Jesus Versus Religion: Why I'm Sick of Religion But Love Jesus to Death
Posted: Friday, March 26, 2010
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
"I wish I could be religious like you, but I'm not there yet."
Is that admiration? It's supposed to be a compliment, isn't it? Years back, I used to take it as such, but no longer. It's annoying, if not insulting, to hear anyone call me "religious". I am spiritual. I am devoted to Jesus Christ.
For the most part, the change happened when I began to examine the Jesus of the Gospels. It dawned on me that religious Christianity has really re-made Jesus into someone, something radically different from the first-century Jewish rabbi written about in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and especially John. I made two mind-altering discoveries.
Discovery #1. Jesus reserved His harshest words for religious people. The higher up people were on the religious totem pole the greater Jesus reprimanded them for falling short of the standards of God's kingdom. He told a religious guru, "Unless you are born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God". Jesus pronounced "woes" on religious leaders like the scribes, Pharisees, chief priests and Sadducees. While Jesus labeled leading religionists as "hypocrites" and "blind guides", He graciously mingled with tax collectors, prostitutes, and others considered the worst of sinners.
It dawned on me: "Jesus was so tough on religious people, because He was not one of them. Jesus was not a religious figure after all. He placed Himself and His new way of relating to God far beyond the reach of religion."
Discovery #2. Religious people were the bitterest enemies of Jesus, from start to finish. Not every religious person hated Jesus, but everyone who zealously hated Jesus with a vengeance was a religious figure. Why did religious people hate Jesus so much? In every way, He was NOT anything like them. He violated everything they treasured and stood for. They called Him names like demon-possessed, bastard, sinner, even Baal-Zebub or Satan himself. Of course, it was religious people who finally commercialized Jesus, arrested Him, mock-tried Him, abused Him, humiliated Him, tortured Him, condemned Him to death, and saw to it that He received capital punishment in the most brutal form of crucifixion, even when Pilate the politician tried to release Jesus.
The more I studied the Gospels and extra-biblical history, the more I realized that religion kills. Religion delights in waging war. Religion promotes slavery. Religion discriminates. Religion subjugates. Religion savors secrecy. Organized religion crafts hoops and rules about minute details of rituals and ceremonies, dress codes of vestments, garments and gowns that identify who's who by what they wear and where they sit. It's all that outward stuff that has zero bearing on the worshiper's heart and soul, the sort of things for which Jesus called religious leaders "white-washed tombs". Religion traffics in power plays, secrecy and cover ups. Yet I found Jesus Christ to be in glaring contrast to everything that religion stands for. Christ avoided making His teachings a national creed. He forbade His disciples from fighting, saying His kingdom is not of this world, just as His leadership style is not. He never left any hint of a politicized faith, no such nonsense as a "Christian nation", since His teachings cannot be used to govern politically and militarily.
Finally, I realized that barely a century after the deaths of the apostles who traveled, talked and ate with Him, subsequent Christians set out to convert the simple faith of Jesus into a religious construct. They concocted a hierarchy to divide followers of Christ into clergy and laity. They turned Christianity into a state religion. They clamor and compete to politicize Jesus, depicting Him as liberal, conservative, communist or socialist. Repeatedly they have desecrated the cross of Christ by using it as a symbol of torture, wars, imperialism, slavery, and dehumanizing commerce, deeds that Satan would be very proud of. What irony of ironies that the Christian religion has itself often become as Anti-Christ as any other man-made system can be!
The Jesus of the Gospels challenges us to reach beyond religion, where we can truly know Him and relate to God as our Father, as God is His Father. It is enough to learn directly from the Jesus that religion executed, the Jesus whose true followers religion still despises and persecutes. Anyone who discovers the true Jesus will soon declare, "Religion I reject, Jesus I embrace. Religion is a barrier, a stumbling block to my experiencing the life of God. But thank God, Christ came not ONLY to save me free from sin, but to ALSO cut me loose from the bondage of religion." See Matthew 11:28-30.
