Most of us remember where we were when we first heard about the collapse of World Trade Towers on September 11th, 2001.
For me, and for most Americans, it became shockingly clear that our nation was under attack by a fanatical, corrupt religious form of Islam and a terrorist group called Al qadea, which has declared Jihad, holy war, on America. This extreme form of religious terrorism has threatened the life of Americans and the peace and stability of the whole world. This is what 9/11 means to most of us, and of course, the war against terror continues in Afghanistan today where many of our young men and women are sacrificing and risking their lives for our freedom.
Religion Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Interestingly, for some Philosophers like Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett, 9/11 means something else. For them and others 9/11 proves just how dangerous and ridiculous religion can be. One of these new Atheists, Washington columnist named Christopher Hitchens has written a book New York Times best seller which boldly declares: “God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.”
These “New Atheists” who are gaining attention in America prefer not to be called Atheists, but “anti-theist.” They don’t simply refuse to believe in God, but they are “evangelical” in their mission to wipe all religious belief off the face of the planet so that science can be the true savior of humanity.
What I would like to say to those who believe that religion is dangerous and even “hazardous to our health”, is that in many ways Jesus would agree. When you read the New Testament and the story Jesus in the gospels, you immediately discover that Jesus was in a life and death struggle with the religious authorities. For Jesus, it was religion which made the rich, richer at the expense of the poor. For Jesus, it was politically and legalistically empowered religion that misread the law, missing the whole point. For Jesus, it was arrogant religion that would not repent and would not give up its privileged position and become a humble servant. It was bad, corrupted religion which opposed everything Jesus was for and eventually had Jesus strung up on the cross. In a very sobering sense, Christopher Hitchens is right: At least, “bad” Religion can poison everything.
If only the new Atheist knew the difference between good and bad religion---they could do a lot of good. Which leads me into a very important question for us: What is bad religion? How can it be that something that is supposed to be so good, holy, right and righteous can become so sinister, wrong, dangerous and evil?
You can find Jesus’ clash with bad religion occurring early in the gospel of Mark. Already in the second chapter, when Jesus pronounces God’s forgiveness upon a paralytic, the religious authorities start their questioning (Mark 2: 1-12). Immediately after this, the religious leaders are complaining because Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners (2: 14-17), then become even more nick-picking by observing that Jesus’ disciples do not fast like John’s disciples (2: 18-22). Everything comes to a head when Jesus and his disciples gleaned grain and performed a healing on the Sabbath (2: 23-3:6).
I know it’s hard for us to get a handle on this ancient struggle. Something that helped me was a recent news report about a modern day Sabbath elevator law in modern Israel. Orthodox Rabbi’s today have decided that a Sabbath elevator still breaks the Sabbath and must not be used. What is a Sabbath elevator? It’s an elevator that does not respond when you push the button so that it is not really performing work on the Sabbath. After you push the button, you stand and wait until finally, on its own, the elevator decides to come and get you, thus it is not directly responding to your call. This elevator was allowed, but no longer. The Rabbis have ruled against it.
Jesus came out against such rigid, legalistic, relgion. He declared it inhumane, when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Do you see major pattern of “bad” religion Jesus clashed against? It was a religion more clearly defined by what it was against, rather than what it was for. Have you ever seen this “complaining”, negating and negative tendency in religious people?
Why is it that religion does this to people? Why is it that religion can take peaceful, caring and normally humble people and make them arrogant, cruel and even turn them into bitter enemies of one another? Why is it that that “religion” can make people so uptight and angry that most of us were forewarned by our parents that if you want to keep your friends, don’t talk about religion? Why is it, as Hans Kung the German theologian said, that the worse wars ever fought in the world were “religious wars” and he added, “There will never be peace in the world until there is peace between the religions?”
Did you know that early Christians were persecuted and put to death was because some Romans did not think they were religious enough? Those early Christians were often called “pagans” or “atheists” because they only believed in one God, while most Romans believed in many gods. In another strange twist, around 313 AD, not long after Constantine the Roman military general was Baptized and brought an end to Christian persecution, he also declared Roman Empire a “Christian” nation. Almost immediately, the emperors started to enforce Christianity as the official religion with power of the sword. Now the proverbial shoe was on the other foot. In an attempt to make sure Christianity remained pure and in power, as the official religion of the empire, by 385 a synod of bishops brought to trial its first so called “heretic”, a man named Pricillian of Avila. After the very first Christian heresy trial, emperor Maximus cut off his head and the heads of six of his followers. And do you know what made them such terrible heretics? He was a vegetarian. He advocated not drinking wine. He encourage careful reading of the Bible, he allowed for “praise music” and he also believed that other writings, although not inspired and were outside of the Bible could also help us live our lives and even understand the Bible better. Still today, Pricillian holds the important distinction of being the first Christian to be executed by his fellow Christians for his differing viewpoints. Already, only a few short years after religion gained political clout, fundamentalism had gained a foothold and in the first 2 and a half centuries, long before the terrible inquisition of the middle ages, Christian imperial authorities had put over 25,000 people to death, not because they were atheists, but for being a different kind of Christian (See Harvey Cox, The Future of Faith, 2009, p. 6).
