I’m a person of faith, so what I’m going to write probably won’t make a lick of sense to you. But I’m gonna write it anyway.
1. “Religion” can never reform humanity. Ever.
2. Without a doubt, “religion” is slavery.
Religion is dogma, rules to follow, appearance to keep up, judgements to hand out. It all too often translates into numbing negativity that gives people of faith a bad reputation.
A quick example? You would be amazed at how many religious people spend their Halloweens telling followers of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God) how deluded and misguided they are to be “celebrating” what one called a “pagan holiday about death”.
I feel quite safe in writing if I line up 100 North American parents who are taking their six-year-olds out to collect candy and tell them what these religious people said, they would look at me like I’m out of my mind.
Sadly, there are people who become addicted to this kind of thinking. In other words, they become slaves to religion. Some even go so far as to pass judgement on people’s clothes and hairstyles, declaring that today’s men and women look too much alike and it’s “one of the reasons we have this is the epidemic of homosexuality”. Yes, I’m actually quoting from a religious person who wrote this on the Internet.
Frankly, I’m embarrassed by it. And I wouldn’t be surprised if Jesus is embarrassed, too. The original-source documents about His physical life on earth don’t have a single quote from Him about Halloween or about people’s clothing and hairstyles. Not. One. Word.
But in one of those documents, Jesus does have this to say about people in love with religion: “They pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. Everything they do is just to show off in front of others.”
I’m sure you’re as turned off by all of this as I am. Indeed, if people tried to attract me to Jesus with this kind of thinking, I would have run the other way.
So what attracted me? The prospect of a relationship with the Son of God that starts in this life and extends into eternity. The idea that God loves — yes, LOVES me so much that He offered me an extraordinary gift: Jesus — His life and incredible teachings, His sacrificial death to make up for all the bad things I’ve done and all the good things I’ve failed to do, and His game-changing resurrection.
I wanted this relationship. I wanted to be reformed in a way “religion” never can. And I wanted to be free of the slavery of our culture — the meaningless drive for money, power and prestige, the irrelevant obsession with looking good and earning the praise of judgmental people.
And I have it. By no means am I anywhere within shouting distance of “perfect”. But because I follow Jesus, I’m a better person than before. And I have the assurance of life with Him for all eternity.
Do you find this at all attractive? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
Attractive? Yes! Because a relationship with Christ Jesus IS life-changing and transforming. Like you, Frank I’m not “anywhere within the shouting distance of ‘perfect,'” but He is working in me daily to propel me on this journey toward eternal life.
Religion kills, relationship resurrects.
Blessings, my friend!
Thanks for your excellent thoughts, Martha. 🙂
Hi Frank, I enjoyed your post and agree that there is a difference between “religion” and saving faith. Often, I think that well-meaning people fall into the trap of simply going through religious motion while, in reality, their hearts are far from Jesus Christ.
When people do this, they are attempting to “work” their way to Heaven rather than allowing Jesus to transform their lives as Martha mentioned above. For much of my life, I too was just going through religious motions. But by the grace of God, someone shared the Gospel with me back in 2008 in a way that made sense to me for the first time in my life. From that moment on, my life was forever changed.
I wrote something a few years back regarding Faith vs Religion if you care to read it: https://plus.google.com/103051199270865377608/posts/UBWFMfjjdUR
Thanks for your comments. Over the years, I’ve met non-Christians who consider Jesus to be God’s son.
As for the topic of religion, I’ve made it clear in several essays what I consider religion to be and why I want no part of it. I invite you to check out those blogs in order to best understand how I differentiate between faith and “religion”.
Non-Christians who thought Jesus was God’s son?
To be perfectly clear, you mean Yahweh, yes?
And were these non-Christians religious? And if so, which religion did they belong to, please?
I am curious because it seems so very odd. Certainly no atheist will ever even suggest such a thing as I am sure you are fully aware, yes?
Also, may I ask how do you believe you received the Bible if not via religion/ Roman Catholicism/ the Church/ reformation etc ?
How do you believe you became aware of the Trinity, if not through religion?
And lastly, how do you think Jesus was deemed to be fully a god if not for religion.
Please understand, I am not being facetious in the least, I would like to know the answers to these very pertinent questions, as your I find your perspective fascinating.
Thanks.
Ark.
Yes, I mean what some people call “Yahweh”.
I didn’t conduct interviews or keep notes on the people who told me they believe Jesus is God’s son.
And of course no atheist would suggest such a thing. I never made any such inference.
What you wish to call “religion”, I call faith — leaving out all the parts of “religion” that I’ve written about being negative.
I’m sure these answers won’t be satisfactory. But that’s OK. I do my best and let God do the rest. 🙂
Sorry I didn’t mean to suggest you that you implied anything about atheists.
I would not have even thought for a second you would conduct interviews! But that might be a fun exercise.
But were these people in the least religious who told you they believed Jesus was Yahweh’s son?
Were they Buddhists, Hindu or what?
Faith I understand – I don’t believe it but that’s another matter. 🙂
I am referring to the very real practical issues about spreading the ”Word”, for example, and the establishing and refining of doctrine.
Christianity is basically fulfillment of Old testament prophecy – Mosaic Law etc. This was all written down and then collected and incorporate into the bible. This belief/faith became the Nicaea Creed, the Apostles creed etc, and once Theodosius made it pretty much ironclad law it was then free from persecution to spread to the Roman and later entire world.
So without religion how did you come to understand about Jesus of Nazareth?
