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De ca 13 nesten bloggene er engelskprosjektet mitt fra skolen om JESUS VS RELIGION.
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JESUS VS RELIGION

JESUS VS RELIGION

“I’ve seen them kneel with baited breath for the ritual. I’ve watched this experience raise them to pseudo higher levels. I’ve watched them leave their families in pursuit of your nirvana. I’ve seen them coming to line up from Switzerland and America”

- Alanis Morissette, from the song “baba”-

I think there is a longing in every man’s heart after something that’s greater than them. Something that can save them from whatever they need to be saved from. I think the questions about divinity are the biggest and most important questions ever asked. “Is there a God?” “If he is, than how to relate to Him?” “Where is He?” Everybody wants to make it through life with some sense that they did it right, that they caught the essence of life.

Some think they know how life can be meaningful. They find inner peace in their many different ways. Some shout: “KALI, KALI, KALI!!” to a monument with ten heads while others find peace within themselves through yoga and meditation. Many women have to cover up their whole bodies and faces, some walk around naked, and some can only wear skirts. Some have to bow down five times a day, some don’t eat meat because of religious duties, and others can’t celebrate their own birthday. Some get confused by the hundreds of different direction within religions, and forge their own group called Atheism.

The leading so- called religion today, is faith in a heavenly, everlasting and loving God. A belief based on relation, which is called Christianity. This name was first given as a nickname for people who wanted to follow Jesus after they had seen His miracles, death and resurrection. The first Christians were the less religious people of their time; they rebelled against religious leaders and churches. They were put in jail, they were killed and they were persecuted because they told people that everyone could receive God’s love; homosexuals, whores, liars, murderers, criminals - everybody was forgiven and therefore holy through Christ.

But when most people today hear the word “Christianity” or “Christians” they relate it to all things but the person Jesus. Instead, they think of all religious issues and conflicts, like the homosexual debate, alcohol issues and political questions.

This project is divided in two parts; part one is about Religion and part two is about Jesus ->(Jesus religion compared to Jesus relation). I want to figure out what religion is, who Jesus is, and why and how people mix the two of these subjects.

Part 1: Religion

WHAT IS RELIGION?

(Latin: religio/ligo, which means, “to bind together”)

For the religious people religion is the answer to the main questions in life: Where did we come from? What is our destiny? What is my duty or obligation on this earth? What is the meaning of suffering? What is the meaning of death? How shall we live? Religion is a way of seeing, thinking, and acting in accordance with these questions. Religion is also described as the sum total of answers that explain humankind’s relationship with the universe, or a strong belief in a supernatural power/powers that control human destiny and affect life.

Other definitions of religion:

A set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices pertaining to supernatural power
Religious affiliation, practices, and views.
1. The belief in a superhuman controlling power,
in a personal God or gods entitled to admiration and worship. (Dictionary)
2. The expression of this in worship.
3. A particular system of faith and worship


“THE MAN ON THE STREET” ABOUT RELIGION:

What is the first though in your head when you hear the word: religion?

___________________________________________________________________
Thomas Olsen, 17 years, Oslo: “When I hear the word religion, I get mixed feelings. I think that something about religion is good, and something is not so good. I think it’s good that people have something to believe in and live for, but on the other hand I don’t like it when people do everything for it, you know some get superstitious and go so far that it can be damaging.”

Erik, 25 years, Fredrikstad: “My first thought about the word religion… I think war, terror and the fight for power.”

Jørgen Hamre, Oslo: "Religion.. I think oppression, austerity, theorems and religious wars”.

_____________________________________________________________

WORLD RELIGIONS

In the world today we have hundreds of different religions. This is a short look at each of the most “popular” religions, the leading, major religions in the world today.


HINDUISM

A Hindu person would worship Brahman, which is their one being of final oneness. They worship Brahman through countless representations of gods and goddesses (over 300000 of them). The representatives of the gods are in material form idols, gurus, rivers, animals, etc.

Hindus believe in “the law of Karma”. This is a system that believes that Hindus have countless rebirths, and that their next life depends on their actions in this life. Their goal is to be free from constant reincarnations, through one of three possible ways to end this cycle:

1. To be lovingly devoted to any of the Hindu Gods or Goddesses

2. Grow in knowledge through meditation of Brahman

3. Be dedicated to various religious ceremonies and rites



BUDDHISM

Buddhists, as well as Hindus believe in reincarnation, and their goal is the same: to be free from the constant cycle of life and death. They believe that each life includes suffering, and a Buddhist would therefore seek to end these rebirths.