There are still plenty reasons never again to mix politics or the power of the sword with religion. There are still reasons to be skeptical about extreme and negative religious expression. One of the most popular books today about the changing face of religion in America is a book entitled: “They love Jesus, but not the Church”, by Emerging Church leader Dan Kimball. On page after page, Kimball explains how there is a growing movement in America among many youth and young adults. The religion emerging in America is to love Jesus, but to have less and less to do with the established church.
Many Prefer Spirituality without Religion
Walk down the isle of any major bookstore and you will see the primary watchword of today is not about religion, but spirituality, it is less about belief and more emphasis upon having faith, hope and love without traditional beliefs. New Churches are popping up everywhere, not only with the denominational name missing, but also omitting the word “church.” I not only hear people saying “it doesn’t matter what denomination one belongs to”, fewer people make the effort to join or be committed to the local church in their community.
In the Statesville library, I came across a very “spiritual” book entitled “When Bubba meets Buddha!” The novel, written by John Lee tells of a loveable, down in the dump, but also fowl mouthed redneck named Bubba, who meets the Buddha, when Buddha suddenly climbs out of his suitcase one day to take him on a whirlwind journey of spiritual transformation. Through one spiritual lesson after another, through spiritual lessons from the Bible, from visiting the home place of Helen Keller, from getting to know a Homosexual AIDS victim, who strangely enough is a dedicated Christian who prays and is dying, by learning care for him, not just hate him, and by finally learning the Buddhist way of surrender, Bubba is able to detach himself from his own pain so that he can see the pain of others and he is healed. Through his spiritual awakening and enlightenment, Bubba is also able to free himself of the empty, vain Christian repetitions of his childhood, which haven’t helped him at all, and to reconcile with his past, with his ex-wife, with his son and he is able to discover a spiritually charged, fulfilling, purposeful life that renews his spirit and saves his soul from the spiritual hell he has been living in.
Whatever you think about the changing landscape of religion in America, the new Atheists are right and they are wrong. Religion is not dying in America, but it is changing and changing drastically. It may take us a while to see all the changes, especially when we are not looking for them, but they are coming. The most important observation I have for us is this: Practical Spirituality and Saving Faith is in. Stuffy, critical, negative religion that does nothing but declare what it is against is out and will have no impact. It is time for a true Christian spirituality to show up in our lives, or it will be “shown up” by a growing attraction to other spiritualities that “prove” to do a better job at transforming the soul.
Christianity at its Best is Prayer and Practicality
There are issues that concern me about some of the spiritual energy growing in America today, especially common belief that all religions are the same. All religions may be trying to come to grips with the same mystery we call God, but they go about finding God in some very different ways. The truth is, any religion, including corrupted Christianity, can lead you in the wrong direction: “The way is broad, that leads to destruction…” Jesus declared, “but the road that leads to life is narrow.”
But though there are some things that concern me, but the growing hunger for a true, transforming spirituality excites me greatly. I think that Christian spirituality is up to the test to show us the true faith we need to save our souls and the bad religion we don’t need which leads to destruction.
The first thing that excites me about religion in America today is that GOD IS NOT GOING AWAY. God did not die, as was claimed in the 60’s. In fact, religious belief has surged rather than disappeared, as was anticipated. And not only is religion growing, it is also growing up and more and more religious people are realizing the distinction between having true faith in God and merely having and holding beliefs about God. Religion can indeed become very ridiculous when it misses the point of what religion is about. True religion is much more about who we need and about those things we can’t be sure of without faith, than what we are sure about as facts. True religion is about the fact that we are in this world together and all in the same physical and spiritual boat, no matter what creed, race or nationality we are. We all we live in a fallen, finite and limited world in need of salvation and peace, but we also have this amazing capacity to wonder, to be inspired, and to love and to ask why we live and there is something, rather than nothing. Living and dying with these questions which no human science can answer lead us toward saving faith, not just religious belief about God.
There is an interesting little story told by Spanish writer Miguel Unamuno which tells of a young man who returns to his native village in Spain because his mother is dying. Since the area is predominate Catholic, in the presence of the local priest, his mother clutches her son’s hand and asks him to pray for her. The son does not answer. For some reason, he does not know how to pray anymore. As he leaves the room with the priest, he declares that as much as he would like to, he cannot pray for his mother because he does not believe in God. “That’s nonsense,” the priest replies. “You don’t have to believe in God to pray.” (Also found in Harvey Cox’s, “The Future of Faith”, p. 3).
