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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Religion / Is Christianity A Religion? (1959 Views)
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Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 4:12pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
"Christianity is NOT a Religion!" This is the new thing that is very common among Christians today. When you are making a general statement lumping all faiths and its likes together, Christians quickly go on the defencive with "Christianity is not a religion", "who told you i'm religious", "let me tell you: Christianity is NOT a Religion", "don't ever call me a religious man!" "did i tell you i'm religious? I am a Christian!". Christians come up with all these statements even when they know that you are just trying to get an innocent point across. So, i have decided to table this topic and lets discuss and get to understand each other. Is Christianity a religion? What is a religion in the first place? Give examples of religion and show that Christianity IS or IS NOT a religion, whatever side of the divide you are on? |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by winner01(m): 4:15pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
Christianity is not a religion. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by 4kings: 4:18pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
Religion is a system of faith and worship. Christianity is a religion. Bhuddaism is a philosophy |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Edwinmason(m): 4:54pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
its a way of life |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by malvisguy212: 5:09pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by truthman2013: 5:20pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:28pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
No! xtianity isn't a religion.It is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. 3 Likes |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:33pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
Edwinmason:is religion not a way of life? What is religion? Islam also is a way of life, so what's the point? |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:37pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
CHRISTIANITY is not a religion. Many assume it to be a religion but a true Christian knows this is not truen. We call it a way of life. CHRISTIAN means "like christ" so CHRISTIANITY means LIVING LIKE CHRIST. Its not ritualistic but is one life with the follower of its teaching. In essence its something you practice with the Help of the spirit of Christ until the message becomes your very life. Preach it! Walk it! Live it! ITS IN THE CHRISTIAN! 1 Like 1 Share |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:40pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
malvisguy212: the op of that thread cannot define religion in a way that is absolutely unfair in order to be able to remove christianity from it. That's Fraud! Again, there is a question someone asked him in that same thread: if you say christianity is bringing the blood of an innocent to god, why then do you condemn the adherents of the ATRs for bringing the blood of the innocent to the same God? |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:43pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
naijadeyhia: if you say christianity is not a religion, then you must have a fair idea of what religion is. So, i am taking you to the next question i asked there, what is religion and show that your definition of it is fair? Show how christianity does not fit into that category. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by malvisguy212: 5:47pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
craziebone:All question ask in that link has been answer, read it again. It seem you, bible critics know the bible very well, show me were jesus use religion to address the disciples. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 5:53pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
craziebone: The word Religion is an attempt to unify all beliefs and teachings into one category be they redundant, mental, spiritual or scientific. Christianity transcends that as its not just a belief....its not just mental.... its built on something words cannot describe as its best described through the experience of it and not the just a definition. It entails a change of everything from you to another you not based on your belief of God alone but based on your belief and LOVE for God. So its not ritualistic. ...it provides a self chosen will to submit to a change in you not out of struggle but sheer free willed choice. Its like a baby who was not present during copulation between husband and wife yet being willing to be born and believe inherently that those people are his parents even when he is yet to see proof confirming such. 2 Likes 2 Shares |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Edwinmason(m): 6:02pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
craziebone:to me christianity is making christ attribute ur way of living 1 Like |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 6:51pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