Buddhists don’t worship any Gods. Some people think Buddhists worship Buddha, but Buddha never claimed to be divine. However, “the Buddha” (Siddharta Gautama) is the Buddhist “idol” that have attained what they’re trying to attain: spiritual enlightenment and, with it, freedom from rebirths.


ISLAM

Islam is the religion of the Muslims. Muslims believe in one almighty God, named Allah. He is considered the creator of the universe, and the source of all good and evil; everything that happens is Allah’s will. They see him as a strict judge, who will be merciful toward followers depending on good deeds and religious devotion.

Muslims honour several prophets, but Muhammad is considered the last, and they especially honour his lifestyle. To be a Muslim you have to follow five religious duties:

1. Repeat a creed about Muhammad and Allah
2. Recite certain Arabic prayers five times a day
3. Give to the needy
4. One month each year: fast from food, drink, sex and smoke from sunrise to sunset.
5. One time in a Muslims life he has to pilgrimage to worship at a shrine in Mecca.

After death a Muslim hopes to enter paradise where there is no evil, no suffering, and a lot of virgins who’s given to them by Allah. But if a Muslim isn’t obedient to these duties, he’ll end up in hell for eternal punishment. The paradise, however, is just for Muslim men.


NEW AGE

New Age is a form of spirituality or religion that comes in many different forms and with a variety of expressions. New Age often classifies self as something divine. Feelings and senses are considered godly. When referring to a God, it’s often referred to a higher consciousness within themselves.

New Age would in some directions believe that the earth has it’s own emotions, intelligence and duties à the source of all spirituality.

New Age practise many Eastern spiritual mental techniques to enlarge one’s own divinity. Some of them are:
Breathing exercises
Chanting
Drumming
Meditating


New Age is described as the “modern-religion”. Many people do pilates, yoga and meditating exercises, which are typical New Age exercises.

New Age often sees negative things like failures, hurt, sadness and anger as an illusion. Eventually in some appearances of New Age a person will often reach a level where there’s no objective, external reality, and they create their whole own reality.


Christianity

Christianity is the world's largest religion. It’s based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as described in the New Testament of the Bible.

Christians believe in a loving God who has revealed himself and can be personally known in this life. With Jesus Christ, the person's focus is not on religious rituals or performing good works and deeds, but on enjoying a relationship with God and growing to know him better.

Christians believe in the bible and that the writings in the bible (mostly The New Testament) apply to all people today. The bible regards to be God’s written message to humanity. The Bible reveals God's personality, his love and truth, and how one can have a relationship with him. Christians believe that God’s son Jesus gave his life for all humanity, so they could be free from every disease and cleansed for all sin for all eternity.

Christians believe that they can do miracles through God.
Miracle: An event in the natural world, but out of its established order, possible only by the intervention of divine power.

Whatever circumstances a Christian is dealing with in their life, they can confidently turn to a wise and powerful God who genuinely loves them. They believe that God answers prayer and that life takes on meaning as they live in fellowship with their creator.

Part two: Jesus

LOVESTORY

In the very beginning God created the world. He made every little grin of sand, every detail on every flower and he decorated the world as beautiful as he could. He made the many different, funny-looking animals. He placed gold, silver and diamonds inside mountains, and paradises under water. And above all his creations he shaped human beings to rule it all. We were made in his very own image, unique and complete. We were made to live in fellowship with God, as a father – son relationship based on real, mutual and divine love. Life was a gift, life was meant to be lived and to worship God by saying: “Thank you, this is really nice”. In addition, he made all humans with free will, so that love could be genuine. If he forced his beloved to love Him back, it wouldn’t be real.

In the Garden of Eden there were among all trees, two trees called “The tree of life” and “The tree of knowledge of good and evil”. I think everybody is familiar with the story about Adam and Eve. How God directed them to eat from any tree in the garden except the tree of knowledge. Still both of them ate the “forbidden fruit”, and therefore sin came into the world. “The tree of life”, however, is a symbol of Jesus. That’s why God had to chase them out of the garden, cause if they ate of the tree of life after they had eaten the forbidden fruit, they would have eternal life combined with sin. So God placed two cherubs in the entrance of the garden to guard it.

In the temple in the Old Testament (the temple of the Jewish religion) they practised the following: One priest was appointed to go inside the tabernacle where God was on behalf of all the people. In the temple there was a big veil with the same cherubs sewed in the clothing as the cherubs that watched “the tree of life”, to prove that this was forbidden entrance. The veil was a symbol of the barricade that stood between humanity and God because of sin.

