It really doesn't surprise me that people are disillusioned with religion. In a time of extremism bordering on the insanity (if not boldly and unrepentantly crossing that particular line) it can be hard to fathom how in the world someone would want to commit their lives to anything so legalistic, exclusionary and hate-filled as that which masquerades as a message of salvation. I, for one, can agree. If joining up means hating others, killing oneself and others for the cause and discounting the very validity of another's right to her beliefs and feelings, count me out.
I am a believer, though. I hold a faith in something stronger, greater, and inherently better than anything humanity can attain of its own volition or power. How can that compute? The difference is that I subscribe to a religious tradition that may be even more misunderstood than Islam. If for no other reason than the fact that Christianity is more prevalent. (For the record, I don't presume to speak for any other society than the one in which I live. And that happens to be America.) After 9/11 America largely committed itself to a knee-jerk reaction that labeled all Muslims as terrorists. Very sad, but very typically American. I am sorry and upset by this.
More and more, though, I am coming to terms with the fact that people just don't understand what Christianity is all about. And this is manifesting itself in various ways that far overshadow what Muslims in this country may be feeling (if for no other reason than sheer numbers). Most of this, unfortunately, is perpetuated by so-called Christians, themselves. Legalism, hypocrisy and a holier-than-thou attitude from the Religious Right and other religious groups and people are the culprits that have contributed to a general disgust and even hatred of anyone who professes belief in a higher power, let alone Jesus Christ.
Quoted in the Indianapolis Star, Robert M. Price, a former fellow with the Jesus Seminar (a group of scholars who raised questions about the truth of parts of the Christian Bible) said,
"I get the impression that [people] have just sort of had enough of the Taliban and Jerry Falwell and people like that saying, 'I've got the word of God in my pocket, and you better do this and not that or you are going to hell," Grouping Jerry Falwell with the Taliban is a bit dubious, but in many ways I have to agree. Not with Price's premise or his beliefs about the Bible and its veracity, but with his general feeling about the job religion (mostly "Christianity" of one sort or another) has done in this country and others. Anyone who believes in God and professes to know the mind of the Creator must be taken to task for trying to be the child who wants to rule the house. If you believe in God, you must believe He is greater than us. And if He is greater than us, how can we presume to judge on His behalf?
I look to the Bible to find the answers. The Bible is many things: allegorical, mythological, sometimes contradicting, and even oftentimes offensive. It has something that no other text in history can hold a candle too, though. Truth. The Old Testament can be seen to condone slavery, oppression of women, and a sense of legalism that makes anything in current times seem minuscule. It has been used in and out of context to justify numerous atrocities. If we still had to live by Old Testament Law, we would stone our children for misbehaving and keep women in "their place." Jesus, and His actions which inspired the New Testament destroyed all of that.
Although I believe the Old Testament still has much to render in this debate, no longer are we expected to sacrifice an animal to atone for our sins. No longer are women subservient or even sub-human. No longer are purveyors of atrocities (who repent and believe) doomed to hell. And that includes the average person on the street doing what humans do best: wrong. Instead, we are given a gift. Jesus' death was the greatest gift anyone has ever given. He has taken our wrongs, and misdeeds unto himself and paid the price for us. It is a price that calls for death. But Jesus has called us OUT of death, by dying in our place.
This is the very definition of love. Love is wanting the best for someone else. Love is not judging, but accepting and caring. Love is taking the bad of someone else so they don't have to keep it within themselves. What has Jesus been given in return? Hopefully our love for Him.
This is grace, my friends. This is what true Christianity is all about. Love. Hatred plays no part. Legalism plays no part. Holier than thou plays no part. Judging plays no part. No one earns their way into heaven. Because no one can. Along with a belief in Him, we are given a gift that allows us to be horrible people, but still loved and accepted by our Father, God Himself.
Something else is important to realize, though. We have been given free will. We don't have to believe. We can choose to do whatever we want. We are allowed to hate God. We are allowed to reject His gift and attempt to do it on our own. We are even allowed to deny his existence and decide that there is no higher authority and therefore nothing to live up to. The subjectivism of this notwithstanding. Hating someone or killing someone for contrary beliefs has NOTHING to do with Christianity (or true Islam, for that matter). Jesus Christ, the namesake of the cause, did not do this. He loved his enemies. He killed no one. He spent time with people who were horrible and hateful and unrepentant in order to show His love. And He was sacrificed for them. Not just the so-called "good." Not just for the preachers and the purveyors of Christian wisdom. He didn't die for Billy Graham alone. He died for the lost. He died for the fallen. He died for the doomed and the hated. He died for ALL of us. No exceptions. None.
Religion sucks. Dogma sucks. Legalism sucks. If we had to live by that I don't even know where I would be. I am no saint. But religion is something man has taken and perverted in his own image. God and His son Jesus are good. God is love. God is there for everyone without worrying about the color of your skin or your profession or your particular faults or even your particular sins. God sent Jesus to atone for every person on the face of this earth and (pay attention Christians) loves EVERY person and values EVERY person as well. Those of us who already are Christians should spend some time contemplating this and lose our own prejudices in favor of love and the amazing grace of God. For those who don't know, don't acknowledge or even hate God, I pray for you to find a love that is more than any love on this earth, and accepts and even loves, even you.
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