Luke 13:3-5 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." 4 "Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?" 5 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
Yes Jesus Christ was a teacher, but not ONLY a teacher! He is the savior of the world! His "teachings" were good news, because there is some bad news we all must come to face. God's word teaches that we're condemned and hopeless and that mankind is cursed and fallen state due to sin. Only God is perfect, and short of God being gracious towards us, his justice demands that we the "2nd death" (in hell) for our sins.
Revelations 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelations 2:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
But God loves us:
John 3:16 "¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
It says "whosoever believeth" in him WILL NOT perish, but have everlasting life. Not whosoever joins a religion, or joins a church. His primary goal is to save us from that 2nd death, and reconcile us with God.
To make us to realize that we're guilty sinners, but God loved us, and so died for us, and we depend on his grace shone through his crucifixion for our sins. Not on ourselves, but in God's grace. The object of our faith being Jesus Christ (crucified, buried, & resurrected) then creates in us the right heart that we need in order to become pardoned and enter into heaven.
Epesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
The bible teaches that it's a "gift" given to us freely of God's grace and that you can never lose it. It's not based on our righteousness (not of yourselves), but Jesus Christ's being imputed unto us.
And this all not so we can live our best life now, but to carry our crosses.
We basically have two choices, and those are to obey him and be blessed (though NOT necessarily always according to our definition of being "blessed"), and to disobey him and be punished or lose rewards.
Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
1John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
"Religion" is unavoidable and done right an important pillar of any society.
James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Just like you said, there's no intermediary needed between us and God. Religion done wrong, definitely can and WILL "stifle" us. It'll temporally wreak havoc, and even risk damning countless numbers to an eternity in hell.
Ignoring the spiritual like our current modern materialistic age does is a recipe for disaster, and in turn worshiping (either something or someone) ignorantly. Mankind was made to worship, and the vacuum will be filled somehow or another (if just even by worshiping ourselves). Worse though than (a-gnostically) ignoring the spiritual, is decidedly worshiping a false god.
(EDIT: Hmm, now that I think about it, rebellion is rebellion. I guess it matters more how consciously far along you are down that path until God eventually gives you up and you become rejected of him. Until you become a full-on (Romans 1) reprobate.)
I don't much have a use for a great many modern trappings of organized religion, I find the hierarchy of churches to stifle thought, literacy and the quest for enlightenment that I believe characterizes a worthy life.
Also "en-lightenment" can only be found up to a certain point without Jesus Christ, who himself boldly said he is the light of the world.
John 8:12 ¶Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Jesus Christ is the word (logos) incarnate, Jesus is logic incarnate, and Jesus is God incarnate. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logos_(Christianity)
John 1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Gnosticism is a trap in itself that "truth seekers" can fall into chasing the (so called) "truth", if done while trusting in themselves (rather than Christ). While trusting in themselves and and their all their "sekreit" knowledge to save them. Careful.
Matt 7:7 "¶Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" Matt 7:8 "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
Luke 18:16-17 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." 17 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
I figured that this might be the wrong community to post this in. I do get that this is a community where people "joke" around. Understand though that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that frees. Sin blinds, and enslaves us.
"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 KJV
Anyways I'll leave it for those here who want to break the cycle of merely seeking their next dopamine rush (unless mods decide to delete it).
Religion put that rifle in your hands. Appriciate to how it first came into your possession, and never forget the human element behind each rifle. The state of their souls. An object cannot the source of liberty (Hint: it's found in 2 Corinthinas 3:17). It'd do you no good if your countrymen all became marxists.
—John Adams
—Benjamin Rush
—Noah Webster