First an old subject
For the sake of space and time, we assume various beliefs to be true, as follows:
-Sin is defined as the absence of God, hence, God cannot sin… Him being God and all.
-Man is imperfect; no exceptions. (Jesus is to be considered a God for the sake of the paper).
-All hierarchies are inherently flawed in some way. (no system is perfect)
-A “true church” would be defined as the manifestation and tool of God’s will on Earth.
-God would not allow the manifestation of his will to be used for evil purposes. Or rather, it being God’s will, evil cannot be born from it, nor could it be used as a tool for evil (see first “belief”).
-Hence, religious hierarchies are man-made and therein imperfect, and therein, a potential tool for evil.
Hence, any law or rule not explicitly given individually to men, from God, cannot be held as doctrine (or a matter of the soul) unless given without the medium of a specific religious organization. If religious organizations are man-made, then God could not give credit to any given organization by giving them exclusive religious insight without causing his message to eventually be warped and potentially abused by the mortal hands of man.
Hence it is my belief that if God did give man rules to abide by, they are those held consistent throughout the various religions around the world (given broadly so as not to give any one organization the power to distort): compassion, a sense to preserve life, honest dealings (all those things that ultimately lead to ideal communities and a solid social structure).
Anything more specific I believe to be the workings of said individual organizations seeing as the majority of these beliefs do not carry across cultures/religions. Hence, not real matters of the soul, nor rules given to us by God, but rather, by other men.
In conclusion, why would you trust another man to tell you what God is saying? Too much power is given to men/organizations in that single act. Once you give them your full trust, your life is no longer yours. If God wants to talk to you, or if you want to talk to God; do so. No man is given abnormal religious attunement superior to any other man, if our beliefs are to be believed.
Instead of finding your religion among man’s creations, find your religion with God, and keep it between God and yourself, lest others think to give you their lives.
