I'm not religious............

[markdrums]

This thread was inspired by Dani's thread "What is a Christian". (Thanks for the spark sister!!!)

I've had many, many people ask me throughout my life, "Are you religious?" or "Are you a religious person?" My answer was always, "Yes I am."

However; not long ago I realized something, I'm NOT "religious".... I'm a CHRISTIAN! Yes, there IS a difference.

Religion is only a generic term for a person's specific belief system, values, rituals, traditions, etc. Thus, you can lump a LOT of things into that category.... (Including "atheism"... and whether atheists like it or not, it IS a religion of sorts, by definition.)

So, the last dozen times or so that someone asked me the question, "Are you religious?" my answer has been, "No, I'm not religious... I'm a Christian. Would you like to know the difference?"
And the response has always been a slightly puzzled look, followed by, "Yeah. What do you mean?" (Or something along those lines.)

When I explain what makes being a Christian different from any other "religion" or "religious belief," it's easy to tell when the proverbial light bulb clicks, and that person really gets what I'm saying.

It may not make make a difference to everybody, but at least that little seed has been planted, and maybe they'll have a better understanding of what Christianity is.
Maybe they'll do more research out of curiosity, or to genuinely seek the truth... OR... maybe they'll just brush it aside & go about their way.
Who knows?

But the point is, now they have something to think about, and the choice is up to them.

[Athanasius]

I'm both religious, and a Christian, with a few 'modifiers'. I don't see enough of a distinction between 'religious' and 'Christian' to qualify as one over the other. What is the distinction you're drawing?

[Dani H]

Well, in Acts, the disciples beliefs and practices are called a "religion".

Acts 25:18+19
When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.


Judaism there is also called a religion:

Acts 26:5
They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.


Then there is self-imposed religion:

Colossians 2:23
These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Then there is useless religion, practiced by people who can't/won't control the words that come out of their own mouths:

James 1:26
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.


Then there is the pure and undefiled religion that has to do with helping take care of orphans and widows and to not allow the world to taint a person:

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

So what is religion? Not according to cultural definition that has branded everything religious as automatically "bad" ... but according to Scripture?

Seems to me that the biblical definition of "religion" has to do with a set of beliefs and practices, specifically as they relate to worship of deity.

thrēskeia

1) religious worship

a) esp. external, that which consists of ceremonies

1) religious discipline, religion

[markdrums]

I get what you're saying... I'll see if I can expound on what I mean.

For me it's kind of a way to get someone's attention with a small amount of "shock value" in my immediate response. But, I want to make sure they know that being "religuous" doesn't necessarily mean "Christian", and explain exactly why that is.

Realistically, I guess my response would be "not JUST religious"..... but it doesn't have that attention grabbing effect.... ya know??

[Dani H]

Listen, whatever works to get somebody's attention and opens the door for you to tell them about Jesus. Go right on ahead, brother.

[markdrums]

For real!!
And I DO appreciate the input Y'all gave!

I think after I explain what makes Christianity different from all other religions, I'll end my answer with something like, "So, I'm not just religious, I'm a Christian."

Thanks for pointing that out!!!

[ProDeo]

I'm both religious, and a Christian, with a few 'modifiers'. I don't see enough of a distinction between 'religious' and 'Christian' to qualify as one over the other. What is the distinction you're drawing?

Religious is doing it your way, Christian is doing it Christ way.

If there were no God, I wouldn't be religious.

[ImmenseDisciple]

Hmmm. Interesting. This thread just made me ponder something.

I too have almost exclusively negative connotations when it comes to "religion" and being "religious". So much so, that it's seemed to me an inappropriate label for Christianity for some time. "It's not a religion, it's Life unleashed." "I'm not religious, I'm with Christ."

Maybe it's because the term "religion" has to incorporate every misguided, misinterpreted or divisive framework, leading people away from the Truth while claiming to offer it. My definition, for all practical purposes, would roughly be "worldview attempting to explain God(/the gods) and lay down what He(she/they/it) expects, requires and/or demands of us (if anything)." I think of religions as being things that list the imagined requirements of the gods men (or worse...) invent, to fill the impossible void in their life wrought by the absence of the God they refuse. Religions are lies or half-truths that obscure the Truth.

