Whenever people ask a question and use the word “religion” my response is always the same. I have followed this definition for religion ever since I read it in the epistle written by James the apostle.
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27)
In the first part of the definition, you're lending a helping hand to the needy.
In the second part of the definition, the only person whose way of life and behavior you're responsible for “controlling” is your own!
Even if there were not a God looking down at what you do, why wouldn't you do it anyway? So why get rid of it?
- Don't you want to exercise your own free will over your own life?
- Don't you have compassion for those who are less fortunate and want to help them if you can?
It's a neat and simple rule, principle, or guideline to follow.
You want to get rid of something?
Get rid of people who abuse, oppress, and kill other people and claim they have the “authority” to do it in the name of “religion”.
Of course … that's not so simple.
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Good HUB! Very thought-provoking.
A lively discussion going on over at:
How would you answer this question??
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The above remarks are my comments left behind. Re-sharing here at my blog because when “thought bursts” like these come to me, sometimes it's good to keep a backup record of them elsewhere. :)
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