I’d like to give my general opinion on religion. I can be terrible at explaining things well, so bare with me 😛.
(Also note that I have minimal knowledge on religions other than Christianity, and that I will be referring to Christianity specifically.)I am a Christian. I believe that Christ is true. That the man named Yeshua (we call him Jesus, the Christ), whose life is documented in the Bible, is the son of God. To me, these things are truth. Not merely thoughts that I exercise as possibilities. Not something I just tell people “I believe it is true.” The Lord God almighty reigns over the Heavens and the Earth. Christ Jesus is the truth, the way and the life.
Having stated that, I would like to continue in saying that I really kinda hate religion. Now, I realize that Christianity is a religion/religious belief by definition. That is not what I’m referring to. I’m talking about the religiousness that blinds people from the truth.
Religion is just rules. It’s not about truth, and love, and relationships. It’s about following the rules, and asking for forgiveness when you break one; and by doing so you buy your eternal life. As long as you follow God’s ten commandments throughout the rest of your life (and be forgiven when you fail), you’re good to go.
It’s also generally held under heavy organization. I’m specifically referencing the Catholic Church, though I’m sure there must be organized religion on a similar level somewhere.
It was the religious men who crucified Jesus on the cross.
I’m not really sure where else I’m goin’ with this, so I’ll just leave it at that.
I’ve noticed a lot of criticism of the Catholic Church lately. I actually really love and respect that institution. Sure, it utilizes more than the Bible as a source, but I assure you, so does Protestantism, even when they pretend not to.