People tried to earn the favour of God and they tried to buy their way into heaven. But people didn’t have any material things that God needed or didn’t have. And all through history God have tried to tell the people that he was going to send a deputy. This idea proves itself already with Adams sons Cain and Abel. God accepted Abel’s offer, which was a sloughed lamb: a deputy. On the other hand he didn’t accept Cain’s offer that were grains from his field: the results of own work and suffering.

Later in the Old Testament God gives the Ten Commandments to the people. The Ten Commandments gave the people ten rules to obey. Knowledge of good and evil carved in stone. The law made the whole world sinful, so God could declare every man a sinner, and therefore all people in the position of addiction of a deputy.

This is why 2000 years ago God gave his only son, Jesus, to free the people from all religious laws and “curses” (Gal 3:13). God let out all his anger on Jesus so that all human for all eternity could stand before him with confidence. He was “the last lamb” that had to be sacrificed.

The moment Jesus died, there was a big lightening that torn apart the veil in the temple. The “barricade” between God and human kind was now rifted in two, they didn’t need any intermediary on earth; they were all considered his own sons and daughters through Christ.

Rom 5:17 - For if by one man's offence (Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one

(Jesus Christ)

This is my love story. This is my evidence. Jesus is the man of all men, the only divine I could ever put my trust in. Jesus is the love of my life. He’s my beauty in times of sorrow, as well as my dance in times of joy. And I wonder why people don’t give a perfect described and practised love a chance, when love is what most people seek for every single day.

I think a good reason is because people really don’t know, and Christians through time wrapped God’s gift to people in insanely much paper. Christianity today is related to debates, political engagement and wars instead of the good news about who Jesus was and what he did.

Christianity; split personality

When I’ve experienced something in my life that gives me strength, encouragement, love, and attention I want people to get to know the one who gave it to me, like people would want to tell the world if they found the cure for cancer. But when I say: “I’m a Christian” most people don’t want to hear more, because the word “Christianity” today is related to EVERYTHING but Jesus. I actually see Christianity and Jesus as two contrasts. I look at Jesus as a person that came to end all religiosity, and I believe that Jesus as a person would be against Christianity the way it is represented and practiced by many people today.


It surprises me that people relate pictures, like the picture above, to the person Jesus. Researches can tell us surely that nobody can be sure what Jesus looked like. There are no paintings, no real explanations, and definitely no picture that describes the way he looks. And I think pictures of Jesus like this just verifies the fact that people through time made Jesus the opposite of what he was: religious!

I consider Jesus the less religious person that has ever lived on this planet. He was the most rebellious person when it came to religion. He revolted against religious leaders, and he liked to do his miracles especially on the Sabbath when it wasn’t allowed to do any actions at all. He even said: “Sabbath were meant to serve men, not men to serve Sabbath” (Mark 2:27), which were blasphemy in the ears of the religious leaders in his time. Jesus’ disciples were put in jail, persecuted and killed because they made rebellion against the religious rules and leaders of their time. Jesus hated religion, just like all the people in the world today that feels like throwing up when religiosity is mentioned - including me.

ATTITUDE

Many Christians today represent Jesus the wrong way. They demonstrate and protest against almost all things that the average people like to do. They represent him like he was just for one specific culture that listen to this kind of music and read these kinds of books. They find their many strange reasons for protesting against people’s interests and they blame in on Jesus. This is also a way of representing Jesus religious; to say that “this is wrong and this is right” while Jesus himself said: Only one thing’s wrong - not to believe in me. ( verse)
Here are just some few examples of what “Christians” actually have done to represent Jesus:

· Christian groups paraded around a stadium to demonstrate against a concert with Marilyn Manson both in the USA and in Norway.

Christian pastor about it (newspaper):
”Some weeks ago I saw a group of Christian teenagers in the newspaper, demonstrating outside a stadium where Marilyn Manson played. This brave little flock with believers carried posters that protested against the groups blasphemy attacks on their Lord. I thank God that such young people have chosen to stand upright for Christ”.

A boy that was on the concert about it (magazine):
“On our way in we saw a group of Christians demonstrating outside the entrance. It was raining like hell, but they were still there when we came out. They had posters saying: “We don’t want to worship antichrist!” and all sort of things. While we were inside having fun, they were outside angry and wet.”

When hundreds of people in a church in a Norwegian city were sending the Idol final on wide screen, other churches in the same city protested and actually demonstrated against it. Actually they protested against the whole idea of Idol, with posters outside the church saying: “Idol is a different God”, “Little children, keep yourself away from Idols (1.john 5:20)”. “We want to mark that Idol is another word for God, and that worshiping other Gods shouldn’t be practiced in the house of God” they said.

