Because it puts it on a more personal level which makes believers more willing to participate. Going to church after all and just being another sheepLeoes not set them apart from the crowd--but a "personal" relationship does. It's psychological manipulation.
This isn't that new. Certain non-denominational groups were doing that in the 70's. I would bet it's the same thing. Redefine "religion" and then contrast it with relationship. A bit misguided IMHO.
Would God, by any other name, still smell of feet.
Religion or relationship, it still stinks.
Simply put, atheists take the pi$$ out of religions.
By calling their religion a "Relationship with Jesus", they hope to deprive atheists of anything to mock.
I think all belief systems are, to an extant, guilty of playing semantic games like this.
For what it's worth, a growing number of Christians have a critical view of any kind of organized religion, yet won't abandon their faith in Jesus. These people are probably being sincere, instead of manipulative, when they talk about Christianity being a relationship.
Its not a new strategy. The idea of forming a relationship with God is not a new one. One of the reasons why Jesus even died on the cross was so that the barriers between heaven and earth could be broken and we were able to have a relationship.
You can find the idea of a personal relationship with God stretching back to biblical times.
Well in a way, it seems to me that there are two different ways of looking at Christianity. Calling it a religion and/or a relationship are both true. It is obviously a religion because it is organized with herd conformity and strict leadership. It is a relationship because you cannot be Christian without accepting God and Christ into your heart and being one with them. What do I think of it being marketed as a relationship OPPOSED to a religion? Complete nonsense. It is both a religion and a relationship.
What do you think of the re-marketing of Christianity as a "relationship" as opposed
