Religion is Dead.

Religion is a product of culture. Period. Your religion is how you are raised. If you were raised in the middle east, you would be Islamic. Only when we accept this do we become tolerant.

This has been hard for me to accept. Growing up, I've always been taught that Christianity was the way to life, the only way. Now, I know that is not true. Religion is not synonymous with love. G-d is love (so say the scriptures), therefore, G-d is not religion. Religion is exclusive. Religion, in it's present day context, has become nothing more than politics. A campaign of persuasiveness.

What if I were to say that scripture calls us to be good people. What if I were to say that the gospel is an example of what a non-oppressive lifestyle looks like and that religion, of any kind, simply perverts that. As an example, the evangelical believes in showing people Jesus. However, by being so strongly convicted that you are to tell people about your culture (or religion), are you not just loving yourself? What if you just developed a genuine relationship with people. What if you cared about the things they were going through enough to not talk about your religion and simply love them. Does G-d not exist in that relationship? In that love?

This is not a call to hate religion, just to understand it.

Love G-d and love people. ALL of the law and the prophets hang on these. (Matthew 22:40)

Religion is dead. Jesus is alive.

Hallelujah

This article made me cry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29556042/?GT1=43001

Tears of joy. People can be so bad, and yet so good. In the midst of this hell of a world that we live in, thousands of people sent in emails to tell of their good news. The good news that good people are still left in the world. That no matter what, love will always prevail over destruction and fear.

I met a russian guy this past weekend. We had an interesting conversation about religious views. He was into a sort of "pseudo-religion". He said it was parts of a bunch of different religions combined. He said that lately he had been experimenting with voo-doo culture. But this is what he said to me. He said that any religion that was not focused on helping other people, was no religion at all. Words of wisdom.

My heart is full of joy and compassion tonight.