Religious Discussion 2: A Man Without a Bridle

This is a conversation I had with multiple people. Interesting indeed. One of my most calm discussions.

Dan: ‎"A man devoid of religion is like a horse without a bridle."

Paula: A free, unrestrained horse, able to go where it wants?

Dan:  I didnt think of it that way.... but its a quote meant to symbolize a person without guided direction thru life

Amy: It is human nature for us to be curious about our Creator. It is instictive to search for Him. He made us that way, on purpose, so that we would find Him with our spirits. He needs our praise in as much as we need it from others. When we go against that instict, it causes us to be 'lost'. And unbridled...as this post explains. When we follow our true instict, we realize that we are living the way we were intended to.

Jaffool: Dan, you say this is meant to symbolize a person without guidance in life. Yet religion is not the only guide that a man can have. I for one am not stumbling my way through the many challenges in my life. I live by the morals that I accept. I live by what my very nature agrees with. I've used this analogy before, and I'll use it again. Religion is like a harness and a net for a mountain climber. It makes one feel safe and sometimes you really do need it to climb over certain obstacles. However, it is by no means the only harness available. I have lived my life without a God to guide me and I feel I still fit in well and am alike to those around me that do have a God. That's because I climb with a sturdy harness on as well. My morals guide me and keep me safe from falling into a pit of depression and mental suffering. Some people don't have such strong morals or they may even have them in a twisted sense. It isn't difficult to get this code that you live by wrong with or without religion. The bad people of history have all failed to construct strong harnesses. They climbed and fell and never knew they had stopped climbing.
I'm just sharing my viewpoint. I'm not trying to make you turn back on this statement if it is truly what you believe. I also have yet to clarify on what it is we are all climbing towards. I really have no idea.

Dan:  I agree with you John.... to an extent.... we both know I believe that God is my creator and that Jesus Christ died for my sins.... and that the words he left for us should be our saftey net in hard times and our guidance in good.... and although I said that it is meant to symbolize a person without guidance that is not the only way I view christianity... being christian means more than guidance to me... it is a way of life.... now as far as morals go.... my morals rely on the ten commandments what the bible states to be right and wrong and my own interpretation of what it says combined with life experiences... or as you would say "your very nature agrees with" and I wont tell you you are wrong to believe that you should live the way your morals are set.... but i will tell you that having a bridle.. (religion) only makes your ability to uphold those morals and make it through life with a deeper understanding of the world and why you are here that much easier..... I believe God is always a harness net and that while there are other nets like it they are all intertwined with his and there is no safer route than through God....... he is always there no matter what... the bible says...for i am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our God --Romans 8:38-39

as far as what we are climbing towards.... Eternal life thru God

Jaffool:  All of that is why you are a Christian. You see, religion wouldn't make it any easier or harder to uphold my morals. It's already very easy for me to do so. If it were of any matter to me, society already agrees with many, if not most, of my morals and respects them. Much of society also agrees and respects Christians. The way society sees my morals is of little matter to me, though, and if they disapproved, then become a Christian would be easier. But I doesn't make it easier. Even if it did, I don't want easy. Besides, this isn't about ease of living. If it was then there wouldn't be so many martyrs in Christianity and being a "die-hard Christian" would be totally unaccepted by society. You believe that God is a harness and that they are all intertwined in his, but that seems sort of ignorant. Obviously there are examples of people living well in any other religion. There are even claims of people achieving the goal of their religion, like people going to heaven or Buddhists achieving nirvana, or Hindus achieving moksha. What you say we are climbing towards is the goal of your religion. That's what you believe you are climbing towards. That's not what anybody who isn't a Christian (or a Jew) believes they are climbing towards. I was simply saying I don't know what I believe we are climbing towards. Nobody really knows what they are climbing towards, only what they believe they are climbing towards.

Dan:  has your faith been shaken in some way john??? it sounds like it..... and it also seems asthough you have defended this subject many times and that what I say really doesntmatter beasue I am just "society" but im here to tell you this is what i stand for and i can respect your belief..or morals...or whatever you stand for... but i cannot be shaken and it seems as though you can...

 I feel as though you have studied this stuff well... adn sometimes searching for answers in too many places only succeds in confusing us more..... and getting confused only leaves you faithless.....

Jaffool:   My faith has not been shaken because I have never had any serious faith. I have defended this subject many times, you are right, and I may act as though what you say doesn't really matter. I guarantee you that that is only because everything you have said has been brought to the table before when people talk to me. I don't overlook what you say, though. I have much respect for you more than others because you are so devoted and still manage to lead a good, healthy life that is in agreement with your religion.
I have studied religion. In fact, right now I'm doing my homework for my online class that I've been taking over the summer entitled "Religions of the World: Their Roles, Reaches, and Rivalries". If anything I feel I understand human nature more because of this. I have found my own answers in this confusion. I cannot find answers for everyone. I cannot find answers for everything. I have far more unanswered questions than I do answered questions. That's because I don't accept seriously deep questions very often with faith alone. For whatever reason, I am not terribly fond of convincing myself of things that I think truly matter with faith.
You are a part of society, yes, but I was not referring specifically to you when I said that. I meant the society most people refer to when they talk about how they aren't accepted. There's a society for everyone.
Like I said, I have a lot of respect for you Dan. I see plenty of so-called Christians that don't really try to live their lives by the laws of the Bible. You are one of the most devoted I know, yet you are not a social outcast. You're Dan. You're awesome. :P

Dan: well I think we can agree that nothing has a full answer and everyone has there own opinion..

Jaffool: That's a given. Heh. I only intended to voice my opinion, not to attack yours or anything. Just making sure you knew that (which I think you did).

Carlene: May I chime in? Romans 14:11

 Every path has it's purpose but the wise man travels the shortest distance between two points. But he must know to where he is climbing to reach his destination, otherwise the trip is void of meaning and he journeys in the dark.

 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. American King James Version ...
Romans 14:11

Jaffool: I'd be happy to argue with that quote, Carlene. Cannot one find a new destination and a new path if they set off without any particular destination in mind? You find new, unimaginable things wandering off without specific purpose. If wisdom means limiting one's self to the path at hand and remaining blind to what lies around you, I would much rather be considered a fool and take in my surroundings completely. Wouldn't you?

Alaina: That’s not just a quote. That’s the living word of God, yo.