[Charles Henrickson]

What I mean by that is rules, rites and rituals. . . . I attend church, I read my Bible, I minister to others, I’ve even taught Sunday School. To many I would seem ‘religious’, but my faith is in Christ, not a denomination to save me.

I am a Lutheran pastor. I am very much in favor of organized religion. I do rites and rituals. I follow the historic liturgy and church year of the Christian church. I wear vestments. I chant. I am sacramental. I am a member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. And my faith is in Christ to save me. And I do all those other things BECAUSE my faith is in Christ, not in place of it.

[reaganaut]

Exactly, but I know people (even a few LCMS Lutherans) who put their faith in the Organization rather than Jesus.

You can be ‘religious’ and NOT know Christ at all. Or you can use those things to draw you closer to Christ. I have seen it both ways.

when I was LDS I was REALLY into ‘organized religion’ but I had no idea who Christ was.

Now, I know who Christ is and understand the role of rites and rituals but that is not where I place my faith.