Christianity is a religion

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K

kentappel

Senior Member
#1
Jun 13, 2011
188
3
18
#1
In recent years there has been a lot of talk in certain circles that Christianity is not a religion, that it is instead a relationship but I believe that it is a religion and it is a relationship at the same time.

First of all, I will point out what I believe Christianity is not. It is not following non Biblical rituals and non Biblical traditions, it is not self righteousness such as the Pharisees, and it is not people trying to work their way to heaven by their own works. So Christianity is a relationship with God right? Yes, but it is also a religion at the same time.

So how it is a religion? If we go by the definitions of religion from the dictionary and how the Christian religion has been historically defined that say nothing about following non Biblical rituals and non Biblical traditions, that say nothing about self righteousness such as the Pharisees, and say nothing about people trying to work their way to heaven by their own works.

Below is the definition from Webster's Dictionary so before people assume I am defining Christianity in those negative terms, because I am not, read the definitions below. So Christianity is, under definition 1b(1), "the service and worship of God." While a false religion would be the service and worship of the supernatural or the service and worship of a false God or Gods. Christianity is also, under definition 4, "a system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." But I am not saying that it is not a relationship with Christ because it is a relationship. But I fully expect some to not even read why I believe it is also a religion and to not read the actual definitions of religion and also to assume that I am defining it in the negative terms in use by some use today, which I am not doing.


Besides if Christianity is not a religion, then how can we in the United States claim our right of freedom of religion if someone tries to take away our right to worship as we see fit? Are we going to tell them we have freedom of relationship? That just doesn't fit now does it.

Full Definition of RELIGION

1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

 
U

Ugly

Guest
#2
#2
I 100% agree with this. Good job.
 
F

FireHeart

Guest
#3
#3
kentappel said:
In recent years there has been a lot of talk in certain circles that Christianity is not a religion, that it is instead a relationship but I believe that it is a religion and it is a relationship at the same time.

First of all, I will point out what I believe Christianity is not. It is not following non Biblical rituals and non Biblical traditions, it is not self righteousness such as the Pharisees, and it is not people trying to work their way to heaven by their own works. So Christianity is a relationship with God right? Yes, but it is also a religion at the same time.

So how it is a religion? If we go by the definitions of religion from the dictionary and how the Christian religion has been historically defined that say nothing about following non Biblical rituals and non Biblical traditions, that say nothing about self righteousness such as the Pharisees, and say nothing about people trying to work their way to heaven by their own works.

Below is the definition from Webster's Dictionary so before people assume I am defining Christianity in those negative terms, because I am not, read the definitions below. So Christianity is, under definition 1b(1), "the service and worship of God." While a false religion would be the service and worship of the supernatural or the service and worship of a false God or Gods. Christianity is also, under definition 4, "a system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith." But I am not saying that it is not a relationship with Christ because it is a relationship. But I fully expect some to not even read why I believe it is also a religion and to not read the actual definitions of religion and also to assume that I am defining it in the negative terms in use by some use today, which I am not doing.


Besides if Christianity is not a religion, then how can we in the United States claim our right of freedom of religion if someone tries to take away our right to worship as we see fit? Are we going to tell them we have freedom of relationship? That just doesn't fit now does it.

Full Definition of RELIGION

1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Click to expand...
Very educational read:) Yes Christianity is a type of religion, being a Christian is a love relationship with God.
 
S

Sirk

Guest
#4
#4
[TABLE="class: maintable3, width: 100%"]
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[TD]Religion 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.


[/TD]
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[/TABLE]
​
​
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
K

kentappel

Senior Member
#5
Jun 13, 2011
188
3
18
#5
Yes Fireheart it is both a religion and a relationship at the same time. I do hope that people don't just react to the title of this thread and not even read what I posted.
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#7
#7
Excellent. If we view Christianity as just being a relationship, we're doing the one true God a disservice. But we're also doing Him a disservice if we view the Christian faith as just being a religion. Christianity is both a religion and a relationship. :)
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#9
Nov 24, 2012
30,706
3,650
113
#9
A religion that is not 'religious' but it gets down to where the rubber meets the road.
 
Scuba

Scuba

Banned
#10
Jun 26, 2014
1,011
17
0
#10
Christianity was a movement that turned into a religion. A movement needs no money to grow a religion needs a lot of money, a 503c status, insurance, pensions and so on.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#11
#11
But what deviates a Christians from religion. If you look at all religions or faith's. All of them fall under the category of works. Hindu, Islam, wicka, the dali lama one and more. Many Christians fall prey to Christianity in that respect, because their faith is placed in what they do. Christianity is the only form of Faith that say's look what God did for you and not what you can do for God (meaning yourself). You can't do anything for God, Everything is by God and through God and to God. We are just vessels.

If you want to call it a religion, then you are a works based person. It is a faith, the early church called it" the way". The way of faith or the way of life. True Christianity is not a religion, it is faith in the work of God and not our own.
 
T

Tintin

Guest
#12
#12
Kerry said:
But what deviates a Christians from religion. If you look at all religions or faith's. All of them fall under the category of works. Hindu, Islam, wicka, the dali lama one and more. Many Christians fall prey to Christianity in that respect, because their faith is placed in what they do. Christianity is the only form of Faith that say's look what God did for you and not what you can do for God (meaning yourself). You can't do anything for God, Everything is by God and through God and to God. We are just vessels.

