[A defence of organized religion] Part 1: Spirituality for dummies
The concept that organized religion brainwashes is hardly new. From Marx (and no doubt earlier) down to the present day, it's been an idea that has been familiar to a fairly large number of people.
First off, I'd like to agree that a lot of the time, there is enormous pressure on religious believers to follow the teachings of their religion. Other religious believers and the clergy often assume that their congregation agrees with them on most of the fundamentals of their faith, and often in strict religious families, movement away from religion or from its tenets is considered unbearable. Many religions teach people not to think about their faith, but to accept it without question. All of this behaviour is in my view, wrong.
And so, I would like to argue that religion doesn't have to be that way. Already, there exists a vast plurality of opinion among different Christian religions, for example, and as far as the entirety of religious belief is concerned across the world and throughout human history, it's the tip of the iceberg. The idea that in a large church all members must believe the same thing, is first of all unreasonable from the point of view of religious (and doctrinal) freedom, but second of all is contrary, in my view, to the very nature of religion.
God is ambiguous. My favourite verse of the New Testament, John 1:5:
Although there are many passages in the Bible that celebrate the strength and conviction of religious faith, that verse is more important for me. It's vital, because it captures the true nature of religious belief; faltering, uncertain, stumbling, with many occasions of doubt and uncertainty. This is something that a lot of religious believers will identify with (and no doubt a fair number of atheists and agnostics, too), and is in my view, something which has to be reflected more in mainstream Christian teaching, and soon. The earlier Christians (and I believe all organized religions) come to terms with the true fragility of religious faith, the sooner we will develop a religious culture of humility and openness, with people more likely to think about their faith, less likely to condemn, and more likely to discuss openly with others.
All that I have said does not imply that religious faith is wrong, or misplaced. People can draw great comfort, strength and support from religious belief, even if it's just blindly clinging to the idea of God. It's what gets some people up in the morning, who would otherwise be in a very dark place (at one time, this was true for me). Of course there is a place for blind faith, and no, it's not 'brainwashing' to talk about the security one can experience in such faith. But all people, religious or otherwise, must be allowed to arrive at a decision on this for themselves. Institutions of organized religion simply cannot put pressure on people to conform to their views about God. We all, religious believers and atheists alike, need to be humble in our approach to this issue; and the key for Christians, as far as I am concerned, is remembering that passage from John.
First off, I'd like to agree that a lot of the time, there is enormous pressure on religious believers to follow the teachings of their religion. Other religious believers and the clergy often assume that their congregation agrees with them on most of the fundamentals of their faith, and often in strict religious families, movement away from religion or from its tenets is considered unbearable. Many religions teach people not to think about their faith, but to accept it without question. All of this behaviour is in my view, wrong.
And so, I would like to argue that religion doesn't have to be that way. Already, there exists a vast plurality of opinion among different Christian religions, for example, and as far as the entirety of religious belief is concerned across the world and throughout human history, it's the tip of the iceberg. The idea that in a large church all members must believe the same thing, is first of all unreasonable from the point of view of religious (and doctrinal) freedom, but second of all is contrary, in my view, to the very nature of religion.
God is ambiguous. My favourite verse of the New Testament, John 1:5:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not yet overcome it.There are many, many implications that one could draw from this (and indeed the variety of Christian theology is a testament to this concept), but for me, it suggests the fragility of God and faith, against our lives in which both of those things are often elusive or unlikely. For one brief moment here in John, we can put all of the grandeur aside. God isn't ten thousand burning suns, a mighty wind that parts the Red Sea, or even a man who dies dramatically for the salvation of mankind. (S)He's just a light.
Although there are many passages in the Bible that celebrate the strength and conviction of religious faith, that verse is more important for me. It's vital, because it captures the true nature of religious belief; faltering, uncertain, stumbling, with many occasions of doubt and uncertainty. This is something that a lot of religious believers will identify with (and no doubt a fair number of atheists and agnostics, too), and is in my view, something which has to be reflected more in mainstream Christian teaching, and soon. The earlier Christians (and I believe all organized religions) come to terms with the true fragility of religious faith, the sooner we will develop a religious culture of humility and openness, with people more likely to think about their faith, less likely to condemn, and more likely to discuss openly with others.
All that I have said does not imply that religious faith is wrong, or misplaced. People can draw great comfort, strength and support from religious belief, even if it's just blindly clinging to the idea of God. It's what gets some people up in the morning, who would otherwise be in a very dark place (at one time, this was true for me). Of course there is a place for blind faith, and no, it's not 'brainwashing' to talk about the security one can experience in such faith. But all people, religious or otherwise, must be allowed to arrive at a decision on this for themselves. Institutions of organized religion simply cannot put pressure on people to conform to their views about God. We all, religious believers and atheists alike, need to be humble in our approach to this issue; and the key for Christians, as far as I am concerned, is remembering that passage from John.
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