4 ms·

What does it mean to be religious? Is it simply belief or belief and action? I would argue that you aren't really religious unless you actually live by the code

by tcrow 8y ago

What does it mean to be religious? Is it simply belief or belief and action? I would argue that you aren't really religious unless you actually live by the code of the religion. That would mean a very strict sense of how to navigate the world and your interactions with others and yourself. How many people do this? In my experience - not many, and I don't think this is unique to Americans. Perhaps I'm way off but it seems like the world in the majority is often only pretending to be religious.

dfxm12 8y ago
Some religious codes don't have an obligation to do good works or think philosophically about themselves or navigating the world. Simply believing - sola fide - defines religiousness for some religious codes, particularly among Protestant religions, which some 46.5% of Americans belong to [0]. 0 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_the_United_St...
- tcrow 8y ago
  I understand this idea, but it doesn't really address the fundamental issue or what it REALLY MEANS to say you are religious. Can I really make a valid claim to be religious If my actions are not in accordance with the principals of my religion? Sure I can say I "believe", but then If I truly did, why would I not act it out in my life? I don't think the two are really separate concepts at the most fundamental analysis of it. Say one thing but do another just means you are a hypocrite.
  - dfxm12 8y ago
    Based on your line of thought here, I'm not sure you understand this idea as well as you claim to. You appear to be passionate about this though. I suggest you do some research into the key differences between Catholicism & Orthodox churches and many protestant churches like the Lutheran & Reformed Churches when it comes to sola fidelis vs "faith and works". I'll say this again: for many protestants (and thus many Americans), simply believing defines being religious.
    - tcrow 8y ago
      We may be talking past each other to some degree. I'm not debating the ideas of sola fidelis vs "faith and works", this goes beyond that, for those are, to some degree, just interpretations of the original doctrine of Christ. I'm not interested in interpretations and I'm positing the idea that unless you act out the doctrine of Christ in your life, you cannot make a valid claim to be religious (in the Christian sense).
      - dfxm12 8y ago
        Oh, I thought you were making a point related to the article. I'm not interested in interpretations and I'm positing the idea that unless you act out the doctrine of Christ in your life, you cannot make a valid claim to be religious (in the Christian sense). Please find a Lutheran and posit this to them. :)

by tcrow 8y ago

dfxm12 8y ago

Some religious codes don't have an obligation to do good works or think philosophically about themselves or navigating the world. Simply believing - sola fide - defines religiousness for some religious codes, particularly among Protestant religions, which some 46.5% of Americans belong to [0]. 0 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protestantism_in_the_United_St...

tcrow 8y ago
I understand this idea, but it doesn't really address the fundamental issue or what it REALLY MEANS to say you are religious. Can I really make a valid claim to be religious If my actions are not in accordance with the principals of my religion? Sure I can say I "believe", but then If I truly did, why would I not act it out in my life? I don't think the two are really separate concepts at the most fundamental analysis of it. Say one thing but do another just means you are a hypocrite.
- dfxm12 8y ago
  Based on your line of thought here, I'm not sure you understand this idea as well as you claim to. You appear to be passionate about this though. I suggest you do some research into the key differences between Catholicism & Orthodox churches and many protestant churches like the Lutheran & Reformed Churches when it comes to sola fidelis vs "faith and works". I'll say this again: for many protestants (and thus many Americans), simply believing defines being religious.
  - tcrow 8y ago
    We may be talking past each other to some degree. I'm not debating the ideas of sola fidelis vs "faith and works", this goes beyond that, for those are, to some degree, just interpretations of the original doctrine of Christ. I'm not interested in interpretations and I'm positing the idea that unless you act out the doctrine of Christ in your life, you cannot make a valid claim to be religious (in the Christian sense).
    - dfxm12 8y ago
      Oh, I thought you were making a point related to the article. I'm not interested in interpretations and I'm positing the idea that unless you act out the doctrine of Christ in your life, you cannot make a valid claim to be religious (in the Christian sense). Please find a Lutheran and posit this to them. :)