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Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ once we have accepted Jesus as our God and Savior and Creator. So, Christianity is not really a religion. It is belief in God who saves

We really do ot reed religion, Jesus is all we need.

Yes

Doubt is part of life for all the believers, but Jesus helps us to overcome it

>Do you need both?

Many atheists have demonstrated that you don't need religion. As for belief...well, it's kind of hard to imagine a human being WITHOUT any kind of belief. If nothing else, if you don't believe one thing you probably believe its opposite, so only a person who remained undecided on ALL subjects would have no belief. I don't think this would be a very useful state to be in, though, because certain beliefs like the belief that 1+1=2, the belief that eating reduces hunger, the belief that objects tend to fall down, etc, are more or less necessary for our survival and activity in the real world.

>Can you have one on without the other?

You can have belief without religion, but not religion without belief. Religion is a specific variety of beliefs.

>Does doubt ever come into play?

I'm not sure what you mean here. This is different for different people. For example, I do not believe that the world is secretly ruled by purple centipedes, and I doubt that that is true. I do believe that the planet Neptune exists, but I am capable of questioning that belief, of looking at it critically and in terms of how it might be false. Do you call that 'doubt'? And there are other people who have convinced themselves to be absolutely 100% sure of things, most commonly that God exists, so that they cannot question their own beliefs. If someone has this kind of absolute faith in ALL their beliefs, is there anything that they 'doubt'? Would you say that by believing something they are rejecting its inverse, and therefore they doubt the inverse?

I think it's a strange comparison. Everybody has beliefs, I believe that this life is all we get, I believe that most, if not all religions are fraudulent and farcical. I believe that, If there is a God, he'd be disgusted with some of the **** being done in His/Her name by the so-called "Religious".

Religion is a separate type of issue, It is not only a gathering of like beliefs about a deity, but a claim that that group has some innate knowledge of god.

Nobody needs religion. some people need the sense of community or belonging, but they could get that from a different type of group.

You can have belief without religion, not not the other way around.

Doubt should always come into play. If someone is 100% certain about something as intangible as the concept of God, they are either deluded, or intellectually dishonest.

Religion is a set of rules, rituals, and regulations designed to somehow lift man up to God. For a Christian, religion can be a trap to be avoided at all costs. Why? Because we don't need it. Jesus Christ is God reaching down to man. Nothing else is required on our part, once we have accepted Him. It's almost too easy. People want it to be more complicated. Rituals are like this: they can be comforting and help you feel closer to God; if so, do it. But from the Christian standpoint, religion can never EVER take the place of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Without the latter, the former is empty and useless. So yes, belief and religion can be entirely separate things.

It is for people who have been taught to rely on rules and rituals, without ever seeking Jesus in their own hearts, that doubt comes into play. The form without the substance always crumbles eventually.

The Seminarian course is a long road, and faces tough challenges.

My intentions are not rude but if you can't find an idea on such ideas, how are you to stir the hearts of your sons and daughters when you do become a priest?

Take into consideration that you shouldn't follow paths that God has not cleared the way for yet (if ever).

Father bless you

Huh, religion IS a belief. It is a set of beliefs.

So they are the same thing, really.

And to the christians who are going to say "I dont have a religion, I have a relationship with jesus" or something...WELL, yes you do have a religion. You religion is your belief in Jesus and the Bible, and the way you worship your god...That is religion.

Poster right below me:

"Religion is a set of rules, rituals, and regulations" - Oh, you mean like the 10 commandments? Or all the stuff Jesus said you had to do? Did the bible give you any rules? Yep!

Do you preform any rituals...ya know like praying or singing about/to god? Yep. Regulations? Do you believe that jesus or the bible, has given you any regulations...Like say not being gay or that you must do this and not do that....Yep!

Hay, looks like you got a religion there

i am non denominational. I believe in the King James Version of the Bible from beginning to end. I have a close relationship with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Church is very beneficial to those who need or want the fellowship, but i have not found one religion (ie, Baptist, Catholic etc.) that teaches the whole Bible and doesn't claim "this does not pertain to us today." I know the Old Testament is history and Jesus gave us new laws when He started teaching the Word of God.

How can one even have religion without belief? Religion without belief is not religion at all. It becomes nothing but meaningless rituals.

Doubt does not negate belief. Doubt leads one to question, but if Truth really exists, questioning only leads back to faith.

Do you need both? no. only people who do not have a personal relationship with God practice religion. religion is a like a ritual or a ceremony for people to appease an unknown god. if you believe in God, that does not make you religious. When you pray to God, you are speaking to Him and allowing Him to come and influence your life, relationship. When you worship God, you are ministering to Him and singing/speaking your love, relationship. When you serve God, you reciprocate the His gifts to you, relationship. Religion is about doctrine and ritual practice. God isn't interested in our doctrine, only the fulfillment of His word.

While most have a religion that they follow, few of us actually have a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.