The Biggest Threat To Religion?

[LOSTONE]

Question: What is the biggest threat to religion these days?

( I am not Mormon, but I still respect the religion and have friends who are. So the differences between faiths to me is not something I feel I would used against another faith. However, that’s just me. What threatens religion in our so called modern age? )

[Tacenda]

Question: What is the biggest threat to religion these days?

( I am not Mormon, but I still respect the religion and have friends who are. So the differences between faiths to me is not something I feel I would used against another faith. However, that’s just me. What threatens religion in our so called modern age? )

Science perhaps?  I'm not quite sure.  Maybe the thought that Satan was created to make one obedient?  This younger generation seem to have more liberal leanings.  I'm not quite sure, maybe they get enough social experiences without needing a church to provide it.  Good questions LOSTONE, I hope religion will not be so dogmatic and concentrate on the first two commandments, which allow for many different religious institutions to survive. 

 

I'm just trying to wrap my head around if I can stay in Mormonism, without the belief of it being all from God, but believe the actions of those involved in it are God given and used well.  As well as in other faiths.   

[EllenMaksoud]

Question: What is the biggest threat to religion these days?

( I am not Mormon, but I still respect the religion and have friends who are. So the differences between faiths to me is not something I feel I would used against another faith. However, that’s just me. What threatens religion in our so called modern age? )

Well, Mr Non Mormon, go look at the Holy Bible then.  Do we practice the love of God, or are we a shadow of it. Are we white washed sepulchers? Do we strain out gnats but swallow camels? Do you pray daily? Do you study the scripture? Do you practice mercy even to the poor.

[altersteve]

We are.

[KevinG]

Personal disobedience and selfishness.  If we are not faithful to the laws of God we lose freedom, and His protection.

 

Charity, sacrifice, service, work, obedience...  these things build the Kingdom of God and prove our faithfulness.

 

Selfishness, pride, enmity, sloth, disobedience...  these things destroy us from within and prove we are hypocrites.

[LOSTONE]

Well, Mr Non Mormon, go look at the Holy Bible then.  Do we practice the love of God, or are we a shadow of it. Are we white washed sepulchers? Do we strain out gnats but swallow camels? Do you pray daily? Do you study the scripture? Do you practice mercy even to the poor.

 

@ EllenMaksoud, I don;t know why you wrote such a hostile and angry reply towards me over a question I asked. My question was not insulting nor aimed at anyone. It was very generalized with the only intent to seek insight. Why you posted such a rude reply aimed at me as if to be intentionally insulting is unknown.

[Storm Rider]

I don't think science and/or scientific research is a threat to religion.  I think those that claim to be religious and yet act/behave like the worst of humanity does more harm than science ever thought about.  I think the incessant drum beat of secularism found, taught, and demanded by higher education creates a significant influence that leads to greater ignorance in the western world. 

 

In the name of tolerance our colleges and governments teaches greater intolerance and demands a loss of personal rights all while destroying and undermining religion in all its forms.  I think our media - cinema and television - has a significant influence to desensitize those that watch.  These same people lose any concept of civil society and are more apt to not have the ability to think, but follow without question.  

[LOSTONE]

People. I think that people are thee biggest threat to religion above all. We as people created religion and like with do with so much with we create, we will destroy it eventually. It's our nature to destroy what we create and we have a solid history of doing that. Religion is for the people, created by the people, and threaten because of the people, who will eventually destroy it. I see not evidence to any other thoughts about this matter.

[Storm Rider]

People. I think that people are thee biggest threat to religion above all. We as people created religion and like with do with so much with we create, we will destroy it eventually. It's our nature to destroy what we create and we have a solid history of doing that. Religion is for the people, created by the people, and threaten because of the people, who will eventually destroy it. I see not evidence to any other thoughts about this matter.

 

Define religion?  Is it separate from God?

 

Your statement has echoes of Karl Marx's statement that religion is the opiate of the people and why communism felt all religion was an enemy of the proletariat.  

 

One of the reasons I am LDS is that it is so evident that man did not create the Church, but that it was actually restored to the earth by Jesus Christ - the Church has a role, a purpose in the lives of the children of God. 

[LOSTONE]

Define religion?  Is it separate from God?

 

Your statement has echoes of Karl Marx's statement that religion is the opiate of the people and why communism felt all religion was an enemy of the proletariat.  

 

One of the reasons I am LDS is that it is so evident that man did not create the Church, but that it was actually restored to the earth by Jesus Christ - the Church has a role, a purpose in the lives of the children of God. 

 

I don't need to define religion to anyone but myself. Do we need religion to have a true and healthy relationship with God? If so, where is the evidence to back that up.

 

I am not a communist nor believe in their crap.

 

I asked about religion, not about church. if you want me to define religion, you define church.

[Storm Rider]

I don't need to define religion to anyone but myself. Do we need religion to have a true and healthy relationship with God? If so, where is the evidence to back that up.

 

I am not a communist nor believe in their crap.

 

I asked about religion, not about church. if you want me to define religion, you define church.

Lostone, I did not mean to offend you.  I was just trying to better understand your question.  

 

The motivation for my question is that many reject the idea of organized religion, which most equate to large church organizations.  Church can differ only in the degree of the organization i.e. an independent church, or group, or assembly that independently seeks to be good disciples of Christ.  We have a lot of people in the world today that reject all religion and/or churches in favor of a spiritual life that they explore privately and alone.  

 

I was not calling you or equating you to a communist - I was noting a similarity in the language you were using the questions.  If that offended you, I apologize.  

 

This may not be a productive conversation to explore.  Hope it works for you. 

[LOSTONE]

Lostone, I did not mean to offend you.  I was just trying to better understand your question.  