malvisguy212: the same way Muhammed did not use 'religion' to address his deciples and Muslims. Islam too is a way of life. Don't you know the meaning of Islam? It means Submission to the will of Allah! The Babalawo did not call his faith/ spirituality/devotion a religion. The term religion came in with the Europeans who were studying the various African spirituality/faith/devotion. For the Babalawo, his Faith/spirituality/devotion is just it, LIFE! It is his way of life and personal culture. It is his world view. When looks at anything, he sees it with the eyes of his own faith/spirituality/devotion. But you don't find the Muslim and the ATRs trying tirelessly to remove themselves from the labels of religion, only christians! Ofcourse, christians can choose to remove themselves from any group they don't want to be associated with, but their motive for doing it is what i do not trust! 1 Like |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 7:25pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
naijadeyhia: that's why it is more a religion like the other ones Islam, ATR, Judaism etc. You think the Muslim can describe absolutely his experience with Allah? I have heard Sheikh Khalid Yasin say that he doesn't even think Islam is a religion. He said this when he was trying to convey a message of islamic experience and just like you, found it hard to express that point within the limits of words in the human language. Another point: i really like it that you mentioned the word 'submiting'. It will interest you to know that that word is more synonymous with Islam than it is with christianity. And the way it is portrayed by SOME of their preachers, it is the submission of an infant to the care of the parent. When you look at the Yoruba religion (that's the best way we can call it because the word religion does not exist in the Yoruba Language) their teachings too are based on an experience with the devine, some of which really cannot be expressed fully like you are finding it difficult to do with christianity. So you can see that all the other ones grouped under the umbrella 'Religion', have this thing which can only be known through the EXPERIENCE you are talking about. Yet, they all do not have any problem being lumped up into that one category, religion. But i really like to know what you define as religion? I would like you to go like this: Religion is... 1 Like |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 7:39pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
craziebone: Sorry to disappoint you because I cannot define Religion outside what it already is buti can describe and not define Christianity for what it truely is. Obviously you failed to see where I said words cannot describe the experience so there is no accurate description of Christianity because todays experience is never enough. ..new and deeper experiences abound hence why its no ritual. Its not just about serving or worshipping God its also about how you grow and experience and become! Its not repetitive its fresh and new daily! Your desire to forcefully prove islam to be higher and better than Christianity is wrong and already failed because islam is a ritualistic approach while Christianity is a life 2 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by malvisguy212: 9:05pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
craziebone:who told you this ? |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 10:53pm On Jul 31, 2016 |
malvisguy212: i KNOW SO! And if you can stop being a prejudiced and bigoted christian for once, maybe you will begin to see beyond your nose. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 3:06am On Aug 05, 2016 |
naijadeyhia: why don't you define/describe religion for me and stop trying to get away with what you cannot get away with! And as for defining/describing christianity, you really think defining an describing are different things basically? When i ask you to define a thing and you go on ahead to give me the characteristics, i will give you your full mark! On the "you fail to see where i said words cannot acurately describe..." part of your post, again i will ask you: how much of Islam do you know? How much of the Yoruba Religion (best way we can describe it due to lack of proper words) do you know? You think their experience is not new every morning? You think you can really know Islam or the ATR from the words, ways and actions of their everyday followers? For the "its nor just about worshiping God...but how to BECOME", i suggest you look into the faith of the Babalawo and you will be shocked to know that his own also talks about BECOMING an Orisha, if you know what it means. The closest i come come to it that you, a christian, would understand it is to tell you it can be akin to "ye are Gods" in the bible. So tell me, what point are you making? If you think Christianity isn't a religion because it talks about a 'becoming', then it is the Yoruba religion that is even more not a religion! I am not "trying to forcefully..." proove anything, for that would mean that i am the same as the Nazis! It is christians like you, who believe in a 'superior' faith hence your attempt to separate christianity from the label RELIGION, that are the same as the Nazis. Just as the Nazis believed in a superior race, so too, you believe in a superior faith, Christianity! Fact is, Islam is also a LIFE like you think Christianity is. Surely, you know little about Islam that's why you say this. Don't ever look to the people in a religion and think that's how the religion is. There was a time christians were very ritualistic in their worship of God and they sold indulgences until there arose some radical preachers among them to bring them this spiritual gospel you now claim is not a religion. At the time when those christians were being ritualistic, anyone who looked at them and concluded that christianity is ritualistic, i am sure you would tell him not to pay attention to what those 'ignorant' christians (as you would call them) are doing. Do you know a Muslim Gospel artiste called Maher Zain? Have you heard some of his music? A friend of mine, a campus fellowship leader, told me that when he heard Maher Zain's songs, he was lifted in spirit! Did you hear