I live in a culture that detest this word. In fact, you can even get away with saying the F word in a room and no one cares but if you bring up the R word, your audience will start treating you like.. you know one of those... Canadians are polite,yet apathetic, people pleasing, and neutral. We don't like to engage things that are personal in nature, like spirituality because it makes others in the room uncomfortable. You are welcome to pick and choose your buffet of spiritual gurus, but just don't tell me about them. I've read a report somewhere (i forgot) that compare the difference between India and North America. People in India felt that it is not offensive to talk about religion in workplace because they see spirituality in everything we do. Us, on the other hand see religion as some extra-curricular activity that we turn on/off after 5pm. Thus, making religion a taboo. That's how I see Religion being played out in Canada.
*Feel free to add/subtract/comment my limited scope!
Anyhow, regarding religion, it might be shocking for some of who read my blog to find that I am actually not a Fan of it myself. Some use it as a crutch to make themselves feel better, some use it to exploit others, to wage wars with it, to justify one's selfishness, and to manipulate the weak. "WHATTT! Dan, I thought you are a Christian!!!!!" What kind of Christian are you? I can comfortably say that God of the Bible (Old Testament and the New)never advocated religion to begin with. This again maybe a shock but, allow me to share with you a liberating discovery from the Bible, the very Word of God. In the beginning God created the world. He created everything and people in his likeness. The focus of the Genesis story is usually on Adam and Eve's disobedience to God's command of not eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus one draws the conclusion that God is a dictator, a rule reinforcer. The worship and unquestionable obedience to this God then is birth of a religion called Judaism, later Christianity. Yes, it is true. I will not disagree with the fact that some people take this partial understanding of Genesis and derive an entire theology/religion out of it to make others do things. However, I also want to point out that there are parts of the story that is missed. First of all, God made people and without reservation declared that they are good. He allows his creation to partner with him and to work in the garden and take care of it.(Gen 2:15) There is a trusting relationship going on here! What did God also do? He knew that Adam was lonely and required a helper so He made Eve. Again, this is a personal God who is not indifferent towards His creation. Thirdly, we see that after Adam and Eve took a chunk out of the fruit and disobeyed God, we see that God was out in the garden looking for them.
Gen 3:6-9
6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?”
What? God actually comes down to the garden walking alongside them? Adam and Eve knew God is personal. They knew He would come down, that's why they hid Back in the Garden, God has personal relationship with His creation, He is not somewhere out there giving out commands.
I can go on and on with this, the Ten Commandments (LAWS), was given to Moses and the Israelites after God had made some of the most wonderful promises! A) The Messiah would come to save the world Gen 3:13 B) Abraham's descendants (Nation of Israel) will be a blessing to the rest of the world. Gen. 12:2,3.
The Ten Commandment is not a religious document but rather God saying to the Israelites "You are already my people that I will take care and defend so live like it!" An encouragement rather than burden.
Jumping now to 31-33 A.D. Jesus answers the question: "Which commandment is the most important of all?" Mark 12:28b.
The answer is this:
29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God,the Lord is one. 30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
Notice that although Jesus points people to God's commandment but the commandments are not about blindly following rules or tell others to do them. Jesus is calling people to KNOW God, to love him and be in a genuine relationship with the creator as it was in the beginning. Being filled with God's love also help one understand God's relational nature and moves one to love his or her neighbor as well! It's not a religion that lead to prejudice, resentment, hierarchy, hypocrisy, or judgement on others. A relationship with God humbles us, puts us in our place, realign our focus, transforms our entire being!
You can hear more of this on my sermon:
http://www.stjohnsrichmond.ca/audio/SE2010Nov21-2.mp3
Religion is not at God's heart but rather leads people into confusion, bitterness, exploitation, and wrong doings. What people have done in the past using Christianity as the backbone are wrong and detestable to God. People created all sorts of religion and the problem lies with the creator. Observing the history of religion would only point us to our failure to become gods ourselves and also the fact that the Bible speaks truth about our rebellious and wicked nature.Isaiah 59.
The heart of Christianity is not following religious authorities, the Pope..etc, nor is it to merit eternal life because people are afraid of dying.
It is perhaps summarized best in John 17:3,
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
A genuine relationship with Jesus, a life that is surrendered to him in absolute obedience.
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