Thoughts
that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking
Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to
the audio file.
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"The Book of Job is a sad expression of what religion does to individuals when it applies important concepts from the wrong perspective."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 52.
So many people have been turned off by religion. It's no wonder. Somehow we have take a simple concept, being created to be loved by our creator and turned it into a system where we can do things religion was never intended to do,
I did something I often do and looked up the word religion. Wow did that ever shed some light on the reasons why the world has found religion to be something less than appealing over the years. Of the four definitions stated in Webster's online, only one of them doesn't repulse me. Yet even that definition kind of misses the mark. When you have time, look up the definition and see how those descriptions sit with you.
In the resource I used religion was described using words like system, institution, conformity, a cause and a principal. Such clinical and sterile words to describe something that should be alive and relevant. Those words make it as though everything about religion is up to us - that's a strategy that is rife with failure filled opportunities. Remember, where there is long term failure, victim thinking can't be far behind.
Probably the most condemning thing I saw when I looked up the word religion was its origin. As the word was traced back to its roots Webster's online ends their linage tracking with this; "perhaps from 'religare' to restrain, tie back". The word religion might actually have its roots in a word that means to restrain or to tie back. Does this bother anyone else besides me?
I would never willingly be a part of something that promises to tie me back or to restrain me. Too much of this world is in the restraining business. Why in the name of all that is good would I volunteer for something to foster my personal belief system that promises to hold me back. If you have been turned off by religion because of this possibility, I don't for a minute blame you.
In fact, you are in good company. Jesus himself felt the same way when it came to religion's ability to restrain freedom in the lives of people. Take a look at today's Bible verse to learn more.
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Matthew 23:3-4 (NLT)
The "they" Jesus is talking about here are the religious leaders of that day. At the time, those leaders had instituted a growing list of do's and don'ts that were crushing the people. Freedom was the furtherest from their minds. They used the system of rules to make people conform to an institution that thought it's cause and principal was the most important thing to uphold. Notice I used every word expressed in the Webster's definition in that last sentence to describe the religion Jesus railed against? Religion is so quick to take on the role of judge, jury and jailer when it comes to the expectations the leaders see as requirements to worship the God they say they follow.
I see the power of religion as something different. religion isn't about rules and regulations. It is about relationship. Jesus was quick to point that out as He went about freeing people from the oppressive system that had worked its way into power when it came to relating to this God they knew. When we take important concepts regarding relationship and misapply them for reasons other than growing that relationship victim thinking damage is the result. Religion has gotten the deserved reputation of misapplying relational concepts that destroy the ability for followers to grow in the relation it is to be promoting in the first place.
So, what are we to do about all this? Do we abandon the entire system or fight to make it change? I have to be honest, I really don't know how to answer that except to encourage you to step deeper into relationship with God and see what He says about the subject. You weren't put here to change a religious system, you were put here to be loved by God. You might find that as you grow in your relationship with him you may be called upon to make major changes in the current system you are in. Or, God may have other plans.
We weren't created to form a system, build an institution, uphold a cause or push a principal. We were made to relate to our maker. He calls us His Children. For that reason we should never allow ourselves to be tied back or restrained by anything, including religion. If we do, our victor status is something that might be in jeopardy as the victimizing events that come with lack of freedom pile up in our lives.
**********
"The Book of Job is a sad expression of what religion does to individuals when it applies important concepts from the wrong perspective."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 52.
So many people have been turned off by religion. It's no wonder. Somehow we have take a simple concept, being created to be loved by our creator and turned it into a system where we can do things religion was never intended to do,
I did something I often do and looked up the word religion. Wow did that ever shed some light on the reasons why the world has found religion to be something less than appealing over the years. Of the four definitions stated in Webster's online, only one of them doesn't repulse me. Yet even that definition kind of misses the mark. When you have time, look up the definition and see how those descriptions sit with you.
In the resource I used religion was described using words like system, institution, conformity, a cause and a principal. Such clinical and sterile words to describe something that should be alive and relevant. Those words make it as though everything about religion is up to us - that's a strategy that is rife with failure filled opportunities. Remember, where there is long term failure, victim thinking can't be far behind.
Probably the most condemning thing I saw when I looked up the word religion was its origin. As the word was traced back to its roots Webster's online ends their linage tracking with this; "perhaps from 'religare' to restrain, tie back". The word religion might actually have its roots in a word that means to restrain or to tie back. Does this bother anyone else besides me?
I would never willingly be a part of something that promises to tie me back or to restrain me. Too much of this world is in the restraining business. Why in the name of all that is good would I volunteer for something to foster my personal belief system that promises to hold me back. If you have been turned off by religion because of this possibility, I don't for a minute blame you.
In fact, you are in good company. Jesus himself felt the same way when it came to religion's ability to restrain freedom in the lives of people. Take a look at today's Bible verse to learn more.
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Matthew 23:3-4 (NLT)
The "they" Jesus is talking about here are the religious leaders of that day. At the time, those leaders had instituted a growing list of do's and don'ts that were crushing the people. Freedom was the furtherest from their minds. They used the system of rules to make people conform to an institution that thought it's cause and principal was the most important thing to uphold. Notice I used every word expressed in the Webster's definition in that last sentence to describe the religion Jesus railed against? Religion is so quick to take on the role of judge, jury and jailer when it comes to the expectations the leaders see as requirements to worship the God they say they follow.
I see the power of religion as something different. religion isn't about rules and regulations. It is about relationship. Jesus was quick to point that out as He went about freeing people from the oppressive system that had worked its way into power when it came to relating to this God they knew. When we take important concepts regarding relationship and misapply them for reasons other than growing that relationship victim thinking damage is the result. Religion has gotten the deserved reputation of misapplying relational concepts that destroy the ability for followers to grow in the relation it is to be promoting in the first place.
So, what are we to do about all this? Do we abandon the entire system or fight to make it change? I have to be honest, I really don't know how to answer that except to encourage you to step deeper into relationship with God and see what He says about the subject. You weren't put here to change a religious system, you were put here to be loved by God. You might find that as you grow in your relationship with him you may be called upon to make major changes in the current system you are in. Or, God may have other plans.
We weren't created to form a system, build an institution, uphold a cause or push a principal. We were made to relate to our maker. He calls us His Children. For that reason we should never allow ourselves to be tied back or restrained by anything, including religion. If we do, our victor status is something that might be in jeopardy as the victimizing events that come with lack of freedom pile up in our lives.
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