Religion… the gateway to hell or a pathway to something deeper and more profound? I was just listening to Lauren Daigle’s song “Losing my Religion” which prompted me to ponder this point. Religion has brought about a lot of ugliness and division in this world, yet I feel religion is trying to point us in a direction that is much deeper than most of us would ever consider on our own. The tool that is meant to guide us inward and awaken us to love within ourselves, which then enlivens love for others has been so misused in this world. Think the crusades… think prejudice against Muslims after 9/11… think Sunni and Shiite Islamic divisions. Even today, many religious insiders have a “superiority” complex where they begin to feel like they are above those who are not “believers,” which can lead to abuses of power toward those who are on the “outside.” It is often used as a tool of separation, judgment, and harm rather than unity and love.
Because I am most familiar with the Bible as a spiritual guide and Christianity as a religion, I can see that Jesus warned of this. Jesus was so anti-religion, died at the hands of religions leaders, and ironically we have religion built around him today. Maybe it’s just me, but I am pretty sure that wasn’t the goal he set out to accomplish. Yet again, people miss the point. Today we have religious hierarchies… popes, cardinals, bishops, etc. when Jesus clearly said,
“Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”
– Matthew 20:15-16
Although Jesus preached that the last shall be first, we see religious leaders aching to be highest on the religious totem pole. This doesn’t sound like something that Jesus would have wanted as it screams ego and not love.
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.”
- Matthew 20:18
We have churches made with high end materials, dazzled with ornate gold and expensive finishes. We have pastors who are making millions of dollars and rolling around in expensive cars with their mansions on the beach. In all honesty, I don’t feel that Jesus would take too kindly to this as his mission was more about giving all one had away and serving those who were considered the least within society. Throughout the New Testament, there is one area where we see Jesus exhibit real anger and seeming impulsiveness:
“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.”
- Matthew 21:12-13
While the Bible doesn’t state that he was angry, I’ve never seen a peaceful and calm person start flipping tables so I believe we can infer it. In other passages, Jesus tells a rich young ruler that to have eternal life he must sell all he has and give the proceeds to the poor.
“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God”
- Luke 18:18-25
From this we can see that money was not Jesus’ priority and that Jesus had more preference for those who were not primarily concerned with “religion” and capitalism. Jesus seems to have had more of a preference for those who were not attached to things of this world and those who put love of others before all else. Jesus led by example, traveling around to heal and show others what love looked like. Jesus was not a religious zealot who went out of his way to start a religion. Human’s turned Jesus’ message into that, which is basically making a mockery of Jesus. In the well-known story, “The Good Samaritan,” it’s interesting that the Samaritan who the religious leaders thought less of was the hero of the story. Again, pointing us to the fact that Jesus was for those who others, especially the religious leaders of that time, thought less of. Jesus was anti-religion, which is what (in a natural sense) ended up getting him killed.
It frustrates me when I explain to people that I’m not “religious” and those that claim to follow Jesus seem confused by this and look at me as though I am crazy. It makes me wonder if they understand who the person they are following was. It would make sense for those that claim to be “followers” of someone to actually know why they are following that person aka know who that person is and what they stand/stood for. When I state that I’ve read the Bible from start to finish, many assume that I am “religious.” I find that the Bible is one of those books that often has a lot of opinions, judgments, and assumptions tied to it from those that have not bothered to take the time to read it. The assumption that I am religious is an insult that I often have to extend mercy for.
Instead of being offended, it is helpful to use it as a teaching moment and explain that Jesus was actually against religion. Those who have misconceptions about who he was are always caught a bit off guard by this. Jesus didn’t believe in judging others, but encouraged looking within when tempted to judge another.
“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:5
Jesus, in all his brilliance, knew then that when we are tempted to judge it points to a larger problem or insecurity within ourselves. He points to the fact that the person who is judging has a larger problem than the individual who is being judged. Judgment says nothing true about the victim of the judgment, but everything about the individual doing the judging. This is why he didn’t get angry when the religious leaders of the time judged his teachings or even when they crucified him. He simply knew that the problem was not with his heart and his spirit, but with those who had it out for him and therefore could easily extend forgiveness. When we deeply know who we are and know the condition of our heart, we have no need to defend ourselves or feel negatively when others are negative toward us. There is some truth to the childish saying, “I know you are, but what am I?” Often the very thing that we are judging in another is an area where we are the most flawed or hurt. When we look deeper, we can see the wounds we carry and expose them to the light for healing. The better we become at recognizing these opportunities, the healthier we become and the less we judge. When we become healthy, we can have compassion for those who are still struggling with their wounds as evidenced by their readiness and willingness to judge others.
I am not religious, though I do follow Jesus. I believe that living life his way is the way to live a rich life. When I look at his life, I see the cleanliness of his spirit. I see the impact he made on all the lives he was able to reach during his time here and those he is still touching through his story. I see his ability to love unconditionally and forgive quickly. I see his strength, wisdom, and ability to empower others to live above the level of sin and mediocrity. I see the depth of his parables and how he often said more with what he didn’t explicitly say than with what he said. I love how he led people to think and consider their actions for themselves rather than telling them what they needed to change or do. I see his ability to lead by embodying the lessons he was seeking to teach. I see how he honored God by living in love each day of his life. I see the person I hope to become more and more like as I journey forward through this life.
Am I religious? No. Am I a believer? Absolutely. I am a believer in the power of a life lived from a place of love. I am a believer in the power of forgiveness and compassion. I am a believer in helping those who cannot help themselves. I am a believer in honoring God with the way that I live my life. I am a believer in the power of faith, the power of word, and the power of God. I believe that love is a superpower. I believe that Jesus was a master of love making him a superhero and an example to the rest of us. His life teaches us how to take our Clark Kent and turn him into Superman. I don’t know about you, but I want to be Super “Man.”