· The Christian Norwegian Party KrF wanted to stop the quart festival in 1999 (without much luck).

· Before the Olympic games in Athen last year some Christians prophesied that the Olympic games were going to be cancelled. (Their underlying reasons for this statement were because of the old religion in Athen - Zevs and Greek mythology). They also prayed God to stop the Olympic games because of that. When OL didn’t get called off, they prophesied that there was going to be carnage during OL because of their disobedience. And then, after OL, when nothing had happened, they said it was “because they had prayed”.

Joseph Prince
I’ve asked the pastor Joseph Prince from New Creation Church in Singapore what he thought were the main differences between Jesus and Religion. New Creation church is a church that has grown to 18000 members because of his grace preaching and unreligious representation of who Jesus really is. I wanted to ask him because he is my inspiration to do this project. The answers are somewhat abridged.

1. Why is your church called “new creation church”?
The name of our church is based on 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

2. What will you say are the main differences between Christianity and other religions?
First, Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship with the true and living God.
Second, all religions focus on man’s efforts to please their gods. But in Christianity, God Himself came down, took on human flesh and died for us. He took the condemnation and punishment for our sins. His work is a finished and perfect work. So Christianity is not about what man has to do, but what Jesus has DONE.

Finally, no other religion can boast that their god lives in us. But the Bible says that Christ in us is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) Our God lives in us today and He leads and guides us from within. Christ in us is the hope of a glorious life.

Quotations:

Wolfgang Simpson (German writer): ”Jesus warned about heresy and seduction. It is my terrifying understanding that this seduction has happened in global perspective through what’s known as the religion Christianity, which isn’t other than a verdict of defeat and a caricature of what Jesus actually stood for. ”

Ulf Lundell (Swedish singer): ”The first Christians were the biggest revolts that has ever existed. That’s why their power had to be controlled by the state church and other churches and reduced down to meaninglessness and hypocrisy”

Arild Edvartsen (Norwegian evangelist):” The more you can distance Jesus

from Christianity the better”

David Åleskjær (Norwegian evangelist and movie director): “Jesus came to the earth with peace and mercy and told us to love our enemies and retaliate good to the people who hate us. Christianity came to Norway with sword, cutting off the head of those who didn’t receive God. The same did the crusaders in their time. So the fact that Jesus and Christianity represents two different worlds are in many cases very obvious.”

Jim Elliot (Christian Martyr): “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose”

Excerpt from an interview with Turbonegros vocalist Hank Von Helvete (made by the newspaper “VL”)
I found this interview very related to my chosen title, so I wanted to give some abridgement in addition to compare it to the next excerpt from Gunnar Jeppestøl. An example of Jesus (1. interview) compared to typical “religious behaviour” (2. interview).


After an overdose I was clinical dead. It was pretty miraculous that I survived. That’s when I met God.

Who is Jesus?
Jesus is who makes me a Christian. His life is what I want to follow. I think that maybe the Christian churches have been too busy with the Old Testament and Paul. They often forget what Jesus fought for. I feel that the Christian churches in Norway have the same hypocrite and scribes that Jesus confronted. Jesus taught people to have sympathy with sinners and harlots, and he got furious when the priest rejected the sinners and abused the bible to freeze people out. It surprises me actually that the Christian churches don’t see clearly what mistake they’re making.

You don’t ever see it as a problem to combine Christian faith and Turbonegro?
No, I don’t. And every time it comes a supplication from some traditional Christian from the west coast, or when someone try to stop us from playing, the more sure I get that it’s right for me as a Christian to sing in a band like Turbonegro.

You’re pretty rough on stage?
Well, we’ve used theatre blood, and now people think we worship blood. I want to resist this negative attitude in a Christian context. It is many rock bands that want to fight against this old fashioned thinking by being against Christianity. Sometimes they’re worshiping Satan as well. That way they think they can criticise Christianity, and you sort of exclude yourself from Christianity. They should turn their pointing finger on themselves. I think that as a Christian I should comment what happen inside the Christian environments.

Wasn’t that what Jesus did?
Yes. That’s why I’m trying to emphasise that rejecting rock bands is the opposite of what Jesus did. And to forbid woman priest and refuse homosexuals entrance in the churches, it’s the opposite of what Jesus taught people.

Here’s an excerpt from “Fædrelandsvennen” made by “Gunnar Jeppestøl”, and that you tell me which of these excerpt that represents Jesus the most right way:

It’s exceptionable that Turbonegro gets the permission to play in Vennesla. This society gets harder and harder, still we’re so naive that we let the cloak loose. This is a band that honour
violence, sex and blood and everybody should understand that there are enormous destructive forces behind. When they hide behind this kind of image, it’s obvious that there’s a hidden mission behind it. I hope everyone in Vennesla will boycott this concert. Cause what impulses do we wish for our youths in Vennesla? We must not forget that what you saw so you shall reap.

