a Senior Member) the countless debates and threads about the whole issue of sola fide/sola scriptura. How can you refute the claim that “religion is stupid”–well that’s an amazingly ignorant statement, first God operated through an organized religion before Christ (Judaism.) After instituting His Church he continues to operate in it through the Sacraments etc. You only need to look to the New Testament for the importance of the Church, after all look at Paul’s letters, look at Revelation, look all through the Gospels–the Church is mentioned over and over and over. After the church is “the pillar and foundation of truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). That would seem VERY important to me!!!

God Bless,
 
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RomanRyan1088:
How do we, as Catholics, feel about the whole “Religion” thing. I’ve heard that religion is stupid from many of my non demoninational friends, and that as long as you believe in Jesus, that is the important thing. I guess the word would be Denominationalism, not religion. What does the church say, and how can i refute the claim that “religion is stupid”
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The fact that they believe in something means they are in a religion, as we naturally define the word. I’ve heard many non-Catholics say this and often wonder what they’re trying to even say.
 
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RomanRyan1088:
How do we, as Catholics, feel about the whole “Religion” thing. I’ve heard that religion is stupid from many of my non demoninational friends, and that as long as you believe in Jesus, that is the important thing. I guess the word would be Denominationalism, not religion. What does the church say, and how can i refute the claim that “religion is stupid”
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The Nicene Creed is a firm answer.
 
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Milliardo:
The fact that they believe in something means they are in a religion, as we naturally define the word. I’ve heard many non-Catholics say this and often wonder what they’re trying to even say.
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It’s some slang they pick up from their non-denom friends and pastors. One must remeber the non-denom Jesus movement exploded in the 1970’s and in a weird way the picked up the anti-religion sentiment and language that another rival group used at the time. It was the New Age group they detest religion as well of course the New agers as little more honest as they make up thier own personal religion so it really isn’t much of a religion.
Christianity on the other hand is very dogmatic wether evangelicals deny this or not.
The early church created creeds suchs as the apostolic creed, Nicene Creed, Athanathius Creed etc had ecunemical councils from Nicea to Vatican and this is biblically based see Acts 15. THe Bible itself is a dogmatic religious text. Someone had to dogmatically define these books amongst many other competing books as the Word of God.
The apsotolic church always viewed the rejected of such essentials found in such things were in error. Yes primarily religion is the search and relationship between God and the indiviudal. The early church made it clear this relationship was thought the person of Jesus Christ and belief in the one holy catholic apostolic church was an essential part of this. As the church was viewed as Christ body on earth.

What is funny if it is true that you don’t need religion ask an evangelical about one of their pet doctrines and if you coudl reject for example justification by faith alone and they will condemn you to hell, Of course you have to accept Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior in their own dogmatic way or your going to hell. Well isn;t that hypocritical why not accept Jesus the catholic way? If all you need is a relationship with Jesus denominations shouldn’t matter neither churches nor dogma you just need Jesus right? OF course they will dance around that as they really don’t beleive in this moniker.
What I think they really mean when they say this is that they equate the traditions of the catholic church with tradition. Which is of course a false dichotoamcy as the creeds even they would agree with and the Bible which came from the catholic church all products of catholic tradition.
YOu can’t have a private religion. Christ gave us a church and unless he’s a liar its around here somewhere on earth and the apostolic churches are the only ones claiming to be his church so the catholic church is a better bet than any of these non-denom types.
 
I beleive the anti-religion rhetoric used by some “non-denominations” and evangelical Protestants is intended as an insult directed at Catholics and main-line Protestants as well.

THEY have a “personal relationship” with Jesus, they “know” Jesus as their “personal Saviour”.

While OTOH…

WE just have a stodgy old religion, based on dogma but not a “personal relationship”.

Of course this is all false. We all follow a religion, just different religions.
 
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re·li·gion cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/JPG/pron.jpg ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/ibreve.gif-lhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/ibreve.gifjhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gifn)
n.

    1. *]
      • Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
        *]A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.
        *]The life or condition of a person in a religious order.
        *]A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.
        *]A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.

        I would say your non-denom friends like religion too. They probably fall under all of the above definitions except for #2, but even the majority of us Catholics don’t fall under that one. For 1(b) they have the personal system (even though they really don’t because they get most of their stuff from their pastor.)

        (edit: it didn’t paste right, the first #1 & 2 were supposed to be 1(a) and (b))**
 
I don’t have a Bible handy, but from my Prot upbringing I remember there being a passage in the scripture that the only religion that was acceptable to God was the care of widows and orphans…that’s a lot of the anti-religion rhetoric comes from.
 
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. 2 Tim 3:1-2, 5

Avoid the men who come denying the power of religion.
 
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