tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post6620480833148894529..comments2009-01-27T15:58:37.398-06:00Craighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11223803411550393632noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-19253815005692286312009-01-27T15:42:00.000-06:002009-01-27T15:42:00.000-06:00I think that people get caught up with the legalisms of religion. Too often individuals miss that it is about a relationship. That is why I seek earnestly an ongoing daily relationship with Christ.<BR/><BR/>with blessings,<BR/><BR/>Minister MamieMinister Mamie L. Packhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11742135715759997805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-77260079658584318872009-01-26T11:23:00.000-06:002009-01-26T11:23:00.000-06:00Our relationship with God's Son, Jesus, the Messiah, our Savior, brings harmony between God and Man ... bridges the separation of our self-centeredness and allows us a relationship to see God reach to us to bring us back to Him. Satan is always wanting to bring hatred between that relationship, so mankind becomes blinded by his/her own self-centeredness and lack of receiving the free gift God has given us, therefore has no relationship with a Savior, Lord, Messiah. Religion is just that ... religion. Empty ... self-serving ... works oriented. Jesus came to give us a relationship with Him and because of not denying His Name or His Word, we receive gladly and harmoniously the relationship He desires with us. It separates the wheat and the chaff ... the sheep and the goats ... believers and non-believers which we so desperately need to share our relationship with Him so that others may live with an "open door" of harmony with God through Christ Jesus who only brings peace in a world full of hate. (Revelation 3:8)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-12863119288162417512009-01-26T10:49:00.000-06:002009-01-26T10:49:00.000-06:00Religion speaks to the deepest desire of our hearts -- to know God and to find favor with God. The best of that desire finds expression in ethics, caring, helping, and encouraging. The worst of that desire expresses itself in exclusivity, pride, arrogance, narrowness, and bigotry -- usually masquerading as theological orthodoxy. Not only are groups not content to believe they are the only ones right, that exclusivity expresses itself in vilification of everyone who does not hold to their system of belief. <BR/><BR/>Religious fervor generates both wonderful energy for good, and destructive power for evil. Amazingly it all springs from a desire to know God and find God's favor.chuckwarnockbloghttp://chuckwarnockblog.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-82503557287121296422009-01-24T04:54:00.000-06:002009-01-24T04:54:00.000-06:00I agree with the others, but would like to add my 2 cents:<BR/><BR/>The devil attempts to take any good thing (in this case: Faith), corrupt it, and use the perverted by-product (religion) to cause disillusionment, divisiveness, chaos, encourage sinfulness, and ruin the testimony of as many Believers as possible.<BR/><BR/><I>Short answer:</I><BR/>Religion is based on the traditions of men;<BR/>the end result is hatred.<BR/>Faith is based on the Bible;<BR/>the end result is harmony.m@thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00862745907524965398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-72148483488931805972009-01-23T19:08:00.000-06:002009-01-23T19:08:00.000-06:00Most religions teach that they are right and all the others are at best misguided and at worst dead wrong. Good for building harmony within your group and gathering those who change to your point of view but bad for building tolerance and acceptance and community. People want to be right and celebrate the fact that they are right. To emphasize this and feel good about it, others must be deemed wrong and are often villianized. Sin turns this into fear and judgement and hatred towards those who are "wrong". The same thing happens with denominations, political parties, soccer teams, and today, even tennis players. Gangs of fans of two different tennis players got into a chair-throwing fight at the Australian Open. Over tennis.Steve Fridsma AIA LEEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09758453331175298825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625203441135815476.post-6295034044606304662009-01-23T16:50:00.000-06:002009-01-23T16:50:00.000-06:00harmony is of God<BR/>hatred is of SatanLindseynoreply@blogger.com