RELIgion...no im not RELIGIOUS

Religion is a set of beliefs and practices, often centered upon specific supernatural and MORAL CLAIMS about reality.
Religion also CONTAINS ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as personal faith and mystic experience. The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction.

My issue with religion started during the events of September 11, 2001, the atrocious events that unfolded on the television screen made me cringe. I would spare you the details of the happenings of that day, however, I was very flabbergasted to learn that the suicide bombers did GOD a favour, can you imagine doing the GOD a favour? It was accepted in their religion to die for GOD. The event and new knowledge prompted me to make enquires about religion and indeed GOD.

There are many religions in the world today, you do not have to go far before you discover a new form of religion. Each one of them have set rules and laws that followers have to adhere to; some examples are dietary laws, clothing laws and even morals. Each religion worships GOD in their own way and some religion might look at another religion as inferior or invalid.
Who is to say that one reliigon is superior and the other is inferior. Which religion leads to God? Which religion has the right set of rules or laws? Which religion is more spiritual?
The truth is the answers to the above questions depends on your background, your environment, your family’s beliefs, your personal experiences, your level of faith etc.
I will not be able to comment on other religions apart from the one known as “CHRISTIANITY”; this is because I was brought up as a christian. Apologies are in order, if you are of a different faith, however I hope you can relate to some of the points I make.
Christianity is a religion centered on the LIFE and TEACHINGS of JESUS CHRIST, and christians believe that JESUS is the true and only son of GOD. Do I believe that Jesus is the true and only son of God? This I BELIEVE to be a FACT.
If Christianity does center on the life and teachings of Jesus, why do we need the old testament part of the bible?, is this part of the bible irrelevant to christianity? Why do we need the bible?, and is the bible the word of God?

The old testament part of the bible contained the creation of the world, the laws of Moses, the promises of God to the Isrealites, the struggles and lives of the Isrealites to the promise land, and the prophesise of the coming of Jesus Christ. This part of the bible contains the ways of Judaism. Yes JUDAISM.
Is the old testament irrelevant to Christianity?
I would have to say a big fat NO, if I believe Jesus to be the son of God which I do, then I want to learn everything about him, his ways, and his people. I also believe in the Trinity so I would also like to know how people in the past related to God and how God treated this people, however my belief in JESUS has nothing to do with the old testament. I understand the old testament to be documented information about some people that related to God, see I believe that God also related to people outside the geography stated in the old testament. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT BASE MY BELIEF IN JESUS ON THE INSCRIPTIONS IN THE BIBLE, I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS VERY RELEVANT.
The bible is needed because it contains the life and teachings of Jesus, and also the growth of the new faith called christianity. Many would say that the bible is the word of God, I say, the bible contains documented words of God spoken to different groups of particular people. I guess the next question is who wrote the bible? Different books of the bible were written at different periods by people who wish to document happenings that were new/strange to them at that point. You can not say to me that Moses was writing EXODUS with a pen and paper while he was crossing the red sea. The bible was put together many years after Jesus left the earth, when Paul wrote letters to differents nations (corinthians, ephesians etc). Some parts of documentations were also removed from the bible to fit into the laws and traditions of that time.
Christianity has many forms, shapes and sizes. There are a many types of christians, differents ways, different beliefs even in Christianity. All in the name of religion. The christian religion has benefited some people, it has provided a sense of belonging for some, hope for some, and restoration for some.It has also caused so many people so much. Africans were taken as slaves in the name of christianity, so many lifes has being lost in the name of christianity.
Religion to me is boundaries, it is full of laws, regulations, do’s and don’t’s. As Christians we need to seek to follow the life of Jesus, adapt His ways to our ways. If you study Jesus properly, He was not religious, everything He did was out of love and that was all He preached about. He stressed the importance of relationship with the Father, he stressed the importance of Love. He took the laws of Moses, the laws and ways from the old testament and he simplified everything. LOVE is all we need.

Jesus said he the only way, no one gets to the Father unless through Him, I believe this, He is the path I am moving on. When Jesus died, something happened, the curtains of the temple spilt, this signifies that Jesus has created a link between Man and the Father. That is the only link I need, I do not religion, I AM NOT RELIGIOUS.