JustDad.Blog

Do you practice religion?

Ok, so now the speculator is back. See “What are you Good At?”

For me the real question is what can I possibly add to this conversation. Or try to. I read two responses this morning: one by a Christian, the other by an Atheist.

Ironically, I found myself agreeing with both.

The Christian talked about how Christianity is about relationship, not religion. Something my blog whole heartedly stands with, as do I.

The atheist talked about how religion is at the root of many of the worlds problems… something I also find myself agreeing with.

My own city of Jacksonville has a history that agrees with this. In the 1500s: The Hugenots were the first European settlers here in America. They were French Protestants1 who came to escape the Wars of Religion in Europe.2

The King of Spain sent soldiers to kick these Protestants out of America and ended up massacring 350 of them (after surrender), only sparing some who professed to be Catholics and some craftsman.3

I’m not here to rag on Catholics. To my atheist friends point: Protestants have killed Catholics too.

So all Christianity and Religion must be bad right?

I don’t think so… that being said my true answer depends on what you mean by “religion” and what you mean by “Christian.” My atheist blogger friend also noted that religion has a lot to do with obsession.)

The Bible says this about religion:

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The word for relgion here is θρησκεία (thrēskeia) the word is only used four times in the New Testament. Twice in the book of James. Once by Paul describing his experience as a Jew in the Jewish belief system to other Jews. And once to talk about people who worship angels.

I don’t think that the first followers of Jesus thought of themselves as particularly religious.. anymore than I do… what they and I do have is a relationship with Him. I’m obsessed with Him. He is my everything… my wife is second to this obsession….but I love her more than I could possibly love her on my own BECAUSE I love Him first.

If this is what you mean by Christianity: people who are in love with Jesus or moving in that direction. People who believe He is the Son of God and He has saved them from their sins…. well the people who I know that truly live this are driven by Love (like James talks about) People like this aren’t causing the problems in the world, they are solving them.

If by religion or Christianity you are thinking of the wars of religion, Catholics and Protestants killing each other… well then I agree with my Atheist friend. It has caused many problems.

Much bloodshed has happened in the name of Atheism as well though. This doesn’t mean I throw all atheists under the bus. When Mao took hold of China… many Chinese Christians were killed and put in Prison. When Stalin was in charge of Russia (a man who really hated God) many people died there too.

This is a LONG way to answer this prompt. So let me answer it in short.

Do I practice religion?

Do I seek to care for orphans and widows and stay unstained from sin… because I am obsessed with Jesus.

Yes.

Footnotes

1. French Hugenots: see https://jeanribault.org

2. Wars of Religion: see https://www.britannica.com/event/Wars-of-Religionhttps://www.britannica.com/event/Wars-of-Religion

3. https://www.nps.gov/foma/learn/historyculture/the_massacre.htm