Why Rules Create Toxic Religion

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-groeschel/toxic-religion-life-church_b_1468798.html

Craig Groeschel
Founder and Senior Pastor, LifeChurch.tv
Posted: 05/07/2012 7:21 am


Whenever I'm enjoying a great conversation with someone I just met and they ask what I do for a living, I'm occasionally tempted to lie. On a recent flight, I sat by a business guy named Steve whose demeanor instantly changed when he discovered that I'm a pastor. Defensively, he exclaimed, "Well, I'm not religious!" I nodded and said, "No problem," and tried to return to our discussion of our favorite apps.

However, my response must not have been convincing because he repeated himself and fired an extra warning shot in case I'd missed the first: "I'm not religious, and I can't stand religious people." I looked at him for a moment and said, "We've got a lot in common then. I'm not religious and I can't stand religious people either!"

Christianity was not intended to be a religion but rather a relationship with God. Yet from the time Jesus walked on earth, people have tried to add rules to the relationship. In fact, the Apostle Paul battled a group known as the Judiazers who said a male must not just believe in Jesus, but he must also be circumcised to be right with God. Paul said, "Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:6-7). The Greek word translated as pervert is mestastrepho and means to corrupt, to distort or to poison. Even with right motives, people take the purity of the gospel and pollute it with religion.

Any time you stumble into toxic religion, you'll likely see two poisonous problems. First, religion leads you to focus on the external rather than the internal. Religion requires a behavior-oriented path toward pleasing God. Religious people, often well-intentioned, focus on an outward expression rather than an inward transformation. Religion is our effort to close the gap between sinful humans and a holy God. Sadly, it reduces the beauty of the Gospel to a checklist of do's and don'ts. Rules try to regulate religion.


more at link

[CJCRANE]

1. This is like a Zen approach to Christianity...nt

[cbayer]

2. Yes. I found that to be very interesting.

[WingDinger]

5. A very good book, by Alan Watts, that reconsiles eastern religion with Christianity, is one of my fa

favs.

In it, is shown that Christian religion, teaches the EXACT OPPPOSITE of Jesus message. In that EGO is taught to survive death. So, you will be young, joined by all your family, and will recognize them. Rubbbish. Killing the EGO, is the message of Jesus. Same with Buddhism. Same with most TRUE religions.

The pat questions asked by Christians, illuminates this. What sins CAN I STILL DO, and go to heaven in my present form? The very threat of hellfire, has morphed into evil, when the result of hell, death of anyone caring about your specific soul and EGO, is the gospel message itself.

In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion, that those going to hell, reiterate their choice. As they refuse to allow their ego's to cease. Choosing seperation from God, or all that is, to still FEEL themselves.

[CJCRANE]

8. I'll have to look that one up.

I've read reviews of other books that try do the same.

I like the idea that Jesus' parables are like zen koans - you're not always meant to take them literally, they're often just a way of getting you to look at things in a different way. That's why they're sometimes contradictory.

I also think that the saying "the Kingdom of Heaven is within" (from Matthew IIRC) is a key phrase that's often overlooked by fundies.

[WingDinger]

10. Yup, slight change of tac, makes Christianity congruent, and rational.

Yes, the heaven is within, is what got him nailed. The daggermen wanted a new gov/strongman, to oust Rome. That Jesus said that is not my aim, made him a RINO, of sorts.

[WingDinger]

3. Blame Constantine.

He recognized the value of state religion to the Gov. Religion makes adherents act, or not act, without analysis. Not to mention sluffing off all social welfare functions of Gov onto the backs of the righteous.

It is no coincidence, that war was the use of Christ to Rome. They used Christ as a talisman, just like the Jews used the Ark, after being told they would lose the war they were interested in.

The crusades allowed those with blood on their hands, and who lived by the sword, to gain indulgences for their previous and current murders.

[trotsky]

4. I call bullshit on the flight story.

Way too convenient a setup for the article - plus I've never ever seen (or been part of) that kind of interaction.

[darkstar3]

6. I'm with you, and would add that most strangers don't engage on planes.

[Why Syzygy]

7. Exception to the rule

A minister is much more likely to open a conversation with a stranger. If they believe in any kind of evangelism at all, they are looking for or setting up situations in which they will be able to steer the conversation. If they were discussing "favorite apps", my money is on the 'looking for common ground' tactic.

Personally, I almost always engage with strangers on planes in certain situations. The likelihood was greatly swayed when I traveled alone. Mr. ex and I even had a few vacations that were more fun because we found people to party with.

(I haven't finished reading the article yet.)

[CJCRANE]

9. You're probably right

but it doesn't alter the ideas in the article.

(Although it's a symptom of today's journalism which usually just reacts to events rather than to facts or ideas).

[trotsky]

11. But it perpetuates a false and negative stereotype in doing so.

Not cool.

[Silent3]

12. There's no evidence that "a relationship with God" is anything more than a fantasy.

Last edited Wed May 9, 2012, 07:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Some people may choose to make up what that relationship means mostly on their own (although it's going to very difficult not to be greatly influenced by the huge number of readily available cultural memes), others will tend to look for group consensus, still yet others will try to be the people who shape group consensus.

There are plenty of opportunities for toxicity, or mostly harmless outcomes, via all of those approaches to this fantasy.