Sum3 Toats4

Heh here are some of my own personal thoughts on this little question about religion... sorry if your views differ from mine... =)

Is religion still relevant in today's world?

The implication of that question, would be that people belong to a certain religion because it plays a certain function in their life and satisfy some kind of need in their life.

We'd have probably answered it in a yea, it brings emotional support, and satisfy one's needs for a stable and secure faith in times of unsettling scientific madness (haha sorry, didn't really know how to phrase this), to help them survive in this social-darwinism world where only the strong would survive. The decline in religion then, would be linked to scientific discoveries and a greater emphasis on logical and rational thinking.

Yea christianity does bring loads of benefits to my life. But somehow... i don't think the benefits are really the crux of the matter.

Ok lets rephrase the question a little... is religion relevant to you? Then think about... how Paul would have answered that question...

Paul was sent to jail for many times, and eventually got killed for spreading the gospel in the face of persecution. Yet with all that, he still said he had the joy of the Lord. He probably wouldnt have answered that question in the manner that we would . He'd be unable to anyway, since he probably found more physical security in his previous job of persecuting the jews than spreading the gospel(although it can be said that he found security, because that security was God-given and spiritual). In a sense, he didn't get the 'assurance' in religion, much less the 'widening of his social circle', and the other 'functions' of religion.

Maybe he'd be more likely to ask, how would i be relevant to my religion?

Haha i'm still confused about whether i should make a distinction between religion, and God. But i guess there is, since religion is the belief in a supernatural being right?

In my personal opinion, i guess, even if religion weren't relevant, God will still be, and i will place my trust in Him. =)

Never really made sense to me to question whether God was relevant or not, or even to try to figure out the 'functions' of God.

I'm a christian, not bcos i saw the value in placing my faith in christianity, like i can get more friends or i have some place to spend my weekend at, but because I know God and i know He's real.

So, it's time for me to, ask not what God can do for me, but what i can do for God.

Even when all else fades, i will worship Him, for He is my God. =)