Faith and Organized Religion Essay - 1688 Words

Many skeptics in today’s culture are convinced that organized religion does more harm than good. Many of these people make persuasive arguments that are or can be conclusive. In some cases, they say, a church, has too much power, is filled with politics and its rituals take away from God and put emphasis on one’s self; therefore, faith is what matters. In the novel A Portrait of The Artist as Young Man by James Joyce, readers see Stephen go through life with faith, surrounded by others with faith and religious activities. After a while, Steven loses sight of true faith, forgets God and becomes an artist. Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. Many people choose to either believe†¦show more content†¦The preacher then cautiously warns him that participating in this sin will take over his life. After this confession, he found his â€Å"faith† and became a new man. Stephen began rituals, â€Å"Sunday was dedicated to the mystery of the Holy Trinity, Monday to the Holy Ghost, Tuesday to the Guardian Angel†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Portrait, 103). Stephen immediately jumped from being only concerned with himself, doing nothing for the Lord and engulfed in sin. Stephen even wore rosary, then at the end he lost faith. Stephen consumed himself with acts and rituals so much that it could be said he lost faith. The rituals took him away from God and put emphasis on what he wanted to be, an artist. The rituals of organized religion pushed him to the edge. As Stephen was in the transaction of sanctification, he started to go through the motions. Stephen did everything according to feeling. For example, when he felt like he was not saved, he repented to gain God’s power. â€Å" A restless feeling of guilt would always be present with him: he would confess, repent, and be absolved, confess and repent again and be absolved fruitlessly† (Portrait, 109). Stephen was entirely in control of his own thoughts; he knew he could go back to the way he was at any second. Stephen wanted to be free and to express himself for who he was and not who everyone wanted him to be. After a long struggle between this ritualistic attitude, he felt tied to the rituals of his religion. StephenShow MoreRelated Ive Lost My Faith in Organized Religion Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesIve Lost My Faith in Organized Religion When I was four years old, I used to stand on top of the pews and sing my heart out. I had what my mother still refers to as a heart for Jesus, and I loved to sing. I sang so loudly and with so much enthusiasm that I was an embarrassment to my incredibly introverted parents and a blessing to the adults around me. I loved church. From belting Father Abraham to watching Gospel Bill videos to coloring pictures of David and Goliath, it was endlessRead MoreThe Belief Of Organized Religion1173 Words   |  5 PagesBelief of Organized Religion All over the world there is some kind of conspiracy. One is the Organized Church Conspiracy or the Organized Religion Conspiracy. Many people think that Organized Religion is a source of evil, however it can be a source of wars, genocide and dogmatism but, â€Å"An Organized Religion is a faith system with an over-arching structure worship practices, and administrate the organization† (What Is Organized Religion and Does the Bible Support It?). The Organized Religion ConspiracyRead MorePrayer in Public Schools Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pages The United States has continued to be a country where religion plays a major role in the lives of American citizens. Depending on the type of school students attend, organized prayer is mandatory, allowed, or banned. 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