Can You Separate God From Religion?

[modeller]

I despise all religions for their hypocrisy above all else. That coupled with their self centred, dogmatic interpretation of the world which has caused most of the suffering throughout history.

However I don't depise God or blame him . How can I ? He doesn't exist !

The other day Grasscarp said he believed in God but was also a realist , which didn't make much sense .

But it does raise the point can you believe in only one or the other .
Can you you believe in either,neither or both ?

[Buenchico]

>>>which didn't make much sense

Trying to make sense of religion is always a pointless task, Modeller!

I'd say that the logical answer to the question in the title of your post has to be 'No'. But logic rarely comes into religion. After all, there are Christians who don't believe in the Resurrection (which most people would say is the fundamental belief in Christianity) and people who convert to Roman Catholicism who don't believe that the Pope is God's representative on Earth (which is really what separates RCs from other Christians anyway!).

You can't make sense of something that is totally senseless!

[jake-the-peg]

Deism has a long history

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deism

Which believes in God but rejects earthly religious authority.

I would suggest that Budhism is effectively religion without God

[naomi24]

I'm arguing with myself over this question, but ultimately, no, I don't think you can. You can separate God from spirituality, but since he allegedly made the rules of religion, you can't separate him from that (and I'm assuming we're talking about the Abrahamic religions here).

[jake-the-peg]

I think if you limit that to Abrahamic religions then the question becomes circular doesn't it?

Can you follow an Abrahamic religion and believe in God but not in that religion.

Can you follow an Abrahamic religion and not believe in God?

Mind you there have been a few Archbishops accused of the latter!

[naomi24]

Jake, A bit like the bible or the Koran. Both say they’re right so they must be right because they say they are…. but I’m not sure your examples are really circular as that is.

You can believe in the God of Abraham without following any of the Abrahamic religions – many people do that - but you can’t follow an Abrahamic religion without believing in God.

[jomifl]

Surely a religion is defined by belief in a god or gods. Otherwise it is a belief system (such as Buddhism)

[RATTER15]

I am taking the easy option on this one, Im going with jomifl's explanation.

[society]

"Can You Separate God From Religion?" - What an interesting and deep question.

One would have to understand and know the differences between the two before coming to a conclusion. What or who is God? And what is the meaning of religion. I think the both go hand in hand.

[modeller]

I think you can believe in some moral values , common to most religions.Thou shalt not, rob , murder etc. but beyond that religions are the rules and regulations set out by man to enforce their power, and fantasy to
give them some credence.

I'm not sure about Buddhism , They don't have Gods as such but they do aspire to supernatural states for which there is no more proof than there is for a god, and although it doesn't have the same history of violence as Abrahamism they have had their share of violence.

[jomifl]

/They don't have Gods as such / ....they don't have gods at all.

[modeller]

society. Maybe the dividing line is between religion and philosophy. I was thinking about Confucianism as an example.

[Octavius]

I think that you can believe in a God and not actively practice religion.

And, as with Buddhism, have no belief in a deity. Although whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy is another matter.

[mikey4444]

Its like the question of how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Gods are invented, therefore religion must be invented as well.

Not much more to discuss I wouldn't have thought !

[modeller]

mickey I suppose it depends on our definition of religion. The religion of some gods could be written on a postcard whilst others require maybe 2000 pages. It would appear it is the monotheists who need the weighty tomes.

[modeller]

When you look at the polytheisms they don't have books consisting of massive rules and regulations. Their books are largely about the adventures of their gods rather than what is happening here on earth.

[jomifl]

Modeller, Grasscarp's belief in a real god is perfectly rational, that is what belief is about. The model of god in Grasscarp's head is just as real as the model of the universe that you have in your's. Grasscarp's god does all the things that he is supposed to do(all written down in a big book) so he must be real. Is there a flaw in that argument? :-)

[Octavius]

jomifl, you don't like religion, we get it.....

"It would appear it is the monotheists who need the weighty tomes."

Yes, if you discount the Pyramid Texts carved on great big rocks, and many others inbetween.

[naomi24]

The ancient Egyptians weren't monotheists.

[jomifl]

Octavius, whether or not I 'like' religion is not the the issue and in fact 'liking' doesn't come into it as that is an emotion. My issue with most religions is that they are dishonest, deluding and damaging. They hold back progress, propagate guilt and cause pain suffering and premature death. Those believers that survive waste their lives devoted to a non-existant deity instead of improving their own lot. Why would I dislike religion? some people find it very helpful :-)

[Octavius]

Understood, jomifl, I can feel your emotion running through that post.