Can religion exist outside of the world.

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Catholic : One Thread

Can religion exists outside of the world?

It seems to me that religion is of the world and for the world. Religion is about one's relationship with God and how that affect their relationship with others. After the physical world has passed, religion is not of any importance. Religion is a study or a discipline. In that way, in order to talk about God, we must also talk about ourselves. In order to talk about God, we have to talk about ourselves. That's how we know God, through human faculties.

Religion is essentially a very human system or discipline.

-- Easy E (easyE@yahoo.com), June 30, 2004

Answers

Easy,

Your point is interesting but appears limited to considering the physical and emotional aspects of human existence. I personally would give more consideration to the spiritual life.

In my perspective, religion is the practice of giving due justice to the Creator. In the physical world, we humans are limited in doing this in a perfect way as a result of our fallen nature. In other words, our tendency to sin keeps us from giving to God all that is due to Him.

After we leave the physical world, and if are souls are then in friendship with God, we are no longer limited by the physical nature of our human faculties. We can then come into an unrestrained communion with our Lord in heaven. I believe this is one way of describing the beatific vision.

Just my two cents. Its pretty obvious that I'm at the far end of the spectrum in seeing things in terms of math and science. People with a better appreciation of what consitutes beauty and goodness will have a more subjective, yet more joyful, way of seeing it.

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), July 01, 2004.


Easy: of course Religion exists outside the world. Here are two examples:

1) Religion has to do with worship, thanksgiving, honor, etc. See what we find in Rev:

Revelation 4:4 And round about the throne [were] four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones [I saw] four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold.

Revelation 4:5 And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thunders. And [there was] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;

Revelation 4:6 and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like a crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.

Revelation 4:7 And the first creature [was] like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature [was] like a flying eagle.

Revelation 4:8 and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

Revelation 4:9 And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,

Revelation 4:10 the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Revelation 4:11 Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created

2) Religion has to do with Faith, Hope and Love:

1 Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

1 Corinthians 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

1 Corinthians 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

There is an eternal liturgy, consisting of adoration, thanksgiving, honoring, gloryfing God, and of course all this has to do with Religion.

Enrique



-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), July 01, 2004.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