Is that admiration? It's supposed to be a compliment, isn't it? Years back, I used to take it as such, but no longer. It's annoying, if not insulting, to hear anyone call me "religious". I am spiritual. I am devoted to Jesus Christ.
For the most part, the change happened when I began to examine the Jesus of the Gospels. It dawned on me that religious Christianity has really re-made Jesus into someone, something radically different from the first-century Jewish rabbi written about in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and especially John. I made two mind-altering discoveries.
It dawned on me: "Jesus was so tough on religious people, because He was not one of them. Jesus was not a religious figure after all. He placed Himself and His new way of relating to God far beyond the reach of religion."
Discovery #2. Religious people were the bitterest enemies of Jesus, from start to finish. Not every religious person hated Jesus, but everyone who zealously hated Jesus with a vengeance was a religious figure. Why did religious people hate Jesus so much? In every way, He was NOT anything like them. He violated everything they treasured and stood for. They called Him names like demon-possessed, bastard, sinner, even Baal-Zebub or Satan himself. Of course, it was religious people who finally commercialized Jesus, arrested Him, mock-tried Him, abused Him, humiliated Him, tortured Him, condemned Him to death, and saw to it that He received capital punishment in the most brutal form of crucifixion, even when Pilate the politician tried to release Jesus.
The more I studied the Gospels and extra-biblical history, the more I realized that religion kills. Religion delights in waging war. Religion promotes slavery. Religion discriminates. Religion subjugates. Religion savors secrecy. Organized religion crafts hoops and rules about minute details of rituals and ceremonies, dress codes of vestments, garments and gowns that identify who's who by what they wear and where they sit. It's all that outward stuff that has zero bearing on the worshiper's heart and soul, the sort of things for which Jesus called religious leaders "white-washed tombs". Religion traffics in power plays, secrecy and cover ups. Yet I found Jesus Christ to be in glaring contrast to everything that religion stands for. Christ avoided making His teachings a national creed. He forbade His disciples from fighting, saying His kingdom is not of this world, just as His leadership style is not. He never left any hint of a politicized faith, no such nonsense as a "Christian nation", since His teachings cannot be used to govern politically and militarily.
Finally, I realized that barely a century after the deaths of the apostles who traveled, talked and ate with Him, subsequent Christians set out to convert the simple faith of Jesus into a religious construct. They concocted a hierarchy to divide followers of Christ into clergy and laity. They turned Christianity into a state religion. They clamor and compete to politicize Jesus, depicting Him as liberal, conservative, communist or socialist. Repeatedly they have desecrated the cross of Christ by using it as a symbol of torture, wars, imperialism, slavery, and dehumanizing commerce, deeds that Satan would be very proud of. What irony of ironies that the Christian religion has itself often become as Anti-Christ as any other man-made system can be!
The Jesus of the Gospels challenges us to reach beyond religion, where we can truly know Him and relate to God as our Father, as God is His Father. It is enough to learn directly from the Jesus that religion executed, the Jesus whose true followers religion still despises and persecutes. Anyone who discovers the true Jesus will soon declare, "Religion I reject, Jesus I embrace. Religion is a barrier, a stumbling block to my experiencing the life of God. But thank God, Christ came not ONLY to save me free from sin, but to ALSO cut me loose from the bondage of religion." See Matthew 11:28-30.
