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Fake Faith …→Uncategorized→Faith, Religion and Politics    

Faith, Religion and Politics

Fake Faith ... Posted on by

Many, perhaps most, religious people believe political activism is an expression of faith in God. They are totally wrong. Political activism is an expression of their faith in man — not God.

Here is God’s definition of true faith:

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And here is the definition of religion and politics (i.e. Fake Faith):

    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are the substance of things that are seen, acted out, spoken, touched, tasted, heard, codified, managed and repeated according to rules and traditions established by an historical succession of religious leaders and politicians.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are learned by watching what other religious people do and listening to what religious people say.
    • Religion (i.e. fake faith) always involves use of the flesh (i.e. physical body, mind, emotions) and material, visible things (e.g. money, buildings, clothing, incense, candles, music, etc.) that can be seen, touched and heard, and which religious people value and praise but God detests because it is usually acted out in public.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) are always governed by religious laws.
    • Religion and politics (i.e. fake faith) include beliefs and activities learned from other people.

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Obviously, there are real, significant differences between true faith, politics and religion. It is reasonable, therefore, to expect that some people who drop out of religion know, or at least suspect, that faith and religion are not the same. Many, perhaps most, of them believe that God exists and aspire to genuine faith. But doubts and uneasiness about these differences between faith, politics and religion cause them to drop out of religion. That is a good thing to do because it resolves the inner tensions they have about the differences. It is not good, however, if they also leave God behind because they have no idea about a righteous alternative to religion.

Most religionists entertain no thoughts of dropping out of religion. There is no little or no doubt in their minds that God wants people to practice their brand of religion.  They are convinced that faith and religion are identical. They have not considered the following differences between faith and religion:

CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE FAITH  CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGIOUS FAITH And POLITICS
Faith is something you have in your your heart Religion is what people do. 
Faith is perfectly manifest in the hearts of New Covenant disciples who hear God’s spoken voice and then act on what they hear. Religious people listen to false prophets. They may, or may not, act on what they hear.
Faith is a spiritual gift from God. Religion can be practiced by anyone.
Faith comes by hearing God’s word spoken through messiahs (i.e. New Covenant disciples who are anointed to speak for God). Judaism and Christianity evolve from literal interpretations of natural events, natural places, and natural people reported in the Bible.
Faith is the assurance of things not seen — except by God alone who knows the heart. RELIGION is a collection of activities that people do with their bodies that can be seen by anyone.
Evidence of faith exists in God’s spiritual laws written on the heart of New Covenant disciples. Evidence of religion exists in outward obedience to religious laws and political principles made and enforced by men.
Faith involves spiritual sacrifices of the heart. Religion involves physical, material sacrifices at certain places at certain times.
Faith is between man and God.  Religion and politics are public matters that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is an internal  matter of the heart which only God knows. Religion and politics are evident in external activity of the physical body (i.e. flesh) that can be observed by anyone.
Faith is free of material cost. Religion usually involves a financial cost typically called a tithe or offering. God is opposed to religious commerce.

Politics involves the sacrifice of a vote.
Faith is spiritual, like the wind that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Religion is always visible and usually happens in particular locations at set times.
Faith, being spiritual, is not predictable in terms of when, where or how it occurs. The practice of religion is predictable because it is governed by written laws or long-standing traditions.
Faith is governed by God’s law written on the heart. Religion and politics are governed by the following people:

  • Theologians who interpret the Bible and report their opinions in various kinds of writings.
  • Denominational leaders who choose the doctrines their denomination will follow and monitor denominational activities to ensure that those doctrines are followed.
  • Local religious leaders who preach the chosen doctrines and lead congregations in practices which are consistent with those doctrines.
  • Politicians
The characteristics of true spiritual faith are all internal and do not include external practices done with the physical body. Religion is always practiced using the physical body (i.e. flesh) in one way or another. In communal worship, custom predicts that worshipers will perform physical activities (e,g, stand up, sit down, sing, pray, read, dance, etc.) together at the same time.
Faith is dependent only on hearing God’s voice and does not require a human to teach it or supervise it — except for true prophets. Religion and politicss are always taught by and supervised by humans who are distinguished by titles, authority, and often by clothing, and whose position and income depends on a good personal reputation.
Faith does not have hierarchies of human authority. Religions and politics always have leaders (e.g. pastors, elected officials, apostles, Bishops, Popes, rabbis, etc.) to establish organizational policy and direct religious and political activities.
Faith is trusting God who is invisible. Religion and politics involve trusting men and women who can be seen.
Faith is practiced in the heart/spirit — not in a specific location at set times according to fixed ceremonial patterns. Religion and politics are typically practiced in a specified location on a regular schedule with more-or-less fixed ceremonial patterns.
Faith that comes from hearing God’s voice yields spiritual rewards.

Faith always brings glory to God.

The rewards of religion ad political associations are pride.
Any praise that comes to the faithful person comes directly from God. Praise that comes to religious people and politicians for their religious and political activity comes from other religious people and political activists.
Faith is a matter of the heart that only God can see. Religion and politics are always conducted by using the physical body in some way and can be observed by anyone.
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