Serious, I really want to know.
For the life of me, I don’t remember the faith — or lack of faith — of non-Christians who believe Jesus is God’s son. And I don’t think it’s important. Jesus was all about getting away from “religion” as it existed in his time. For an indepth examination of this, please read Bruxy Cavey’s “The End of Religion: Encountering the Subversive Spirituality of Jesus”.
Okay, I’ll check it out. Have you a link?
First though, I have to be honest , I really am a bit dubious about the son of Yahweh claim from a non believer. If they beleived this why did they not become Christian?
This sounds as completely dumb as the Testimonium Flavianum. If Josephus really did claim those things then he would surely have become Christian as well. Ridiculous don’t you think?
But there you go. I’m all for evidence and you’re all for faith.
Yet, I am still intrigued how you came to know about Jesus and faith and everything you base your world view on if not for religion?
Can you explain in more detail, please?
I am trying to get a handle on this. You claim you are Christian, which is a religion.
And how do you think you became a Christian if not for religion?
How did you get the bible ( which one do you read by the way? ) if not for religion?
Thanks.
There will never, ever be enough “evidence” to satisfy most non-Christians. Never. Following Jesus Christ has always been a mixture of evidence and faith. Always.
As for Josephus, my answer is lots and lots of people acknowledge Christ as God’s son and go not one step further. Why would they, when it would force them to rethink their entire way of life and potentially walk away from habits that go against what Christ is all about?
It is not so much /enough evidecne ‘ as there not being any evidecne for the biblical character Jesus of Nazareth.
Not least the fact that during this period noone would have been called Jesus, for a kickoff.
But if you believe you have any verifiable evidence for this, character, whatever his name may have been, then please, I would be fascinated to read it.
Okay , now I am going to openly challenge this assertion and call you out.
If you cannot even offer a hint as to who all these ” lots and lots of people” are, assuming they do not identify as Christian, even culturally, then I say you are sucking this out of your thumb Frank. It is a spurious baseless, and in all honesty, silly thing to even suggest.
You can openly challenge anything you like. This website is for people who are open to spirituality. If you want to debate theological issues, there are many other, more appropriate places for you to do so.
As a Christian are you not interested in truth, then?
Or is what you believe simply based on what you have been ( like most of us, I guess) indoctrinated with and thus you leave it at that?
Why are you hostile to the fact that Moses is a fictitious character?
I am a flat out atheist and yet, although I dismissed all the fantastic stuff – parting of the Red Sea and what have you, for a large part of my adult life I never actually questioned the belief that he was an historical person.
But after a cursory look into some history for something I was writing for a novel it turns out that he is a fictional character with absolutely no evidence for him whatsoever, which blew my socks off, somewhat, I can tell you!
So why would you become so defensive if you consider there is evidence for him?
If you actually have such evidence then please, I am fascinated to read what you have.
I don’t believe Moses was a fictional character. Period. And even if he was, that has no effect on my faith in Jesus. I’m puzzled; why are you here when Frank’s Cottage is so obviously not meant for atheists?
You post on an open forum. Makagutu made reference to your blog ad I came to read.
If you are punting a message of spirituality based on your belief in Jesus of Nazareth are you not interested in truth?
Devoted to it, surely?
Thus, if you are informed that Moses was a fictional character and , in fact , the Pentateuch is all Historical Fiction why are you not fascinated to discover the veracity of this claim rather than tacitly jumping down my throat?
You eschew religion because of your belief – I presume – it is largely false doctrine and an over reliance of ceremony rather than the principles the character Jesus of Nazareth taught, yes?
If you are adamant that Moses was a real person, where, may I ask, is your source for this belief and how may one verify it?
If anyone other than atheists thinks I’m “jumping down the throat” of an atheist, I apologize.
I just can’t see the point of going down rabbit trails to satisfy people who will never, ever be satisfied by anything that Jesus is about. I’m interested in connecting with people who are open to spirituality.
WELL SAID I WANT TO HEAR MORE OF THE TRUTH, I AM NOWHERE IN SHOUTING DISTANCE AS A MATTER OF FACT I HAVE TO TRUST GOD IN SPITE OF RELIGION, MY RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS MEANS MORE TO ME THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD GOD BLESS YOU BROTHER
^^^ Is shouting really necessary?
Some rules are good ones. It’s good when everybody can agree on the really important rules and set aside the meaningless disagreements. Unfortunately, those addicted to a particular way of thinking are often incapable of recognizing bad rules, or that they are participating in a sort of slavery (as you put it).
So yes, I find this attractive, though I may have different means to that end.
I am a Muslim, but I can’t deny this truth. I agree with you; I think your thinking is right, but why can’t other people understand this????
I understand the distinction and agree that a religion or church of man can draw men away from Christ, but I think we need to be careful not to take that too far. It is my understanding that Christ set up a church organization. He called apostles and gave them authority to preach and ordain Elders in every city.
In addition, much of Acts (a section of the Bible about the earliest followers of Jesus Christ) is instruction and correction when Christ’s doctrine and some religious practices were corrupted.
I agree that the most important thing is that we follow Christ. I believe the true Church of Christ would help us make covenants with God and be a means for us to help one another truly follow Him.
I was taught to stay conscious, feeling free in my attitude to follow my own rules of life. I hate to obey someone’s theory to be humiliated and relied on.
I have lived sharing responsibilities, hard, being independent life, if God can keep me being safe from rumours, bullying and issues which arouse from negative people, I will regain my granny’s belief in God.