Maybe religion has been hazardous to you and you could, like this young man, have lost belief in God. But that lost of belief does not take away your need to pray or your need for God. We are religious people, not because we want to be, or even because we choose to be, but because we have to be. We are religious because this is who we are, whether we admit it or not. For five years I lived in eastern Germany where the people were taught and trained to be atheist. They said they did not need God, but interestingly, many times I entered situations where even the most die-hard atheists understood the need to be still and pray. Most amazing of all, when they did encounter true faith, true hope and true love in the face of the mystery of life and death, it was astounding to observe how God would suddenly show up and become a welcomed guest in their hearts.
Simone Weil, the French intellectual, political activist and one time Marxists and agnostic Jew, finally became a Christian mystic and died at age 34. She spent most of her short days living with physical ailments but constantly working for social justice. Once, in one of her notebooks, she wrote something every atheist or every person who has been hurt by bad religion should hear. She said, “If we love God, even though we think he doesn’t exist, he will make his existence manifest.” (From her Notebooks as quoted in Cox’s “The Future of Religion’, p. 4.) It excites me that even when people lose their beliefs, they can be right on the edge of finding true faith. Isn’t that what the gospel of Jesus teaches? Right when it looked like religion was completely corrupt and Jerusalem was doomed, and God was nowhere to be found, this the very place where faith is reborn. If you love God, really love God, even when you have trouble with religion, God is right there ready to show himself anew in your heart and life.
Another thing that excites me is that today there is a lot more talk about how bad religion can become this “corruption” desperately needs to be addressed and not swept under the rug. A lot of bad things have gone on in this world in the name of God and in the name of religion. This needs to stop—now more than ever. It needs to stop because the bombs have gotten too big and the bullets can fly too easily and pain can hurt too many. Exactly because it more obvious than ever how even good religion can be corrupted and turned into deeds of hate and violence toward others, this kind of “bad” religion must be put under the microscope and lose its privilege in our culture. I think Jesus would say Amen to confronting bad religion because of what “bad” religion did to him. Religion that is true and deserving of our respect, must earn its respect because it earns and proves its value by the very deeds it does and the very actions it takes. The new watchword for religion in our day must be the old 7o’s expression: “Where’s the Beef?”
And that is exactly where today’s Bible text comes in. Here is the Beef! Right in front of us is the kind of religion that proves that it is true religion. It is less a religion about beliefs that don’t matter, but it is a religion about faith that changes everything. It is less about a religion about words, but is more a religion whose words result in action. Without this intentional, visible action of goodness, which everybody knows, without loving deeds which are clearly attested, and without the real transformation of our hearts and lives which affects who we are and how we live, religion is dead in the water, the very water of its own baptism---and perhaps it should be.
This is the new kind of on religious faith many are finding---and the true Christian faith that excites me. Now, more than ever before, in our culture, in our world, in our time and in our place, “Faith without Works is dead---being alone.” Now, more than ever before, if you don’t walk the walk, there is no use to talk any talk, because nobody will listen. But if you do live your faith and if you have the kind of spirituality that inspires you live spiritually, being words that become fleshed-out, this makes all the difference in the world. Do you have the kind of spiritual life in Jesus and life in the Spirit which fills you heart with love for God and truly impacts how you live your life daily with others? If you have such a spiritual life, then your faith will survive and thrive in the days to come. If your spirituality, your faith and your church is nothing but a tradition, a viewpoint, or mere belief in your head, then your religion is as good as dead.
A living, practical and prayerful faith is what we see in these concluding words of Paul to the Thessalonians. If the Thessalonians did not have a faith that got into their hands and their feet and the way that they lived, then, Paul says, they would be a people “gone asleep” and “destined for wrath” rather than ready to “obtain salvation”! There are all kinds of powerful, spirit-filled, transforming images of the most practical Christian spirituality in this passage. But Paul begins already in verse 11 with the admonishment to ‘encourage one another’ and “build each other up.’ If this was our Christian spirituality, to encourage and build each other up, rather than tear each other down, would it make already make a great difference?
The other day I talked with a man who was once a member of a Baptist church in our community and he told me about his beloved pastor of 18 years. Then, the next words out of his mouth where, and then “some of them wanted him gone” and he had to leave.” “I don’t know what they found wrong with him”, I only found him to be the best preacher and pastor. When I heard these words from his lips I heard a bit of despair. These words hit me because of what the next words in this text which is a “appeal” to “respect” those who “labor among you, who have charge over us in the work of the Lord.”