If you want to call it a religion, then you are a works based person. It is a faith, the early church called it" the way". The way of faith or the way of life. True Christianity is not a religion, it is faith in the work of God and not our own.
Click to expand...
Kerry, the OP addresses any such concerns you might have. He's not suggesting that the Christian faith is one of salvation by works.
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#13
Nov 24, 2012
30,706
3,650
113
#13
A lot of this discussion falls under definition. The term 'religion' suffers many definitions if usage determines a definition.
I like to use a basic (crossnote) definition of 'religion' meaning..."a certain view of the afterlife".
By this definition Christianity is a religion...but so is atheism.
And it's too bad atheism isn't considered such, then they wouldn't make much headway in shoving the separation clause down America's Church's throat.
 
K

kentappel

Senior Member
#14
Jun 13, 2011
188
3
18
#14
Kerry said:
But what deviates a Christians from religion. If you look at all religions or faith's. All of them fall under the category of works. Hindu, Islam, wicka, the dali lama one and more. Many Christians fall prey to Christianity in that respect, because their faith is placed in what they do. Christianity is the only form of Faith that say's look what God did for you and not what you can do for God (meaning yourself). You can't do anything for God, Everything is by God and through God and to God. We are just vessels.


If you want to call it a religion, then you are a works based person. It is a faith, the early church called it" the way". The way of faith or the way of life. True Christianity is not a religion, it is faith in the work of God and not our own.
Click to expand...
Kerry, this is what I said in my original post:

"First of all, I will point out what I believe Christianity is not. It is not following non Biblical rituals and non Biblical traditions, it is not self righteousness such as the Pharisees, and it is not people trying to work their way to heaven by their own works. So Christianity is a relationship with God right? Yes, but it is also a religion at the same time."

So I would call those other religions false religions and Christianity the true religion. I also quoted how religion is defined in the dictionay which I again posted in this comment. Note that it doesn't define religion the same way you are quoting as frankly, some in the evangelical churches at some point changed the definition of religion to define religion in ways historically false religions have been defined. No, I am not trying to be sarcastic, but did you read what I posted or just react to the title of this thread?

Full Definition of RELIGION

1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith
 
K

kentappel

Senior Member
#15
Jun 13, 2011
188
3
18
#15
crossnote said:
A lot of this discussion falls under definition. The term 'religion' suffers many definitions if usage determines a definition.
I like to use a basic (crossnote) definition of 'religion' meaning..."a certain view of the afterlife".
By this definition Christianity is a religion...but so is atheism.
And it's too bad atheism isn't considered such, then they wouldn't make much headway in shoving the separation clause down America's Church's throat.
Click to expand...
True, one could define atheism as a religion under the dictionary definition number 4 as its proponets do hold their belief system with ardor and faith and they have no proof that God doesn't exist so their beliefs are held with a degree of faith just as our beliefs are held with a degree of faith. But, of course, I would define atheism as a false religion. It would be nice if atheisim could be defined legally as a religion as then maybe they would leave us and our beliefs alone.

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith
 
K

kentappel

Senior Member
#16
Jun 13, 2011
188
3
18
#16
Yes, it is a way of life but it is also the worship and service of God as well as being a belief system held with ardor and faith so it is a relgion as well. I believe it is the only true religion there is.

Full Definition of RELIGION

1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

 
K

Kerry

Guest
#17
#17
kentappel said:
Yes, it is a way of life but it is also the worship and service of God as well as being a belief system held with ardor and faith so it is a relgion as well. I believe it is the only true religion there is.

Full Definition of RELIGION

1a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Click to expand...
Bro you don't get it and that swirly has got to stop. No religion has the cross nor anything like it. all they have is if you do this and go by that. There is nothing that compares to the cross.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#18
#18
I meant, I want smash it like a cockroach that swirly thing.
 
Test_F_i_2_Luv

Test_F_i_2_Luv

Senior Member
#19
Jan 24, 2009
1,601
31
48
#19
In recent years there has been a lot of talk in certain circles that Christianity is not a religion, that it is instead a relationship but I believe that it is a religion and it is a relationship at the same time.

I surrendered my life to the Lord in 1993. I've been hearing this "Christianity is not a religion, it's a relationship" saying since that time. For some time, too, I went with it.



Besides if Christianity is not a religion, then how can we in the United States claim our right of freedom of religion if someone tries to take away our right to worship as we see fit? Are we going to tell them we have freedom of relationship? That just doesn't fit now does it.

It seems pretty clear that the founders believed Christianity is a religion. Yet, somewhere between the late 1700's and the early part of the 2000's, many have changed their view and now reject the idea that Christianity is a religion. Interesting!

I'll conclude with what I wrote in my profile details about my view of religion...which most of the posts in this thread seem to concur with:

"My view is that Christianity is a religion based on an intimate relationship with God that results in charity to others(good works or "fruits") and continued refining(sanctification) of self."

:)
 
H

Hashe

Guest
#20
#20
Kerry, post no.4 quotes James. The bible calls Christianity a religion. Don't you agree with the Bible?
 
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