Is Religion necessary to get to Heaven?

Your faith in God is what's important. Not the religion. I mean, there are many different religions out there but when you cut through the red tape - the principles or pretty much the same. There are many people in an organized religion because they think that's what they need to get into heaven but have little faith. And then there are people out there who do not have a "religion" and have complete faith in God. Organized religion is a man made often times selfish community where it is all about money and "saving face" in front of others instead of actual learning and growth. I believe in God. I am saved. I do everyting in my power to be the best person I can. I refuse to take part in organized religion. And I just want to add this...I have seen many people get turned away from church and God because of the way they were treated at church (they didn't like their tattoo's or they were in jail or single mothers and were starred at and made fun of. What a better place for the devil to ruin someone's faith...make the church a horrible place to be.

first of all I want to reply your three route story. i think it will fit on ever where in the world that if there is more then one route to a place, these all will never same, one will short, one will comfortable and other will hard and dangrouse. and that is my reply there is maney way but you can go to haven only on that way which allah (GOD) want and that is Religion ISLAM. Religion is very importante. did you not think ever that why we are in the world. if you don't think that then you just think your body. you body is such complex is it posible that such body created himself no that was created (by allah). you can't give an example of atlease one thing in the world that was create himself. every machine need to be create and teasted by men then it come to market, then why it is said that humen was created himself and there is no role of any other thing ( that is allah)

I don't think religion is ur one-way-ticket to heaven. It's your faith alone can bring you to heaven. Many religions claims that they know the truth about God and Jesus Christ. That it is Allah who is the real god. And most of them that they are the way to this and that... but don't you see it? there is only one God. No matter what He is called or where people belong to, He's the Supreme Being we must adore and praise. That our faith must be strong enough to trust Him. No matter what religion we are into but if our heart's desire is to adore Him and believe Him, and you're faithful enough to do His words, then that's your first class ticket to heaven.....

faith is the way to heaven. religion is just formality and guide to find God.

no matter what religion you come from jesus loves you.you can go to heaven if you follow jesus ,obey his commands.jesus said nobody goes to father(god)but through me.

I think that is an excellent question and probably everyone thinks about it in one form or another. (although most won't admit it) I don't think it is necessary. This is why. John 3:16 does not say "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on Him and belongs to a certain religion shall not perish but have everlasting life. At least, it does not say that in any bible version I have ever read. All that is required is an acknowledgement that, yes you do believe in Jesus and what he did. If you truley believe, you are set. It is not by works, lest any man should boast, but by faith alone. Period, the end.

my opinion and belief is that all religion were invented by very clever and wise men who dangled the carrot of religion in front of us donkeys to make us move forward. just think of the many things from which we abstain daily just for the fear of God and religion. without the fear of God in our mind, the earth would be like living Hell. but the fear of God helps us to overcome many negative influences and thoughts and thus has human civilization progressed this far. yes there have been wars in the name of religion and men have butchered fellow men, but these are inconsequential in number and occurance when compared to the many good things that have happened in the name of religion like charity, spreading peace, giving us a sense of belonging to a divine existence. there is of course no heaven nor hell, but of our own creation and imagination. never be so religious that you forget the greatest religion of all...humanity. all religion were created to just protect and propagate this supreme religion!

i think what matters is what you do with your life, what you do for other people, and what you do for your God. Religion is just there to guide you, like lamp posts, and the rest is up to you. religion per se can't help you. what matters is if you practice what religion teaches you to do. i think all religions teach just one thing and that is to do good. and that's just what we have to do.

I am a Christian, since i was a child, i was thought to believe in god and i will be with God in the garden of Eden when i die. And then we studied the different religion, like the buddhist, are we christians suggesting that the buddhist can't go to heaven?! or the other religion? I DON't THINK SO. In my own opinion, it doesn't matter what your religion is, as long as you don't hurt anyone, or just put in mind the golden rule Don't do unto other what you do not want other do unto you.. and we will all meet in heaven.

