Why We Need Why We Need ReligionReligion

Religion DefinedReligion DefinedA personal or institutionalized A personal or institutionalized

system grounded in such belief system grounded in such belief and worship.and worship.

Religion DefinedReligion Defined

• Supernatural Power Supernatural Power • Powers that control Powers that control

human destinyhuman destiny

Importance of ReligionImportance of Religion

• Purpose of lifePurpose of life

• GuidanceGuidance

• DisciplineDiscipline

• LoveLove

• FaithFaith

Existence of GodExistence of God

•Who is God?Who is God?–As CatholicsAs Catholics

•TrinityTrinity

Existence of GodExistence of God

–As People?As People?•ChurchChurch

Existence of GodExistence of God

–Personally?Personally?• Personal Relationship with Personal Relationship with GodGod

• Read Matthew 7:7-11Read Matthew 7:7-11

• FatherFather

Existence of God • Spiritually?Spiritually?

– Read Luke 10:21-22Read Luke 10:21-22– Eternal HappinessEternal Happiness

Personal FaithPersonal Faith• Relationship with GodRelationship with God

–Read Luke 12:22-31Read Luke 12:22-31

Personal FaithPersonal Faith

• How we learn about GodHow we learn about God–ScriptureScripture

ForgivenessForgiveness• Read Luke 15:11-32Read Luke 15:11-32

• Welcome HomeWelcome Home

Assignment 1Comparing Faith

• List 10 Rules You Live By List 10 Rules You Live By

• List 10 rules of the Church Rules List 10 rules of the Church Rules

• List 10 of the World’s Rules List 10 of the World’s Rules

• See the podcast for information See the podcast for information and hints!and hints!

Comparing Faith

1.1. How do your Rules Differ from the views of the How do your Rules Differ from the views of the Church and the World? Explain your answer!Church and the World? Explain your answer!

2.2. How do you form your beliefs? Explain your How do you form your beliefs? Explain your answer!answer!

3.3. Do you feel religious views or world views are easier Do you feel religious views or world views are easier to follow? Explain your answer!to follow? Explain your answer!

4.4. How do you see God in the World, the Church, and How do you see God in the World, the Church, and in you? Explain your answer!in you? Explain your answer!

5.5. Do you believe in ultimate truth. Explain your Do you believe in ultimate truth. Explain your answer!answer!

2-3 Sentences2-3 Sentences

Other FaithsOther Faiths• What are some other faiths?What are some other faiths?

Other Faiths

• Why are there differences within the faiths?

Other FaithsOther Faiths• Are we all worshiping the same God?Are we all worshiping the same God?

EcumenicalEcumenical

•Promoting or fostering Promoting or fostering Christian unity Christian unity throughout the worldthroughout the world

EcumenicalEcumenical• 1999 Lutheran-Catholic Joint 1999 Lutheran-Catholic Joint

DeclarationDeclaration

• Cardinal Ratzinger as the force behind itCardinal Ratzinger as the force behind it

Us vs. ThemUs vs. Them

• Is someone right and is someone wrong?Is someone right and is someone wrong?

• How can we learn from other people’s How can we learn from other people’s faith?faith?

No Existence of GodNo Existence of God

• As Catholics?As Catholics?

• As People?As People?

• Personally?Personally?

• Spiritually?Spiritually?

In Our WorldIn Our World

•AgnosticAgnostic–No one knows if No one knows if God Exists or God Exists or NotNot

In Our WorldIn Our World

• AtheistAtheist–a person who denies a person who denies or disbelieves the or disbelieves the existence of a existence of a supreme being or supreme being or beings.beings.

In Our WorldIn Our World

• HedonistHedonist–PleasurePleasure is their God is their God–Money, Possessions, EcstasyMoney, Possessions, Ecstasy–Get Rich or Die TryingGet Rich or Die Trying

In Our World

• Secularism– Truth through Science

In Our WorldIn Our World

• Secular HumanismSecular Humanism–Humans Measure Humans Measure ExistenceExistence

–Human Achievement Human Achievement measures existence.measures existence.

•Hebrews 13:8

John 1:29-34John 1:29-34• Revelation of JesusRevelation of Jesus

• Avoid SinAvoid Sin

Assignment 2Assignment 2Church!Church!

• Do you go to church regularly? Why or why Do you go to church regularly? Why or why not? Explain your answer!not? Explain your answer!

• What do you like about Church? What do What do you like about Church? What do you dislike about going to Church?you dislike about going to Church?

• If you could change one thing about Church If you could change one thing about Church or the mass what would it be? If you or the mass what would it be? If you wouldn’t change anything why is that?wouldn’t change anything why is that?

• Do you feel closer to Jesus when you go to Do you feel closer to Jesus when you go to church?church?

RevelationRevelation

•On his TIMEOn his TIME

•Not our TIMENot our TIME

CreationCreation

• Why did God Create the Why did God Create the earth?earth?

• Out of Love for UsOut of Love for Us

• Didn’t have to do itDidn’t have to do it

Heaven and EarthHeaven and Earth

• Extension of His Love for US!Extension of His Love for US!

• Made Both Heaven and Earth for US.Made Both Heaven and Earth for US.

Nature of SinNature of Sin•Adam And EveAdam And Eve

•Genesis 2:8-9Genesis 2:8-9

Who is the Devil?Who is the Devil?• He who tempts us to turn away He who tempts us to turn away

from Godfrom God

• Does not make us sin, just temps Does not make us sin, just temps us and makes sin look attractiveus and makes sin look attractive

Who is the DevilWho is the Devil• We choose to sinWe choose to sin

–Sin does what?Sin does what?

Who is the Devil?Who is the Devil?

•Both Both GodGod and the and the DevilDevil are aware of are aware of Good Good and and evilevil..

5 D’s of the Devil5 D’s of the Devil

1.1.DoubtDoubt• Makes you question Makes you question

God’s Word and his God’s Word and his goodnessgoodness

5 D’s of the Devil5 D’s of the Devil

2. Discouragement2. Discouragement– Makes you look at Makes you look at

your problems your problems rather than at Godrather than at God

5 D’s of the Devil5 D’s of the Devil

3. Diversion3. Diversion– Makes the wrong things Makes the wrong things

seem attractive so that you seem attractive so that you want them more than the want them more than the right thingsright things.

5 D’s of the Devil5 D’s of the Devil

4. Defeat4. Defeat– Makes you feel like Makes you feel like

a failure so that you a failure so that you don’t even trydon’t even try

5 D’s of the Devil5 D’s of the Devil

5. Delay5. Delay– Makes you put off Makes you put off

doing something so doing something so that it never gets that it never gets done. done.

SinSin•All around usAll around us

•Easy to fall intoEasy to fall into

•Refusal of GodRefusal of God

SinSin•Result of sin is Result of sin is not always not always immediate immediate

Assignment 3Assignment 3PROVE ITPROVE IT

• Prove to me God Exists! Prove to me God Exists!

• Give me 10 ways that we know Give me 10 ways that we know God exists!God exists!

• Give me 10 ways God Doesn't Give me 10 ways God Doesn't exist.exist.