If Religion did not exist, could you find God????

Indeed, God and religion are two different things. If a child reaches for their parents, the parents reach back. God is no different. God did not really become man. There are children of God who can do some pretty remarkable things. They are around us even today. Our connection with God is above all else regardless of our beliefs. God will teach His children.

So are you saying God won't reach??? God is interacting constantly with every life. It makes no difference what your beliefs might be. You say that God's children don't listen. Ah, but they do. Some are stubborn and have to repeat lessons. Do you know what you get when a person needs to change but refuses??? They will hurt until they discover it's easier to change than stay the same. Some make the same choices over and over. The consequences hurt over and over until that light bulb goes off over their head and they Understand. There is no time limit to learning. We can make it easier on ourselves. None of this has ever been a problem for God. It has all been thought out ahead of time. God loves us all Unconditionally, even all those rotten kids. They will come around in time.

He's trying to, but some of you won't listen. You say if a child reaches for a parent the parent will reach back. True But my point was the parent reaches first. Like a mother of a newborn, it is not the child who reaches out for first, it is the parent who reaches out first to protect and nourish.

VERY VERY GOOD!!! Which do you trust more?? Your experience or your holy books??? Since you have studied religions for so long, perhaps it's time to go back to where it started to venture into the undiscovered country that awaits. There is much more there to discover.

I have had a similar experience.

I trust the scriptures, because two people can see the exact same picture and describe it very differently. Experience is subjective. What I experienced was a reaffirmation of what I'd already read in the Word. Before you go off to tell me that the Bible is not been translated properly, or is a collection of myths...there are some very smart people out there in the field of ancient manuscripts and archeology that have spent lifetimes of study who say you would be wrong. At one time, the world scoffed at the existence of UR of the Chaldees, until they found it. The Hitites were thought to be a myth until archeologists found proof of their existence. Both UR and the Hitites are prominent in the Old Testament. There are pictures of the Ark on Mt. Ararat. I believe the Bible is the Word of God.

Religion is an institutionalized system of beliefs and practices.

First of all God is not going to give you instructions on how to live. You must discover your knowledge in order to gain true wisdom. Second, when you find God, then God is no longer a belief. I know andy77e exists. That is not a belief. If I hear people talk about you or read your name in books,you would still be a belief. Beliefs just point the direction where one might search to discover the real truth. Since I now have contact with andy77e, I can discover who you are without beliefs.

Let us assume for a moment that you could find G-d without 'religion', and that G-d himself has some defined ways he instructs us to live. Would those instructions on how we should live, become an 'institutionalized system of beliefs and practices'? What do you think, yes or no?

Yes, if all religions vanished today, people would still search for God. Perhaps deep in our hearts we do know God better than religion does today. The initial motive is pure while mankind's corruption and need to control is in all religions. Still every religion carries some God within them.

We are all children of God. Perhaps there is more goodness inside than you can give credit for. Sure people make bad choices when they place more importance on money and power but God will send lessons to teach us all. Do not count on Christ to come back, destroy evil and save a select few. God will lead each person with lessons from within. Many have been taught by religion to see only the evil in this world. If you look closely, you can see the goodness in most everyone. God can handle a few wayward children. No child will be left behind.

actually if we are basing in the human heart and intention you cannot see any good instead all things are how to become rich, famous, strong and others never may few only wants God. But wait till God make his ultimate action the return of his only son Jesus Christ.. so even religion vanish few are looking and searching God for sure... see you around

I agree. The need to know is the driving force for so many wonderful things. Perhaps religion is the attempt to control other's view of God. They generate the assumption that all answers about God come through them. Of course, this is far from the real truth.

Bird123, perhaps religion is an attempt to control. I agree with you. But someone somewhere has to have the truth. We can't all be right. If God is GOD and the CREATOR - would He lie to some and tell the truth to others? The paths that the world's religions all claim as true paths are much to different to all be the same path to God. If God is HOLY how can He allow some to sin and not allow others to sin. Take for instance the religion of Islam, they say its ok to kill the infidel who will not submit to Islam and then hear Jesus' word to turn the other cheek and love your enemy. Who is speaking the truth, bird123. Who should we believe in our search for God? Crisdel12, I agree with you. Every human being at one point or another searches for answers. I am saying, be careful where you search and who you believe. Not all are telling you the truth.

Thanks debrakcarey. This is what I like about this forum, it helps us in searching the truth and affirmation of our belief. Yes, I agree with you on being careful in searching for God. For me, the Holy Bible is the absolute source of truth. I listen also to other world religions but I always refer to the Holy Bible. In this manner I learned to respect them and accept them as they are and at the same time I'm able to appreciate how blessed I am to have a faith guided by the Holy Bible. Keep up the faith.

Yes, deep down, we all know. That is probably why mankind invented religion to begin with. It is mankind's attempt to understand God.

Yes, mankind did invent religion. After he rejected God's rule over him. After he decided that he wanted to be just like God. Pride and arrogance were the first religion in ancient Babylon. Not an honest attempt to know the One True God, rather an attempt to circumvent God's rule over them.

debrakcarey. Rejecting God's rule over them??? If God can create universes, surely He can handle a few wayward kids. As far as God is concerned, there has never really been a problem. Sometimes children must make bad choices in order to discover what bad choices are. Consequences will teach us all. Frying your children is only an option created by mankind to create fear to get followers. It is a SIN that religion commits even today. When will they learn better??