Do you see the kind of spirituality Paul is advocating? He advocates a spirituality of respect, fairness, encouragement and peace. You can’t have any kind of faith, church, religion or spirituality, when people don’t respect each other. “Esteem them highly in love…” he recommends. Of course, I don’t think Paul is advocating allowing a spiritual leader to get by with anything, but I do think he reminds us that unless there is mutual love, respect, partnership, peace for those leading us and that those in leadership also respect those they lead, there is no fertile ground for a true spiritual life.
It was most interesting, years ago, when I was teaching Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Church” that one of the necessary things he did when he started the Saddleback Church was that he got rid of Business Meetings---all but one---to decide the Church Budget. His reason was that in his experience Church business meetings were not about the true mission of the church and most importantly, these were times and places where people often found ways to be a war with each other, when they should have been on mission.
I think it is rather amazing how “practical” Christian spirituality gets in this passage. Paul does conclude his letter with challenges for the church to scaling tall mountains, raise large budgets, have expansive programs or reach lofty missionary goals, but Paul sees the spiritual foundation of the church as having what the world has lost: simple respect, civility, even appreciation of each other.
But practical spirituality only begins here. He goes on to declare how everything the church does demands more than anything else: patience with each other. Paul paints Christian spirituality with very broad brush, when he challenges Christians to “admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted,” and to “help the weak.” His word of conclusion is: “Be patient with all of them!” If mutual love and “respect” is the first practical trait of a truly spiritual church, then “patience” is the second. Having patience with each other is how a church learns not to “pay evil for evil”, but to ‘seek to do good to one another and to all.’ For you see, if we can’t achieve the living out of our salvation in the church, how can even dare think it that salvation can be real for world. But when we have patience with each other, we are already showing that we have faith, not merely in ourselves, nor only with each other, but we have true faith in God.
Finally, look at the remainder of the traits of a practical spirituality: The people “pray without ceasing”, they find reasons to “always rejoice in the Lord”, and they “give thanks to God in “all” circumstances.” And when they live faith in the most practical ways, they don’t “quench” the spirit, but rather they ignite the fire of God’s purifying Spirit as they listen for the truth in the most prophetic voices while “holding fast to the good” and “despising the evil.”
What should be at the core of Christian spirituality in a world made sick by and still is sick of dangerous, even poisonous religion? Hear these three spiritual ways: RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER…PATIENCE WITH EACH OTHER… and the simple PRACTICE OF OUR FAITH IN LIFE, through a prayer (admitting what we don’t know or don’t have) thankfulness (realizing what we do have, but can’t hold on to for long) and faithfulness, (holding on the good we know to be true and letting go of the evil). It is the living practice, not the mere preaching of our faith that will take us to the future and lead us through it.
One final story about true spirituality came to me in the opening of Bill Maher’s documentary “Religulous”. His study of the ridiculous side of religion in America began at of all places a “Trucker’s Church”, he found in a small mobile building in Durham, N.C. Maher shows up at this Church with this small group of Truckers and wants to show just how religion makes people even more ignorant. He starts the conversation by asking all kinds of hard questions that these simple, hard-working guys have never thought of and he suggests that there are all kinds of contradictions in their faith which they’d never considered. During the question and answer session, a couple of truckers are confused and walk out, but most of them stay and endure to the end. Interestingly after Maher had done his best to confuse and shake the faith of these truckers and after he had worked so hard to show us, how religion breeds or maintains great ignorance. When he prepares to leave the building, the truckers surround him and ask if they can pray for him. In their very humble prayer, they are thankful for Bill and even for the work he is doing, though they don’t understand it. They express concern for Bill’s salvation and pray that he have a safe journey. And finally, they thank God and let Bill know that God loves him, even though he thinks God doesn’t exist.
After the prayer, you can clearly see that Bill Maher is not a little surprised, even taken aback. He puts his arms around the truckers and says, “Guys, I know this might sound strange coming from me, but thanks for being like Jesus. I don’t get that a lot.” I wonder what would happen if the world got more of Jesus from us?
Will we be a church that can show the world who Jesus in the most ordinary and practical ways? We’ve got to move beyond religion and get more into a living our faith. Interestingly, the most spiritual thing we can do is to let our spiritual faith become flesh in our lives in the most respectful, patient and practical ways. As the song says, “they will know we are Christians,” not by our beliefs about God, but they will “know we are Christians by our love.” This is the essence of any true spirituality and has always been and always will be what makes Christianity true. Everything else is just plain “religulous.” Amen?
© 2009 All rights reserved Charles J. Tomlin, B.A., M.Div. D.Min.
© 2009 All rights reserved Charles J. Tomlin, B.A., M.Div. D.Min.
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