Randy Curtis! S00254162! HUMA-2300-004! 11/25/13!

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QUESTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONER

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The first individual whom I spoke with regarding their religious beliefs declares himself a Biblical Christian. His thought and belief patterns revolve around the idea that Jesus came to earth to abolish religion. He takes this very seriously and boldly warns against religion in order to advocate instead for a personal relationship with Jesus. To my friend, religion and relationship are mutually exclusive. Due to this dichotomy in his world view, all ritualistic worship threatens closeness to Deity by encouraging pious works which disrupt salvation by grace alone. Any act of worship represents a denial of what Jesus did on the cross for us and therefore deserves condemnation. Since Jesus already paid the price for our sins, the only way to receive salvation now is through renouncing all outward expressions of commitment by accepting Him in an exclusively inward way. This subjective alternate method of salvation occurs by choosing to acquire an intellectual conviction of Jesus as our Savior and choosing to dispense of any works-based inclinations or attitudes. Jesus supersedes everything and sanctions nothing accept the Bible. Theres no ordained way to receive His gift of salvation other than recognizing the gift itself is given freely of any physical actions of acceptance. The way we live our lives, however, reveals whether or not one

has truly been saved. Our lifestyle indicates our saved past but doesnt determine our saved future. Future salvation is eternally secured in a true believer unless one finds out through his lifes wrong choices that his previously ensured salvation event wasnt as genuine an experience as he thought. My friends reality is a saved reality. He feels saved from the burdens of religious rules and obligations. Its a reality of the heart and mind and he rejoices in the worry free disposition granted him from the God he stands in awe of at all times. He wonders how he could be so blessed with a believing heart while other are lost but he wishes this reality on all and he outreaches to them. Biblical Christians root themselves in the Bible. The main core of their claims rests with Paul the Apostle. Their doctrines are understood to originate from what Jesus taught after his mortal ministry, death, and resurrection. Virtually everything taught prior to the cross is obsolete. This is especially true regarding any evidence of any existence of a religious system in the New Testament. Early Christians underwent a weaning-off-of-religion process that took time to establish but stands as the undergirding intent of Jesus through the instrumentation of Paul. My friend is married with two children. His life has completely changed by his approach to the Bible. He tells me his passion for the Bible has caused him to have many enemies here in Utah. He moved to Florida and now lives in and helps manage a hotel with other believers. They grow their own crops and live in a communal setting in order to have the financial independence needed to serve in spreading the word of their ministry. They are a close knit group and go on tour during to year to play music for various churches. Most of their association is with believers but they feel the need to preach to those believers who still havent let go of baptismal practices.

The second individual I spoke with considers herself a Latter-Day Saint Christian. She believes in Jesus as well, and though historically holds commonalities with my Biblical Christian friend, they differ doctrinally on the divine nature of Jesus. She understands Jesus in the way as explained by a visionary experience of a modern prophet who, like Paul, saw Him after the resurrection. Joseph Smith is attributed as being a modern witness to confirm with Paul that Christ lives. Her basis for truth comes largely from a trust in witnesses of the living Savior. She also says to have personally felt Gods hand in her life as shes sought truth about such witnesses. She feels like Hes answered her prayers as shes asked Him about what to believe. She also senses Gods presence during her worship services in church meetinghouses and the temple. Her happiness and peace in life, even during rough times, confirms to her that the path shes following benefits her spiritually in miraculous ways. She claims that theres an eternal aspect to gospel principles which she finds helps her in times of trial and affliction. Her perspective is focused on doing Gods will and relying on Him to carry her through life. She comprehends Gods will to be basically delineated in the gospel as faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The facilitation of baptism and gift of the Holy Ghost is offered to those who feel ready to covenant with God after faith and repentance have been displayed in the life of an investigator. The authority to perform said rituals in the name of Jesus has been entrusted to her church to certain worthy males. She sees these ordinances as binding God and believer together into a covenantal relationship. Loyalty to this covenantal relationship saves. The gift of the Holy Ghost plays an imperative role in her covenant keeping salvation. She perceives this gift to be an assistant to her in being able to be faithful. It also comforts,

cleanses, encourages, and protects her. Many gifts and fruits of the spirit exist and she desire to develop them throughout her life. She defines her identity as a daughter of heavenly parents and treats her earthly family with eternal importance. She thinks of heaven in terms of family and finds peace in knowing she will see and be with deceased loved ones again some day. Parenthood is a partnership with God in raising His spirit children according to His light and truth for His glory. The physical body corresponds to the spirit as its temple that will be reunited after death in the resurrection. She finds it difficulty to associate regularly with people who dont live the same lifestyle as her. Its just awkward because she doesnt drink and since drinking is such a social barrier in society its like you just dont socialize because you dont resonate with each other. Her emphasis on marriage and family life also make it awkward to have friends her age that dont have kids or arent married. Various types of pressures in her youth such as chastity, vulgar language, modesty, and media choices all impacted her upbringing and the kinds of friends she held dear growing up and helped shape who she is today.