that? "He was uplifted in spirit!" that's how he described his experience with the music. The only way a born again Christian can be "Uplited in the spirit" when he listens to a music, is if that music contains Rhema. And you can't know rhema until you've walked with the lord! And that means the composer of the songs, Maher Zain, walks with the lord. And guess what? He is Muslim and got his experience of God in the Qu'ran, the same book you look down upon. The point i am trying to make is this: if christianity is all you claim it is, then it not different from the other ones because when you look into the other religions closely, you will still find all these things you think are exclusively christian. Christianity is a religion as much as the other ones are, and it is not a religion as much as the other ones are not! 6 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Sinkills: 10:11am On Aug 05, 2016 |
Let's simply put it this way: there are people who believe in Jesus as the son of God, attend Church regularly, read the Bible, most a times bear Christian names, obey their Church set of rules, do their best to do good but have not really had the experience of encounter with Christ leading to a change of life from the adamic nature to that of Christ. Such people are religious 'Christians' in the same league with people of other religions. On the other hand, there are people who have encountered Christ through genuine repentance and faith on His finished work at Calvary. As such, their lives have been transformed inside out from the life of sin to the life of saints. Such people are not religious, they are Christians. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 2:00pm On Aug 05, 2016 |
Sinkills: i really like your perspective. It's very smooth, simple and humble. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Sinkills: 5:13pm On Aug 05, 2016 |
craziebone:To God be the glory. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Nobody: 8:07pm On Aug 05, 2016 |
Sinkills: i careless what today's christians call their faith. The only reason i got concerned in the first place is because of the arogance we see among christians today. Today, even the one who's life isn't exactly christian and is just an everyday guy, but because he goes to church and identifies as christian, he too will be telling you to your face he is not religious. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by waice6571: 8:19pm On Aug 05, 2016 |
JESUS CHRIST was(and is, and will) never be a founder of religion. But religion was built around his Name. The coming of JESUS CHRIST was to unite man with his Supreme springhead after the fall of man. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Sinkills: 8:56am On Aug 06, 2016 |
craziebone:Well anyone can claim anything. But the holy Scriptures makes it clear that by our fruits, ye shall know us. Just as you pointed out, the arrogant ones are not Christians. But the race is personal. I can see your sincerity. I hereby invite you to a personal commitment to Jesus, the Lord and only Saviour. He will do wonders in your life, make it sweeter and prepare you for an eternity with Him. Shalom! |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by virginboy1(m): 9:30am On Aug 06, 2016 |
naijadeyhia:Interesting, but Pastor, but why must one need the help of the Holy Spirit? Why can't the process be spontaneous? |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Pdizzle(m): 12:05pm On Aug 06, 2016 |
Christians can't wriggle out of this. pronunciation(IPA): /rɪˈlɪdʒən/ |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Sinkills: 9:51pm On Aug 06, 2016 |
Pdizzle:It takes a person who has actually encountered Christ and whose life has been transformed to realize that what he has experienced and possess is not religion, but Christ within. Sincerely, I urge you to repent and accept Christ into your life as Lord and Saviour. Certainly, your view of what it means to be a Christian viz a viz religion will change which others will still not understand. Shalom. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by HCpaul(m): 10:36pm On Aug 06, 2016 |
The term "Christianity is not a religion" is a jargon used by modern day believers to isolate themselves from other religions by setting an edge. Like I use to say, Christianity is all about emotional display without caring about the truth that resides in the brain. Christianity has always been a religion but in most cases 'nameless' and seems to favour the Jews only but in the modern era, the well learned professor Paul (my namesake) coined the term "Christianity" to favour the entire race that seems to practice the religion.
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Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Pdizzle(m): 8:36am On Aug 07, 2016 |
Sinkills: People from other religion also this way. Why are you people so hung up over mere meaning of an english word. I put up the different definitions of religion there, dispute it all one after the other. You people can claim you're not ritualistic, which still ain't true. |
Re: Is Christianity A Religion? by Sinkills: 3:45pm On Aug 07, 2016 |
Pdizzle:Sorry friend. I am not really particular about what people from other religions or Christians think or claim. I am also not interested in vocabulary, lexicography or semantics of religion. All I am interested is that you and others should by the grace of God be saved from sin and the wrath to come. And the truth is that salvation is only in Christ. Forget religion! Come to Christ in genuine repentance and submission. He will forgive you all your sins, wash you clean, change your life and write your name in the Book of Life in heaven. You will be forever glad you did. |
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