But here's my pondering - see, for ages it's annoyed me a great deal that anyone would dream of trying to divorce themselves from the term "Christian" because they think there are too many unhelpful connotations. It really astonishes me - and yet, there are people who feel precisely that way. And is my rallying against "religion" so different? Who I am to say that because my own personal set of references and connotations have a negative impact, the word isn't valid? Given that the world has almost exclusively understood Christianity as a religion, and is probably not at all likely to have the same ugly baggage to attach to the word (and might even see an attempt to abandon it as arrogant, something already far too often associated with Christians!) as I do, am I really doing any good by shunning it? Hmmmm....

*ponders*

[markdrums]

I think I had pretty much the same feelings.....
I mean, how often do you hear people say something like, "Oh yeah, I watch that show religiously!"?

My whole reason behind the "shock value" part of my statement was to make sure they're paying attention... and then show them that there IS a difference between being a Christian & just being religiuos, or following a "religion".

But thanks to Athanasius & Dani H, I see a couple things I may have forgotten or just not considered in that original statement.

All I know is, it's GREAT to have friends / brothers & sisters in Christ to help us along!

[Slug1]

I look at it this way now because I've been both religious and a Christian.

I was once religious = I was in religion and religion was in me.

Now, as a Christian = I am IN Christ and Christ is IN me!!

One leads to death, the other leads to eternity with God.

[ProDeo]

*ponders*

Religion makes sense for many. It gives them a goal to live for, gives guidance and structure in life, comfort in crisis, rituals to "feel", social contacts, often it offers an afterlife and thus takes the fear of dying away somewhat. On top of that you can adapt the required obligations (if there are any) to your own personal preferences most of the time. For many (certainly not all) religion is no faith but a form of self-gratification because of an inner need. It is 100% self-centered.

[-SEEKING-]

I'm a Christian. Though there are times when I probably act or behave in a religious manner. But I'm certainly not religious.

The way I understand it is: Religion is man's attempt at reaching God. Christianity, or specifically Christ, is God's way of reaching man.

[Servant89]

Well, in Acts, the disciples beliefs and practices are called a "religion".

Acts 25:18+19
When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed, but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.


Judaism there is also called a religion:

Acts 26:5
They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.


Then there is self-imposed religion:

Colossians 2:23
These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

Then there is useless religion, practiced by people who can't/won't control the words that come out of their own mouths:

James 1:26
If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.


Then there is the pure and undefiled religion that has to do with helping take care of orphans and widows and to not allow the world to taint a person:

James 1:27
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

So what is religion? Not according to cultural definition that has branded everything religious as automatically "bad" ... but according to Scripture?

Seems to me that the biblical definition of "religion" has to do with a set of beliefs and practices, specifically as they relate to worship of deity.

thrēskeia

1) religious worship

a) esp. external, that which consists of ceremonies

1) religious discipline, religion

Thank you Dani. I used to say I am not religious, I was wrong. I am certainly trying to be religious (in accordance to Scritpure). Thanks

Shalom

[andrew_no_one]

Last week at work a co-worker called me over saying "Andrew, come over here! You'll want to buy this, it's REALLY RELIGIOUS!" When I went over to see what he was taking about, he had a statue of a mermaid in his hand. "Dave....what are you talking about?" I asked. He responded with: "Doesn't she look like the virgin Mary?"
The Lord showed me how miserably I was failing this man and I have since resolved to do better.

[Athanasius]

Last week at work a co-worker called me over saying "Andrew, come over here! You'll want to buy this, it's REALLY RELIGIOUS!" When I went over to see what he was taking about, he had a statue of a mermaid in his hand. "Dave....what are you talking about?" I asked. He responded with: "Doesn't she look like the virgin Mary?"
The Lord showed me how miserably I was failing this man and I have since resolved to do better.

That's an opportunity, not sure if I'd say as a result of failure.