If you read the statment in this atheist meme and declared “Yes, that’s me,” well, let me join you and say it even louder: “YES, THAT’S ME.”
Repeat Frank’s Cottage visitors know that I’m not a fan of religion. Perhaps it works for some folks, but I join much of the world in seeing religion as little more than:
- Following rules, many of them petty and pointless.
- Putting on appearances, so everyone will think you “have it all together”.
- Using the first two points to self-righteously judge people who don’t follow all the rules and don’t have it all together.
In the end, religion puts rules, appearances and judgmentalism ahead of people. It often descends into cold-hearted tribalism – ranking people based on whether they’re in or out of our “religion”.
Sounds awful, doesn’t it?
Let me offer an alternative that puts human beings ahead of dogma and traditions. Prepare yourself, because that alternative is controversial. That alternative is life-giving. That alternative, in my opinion, defines humanism for all time.
That alternative is Jesus of Nazareth, who many people believe is the divine Son of God.
During His physical time on earth, Jesus often ran afoul of rule-obsessed, stone-hearted religious leaders.
They were aghast at seeing Him hang out with what many in ancient Israel regarded as the bottom-feeders of their society. Today, those people might be:
- supporters of widely disliked politicians or political parties
- those who have unchanging ideas about right and wrong
- convicts and those who have spent time in prison
- alcoholics or drug addicts
In one of His four original-source biographies, Jesus says this about fans of religion:
“They don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show.“
Jesus leaves dogma and traditions at the side of the road. In fact, He goes so far as to ask:
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He challenges us with the truth about what’s required to qualify for Heaven when this life is finished: “You must be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.”
None of us can meet that standard, so Jesus took on his shoulders ALL the wrong things we’ve done and ALL the right things we’ve failed to do. He took them to the cross, where He was put to death on trumped-up charges. Then He showed His mastery over death by coming back to life three days later.
Now, anyone who declares Jesus as Lord and Saviour takes on His perfection. That’s how God sees Jesus followers and they spend eternity with their Creator.
Sound like a good deal? Yes or no, post your thoughts below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 
It’s the best deal ever offered to us, Frank. Religion is a millstone around our necks; only Jesus can set us free.
Blessings!
To declare that “religion puts rules, appearances and judgmentalism ahead of people,” is itself a judgment. It might be true of some religions but can’t be true of ALL religion as evidenced by your suggestion that the “alternative is Jesus of Nazareth.”
It is not possible to “leave dogma and traditions at the side of the road.” Jesus teaching is chock full of dogma. It was Jesus who said, “If anyone would be my disciple, he must take up his cross and follow me.” The New Testament describes many rules for how believers in the Christian religion are supposed to behave.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, John. From my perspective, the amount of evidence supporting religion is absolutely overwhelmed by the tsunami of evidence that religion is BAD.
As for Jesus and dogma – yes, He taught many incredibly insightful and valuable things about how to best live our lives, for our benefit and the benefit of people around us.
But consider when Jesus was crucified between two criminals. As they died together, one of them said “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” Jesus responded, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.”
The criminal didn’t follow any dogma, John. Because he figured out that in the end, it’s not Jesus + dogma or Jesus + baptism or Jesus + anything. It’s simply Jesus. And that’s the best news in the world!! 🙂
Do you think both criminals are in paradise with Jesus or only the one who asked to be remembered?
I believe the criminal who asked to be remembered is in paradise with Jesus. If Jesus said anything to the other criminal, it wasn’t recorded by the Gospel writer.
I agree.
Jesus didn’t eliminate “religion.” Jesus established a new religion. Salvation is contingent on belief in Christ. That is a dogma.
I understand your point about “bad religion.” It is important to be on guard against fundamentalism and legalism. It is equally important to recognize that there is such a thing as “good religion.”
Thanks for being so thoughtful, John. Where does belief in Jesus come from? Not from religion and definitely not from us. It comes from God. He puts it on our heart to trust in His Son. So I’m happy to agree to disagree – especially as for many people, there is no such thing as good religion, so any effort to defend the term just acts as a barrier to seriously considering faith in Jesus.
Excellent observations, John. For once… and probably only once, I agree with you.
Then Christianity has no value, because it’s noble traits are included in (or derived from) humanism, and it’s ignoble traits are rejected by humanism.
Secular Humanism for the win.
For anyone wondering, Christianity and following Jesus are often (though not always) two very different things.
In ‘The End of Religion,’ author Bruxy Cavey notes “There is an important difference between relating to God through doctrines, codes of conduct, traditions or institutions of power, and relating to God directly, soul-to-soul, mind-to-mind and heart-to-heart.
“Jesus taught this distinction, lived this message, and was killed because of its implications.”
The bottom line: most of the time, religion is interested in rules, regulations and control. Meanwhile, Jesus is interested in people. Jesus humanism for the win!! 🙂
And what happens to all those who do not believe in him? Not just atheists, of course, but also those billions of people who follow other religions?
For anyone wondering, I’ve written about this often. Qualifying for Heaven means being perfect because Jesus told anyone willing to listen that “you must be perfect, just as your father in Heaven in perfect.”
None of us can meet that qualification and that’s why God offers His Son Jesus as a gift to anyone willing to accept Him. If you accept this gift, God no longer sees all the wrong things you’ve done and the right things you’ve failed to do. He only sees you as perfect, like His Son.
That’s amazing news and it’s available to EVERYONE, including atheists and the billions of people who follow other faiths. And accepting that gift doesn’t just apply to what happens after this life is finished; it applies RIGHT NOW. Accept Jesus, with serious sincerity, and He comes into your life and starts to make you more of the person God created you to be. More good news! 🙂