The church

People often relate Jesus to all the fancy church buildings that you can see everywhere. They look at “to go to church” as a ritual that every Christian person has to do. And if they get bored on a meeting, they often run away from it all, and “don’t ever want to get near Christianity again”. We have proverbs saying: “to curse in the church” because we see the building itself as something holy, a place where God lives. This is what I’d call religion..

The church building is just as holy as the pubs downtown and the church building is just as holy as your worn jeans. The building itself, is nothing, it’s the relation with Jesus that’s something.

“You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. (1.Pet 2:5)

Jesus is also referred to as “the cornerstone” in Matt 21:42 and 1.Pet 2:4, in accordance that if Jesus are in you, you are the church whether you are in a church building or dancing salsa in Australia. A church meeting can therefore be two Christian guys meeting at a pub in fellowship. I’m not saying that going to church is something bad either, but there are so many people that didn’t “fit in” in Christian society, and therefore they also left Jesus. But I suggest that maybe Jesus also gets bored at some church meetings? People leave Jesus not because Jesus doesn’t fit them, but because of all the frames surrounding what is known as Christian environment that don’t fit them. Imagine if you had to be a punk to be an anti-racist. That’s how some feel about Christianity - that they have to step into a whole new world of culture to believe in the person Jesus.

In the well-known Christmas story the angels said to the shepherd’s on the field: “ Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.”

All people don’t fit in the churches in their city. Some do, some don’t. But Jesus didn’t come to make the following generations built glass painting-churches with uncountable number of candlelight’s and nice crucifixion paintings of him. Tradition and religion through time made the building that ought to be for laughter and dance, quiet and “very, very holy.” Besides, even though many churches preach the good news, some still point their finger at people instead of crossing them.

CONCLUSION

These are the main differences in the world biggest religions:
* Hindus believe in 300,000 gods.
* Buddhists say there is no deity.
* New Age followers believe they are God.
* Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God.
* Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.

Religion means “to bind together”, but nothing in world history has ever split people like religion has. Most religions seek higher power, but what’s higher power if it still requires more rituals and work than an average human is able to do? There’s only one religion that doesn’t depend on people’s good deeds, and it is the leading religion today – Christianity. Christianity is faith in Jesus Christ, who was sent to earth to free people from religion. But still, some people managed to somehow mix Jesus with culture and religion, and hide his message underneath rituals and a bleak replacement of who Jesus really was. Religious Christians packed the already open gift from God in paper with images of politics, conflicts, rituals and culture and in the end they strapped it with condemnation.

Jesus, however, the “front-figure” of Christianity, wanted to stand clear of all religious hindrance for people to receive him. I think it’s nothing but the devil’s lies and confusion that made Christianity just another religion, which is just a barrier for people to reach the truth. Cause I think Jesus is the answer to every questions in life, I think there’s power in his name to heal and to be set free, and most important of all I think he is the love of everyone’s life, the genuine love everyone’s seeking for.

“Turn your eyes upon me
I you want to be free
I forgiveyou everything
My arms are open wide”
-Expect a miracle-

CONCLUSION

These are the main differences in the world biggest religions:
* Hindus believe in 300,000 gods.
* Buddhists say there is no deity.
* New Age followers believe they are God.
* Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God.
* Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.

Religion means “to bind together”, but nothing in world history has ever split people like religion has. Most religions seek higher power, but what’s higher power if it still requires more rituals and work than an average human is able to do? There’s only one religion that doesn’t depend on people’s good deeds, and it is the leading religion today – Christianity. Christianity is faith in Jesus Christ, who was sent to earth to free people from religion. But still, some people managed to somehow mix Jesus with culture and religion, and hide his message underneath rituals and a bleak replacement of who Jesus really was. Religious Christians packed the already open gift from God in paper with images of politics, conflicts, rituals and culture and in the end they strapped it with condemnation.

Jesus, however, the “front-figure” of Christianity, wanted to stand clear of all religious hindrance for people to receive him. I think it’s nothing but the devil’s lies and confusion that made Christianity just another religion, which is just a barrier for people to reach the truth. Cause I think Jesus is the answer to every questions in life, I think there’s power in his name to heal and to be set free, and most important of all I think he is the love of everyone’s life, the genuine love everyone’s seeking for.

“Turn your eyes upon me
I you want to be free
I forgiveyou everything
My arms are open wide”
-Expect a miracle-