Relationship over Religion

[Lui]

I wasn’t really sure where to put this thread.
Anyway, I have this new friend on Facebook. This girl sent me a friend request on Facebook who must have seen my profile and I accepted her request but don’t really know her.

She seems to be very dedicated to God and writes in her profile about herself: “I would like nothing more than to be a servant of God for the rest of my life.”

The thing that puzzles me is that her religious views are: ‘Relationship over Religion’. Is that an actual Christian religion? Has anyone ever heard of this?

 

[Valke2]

I wasn’t really sure where to put this thread.
Anyway, I have this new friend on Facebook. This girl sent me a friend request on Facebook who must have seen my profile and I accepted her request but don’t really know her.

She seems to be very dedicated to God and writes in her profile about herself: “I would like nothing more than to be a servant of God for the rest of my life.”

The thing that puzzles me is that her religious views are: ‘Relationship over Religion’. Is that an actual Christian religion? Has anyone ever heard of this?

I assume she means she believes a personal relationship with God is more important than religious dogma to her.

 

[ralphinal]

It is not uncommon. Valke is right, she sees it more as being close to God than along a religion. Problem is, this is not how GOd set it up. Look at the Bible. THere was religious structure to the relationship.

 

[LDNCatholic]

I wasn’t really sure where to put this thread.
Anyway, I have this new friend on Facebook. This girl sent me a friend request on Facebook who must have seen my profile and I accepted her request but don’t really know her.

She seems to be very dedicated to God and writes in her profile about herself: “I would like nothing more than to be a servant of God for the rest of my life.”

The thing that puzzles me is that her religious views are: ‘Relationship over Religion’. Is that an actual Christian religion? Has anyone ever heard of this?

It is common for people attending some Protestant churches, particularly of a Pentecostal or Evangelical nature, to say that it is a relationship, not a religion. I’m not entirely sure the reasoning behind it, or why they don’t seem to feel able to have a relationship and a religion simultaneously.

Hope this helps.

 

[brycelaliberte]

It is common for people attending some Protestant churches, particularly of a Pentecostal or Evangelical nature, to say that it is a relationship, not a religion. I’m not entirely sure the reasoning behind it, or why they don’t seem to feel able to have a relationship and a religion simultaneously.

Hope this helps.

That’s exactly it. Be wary of those who say “My relationship doesn’t allow for a religion.” They tend to be anti-Catholic. Just my knowledge and observation.

 

[holy_wood]

Assuming your Catholic and your friend is at least Christian and you wish to discuss her comment I would respond that…

Jesus founded One Chuch by which he desired as the normal way by which his followers were to come to know him and that is the Catholic Church!!!

Forgive me but your friend seems like she is echoing the old slogan I don’t belong to a Church/Religion but I have a personal relationship with Christ.

The problem is that it is a both/and not a either/or

Jas 1:26-27

26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Now if to be Christian is to follow a religion then that means that there is a standard and norm by which a true Christian must follow.

That means yielding to the traditions and doctrines which Christ One, True, Church has always held fast to from its very foundation.

Mormons, JW, EyC, as well as others all claim to have a personal relationship which Jesus Christ and the members believe it. Yet there doctrines and practices are completely alien to traditional Christianity.

Does that mean that just because they feel like they have a close relationship with Christ that they can abandon the teachings and traditions of the Apostles?

 

[Lui]

Since she also seems to do missionary work in poor countries like the Dominican Republic I assumed she might be from some sort of Christian branch like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(or something similar).

I’m pretty sure if she would do Catholic missionary work she would write Catholic as religious views.

 

[LDNCatholic]

Since she also seems to do missionary work in poor countries like the Dominican Republic I assumed she might be from some sort of Christian branch like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I pretty sure if she would do Catholic missionary work she would write Catholic as religious views.

Missionary work in an overwhelmingly Catholic country? The fact that she thinks Catholics need converting shows her beliefs about Catholicism.

This is one thing I don’t like about some Protestant groups who go to Catholic countries with a sack of food in one hand and a King James Bible in the other.

 

[Lui]

Mormons, JW, EyC, as well as others all claim to have a personal relationship which Jesus Christ and the members believe it. Yet there doctrines and practices are completely alien to traditional Christianity.

Our posts overlapped each other. Basically that is the concern I had when I read that her religious views are Relationship over Religion. It sounds like she could be part of one of these groups and why I hesitate to ask her directly.

 

[Lui]

Missionary work in an overwhelmingly Catholic country? The fact that she thinks Catholics need converting shows her beliefs about Catholicism.

Good point.
Well, we haven’t actually talked about religion. It says Roman Catholic in my profile but she hasn’t said anything…yet

 

[LDNCatholic]

Good point.
Well, we haven’t actually talked about religion. It says Roman Catholic in my profile but she hasn’t said anything…yet

Stay strong in your faith. If she is being sent to evangelise Catholics it is likely she has been taught a little about our faith. Just enough to sway the ignorant (which I doubt you are )

 

[cformosa4]

That’s exactly it. Be wary of those who say “My relationship doesn’t allow for a religion.” They tend to be anti-Catholic. Just my knowledge and observation.

Don’t be ridiculous. Just because someone says they are “relationship over religion” doesn’t mean that they wont allow religion. They clearly just haven’t found a specific religion to identify themselves with yet… I would say this a great opportunity to introduce this person into your life, love and faith. No reason to be wary of anything as long as your faith and love is strong.

 

[Syele]

Actually, saying “relationship over religion” means she is very likely to be a non-denominational protestant. Since she is a missionary, it is unlikely that she has no home church.

I can think of two things I might take from that phrase in a facebook profile:

1. She may be commenting on relationship with Jesus vs religious edicts.
2. She may be using that as a method of missions… form friendships and show love to people until they ask you about Jesus, rather than the form of missionary work that is more like “Here is some food, let me tell you about God today”.

Could be one or both, but I don’t know of many missionaries that have no church home so I doubt its that she “won’t allow religion”.