Religion

Religion Defined

Religion was defined 200 years ago as “Real piety in practice^[3], consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men”^[4], and it is simply how a nation, a people, or a society takes care of its needy and therefore how they serve the God or gods they have chosen for themselves.^[5]

If religion was the institution that helped take care of the needy of society and pure Religion operated only be fervent charity rather than the legal charity of the world, than the following saying become prophetically true.

"Socialism is the religion you get when you have no pure Religion."

Religio Redefined

Over time, religion was redefined by men to mean "what you think about a supreme being".^[6]

So, which definition is correct?

The word religion is mentioned five times^[2] in the Bible.

Only once it appears in the text (James 1:27) as a positive good thing.

Can you change what religion means in the Bible by changing the definition in the minds of men and women?

The Bible tells us that Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27)

Do Modern Christians practice Pure Religion or do they practice Public religion?

Two Religions

The difference between Pure Religion and Public religion is most often marked by the difference between voluntary acts of charity and forced compliance or contributions by authorities. This difference was at the core of the Christian conflict with Rome which had been in a process of decline for more than 200 years.

Christians had their own daily ministration through the practice of charity by way of pure Religion.^[7] The Jews ate at the table of the Pharisees through the Corban of unrighteousness. Pagans ate at the table of Caesar by way of covetous practices of their temples.

Appetites

Polybius saw the degeneration of the masses and the downfall of the republic a 150 years before the first Emperor of Rome and 175 years before the birth of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist.

Some concluded from Polybius writings that he saw the use or at least the practice of religion at that time as a "superstition". There were those who reduced the wisdom of the ages to more mindless superstitions by unmooring the precepts from the metaphors and allegories of the wise. They believed in the symbols of the ancient stories rather than their wisdom.

Polybius used the term to described what was seen as a mysterious establishment of "cause and effect" many did not understand by reason nor personal revelation.

He saw this "superstition in ancient Rome" as an "instrumentum regni" a term used by Tacitus meaning "instrument of rulers". Tacitus said there is "No better instrument of good government than being good friends"^[8] He used the phrase to express the exploitation of a form of legal religion by State as a means of controlling the masses. These practices of Public religion through legal charity degenerated the social bonds of communities and weakened the people to achieve political power and control over a more compliant population.

Public religion and legal charity could make the people extremely dependent upon the State and its free bread while they forgot the ancient ways of charity but clung to the symbols rather than their essence and meaning. The ancient ways were forgotten^[9] as the people indulged in the dainties of the rulers often at the expense of their neighbors.

For the State to gain power there would be no better way than show the people that you are the "bonos amicos" or good friend of the people by first spreading amongst them "dainties and gratuities". ^[10] Those dainties of the rulers are the "legal charity" which is a snare according to Proverbs, David and Paul and coveting them will make you merchandise according to Peter.

This is why so many prophets and books of wisdom have been warning the people of their "appetite for benefits" or the dainties of rulers "and the habit of receiving them by way of a rule of force and violence" alters the soul of society until they have "grown accustomed to feed at the expense of others and to depend for their livelihood on the property of others... institute the rule of violence...^[11] and now uniting their forces massacre, banish, and plunder,^[12] until they degenerate again into perfect savages and find once more a master and monarch." ^[13]

When the people turn religion into a superstition of mysterious doctrines rather than the daily practice of a pious duty to God and their fellowman through the practice of love and faith through charity and hope they will soon institute the rule of force to obtain their daily bread. Their appetite will ruin their nation.^[10] As they bite one another they will be devoured one of the other. Their liberty will diminish.^[14]

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful." Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the Younger.

The morphing of meaning

"A plethora of lexicographer pave the highway to sophistry."

When someone uses the word religion today they might think the word means:

“a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs or a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects...”^[15]

But if you look up the same word in a dictionary published just a hundred years before, when many words we commonly use today were being changed, you will see that the word “religion” according to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) meant:

“The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and over ruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies..."

Transition to an ideology

In these two definitions, we see that “religion” in a hundred years went from meaning, “The outward act or form ” to meaning "a set of beliefs.”

Changing the meaning of the word religion from an “act” to a “set of beliefs” was no small step to say nothing of the rest of the definition.

An ideology is "a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or politic."

Literally, an ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs of a group or an individual.Religion produces a system to provide for the performance a duty to your fellowman which establishes the social bonds or political bands of society while ideologies divide groups within society that establishes [factions at the altar|factions]] and denominations that can create opposition and conflict.

But the change did not begin there. If we go back just a little over fifty years before that to John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary adapted to the Constitution of the United States we find that religion was first defined:

“Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men.”^[16]

Do not be confused or put off by the word "piety". While the word “piety” has come to mean “making a hypocritical display of virtue”^[17], it formerly meant duty, especially to your parents and specifically to your father.

Duty to your natural father was the origin of a patrimonial right leading the original practice of natural patriotism as a familial head. The was before the civil state became your father of a nation.^[18]

Alterations Step by step

The progression of the meaning of religion away from our Duty to God and our fellow man was gradual but steady.