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)Very well-done, sir. Religion is a barrier which somehow prevents those who need to know Jesus most from ever truly understanding. They fall into the trap of the 'gangs' or 'sects' (same thing, different agendas) which preach 'follow us, we know what's best for you' without realizing it is a trap.Sometimes when I hear the word 'flock' I can't help but think of sheep following blindly. And yet, are they following Jesus or are they following the other followers following someone who proclaims to know Jesus best?One who embraces Jesus need not have to explain any actions to those followers, those sheep, who embrace the 'idea of Jesus' or the 'Religious Life'. They only have to explain their actions and choices to God.Thank you for sharing this piece, Mogama. I hope your words are heard and sink in to those who truly need them.Please log in to respond to this comment.Yes, Michael, what a barrier religion is! A soul only finds true spiritual freedom as one goes past what you call "the idea of Jesus or the religious life". Thanks for commenting. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
Mogama, you are so right! Jesus never called anyone to be "reiligious." Instead, he calls everyone to a personal relationship with him, which is something much different.Please log in to respond to this comment.Indeed, Terry, the call from Jesus to us is to take up a cross, deny self and follow Him forever in "a personal relationship". That's a very wonderful experience. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
As they usually say Britain was founded on christian principles but, it was founded on religious principles. Reportors come on the news television and say christianity and all other religious are the same. Infact the name Jesus are not suppose to be talk about in almost all the schools and work places anymore other wise, you are going to the sack and maybe held to account. Little that I know about the bible but one thing I know is that, He was and is not about religion it is about your one-one relationship with him, he is about saving souls salvation. But I always say if you don't know it now, you will get to know it little and that little will be the hardest.Please log in to respond to this comment.Right on, Regina. People often reject Jesus when it is religion they are reacting against. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
Excellent, excellent article. Recently I have been exposed to people, thinkers who see the world of politics and/or religion as I do. If I have said it once I have said it a thousand times, "I could care less what the Church tells me is right, I choose to focus on the words of Christ". Thank you sir for this article.Please log in to respond to this comment."...focus on...Christ." that's the key, Dan. Totally agree...Please log in to respond to this comment.
BEAUTIFUL! I tell People I used to be "religious" when I was into astrology and atheism and now I have a relationship - with the creator of the universe! Jesus my Lord and God!!!Please log in to respond to this comment.Yes, Marijo...true Christian faith is when Jesus sets us loose from bondage to sin and man-made religion.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Your last sentence pretty much shot your article. So Jesus did not come to set you free from sin! Wow! What a statement. If he did not come to set us free from sin who cares why he came? What difference would it make? NONE! If he came for some other reason I am still in my sins and hell will be a reality for me.Please log in to respond to this comment.Clearly that's an error, and I thank you for catching it. If that were true I would have "shot" my article indeed. Here is what I meant to write, "Christ came not ONLY to save me free from sin, but to ALSO cut me loose from the bondage of religion." I have corrected the article. Thanks for your help. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
This is one of the best religious/God/Jesus articles I have ever read---you're on a positive roll my friend--my best to you and your family.StevePlease log in to respond to this comment.Thanks so much, Steve, for your generous praise. I take your words as encouragement. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
I believe that you have truly understood Jesus's heart ... he is all about love, compassion and generosity.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful article.
I wish that more would take the time to know Jesus and find out about his true desires.
Please log in to respond to this comment.It took me years to get to the heart of Jesus because of all the religious clutter that blocked the way to Christ. What a relief to know the the real Jesus of the Gospels!Please log in to respond to this comment.
Nice thoughts Mogama. Right now I am reading the book "The Second Coming of Christ" by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, who was handed the mission of re-interpreting the Bible in a spiritual way to lead people out of ignorance. My only question to you is - How would you interpret "Unless you are born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God"? Thank you.
DMPlease log in to respond to this comment."My only question to you is - How would you interpret 'Unless you are born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God'?"
Yes, DM, that is one of the most important questions anyone has ever asked me on SearchWarp. Let me try to answer you without being confusing.
The words "...unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" were spoken by Jesus Christ to Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jews. (Nicodemus' conversation with Jesus is found in the Gospel of John chapter 3 in the Holy Bible if you can find a copy to read that chapter.)
By those words Jesus is saying that God does not accept people into His kingdom or family based on religion. Someone can be religious and still miss out on the life of God. It takes being "born again", which is spiritual birth that happens when a person believes in Jesus Christ and asks God to forgive him of sin and accept him into God's family or kingdom. This new birth is an act of God's Spirit that changes a person's heart forever.
I had the "born again" experience in 1982. Even though I was a preacher's kid and very religious, my life began to change ONLY after I prayed and received Jesus as my personal Savior, causing me to be born again. I hope that helps. Thanks for the question. ~mogama~Please log in to respond to this comment.
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