Has religion served its purpose?

@rajk999 said
From the teachings of Christ one can deduce that the best thing for mankind is to remove religion and each and every individual be their brothers keeper, ie live charitable lifestyle. You do not need organised religion to do that.

That would be ideal. There'd still be religion though, no?

@rajk999 said
They move further and further away from Christ with every passing decade

"The way of works is the way of life, for “He who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:17.

@rajk999 said
From the teachings of Christ one can deduce that the best thing for mankind is to remove religion and each and every individual be their brothers keeper, ie live charitable lifestyle. You do not need organised religion to do that.

Do you think you need Jesus Christ to do that?

@pianoman1 said

Where I live, I'd say the six religions enshrined in the constitution still serve a purpose in uniting people, supporting structures in society, and developing trust and cooperation.

Yes.
So long as that is all they do.
As soon as one religion seeks to convert, evangelicise, take the moral high ground and try to score points against other religions the ...[text shortened]... children that they must play with these toys. (Apologies to Christopher Hitchens for misquoting him)

If every religion truly practices their own religion then the world will be at peace and there will be love and harmony throughout the world. All religions have charity and brotherly love as their core teachings. Orgainsed religion has put in place conversion to their religion as the core teaching and this creates conflict. Conversion is the problem. Brotherly love and charity is thrown out the window

@ghost-of-a-duke said
"The way of works is the way of life, for “He who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:17.

“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(John 6:40)

@fmf said
"Religion has served its purpose of uniting people, setting up structures in society, developing trust and cooperation."

~ Syed Saleem Ali

"What we need now are morality and spirituality. Morality is about reducing suffering in the world. And spirituality is about questioning and looking for answers. Religions provide us just with answers and no scope of questions.”

~ Y ...[text shortened]... uniting people, supporting structures in society, and developing trust and cooperation.

Thoughts?

Religion has created more havoc and conflict than another other institution. The teachings of Christ included the condemnation of organized religion and the promotion of charity and peace among people.

Practical examples of the difference
- The adulterous woman : religion said to stone her to death. Jesus said no.
- The Good Samaritan : religionists turned the other way while the ordinary man without religion stopped to help

There are many examples like this in the bible, and in modern day life religion is no different. Especially Christianity which has succeeded in convincing people
- that they are worthless, sinful people who can do nothing
- that nothing they do is good enough
- they can do nothing without professing faith
- that doing good works is sinful

If religion is removed and replaced with peoples natural desire to help others as Jesus preached the world will become a paradise.

@pb1022 said
God can and does do both.

But the Apostle Paul (and I as well) believe in praying in the Spirit *and* praying with understanding,

Have you ever prayed?

And you’re falling into the same trap as rajk999 - you think no Christian will do good works or do their best to obey the commandments without the threat of hell hanging over their heads. You can’t comprehend someone doing the aforementioned from love and not fear.

I know many atheists who do good works without any belief in hell, motivated purely by humanitarian love. You get that right?

@avalanchethecat said
That would be ideal. There'd still be religion though, no?

I vote a resounding NO for that. Religion is a failure.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
"The way of works is the way of life, for “He who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:17.

What translation is that from?

Here’s the KJV:

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

(1 John 2:17)

@ghost-of-a-duke said
"The way of works is the way of life, for “He who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:17.

And that includes atheists, and unbelievers.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I know many atheists who do good works without any belief in hell, motivated purely by humanitarian love. You get that right?

Did you catch the part where I said “no Christian?”

@rajk999 said
Religion has created more havoc and conflict than another other institution. The teachings of Christ included the condemnation of organized religion and the promotion of charity and peace among people.

Practical examples of the difference
- The adulterous woman : religion said to stone her to death. Jesus said no.
- The Good Samaritan : religionists turned the other w ...[text shortened]... is sinful

If religion is removed and replaced with peoples natural desire to help others as Jesus

Who says doing good works is sinful?

Do you actually believe any Christian thinks that?

@ghost-of-a-duke said
I know many atheists who do good works without any belief in hell, motivated purely by humanitarian love. You get that right?

Corrext and the bible said several times God has poured His Spirit on ALL FLESH an all people know good from evil and ALL people know right from wrong and ALL can do good works and live righteously.

Christians preach that nobody can do anything without first professing faith which is utter church rubbish. Shows you how dangerous churches can be

@rajk999 said
And that includes atheists, and unbelievers.

Read John 6:40

@pb1022 said
What translation is that from?

Here’s the KJV:

“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

(1 John 2:17)

The first " was a typo.

The way of works is the way of life, for “He who does the will of God abides forever.”
1 John 2:17.

It's God's will that man does good works.