Religion or the Church

The more I read the more I think I know. However when the subject is God and Religion thinking we know something is not the same as knowing. I, therefore, cannot pretend to know anything. I have opinions and I like to think they are educated but in the end none of us knows anything when it comes to religion.

When those that criticize religion state that religion has been the reason for war and death from the beginning of time they are right. That is however not so much a mark against religion but the interpretation of religion by the ever fallible man.


It seems that the more I learn, the more I read and thus the more I at least think I know it becomes easier and easier to have the opinion that church is to religion like makeup is to a woman. It might dress it up, it might make it look prettier. But only to those that are looking for beauty in the wrong places. A woman without makeup can have an aura of loveliness that a woman with makeup can never match. The same is true for religion.

The Bible and religious writings can be interpreted a thousand different ways. We all feel good about the interpretation that makes us feel good about ourselves and shines us in the best light. I am no different.

By what I read Jesus was pretty clear on his teachings. He felt that the church was corrupt. We have seen the stories, tax collectors and usurers in the temple. Jesus did not believe in all the layers that had been placed between a man and his God.

Today it is much the same. Reading Gary Wills and his treaties on religion he is consistent and clear in the corruption of the church.

Why is this so? Surely most men and women who become priests, ministers and rabbi's do not start off intending to hurt religion and faith. They all have visions of doing the right thing and being God's instrument.

I do believe however that when religion becomes about the size of the building, the glamor of the chandelier or the many, many programs offered for members it becomes less and less about religion and more about a club,

Years ago I attended a small church in a small town. As the Congregation grew they were doing double services. Soon enough the desire to build a new church was fulfilled. It was not a bad thing, but the question could be asked was it needed. What efforts could those monies have gone to other than gratifying a desire to have a bigger, better church.

Andrew Sullivan wrote yesterday a piece on religion. About how the Catholic Church has lost it's way through numerous scandals and that American Catholics have been moving steadily away from the Papal edict since the 1968 encyclical against the pill and birth control.

It does not mean that we do not have Catholics and that many of them are not wonderful, good folks, but the church itself is corrupt. The question is can any large organization be a force for good.

Roger Williams believed that the Catholic Church was set up on a bad precedent as the Apostolic Succession had been corrupted. I think it is, in looking at the line of Popes through the years after Christ, that this is so.

Roger Williams believed that the division of church and state was not so much an issue of protecting the state from the church as most liberals today struggle to do but to protect the church from the state. That is that any combination of the two forces will in the end corrupt the church.

It has proven to be the case. Ministers speaking from the pulpit offering advice on how to vote. It is not what should have been. Jesus said give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Surely who is President should not be a church issue. Would not it be good if the only message from the pulpit was to pray for the President no matter the party.

I feel like I am religious. I I try to be a good person. I am always trying to read something that helps me improve my mind as relates to spiritual thought. I want to better myself. It becomes clearer and clearer that religion, organized religion does more to turn people away everyday. Hopefully not from good faith, and faith in good but certainly from a belief in organized religion.

As politics is portrayed as a battle between the immoral and the moral it becomes less likely that folks of good will but differing opinion can work together. This has become the issue with religion being involved with politics. It becomes a divisive entry.


With men of goodwill it should not be.