1. RIGHT OPINIONS MATTER MORE THAN RIGHTEOUSNESS
RELIGION IS BUILT AROUND A SET OF DOCTRINES WHICH ARE MANDATORY IF ONE WANTS TO BE A PART OF THAT RELIGION. ONE TIME I ATTENDED A CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT THE FRONT WAS A LIST OF “THINGS” ONE HAD TO BELIEVE IN ORDER TO BE A CHRISTIAN AND A MEMBER OF THAT CHURCH. I THINK THERE WERE 21 ITEMS ON THAT LIST, AND IT WAS A LIST WHERE ONE HAD TO EMBRACE ALL OF THEM. THERE IS NO ROOM FOR OTHER IDEAS, OPINIONS OR EVEN DISAGREEMENT. RELIGION FEARS ANYTHING THAT RESEMBLES EVEN VAGUELY SOMETHING NEW. ESSENTIAL TO RELIGION IS THE STRICT ADHERENCE TO A SET OF BELIEFS, MOST OF THE TIME WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING WHY ONE BELIEVES IT OR IF IT IS EVEN ESSENTIAL. RELIGION DEMANDS SUBMISSION TO RIGHT OPINIONS, BELIEFS AND DOCTRINE. RELIGION IS BEST IDENTIFIED BY ITS DESIRE FOR THE STATUS QUO.
2. IT IDENTIFIES YOU AS TO WHAT YOU ARE NOT
YOU ARE NOT MUSLIM, JEW, HINDU, BUDDHIST OR SCIENTOLOGIST, THEREFORE YOU MUST BE CHRISTIAN. IT’S LIKE GOING THROUGH A BUFFET LINE OF IDEAS AND SELECTING THE ONE THAT MAKES SURE YOU AREN’T “ONE OF THOSE OTHERS”. RELATIONSHIP IS ABOUT WHAT YOU COULD BECOME. RELIGION IS ABOUT WHO YOU ARE NOT.
3. RULES MATTER MORE THAN PEOPLE
CONFORMITY IN APPEARANCE AND BELIEFS IS ESSENTIAL IN RELIGION. CONFORMITY IS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE RULES, BOTH WRITTEN “LAWS” AND UNWRITTEN TRADITIONS. IT STIFLES THE CREATIVITY AND UNIQUENESS THAT GOD PUTS IN EVERY PERSON. SINCE RULES MATTER THE MOST, PEOPLE WHO DO NOT CONFORM TO THE RULES ARE PUSHED ASIDE. THIS CREATES A JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDE LIKE THAT OF THE PHARISEES AND WE ALL KNOW HOW JESUS FELT ABOUT THE PHARISEES.
4. IT’S THE SAFEST PLACE TO HIDE FROM GOD
NOW I WANT YOU THE READER TO KNOW THAT I DID NOT COME UP WITH THIS LINE. IT WAS FIRST PENNED BY RICHARD ROHR, AN AMERICAN FRANCISCAN FRIAR ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 1970. FATHER ROHR IS CORRECT. IT IS THE SAFEST PLACE TO HIDE FROM GOD BECAUSE RELIGION GIVES US THE VENEER OF RESPECTABILITY. RESPECTABILITY IS A POWERFUL WAY TO EASE ONE’S CONSCIENCE AND KEEP THE AWARENESS OF ONE’S GUILT OF SIN FROM GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE MIND AND HEART. IF RELIGION IS GUIDING YOU, MAY I SUGGEST YOU READ AND REFLECT ON MATTHEW 25:42-46. IF THIS DOESN’T SCARE THE RELIGION RIGHT OUT OF YOU, THEN YOU ARE FIRMLY ENTRENCHED IN RELIGION.
5. IT MAKES ONE IMPOTENT FOR THE TRUE WORK OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
GOD IS ALL ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIP AND THROUGH THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, HE TAKES US ON A JOURNEY TO BE OUR TRUE SELF, THE ONE HE CREATED AND THE ONE HE KNOWS WE CAN BECOME WITH HIS PRESENCE, GUIDANCE, AND POWER; AND TO HELP US OVERCOME THE DOMINION OF SIN IN OUR LIFE. RELIGION TAKES US CAPTIVE AND ROBS US OF THE DIVINE SPARK AND POWER THAT WILL BRING THE KINGDOM BACK ONTO THIS HIS CREATION. RELIGION MAKES US POWERLESS BY MAKING US ITS CAPTIVE. MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO STRIPS US OF THE POWER NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE THINGS GOD IS DOING.
6. IT MAKES THE ENEMY LAUGH AT US, THOUGH HE KNOWS DEEP DOWN THAT HE FEARS US
THE ENEMY, YOUR ENEMY, KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT YOU CAN BECOME THROUGH THE RELATIONSHIP GOD OFFERS, AND IT MAKES HIM PEE IN HIS PANTS WHEN HE SEES YOU BECOMING THAT PERSON GOD CREATED. TO TAKE AWAY HIS FEAR OF YOU, HE CONVINCES YOU THAT RELIGION IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. HE KNOWS HE CAN CONTROL A RELIGIOUS PERSON, SO HE DECEIVES US INTO SOME SECOND BEST; AND THAT IS RELIGION. NOTHING MAKES THE ENEMY LAUGH MORE THAN WHEN HE SEES PEOPLE FOLLOWING AND PROTECTING RELIGION.
