Comments on: Poll: Rise In Americans With No Religion

15 Percent Do Not Identify With A Faith; Catholics Remain Largest Religious Group

[dougnshannon]

Baptists, Catholics, Pentecostal, Methodists and so on would be religions to me, because they are church entities with secular doctrine and guidlines based on thier "interpetations" of the Holy Scriptures. Plainly stated one must not even go to church or belong to a "religion" to be saved by the grace of God. This was God's simple plan to begin with.

[dougnshannon]

Religions are purely secular and have nothing to do with what God intended for us. God's plan was simplified with Christ, so that humans wouldn't screw it up as they did with the Law. But guess what, we screwed it up anyway with the secualr attachment of religion. Even Jesus Himself steered clear of the "religious" leaders in his time.

[dougnshannon]

The speed limits of which you speak are not a set of morals based on fairy tales.

If you use the Bible, then religion is part of your faith.

You cannot find a dictionary definition which will contradict me. You are manufacturing definitions for some hidden purpose which you won't reveal, apparently.

You ARE practicing religion.
Posted by slownewsday2009 at 8:38 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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also based on your logic of morals, then we all at some point follow a religion, if religion as you say is based on a belief system. Every human has some kind of belief system, however I would not classify that as religion.

[dougnshannon]

You ARE practicing religion.
Posted by slownewsday2009 at 8:38 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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Does the Bible not give instruction how to live your life? The does the government not give rules and regulations that we "should" abide by. Are both not intended to be practical ways to live your life? would you call gun control which is based on moral issues religion?

[dougnshannon]

The Bible does.

If you use the Bible, you ARE in a religion. What's your aversion to that word? Find one dictionary definiton which supports your claim that you aren't.
Posted by slownewsday2009 at 8:23 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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based on that logic so are speed limits, highway signs and directions on how to use a battery, but would you call that religion?...anyway you look at it, it is still a "control" on life events.

[dougnshannon]

How would you have learned about Jesus if not through the Bible, or from the organization of man? Would the name have just floated into your brain, along with his teachings? You ARE in a religion. I am curious, though, so please do explain, if you would.
Posted by slownewsday2009 at 7:35 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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The Old Testament of the Bible was based solely on the Law (ie 10 cammandments), however no one was able to keep the law and were slaves to legalism. It caused strife much like some of today's law cause, and God came up with a New Covenanent which was Jesus, His son's, blood for the atonement of sin. If you remember back in the old testament, animals usually a ram was sacrificed for the peoples sin. The problem was, under the law, atonment was virtually needed everyday. God saw the only way to eleviate this problem was through the sacrifice of His son Jesus. One atonement for all sin. In the New Testament, Jesus's mininstry was an example of how we are to conduct of lives. In fact He gave only 2 commandments when challenged by the pharisees, and that was to love God with all your heart and might and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Now the "religion" you speak of was developed by man based on manipulating scriptures to meet their needs. This is not part of my Faith..

[honestabe8]

doug: so, you are equating your belief system with an addict's delusion? interesting. did you get your shot of Jesus today?

[dougnshannon]

I find it curious how people can buy into the concept that they are sinners in need of redemption.
Posted by honestabe8 at 7:52 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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like potheads and alcoholics who claim they aren't addicted?

[dougnshannon]

You do realize you just contradicted yourself within a single sentence, right? Again, just curious as to what your protest against the word is.
Posted by slownewsday2009 at 7:41 AM : Mar 11, 2009
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How did I contradict myself? Look at this way. I'm an aircraft maintenance supervisor, everyday I work with maintenance manuals that tell me how to do a certain job, the Bible in the same way is a collection of Scriptures that basically tell me how to live my life. Would you consider a maintenance manual a basis for religion?

[honestabe8]

I find it curious how people can buy into the concept that they are sinners in need of redemption.