 

The motivation for my question is that many reject the idea of organized religion, which most equate to large church organizations.  Church can differ only in the degree of the organization i.e. an independent church, or group, or assembly that independently seeks to be good disciples of Christ.  We have a lot of people in the world today that reject all religion and/or churches in favor of a spiritual life that they explore privately and alone.  

 

I was not calling you or equating you to a communist - I was noting a similarity in the language you were using the questions.  If that offended you, I apologize.  

 

This may not be a productive conversation to explore.  Hope it works for you. 

 

You owe me no apologies. It was me that took your words and thoughts wrong. I should of took more time to reflect on what you were saying before I replied. It was of my fault and not yours. I owe you the apology, but thank you for your consideration as well.

 

After reading your words, I understand what you are saying, but sadly, I have no understanding in a reply to share. This perhaps is beyond my understanding. Take care.

[EllenMaksoud]

@ EllenMaksoud, I don;t know why you wrote such a hostile and angry reply towards me over a question I asked. My question was not insulting nor aimed at anyone. It was very generalized with the only intent to seek insight. Why you posted such a rude reply aimed at me as if to be intentionally insulting is unknown.

Well, it was not intended to be hostile and angry, that is why. These are questions that every one of us should be asking of ourselves daily.

[seriously honestly]

Secular society's need for political correctness to be adhered to by individuals in all facets of their life.

[thesometimesaint]

Religion.

[EllenMaksoud]

I don't need to define religion to anyone but myself. Do we need religion to have a true and healthy relationship with God? If so, where is the evidence to back that up.

 

I am not a communist nor believe in their crap.

 

I asked about religion, not about church. if you want me to define religion, you define church.

The Mormons have been kind and loving to me and that is very difficult for me to understand. Still, there are things that I do not understand, or do not believe in the church. It is clear to me that God PUT me here, and my understanding is not a requirement.

 

As to religious organizations, perhaps if you are strong enough and enjoy a strong enough connection with God, maybe you do not need organized religion. Look at some of the prophets of the Old Testament. One of them sat under a tree and asked God to take him. He did what God asked but had no congregation at all.

 

If you go back to the beginning of Genesis, you will see that God saw that Adam was not doing well being alone, so he created Eve.  And, in my opinion, on his second try, he made improvements.   So, I think that God allowed Churches because we need companionship, not him. OR, did he create mankind to have communion with someone?

 

BUT, we must resist the "Golden Calf Syndrome", as is first seen in Exodus 32,  that is present in every church and Mosque I ever attended. It is a clear danger that we will wind up worshiping our pastors and prophets more than God.  Personally, I think it is dangerous error to worship anyone but God (Allah SWT to me).

 

Now that I have you sufficiently confused, I will end this treatise. 

[KevinG]

Question: What is the biggest threat to religion these days?

( I am not Mormon...

We can fix that. :-D

[Robert F. Smith]

Secular society's need for political correctness to be adhered to by individuals in all facets of their life.

And group think.

[KevinG]

And group think.

Everyone can agree with that statement.

[strappinglad]

It is said that hate is the opposite of love. If so then hate of God is the opposite of love of God. However, I think that apathy is the opposite of love. Such thinking is well set out in the familiar teen response " whatever ". When a people have no strong feelings one way or the other about religion , religion will wither away.

[Guest]

Question: What is the biggest threat to religion these days?

( I am not Mormon, but I still respect the religion and have friends who are. So the differences between faiths to me is not something I feel I would used against another faith. However, that’s just me. What threatens religion in our so called modern age? )

Non-belief and apathy. Same as it has always been, coupled with disregard for obedience.

[LOSTONE]

Intersting replies and insights. I am starting to conclude that the only threat is the one found in myself as I chose to be with in or with out my faith.

[KevinG]

Intersting replies and insights. I am starting to conclude that the only threat is the one found in myself as I chose to be with in or with out my faith.

 

I am inspired by this quote, from a Jew who survived the Holocaust.  It reminds me where the responsibility lies for my own faith.

 

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” 

― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning

[Mahoneymoriancumer]

Moral relativism is our greatest current threat, IMO.  The idea that anything can be declared acceptable through faulty or complicated logic, in the interest of self-expression or individual liberty, is poisoning both adults and youth.  We are being taught that to disagree on moral grounds is not only illogical, but also a sign of bigotry, the end result being that good men stand by and do nothing as evil marches across the earth.  

 

Phew!  Got a little fire and brimstone there!  The truth is, though, that we are creating a world where disagreement is frowned upon, and even the ability to live one's conscience is under attack.  I see it as a terrible threat to us all. 

[Robert F. Smith]

Moral relativism is our greatest current threat, IMO.  The idea that anything can be declared acceptable through faulty or complicated logic, in the interest of self-expression or individual liberty, is poisoning both adults and youth.  We are being taught that to disagree on moral grounds is not only illogical, but also a sign of bigotry, the end result being that good men stand by and do nothing as evil marches across the earth.  

 

Phew!  Got a little fire and brimstone there!  The truth is, though, that we are creating a world where disagreement is frowned upon, and even the ability to live one's conscience is under attack.  I see it as a terrible threat to us all. 

Yes, group think does dominate both within religious and anti-religious circles, and questioning authority (secular or religious authority) is often considered bad form.  Socrates was sentenced to death for it.  Even at universities, students are often afraid to express a nonconforming or outlandish opinion.  People feel the urge to be politically correct, and seem afraid to explore other alternatives during their crucial learning years (how can a student learn in such a stultifying environment?).

 

How can we be in the world but not of the world?  Can we be tolerant of different preferences in a pluralistic society, while at the same time not accepting moral relativism for ourselves?