A challenging graphic, isn’t it? I saw it on an atheist Internet community and knew it would be good for Frank’s Cottage. Mostly because I’m in full agreement.
Religion, from my point of view, often does BAD things in our world.
- Religion says that because the group I belong to is right, then everyone else must be wrong. And it’s a pretty short trip from there to believing I can do whatever I want to “wrong” people.
- Religion says I have to do things, or NOT do things, in order to get in good with whatever god is at the top of that group.
- Religion says if I blow up a building or murder a doctor who performs abortions, I’m doing a good thing.
- Religion says I’m supposed to have it all together and if I don’t, then others (who obviously DO have it all together) will judge me and exclude me from their social group.
- Religion insists that certain behaviours are wrong (such as having an occasional alcoholic drink or getting a tattoo), even if my holy book is absolutely silent on them.
So where does all this religion get us? I like the response of Bruxy Cavey. In his book The End of Religion, this Canadian pastor writes, “Religion does not lead people to God any more than empty cups quench your thirst”.
To me, religion leads to an empty charade of a life. Or the sickening horror of thinking you’re doing good by blowing up a building or murdering a doctor who performs abortions.
Another pastor, Mark Driscoll explains the difference between religion and Christianity (my faith) this way:
Religion is humanity trying to reach up to God. The message of Christianity is God reaching down to people. Religion is about what people have to do to be right with God. Christianity is about what God has already done to provide us the opportunity to be right with Him.
Religion says you must earn your salvation by doing good deeds or certain acts and not doing evil. Christianity says all we need to do is believe that Jesus Christ [who many people believe is God’s son] has already paid the price for the evil we have done.
And before you protest, yes, every human being on this planet (and that certainly includes ME) has done evil. Even the late Mother Teresa did evil — that’s one reason she dedicated her life to following Jesus. She wanted — and received, as far as serious Jesus followers are concerned — the benefit of Jesus paying the price for all her wrongs through His sacrificial death at the hands of Roman officials. That benefit is eternity in Heaven with her saviour.
“Jesus did not come to offer an alternative religion, but an alternative to religion,” Bruxy Cavey wrote in The End of Religion. “He did not call people to leave one lifeless shell for another, but to live life beyond the borders of religious rules, regulations, rituals, and routines.”
Does this Jesus — and all He’s done for everyone who believes in and follows Him — appeal to you? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
It’s definitely not about religion, but about relationship with God through Jesus Christ. No amount of good deeds we do can ever make us perfect or worthy. Only Jesus’ sacrifice does this for us.
Great post, Frank!
Right on, Martha. 🙂
Frank, you have been my friend and brother since 1972. I’ve done evil towards you and you forgave me, which is something I will always be thankful for because I did not deserve your forgiveness.. You may disagree with me on this next statement, but it needs to be made.
Too many people hide under the umbrella of Christianity and the idea that once forgiven, its ok to repeat the same transgression. You knowingly throw a baseball into your neighbors window, knowing full well that the window will break, but you do it anyway.
Then you tell your neighbor you are sorry and receive forgiveness. The Window still needs to be fixed nonetheless. Three weeks later the neighbor reminds you of this and you get angry…feeling that by admitting your guilt the price has been paid. And you throw a baseball through another window because you are mad and Claim that Our Lord and Saviour (Spelling) has already forgiven you and it is justified.
Too much of this line of thought exists in the world…well, my world anyway, For that reason, I hold on to the rigidity of the Catholic Church. It keeps me grounded in the fact that while forgiven, I won’t be forgiven again for doing the same thing, if the worldly price has not been paid, I HAVE to pay it before before my Savior accepts me. Note I said accepts… not forgives.
For that reason, I follow the Ten Commandments, Follow the rules, and hope someday that you and I and Jesus can sit down and listen to records and disagree on the merits of REO Speedwagon.
But I do believe with ALL my heart that Religion still has a place in this world.
Your Brother in Christ,
Mike
Mike, there’s no doubt that too many Christians think asking for and receiving forgiveness is a free pass. Real forgiveness, however, includes repentance — and that means a change of heart and mind that brings us closer to God. In other words, we ask God to help us turn away from the kind of behaviour that required forgiveness in the first place. 🙂
I agree with a lot of what your saying about religion, but can’t agree about Jesus as I don’t believe he existed at all. There is no evidence for that claim.
So he’s likely just another character used to gain popularity and teach people lessons from a time in our past where we knew nothing of the world around us, and holy men and stories where used to ‘educate’ the masses!
Religion is bad for us as a race. We need to abandon it so we can move forward together, instead of segregated and split.
Thanks for your thoughts, Andy. There is all kinds of evidence for the existence of Jesus. Please check out the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry website (http://carm.org/) or read books such as The Case for Christ or check out this essay: http://www.strangenotions.com/jesus-existed/
And yes, “religion” as it’s described in this blog is definitely bad for us as a race. I’m delighted that we agree on this important point. 🙂