Why Religion? October 18, 2009 by Nancy Petty

Text: Matthew 22:34-40

Refrain:
            Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
Give me that old time religion,
It’s good enough for me.

It was good for our mothers,
It was good for our mothers,
It was good for our mothers,
It’s good enough for me.

Refrain

Makes me love everybody,
Makes me love everybody,
Makes me love everybody,
It’s good enough for me.

Refrain

It has saved our fathers,
It has saved our fathers,
It has saved our fathers,
It’s good enough for me.

Refrain

It will do when I’m dying,
It will do when I’m dying,
It will do when I’m dying,
It’s good enough for me.

Refrain

It will take us all to heaven,
It will take us all to heaven,
It will take us all to heaven,
It’s good enough for me.

Refrain

Is it really good enough—that old time religion? A religion that is based in concepts of sin and punishment; that teaches self-sacrifice at the expense of one’s own wholeness and well-being; and that promotes the ultimate goal for humanity as getting into heaven and avoiding hell? Is it really good enough-that old time religion? A religion that paints a picture of an old man sitting high in the sky punishing us when we do wrong and rewarding us when we do good? A religion that insists there is only one-way to the Holy and Sacred and one truth for all time and all people? Do these old time religious teachings still speak to our needs and longings as people searching for faith and God in the twenty-first century? Before we answer that question, though, there is a more basic one: Why Religion? What is it that has motivated humanity to pursue religion and religious belief since the beginning of time?

To this question there have been as many theories as theorists, and while none fully captures what religion is, all offer important insights on the nature of religion and possible reasons why religion has persisted through human history. E. B. Taylor, James Frazer, Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, Paul Tillich, Soren Kierkegaard, C.S. Lewis, just to name a few, all have written volumes on their theories of why religion. Some of them say religion exists as an explanation for what we don’t understand. Others argue that it is a psychological reaction to our lives and surroundings or an expression of our social needs. The more daring say it is a tool of the status quo to keep some people in power and others out; or that religion is an evolutionary strategy for survival. The more sensitive philosophers explain the existence of religion as a way to focus on the supernatural and sacred aspects of our lives. It is tempting to ask which of these is the “right” explanation. Maybe we shouldn’t try to argue that any one of them is right and instead simply recognize that religion is a complex human institution with many angles and dimensions and layers—some we understand and some we don’t.

As I was studying this week, I read this quote: “religion could well be the most destructive and outrageous form of idolatry that our world has ever known.” This statement seems true to me. Indeed, our world has become so focused on the institution of religion that we have lost sight all together of its true purpose in our lives—to love the God of our choice with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Yes, instead of loving God, we love our religion. Instead of worshipping God, we worship our religion. And in doing so, we have lost our way as people of faith.

So, I am wondering this morning what would it mean, “to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind?” And what would it mean, “to love your neighbor as yourself?” What would these questions mean, not in theological terms, or in psychological terms, or in philosophical terms? What would these mean in terms of our lives, our days, our relationships? And how would it reshape what religion means to us today? In other words, how would or could religion bring us closer to the concept of kingdom living; the kind of living that Jesus invoked in his teaching—the kind of kingdom living that blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers.

Karen Armstrong in her book, The Spiral Staircase argues that our world doesn’t need more religion or belief but rather what our world needs is more faith and more compassion. She writes that religion is about certainty and certainty makes people heartless, cruel, and inhuman. Certainty closes our minds to new possibilities; it makes us complacent and pleased with ourselves. But kingdom living is about faith and compassion; about love and forgiveness, about grace and mercy, about uncertainty and mystery; about staying open and receptive to God’s love.

In the end of her book Armstrong concludes, “Our task now is to mend our broken world; if religion cannot do that it is worthless. And what our world needs now is not belief, not certainty, but compassionate action and practically expressed respect for the sacred value of all human beings, even our enemies.”

Practicing religion has us fighting with and killing one another—in body and spirit. But kingdom living always opens us up to the possibility of listening to one another and respecting our differences. More and more, practicing religion isolates us from our fellow human beings. But kingdom living offers us the opportunity to practice forgiveness and reconciliation. Practicing religion is often what stands in our way of loving God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind; and loving our neighbor. But kingdom living teaches us what it means to love God and our neighbor with heart, soul, and mind.

I leave you with this thought: it is not religion or right belief that the human soul longs for. Rather, what the soul longs for is to experience kingdom living—a life of compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and reconciliation. Not certainty or right belief; not power or privilege. I ask: Will we be religious people or kingdom people? Will we simply be satisfied with that old time religion? Or will we risk truly loving God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind; and our neighbor as ourselves?

To do so may mean losing our religion.