By 1828 Webster relegates to second place references to our duty to fellow men as we see in the John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary^[4]:

"2. Religion, as distinct from theology, is godliness or real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men, in obedience to divine command, or from love to God and his law."

Webster's primary definition in 1828 still contained an emphasis upon duty, but it was written as:

"1. Religion, in its most comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of his will to man, in man's obligation to obey his commands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties. It therefore comprehends theology, as a system of doctrines or principles, as well as practical piety; for the practice of moral duties without a belief in a divine lawgiver, and without reference to his will or commands, is not religion." Webster's 1828

Webster's 1913 definition continued to change but was still "an outward act" with a reference "to whom obedience, service, and honor are due":

"1. The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety; as, ethical religions; monotheistic religions; natural religion; revealed religion; the religion of the Jews; the religion of idol worshipers." [1913 Webster]

Reason entangled

"Some men weave their sophistry until their own reason is entangled." Samuel Johnson

This movement of the idea of religion, away from being a duty, to instead meaning someone who merely thinks a particular opinion or identifies with a line of thinking or ideology has removed most religions away from Pure Religion into covetous practices of Public religion, civil religion, and False religions.

Etymology

Some link the term Religion to the Latin "religare", meaning "things bound".

Marcus Tullius Cicero linked the term religion to the Latin term "relegere", which means “to read over again".

Are the terms "religare" and "relegere" linked?

Repeating information or ideas over and over is a way of linking your mind to particular ideas or ways of thinking.

That brings us back to an idealogy of opinions that create division rather than Acts of duty which may create those social bonds through the practice of charity.

Even the Spanish “ligar” is a verb with a meaning of “connecting”.

Since, the Latin word "re" has come to mean "in the matter of" it is from the ablative of "res" which literally means "thing". We see this in the phrase "Libera res publica" which means free from things public unless you are entangled in public religion.

Free from entanglements

In James 1:27, we see the word religion used in place of the Greek word "thrēskia", which may refer to ceremonies, or practices including acts and common discipline.

Religion is also an “expression of devotion to transcendent beings, especially as it expresses itself in cultic rites, worship”.

The Imperial Cult of Rome provided a social safety net through men who call themselves benefactors but "exercise authority one over the other."

The way we define worship and what the "transcendent being" calls the people to do while loving one another is to do so in charity.

Pure Religion is the way to create the social bonds of free society through charity rather the legal charity of Cain, Nimrod, Caesar and FDR.

If you need help:

Or want to help others:

From What did the word Religion mean when it was written in the constitution?

Part of the "Understanding Religion" series includes these audio files on Civil Religion.

Liberty Radio Live - this is a 2 hour program with in-depth discussion and Q&A from callers and the chat room.

Download

The Sabbath Hour - This is a one hour program on Freedomizer Radio to round out the day's discussions. The Sabbath Hour series make for a good entry-level discussion.

Download

Additional Research

Religion ~4 min

A Challenge to Modern Religion: A Strong Delusion ~3 min

NewsWithViews: Are You Using that Word - Religion?

Pure Religion: What is it and who does it? What is all this talk about religion?

The Opiate of Religion

The Merchants of Men: The man and his religion.

Religion of the People: From the book The Higher Liberty, Sec. 40

False Religion

I wanted everyone to know that false teachers have been around for some time, and they are getting better at spreading falsehoods about the gospel. The Gospel of Christ presented Christ as the humble servant, and He was accepted as such by thousands of Jews, and also by gentiles like the Roman centurion and Samaritans and people all over. Paul preached the gospel of Christ, and his "good news" was no different than Christ's Gospel.

False teachers use quotes from the Bible. The serpent in the garden did the same thing, and the draw of Babylon entices because it presents many of the same ideas presented in the gospel. The Levite, Korah, drew a following by presenting his version of logic and evaluation (see Numbers 16, verse 3 and the whole chapter).

These kinds are drawing followers, and the philosophies of deception they spread have been around for some time, and they are full of distortions and twists of what the Bible really says. Read more...

See more Forbidden Definitions

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Footnotes

↑ Words in the Torah that are considered to be similar to religion are translated into “ordinance,” “statute,” or “law” which may be because they also were inclusive of the idea of duties to God.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Religious
Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious(sebomai Worship) proselytes(a newcomer) followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion (threskeia) I lived a Pharisee.

Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion(Ioudaismos), how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion(Ioudaismos) above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious(thresko), and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion(threskeia) [is] vain. 27 Pure religion(katharos threskeia) and undefiled(amiantos-not defiled) before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted (undefiled-free from vice) from the world.
↑ At the same time piety was defined as the duty to your Father and Mother and through them to others with in your community.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Religion “Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men.” John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
↑ Judges 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
↑ "The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods." Oxford Dictionary
↑ 1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,
↑ Nullum maius boni imperii instrumentum quam bonos amicos esse» Tacitus, Historiae, IV 7.
↑ Jeremiah 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 "That the man who first ruined the Roman people twas he who first gave them dainties and gratuities" Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus (c. 100 AD.) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ruined" defined multiple times with different content
↑ Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
↑ Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
↑ quotes from Polybius's The Histories (composed at Rome around 130 BC) Fragments of Book VI, p289.
↑ “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits.” Plutarch
↑ RELIGION. Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men.
2. There are many actions which cannot be regulated by human laws, and many duties are imposed by religion calculated to promote the happiness of society. Besides, there is an infinite number of actions, which though punishable by society, may be concealed from men, and which the magistrate cannot punish. In these cases men are restrained by the knowledge that nothing can be hidden from the eyes of a sovereign intelligent Being; that the soul never dies, that there is a state of future rewards and
punishments; in fact that the most secret crimes will be punished. True religion then offers succors to the feeble, consolations to the unfortunate, and fills the wicked with dread.
3. What Montesquieu says of a prince, applies equally to an individual.
"A prince," says he, "who loves religion, is a lion, which yields to the hand that caresses him, or to the voice which renders him tame. He who fears religion and bates it, is like a wild beast, which gnaws, the chain which restrains it from falling on those within its reach. He who has no religion is like a terrible animal which feels no liberty except when it devours its victims or tears them in pieces." Esp. des, Lois, liv. 24, c. 1.
4. But religion can be useful to man only when it is pure. The constitution of the United States has, therefore, wisely provided that it should never be united with the state. Art. 6, 3. Vide Christianity; Religious test; Theocracy. John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
↑ Definition of pious in the British & World English dictionary
↑ Call no man Father, What was Christ trying to tell us about fathers on the earth?
"Religion is the recognition of all our duties as divine commands." Immanuel Kant
https://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/fatherabba.php

About the author Brother Gregory

[1] Words in the Torah that are considered to be similar to religion are translated into “ordinance,” “statute,” or “law” which may be because they also were inclusive of the idea of duties to God.

[religious-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Religious
Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious(sebomai Worship) proselytes(a newcomer) followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

Acts 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion (threskeia) I lived a Pharisee.

Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion(Ioudaismos), how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion(Ioudaismos) above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious(thresko), and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion(threskeia) [is] vain. 27 Pure religion(katharos threskeia) and undefiled(amiantos-not defiled) before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted (undefiled-free from vice) from the world.

[3] At the same time piety was defined as the duty to your Father and Mother and through them to others with in your community.

[Bouvier-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Religion “Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men.” John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary

[5] Judges 10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

[6] "The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods." Oxford Dictionary

[7] 1 Corinthians 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,

[8] Nullum maius boni imperii instrumentum quam bonos amicos esse» Tacitus, Historiae, IV 7.

[9] Jeremiah 18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;

[ruined-10] 10.0 ^10.1 "That the man who first ruined the Roman people twas he who first gave them dainties and gratuities" Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus (c. 100 AD.) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "ruined" defined multiple times with different content

[11] Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

[12] Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

[13] quotes from Polybius's The Histories (composed at Rome around 130 BC) Fragments of Book VI, p289.

[14] “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits.” Plutarch

[15] Dictionary.com says it means based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

[16] RELIGION. Real piety in practice, consisting in the performance of all known duties to God and our fellow men.
2. There are many actions which cannot be regulated by human laws, and many duties are imposed by religion calculated to promote the happiness of society. Besides, there is an infinite number of actions, which though punishable by society, may be concealed from men, and which the magistrate cannot punish. In these cases men are restrained by the knowledge that nothing can be hidden from the eyes of a sovereign intelligent Being; that the soul never dies, that there is a state of future rewards and
punishments; in fact that the most secret crimes will be punished. True religion then offers succors to the feeble, consolations to the unfortunate, and fills the wicked with dread.
3. What Montesquieu says of a prince, applies equally to an individual.
"A prince," says he, "who loves religion, is a lion, which yields to the hand that caresses him, or to the voice which renders him tame. He who fears religion and bates it, is like a wild beast, which gnaws, the chain which restrains it from falling on those within its reach. He who has no religion is like a terrible animal which feels no liberty except when it devours its victims or tears them in pieces." Esp. des, Lois, liv. 24, c. 1.
4. But religion can be useful to man only when it is pure. The constitution of the United States has, therefore, wisely provided that it should never be united with the state. Art. 6, 3. Vide Christianity; Religious test; Theocracy. John Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary

[17] Definition of pious in the British & World English dictionary

[18] Call no man Father, What was Christ trying to tell us about fathers on the earth?
"Religion is the recognition of all our duties as divine commands." Immanuel Kant
https://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/fatherabba.php

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Religion

Contents

Religion Defined

Religio Redefined

Two Religions

Appetites

The morphing of meaning

Transition to an ideology

Alterations Step by step

Reason entangled

Etymology

Free from entanglements

Additional Research

False Religion

Footnotes

Navigation menu

Religion

Religion Defined

Religio Redefined

Two Religions

Appetites

The morphing of meaning

Transition to an ideology

Alterations Step by step

Reason entangled

Etymology

Free from entanglements

Additional Research

False Religion

Footnotes

Navigation menu

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