no i dont think so,it is only for name sake and i dont beleive in any religion

First of all I want to know where heaven is and where hell is and where god is and where devil is. We consider them to be somewhere beyond our comprehension somewhere up in the sky or beneath the crust of this earth. One must not forget that Jesus or Mohamed or for that matter those whom we ascribe it to, did not make any religions. Religions developed long after they were gone and contemporary people found soalce in the thoughts and sacrifices of those social thinkers and human lovers and communalised into sects and followed their teachings. In due course they beacme gods and sons of gods. Rulers of these sects straightjacketed religious thoughts and made paths to heaven and hell to suit their selfish motives. Thus these places and figures got into the realm of imagination. Even today we are not able to tread away from such thoughts; hence such discussions. Heaven, hell, god and devil all abode this beautiful earth side by side and can be sought during ones lifetime itself. Do good and noble deeds and feel in paradise persecute fellow beings and be in hell. Adore the nature and the creatures that thrive on it with love and respect and feel closer to god. Do evil to people and plunder the nature and you are in the company of devil. A medium like religion is not necessary to transact love and compassion with fellow beings and to respect the nature, the constituent of our mortal body, and one can live heaven on this earth.

yeah.. this is definitely one of the most important question one can ask for themselves.. there is one thing that is necessary to have before we can really asked a question, 'how can i be saved?' or 'how can i get to heaven?' and that is.. we must have a conviction of our sins. the bible says that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.'" it is not just that we have committed immoral acts in our lives .. which we all have done .. or broken the ten commandments (which we all have done) but all have gone against the will of God, and have failed to glorify Him in our walk and ways.

iam sure apersonwho don't beleive in releigion also do not beleive in heavenor hell,it's not necessary to have faith in releigion but what is necessary is to be a good human being so that you enjoy the best of both world's.and there is nothin wrong in gettin salvation through a releigious path provided tha you are a good individual. but most of all no one has seen what is there in heaven or hell,but onething is for sure is that you must enjoy your every moment of life here!!!!!

Religion is what you make it. People believe in their own way. Is it needed to get to Heaven? If someone isnt religious but believes in Heaven, does that mean they wouldnt be good enough? What is Heaven? Do we even know it exists?

There is a religion in the Holy Bible and if we do not follow that religion laid down by God, we will not be saved. God is the one who will be doing the saving and He laid down the rules on how to be saved.

People often get mad at me, 'cause I believe there's many roads to one place -- and seeing how we all view things differently regardless religious affiliation we also call that place and see that place differently than anyone else. But seeing all the connections between people, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone got into the afterlife, summerland, valhalla..whatever, or at least everyone who tried to live the best they could. I mean, that's all deity(s) ever ask of us right? So who cares about which religion? It doesn't matter in terms of where we're going in my opinion. It's not like it's any use trying to convince people to follow a path which may or may not be theirs to take in any case.

Usually religious people are the one's that believe strongly in defining things as heaven or hell. I am not a religious person but i do alote of things that apply to me and that i believe in that are taken from my religion, the judaism. i really do not believe that you have to fallow a certain book, or do certain things that are written in a certain book, in order to get to heaven, once you die. I really believe that you have to aspire to be a good person and do good deeds in order to be happy in this life and the life after. but what is the most important thing to me that i will be true to myself and really will want to do those things because it is important to me and inside of me, then doing them because of a certain fear, that if they are not going to be done, i would not have a place in heaven. so, no. i do not believe you need to be in a religion in order to get to heaven.

Jennysp8 gave a great response - and I just want to add there are 19 major world religions subdivided into 270 large religious groups. Among those, there are 34,000 separate Christian groups. More than half of those are independent and do not want to link with any larger, broader group. Just among Canada and the US, there are about a thousand different Christian groups with different "ideas" about what is "right" when it comes to faith and religion. Who is to say which (if ANY) is right? The "texts" we have passed on as "the word of God" is nothing more than re-written fables invented by man and altered to create followings. It doesn't matter if we refer to our Higher Power as Allah, God, Jehovah, the Great Spirit, or something else...or even a combination of God and Goddess. It is all the same thing - the same idea that has evolved (in our creations) to meet the changing needs of our societies. No, I do not believe one needs to belong to a "religion" - but that we need to reconnect on levels we forced ourselves to divide away from before "religion" ever entered the picture to begin with.

Well, the most important thing in the world is FAITH! It does not matter what religion, in many religions there is no heaven, so to get in heaven is enough to believe you will get there! how and when does not matter ( the road does not matter) what matters is faith, the faith that u will go there!

no its not correct...religion is not a passport to heaven..its depend upon u wht u r???how u r behaving??do u hve respect 4 others???r u taking ur responibilities properly??/....in ur perspective if things r correct then its religion.....