"Be A Good Person" Okay?

[njbarker92]

**Why is organized religion necessary? Can we just be more good than evil?** I feel like, if our good actions outweigh our bad actions, then God will have compassion on us. And instead of having a set of rules or standardized guidelines to differentiate good from evil, could we just follow our God-given conscience?

All I know right now is that:
a. There is a God, ONE God
b. There is good and evil
c. Good people go to a good place when they die (something like Heaven), and evil people go to a bad place when they die (something like Hell).

I really value the opinions of everyone on here, because I know how much they care about spirituality.

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This is a question that I feel also may go with this topic:
**Is 'faith' anything more than a nice way of saying a guess?**



Thank you so much with helping on these questions!!

[Goat]

**Why is organized religion necessary? Can we just be more good than evil?** I feel like, if our good actions outweigh our bad actions, then God will have compassion on us. And instead of having a set of rules or standardized guidelines to differentiate good from evil, could we just follow our God-given conscience?

All I know right now is that:
a. There is a God, ONE God

And how do you know that?

b. There is good and evil

Are all the things you think are 'Good' thought 'Good' by everyone, and what you think is 'evil' is thought of 'evil' by everyone?

c. Good people go to a good place when they die (something like Heaven), and evil people go to a bad place when they die (something like Hell).

How do you know this?

[puddleglum]

**Why is organized religion necessary? Can we just be more good than evil?** I feel like, if our good actions outweigh our bad actions, then God will have compassion on us. And instead of having a set of rules or standardized guidelines to differentiate good from evil, could we just follow our God-given conscience?

All I know right now is that:
a. There is a God, ONE God
b. There is good and evil
c. Good people go to a good place when they die (something like Heaven), and evil people go to a bad place when they die (something like Hell).

I really value the opinions of everyone on here, because I know how much they care about spirituality.

--------------------------------------------------

This is a question that I feel also may go with this topic:
**Is 'faith' anything more than a nice way of saying a guess?**



Thank you so much with helping on these questions!!

It is true that there is good and evil, but not everyone agrees about what actions are good and what are evil. Our consciences tell us that we should do what is right, but how do they know what is right.

It is obvious that human standards of right and wrong are not all the same, so what we need is to know what God considers right and wrong. Fortunately he has given us a book, the Bible, which will tell us what we need to know. We don't need organized religion to live a good life but we do need the information which God has given in the Bible.

The Bible can be hard to understand at first. Here are two websites which can help you to understand it better:
http://bible.org
http://www.backtothebible.org
Another way to find help would be to attend a church where the Bible is believed and taught. You need to be careful in doing this because a lot of churches don't always follow the Bible in their teaching.

You should also pray to God and ask him to guide you in your search for truth. God wants all of us to know him and he will help anyone who sincerely tries to know him better.

[OnceConvinced]

All I know right now is that:

How is it that you "know" all this stuff and yet others "know" otherwise?

a. There is a God, ONE God

And which ONE God should we worship? I'm thinking maybe �Bob�

c. Good people go to a good place when they die (something like Heaven), and evil people go to a bad place when they die (something like Hell).

Would really love to believe this. Really. But it all just seems like wishful thinking to me.

This is a question that I feel also may go with this topic:
**Is 'faith' anything more than a nice way of saying a guess?**

I wouldn't say that. It allows people to think "they know" and to say to people "They know", however if one looks at it rationally all it is, is sincere conviction.

[McCulloch]

It is obvious that human standards of right and wrong are not all the same, so what we need is to know what God considers right and wrong. Fortunately he has given us a book, the Bible, which will tell us what we need to know.

How do you know that this book was given to humanity by God?

Another way to find help would be to attend a church where the Bible is believed and taught. You need to be careful in doing this because a lot of churches don't always follow the Bible in their teaching.

There are very very few churches which openly claim to not follow the Bible. How do you tell the ones that really follow the Bible from the ones which merely claim to? Please present your answer as to someone who does not yet fully understand the Bible.

You should also pray to God and ask him to guide you in your search for truth.

I have done this numerous times and God has not yet provided me with a method to use in the search for truth better than the one of science, using evidence, reason and logic. This method leads one to atheism.

God wants all of us to know him and he will help anyone who sincerely tries to know him better.

If God exists and wants all of us to know him better, then he would not be quite so hidden from view.

[catalyst]

**Why is organized religion necessary? Can we just be more good than evil?** I feel like, if our good actions outweigh our bad actions, then God will have compassion on us. And instead of having a set of rules or standardized guidelines to differentiate good from evil, could we just follow our God-given conscience?

Hi njbarker92 and welcome to the forum.

I for one do not see the necessity for organised religion as it is a mode of separation and segregation, rather than a tool of bringing people together. these types of belief systems cause conflict rather than halt it.

All I know right now is that:
a. There is a God, ONE God

Full on claim there. If you claim to know, which god is it supposedly?

b. There is good and evil

or is it what you (or what the society you live in TELLS you is either one or the other?)

Like on mans trash is another's treasure, same with the concept of "good/evil".

c. Good people go to a good place when they die (something like Heaven), and evil people go to a bad place when they die (something like Hell).

Really? can you possibly prove this?