That's ok.If you ever have the need to know, start with spirituality to know who you really are. Next look around you. All the secrets of the universe stare us in the face. When you understand what this world is all about and what is really going on, you will start to understand God. New knowledge leads to new ideas which opens doors to new discoveries. You seem intelligent. One day you might discover God!! In the meantime, God will love you unconditionally regardless!!

Then why does religion exist? Why do so many follow religion?? Perhaps it's all those lessons that are learned around religion. I'm not talking about the ones about God.

Not lessons, ideals. Religions are based on ideals. Religions exist because someone belonging to a religion, decides they believe differently than the one they belong to then branch off and start their own religion. Research it for yourself, it's pretty interesting. I have no idea why people follow religion, there are as many reasons as there are people. Not once, ever, did God, nor Jesus, nor the Disciples ever say one has to belong to a religion. Jesus said, "...I am the way"....and that's all I need to know.

People's idea of ideals is only part of what religion is really about.People use religion and beliefs to make money, control others, feed their egos, and attempt to create their world. Even your beliefs depend of holy books written by mankind. Should one depend on beliefs at all?? I can believe beliefs about you from books and what people say, however I can never know the real you until I interact directly.

Children are what make life grand. God will always interact with His children. Of course, the determination that those three religions are great depends on how much one really understands. They serve a purpose. I will always venture to discover the truth. Discover not Accept. Question not blind faith. Religion needs to question more to discover the truth themselves.

What have you discovered on your own?? Why does all your knowledge of God come from others??? Never depend on other's view of God. Go see for yourself.

I don't think its understanding. It depends on your perspective and experience. Not only am I book smart in terms of the religions, but I've learned from not only followers of the those three great religions, but the other two great ones (Hinduism and Buddhism) as well. So my perspective would be different from others.

Religion claims to know God yet they can not see that. Hmmm?? The interaction of us all will lead the entire group in the right direction over time. It does seem there is a long way to go for people to understand. Don't forget to interact with religious people in your life. They need to see your view. If you have not discovered God yet, continue your journey. You are headed in the right direction.

Religion was invented by mankind just as the belief you are flawed and need saving is generated by religion invented by mankind. Perhaps creation is a different discussion. Evolution is part of the unfolding of the universe that is created by God. Don't discount it just yet. Creation is a complicated thing. Simple answers are no answers at all.

People like to create fears in others for the unknown. We should never live in fear for the unknown. The unknown is where all the great discoveries live. Where would we be without great discoveries??

God gave everyone a different view to guaranty mankind a larger view than any one person can have. The interaction between people of different cultures and religions is very important. Sure it creates lots of drama but it also creates even more learning. Every religion claims to be right. I have found none of them really understand God, however God is in everyone of them. Religion would understand God much better if they did come together and compare notes. Since that is a direction toward the answers, the interaction between religions will continue. So you are starting with spirituality. That is a good place to start. One must understand who they really are first. Yes, you will probably discover God before most people in religion because you are doing more than simply memorizing holy books.

I totally disagree with you two... ^_^ first:(PhotoDrummer) can you find God without a religion?.. sorry to say but It is the most brainless statement I've ever heard!. So how will you talk to him?. Do God have his cellphone already?.. or maybe he has a facebook account!!..Without religion, you faith will surely be just your assumptions of what you want not what God wants. We're the one begging to be saved, so it is not our own rules to be followed on how to be saved but the savior itself. Now, can you save yourself ALONE?.. second:(bird123) you said there are no right religion?..because they are just memorizing holy books?.. Now, are your words more holy than what is written on those holy books?.. there are thousands of religion all over the world, and to tell you, only one of them is right. Now, why do they all claim that they are right?.. simply because, false prophet would say they are right to deceive mankind.. but the right one will never said that he is wrong because if he says so, then he already broke his own tongue..^_^ I'm sure you just have not found the right one yet,.I would recommend listen to God not to the preacher alone,. and the only way to do that is through bible( of course false prophet also use bible, to deceive many ).. but, it is the only way to find the words of God., and the rest is just words of man..

I know you are right. Our intelligence would lead us in that direction. God helps everyone toward the right direction as well.

If God exists then God can be found. I would never ask anyone to believe. Maybe it's time to discover. Don't give up the search for God just yet. God has a very very high IQ. It will take work to understand. Look around you. All the secrets of the universe stare us in the face.

Yes, I think you are right. Perhaps more would discover God if they did not depend on religion so much. Memorize holy books and be done with it isn't quite the same as rubbing elbows with God.

Perhaps people value beliefs too much. Deep down, we all know God. Like with all knowledge, we fill in the pieces we do not know with emotional beliefs to patch the gap between the real facts. THe problem comes when we quit searching for the truth and rely solely upon beliefs. That is where religion and so many people are at today. There is always more to discover. Beliefs merely point the direction we should research. If we care for the truth, we can never stop searching for it.