Religion's Institution?

Since when is religion a reason to do or not do something? Religion in itself is an institution, and therefore not an excuse. All to often I have heard it said, "If I wasn't a Christian I would..." or "...because I'm saved." Beg to differ with me if you like, but I doubt we will get to Judgment Day and He will excuse a murder because one wasn't a Christian, or pardon a lie because it was told by a Catholic. We should do the right thing that is innately known and taught with common sense, humanity, and love because it is right, not because our faith tells us not to.

I was raised in a VERY religious household. There is probably not one scripture in the bible someone can't throw at me and I won't be able to decipher the meaning or tell you where to find it. There wasn't one night of the week I wasn't either in bible study, family study, personal study, or doing homework for the Father. For respectful reasons, I choose to keep the religion nameless because I don't want to cause any rebuke or disdain on anyone's faith. What/who a man or woman chooses to worship I think is his business and responsibilty, and I don't want anyone's blood or guilty conscience on my hands. Thankfully, I do not possess the authority to judge. Even if I had the option to possess that authority I'd choose not to- that's just a meal ticket a bit too expensive for my appetite.

My issue, though, lies in the institution of religion. If we take away the temples, take away the buildings, take away the costumes, take away the ceremonies, we're left with everyone trying to prove one thing - the certainty in truth of their own religion. And I can't be involved in trying to put down another's beliefs in an effort to elevate my own. Going to church doesn't make me who I am, and standing in front of a group of people holding the Holy scriptures doesn't purify my soul. If we live life with the notion that no matter what we do or don't do is preceded by what's right or isn't right, respectively, then we won't need to use religion as a justification for our actions.

If what we do will not deliberately cause someone or ourselves harm, it might be safe to say that is a good deed. If what we say will not purposely discourage or inflict ourselves or someone else it might be safe to that is a good thought. It's nice to wake up and praise Him for another day, giving grace, praying for yourself and others, going out of your way to be polite when even your neighbor isn't are all good, attributable things. But what is good and what is bad isn't seperated by what water we were baptized with or where we attend on Sunday, or Saturday, or once a year.

Nietzsche spoke of the philosophy that "Reasons Relieve". In other words, as long as we have something to blame our suffering on, we'll pacify ourselves out of the pain. In more modern terms, an example is: it is believed that we suffer because God's bad angel was sent here to earth to bring reproach upon the Father's name, but because it is believed that God is protecting his faithful and will vindicate his sovreignty then "spit in my face and I will still love you," "slap my face, I will turn the other cheek."

I don't need a class in philosophy to tell me there's a spirit force among me that keeps me going and helps me endure when I don't see where the path leads. And I also don't need to donate a percent of my already taxed earnings to prove I am a faithful sheep worthy of His favor. Excuse me for stepping on any toes, but the last I checked God didn't need my money, and the first I checked why should your place of worship cost more than my abode and some of your very flock are struggling to put food on the table. I won't agree to say I will do this because I am a member of such-n-such and we are ALL about serving the community. I will do what I can do because my heart and goodness pushes me to. I won't rob my next door neighbor even when I see their flat screen would compliment my entertainment system nicely because they deserve to enjoy what the worked hard for, not because its not what a Christian would do.

I think if we shed the judgmental state and the need to be always right and justified we'll avoid a lot of frustration. I haven't attended a service to anyone's *blank* in a while, but that doesn't make me a bad person, or confused, or lost, or fallen away. I still have a very good heart, and treat people with respect, pay my taxes, hold the elevator door, say thank you and please, present myself properly, smile back when someone's smiles, carry myself like a lady, hold my temper, excuse ignorance, and aim to clarify what I don't understand instead of jumping to conclusions. And I don't need a title before my first name to show me those things.