Religion should be defined as a relationship between a person and their god, whether that god is a single supernatural being or a multi-faceted force of life or a really tall evergreen tree. Religion, in this form, can be a powerful force for good in a persons life, offering them comfort in times of trouble, advice in times of confusion, calm in times of frenzy. And as long as one’s religious beliefs and practices cause no harm to others, this individual concept of religion offers the most direct path between a person and their god, and therefore, the best chance for a fulfilling religious experience. It is a quintessential form of freedom to be able to worship one’s god as one sees fit. Unfortunately, religion does not exist in this individual form, at least not for the majority of religious practitioners. Instead, the practice of religion has been subverted, taken away from the individual and institutionalized, then returned to the masses like a nicely packaged gift. Historically, and even today, organized religion has been used by the elite to control the general population through mystery and fear, to consolidate a certain religious point of view while demonizing all others, to eliminate differences in belief and behavior, to amass power, and as a motive for aggression. Where religion seeks to connect a person to their god, organized religion seeks to keep a person at arms length (or more) from their god and from each other.
At the heart of most religious thought is a concept of God as either an actual entity or natural force that is responsible for the creation, proliferation, and continuation of all life on this planet. (Further references to “God” should be viewed as referring to either version of god without regard to which one is chosen.) God is benevolent, omniscient, and the only true source of pure love or harmony. God is also unpredictable. Humans, according to religious theory, exist to serve God through reverence to the wonders of life and through acts of peace towards each other. Simply put, God is good and giving. God loves peace and kindness. God wants people to be good and kind too. We also need to please God because God is unpredictable. If we are not good or kind or peaceful, if we are not good stewards of the planet and its life, then God may punish us. Therefore, we should be good and kind and peaceful in order to please God. If this represents a kind of universal definition of god, then any arguments between schools of religious thought must necessarily be less substantial than would appear at first glance, focusing not so much on the concept or substance of religion itself, but rather on the human qualities of it; the rituals, the rules of worship, the mythology or history of each particular sect.
If religion is what you get when man and god commune, organized religion is what you get when men commune about god, and then decide that their ideas are the only right ideas, at least as far as God is concerned. In truth, organized religion is nothing more than another form of politics. By seeking to control not only the image of God, but also the method of communing with God, organized religion seeks to control humanity by closing the door to individual interaction and replacing that with a “gatekeeper” mentality. By establishing a human theological hierarchy, organized religion asserts that humans can have a relationship with God only by adhering to specific ritualistic actions that are designed to keep believers attached to the church (or mosque, temple, shrine, etc.) Further, specific religious doctrine relating to the characteristics of God as well as proper human behavior were developed to differentiate belief systems from each other, serving to establish human rivalries regarding religion. By insisting that only through the constructs of organized religion will people be able to find a relationship with their god, religious leaders are able to consolidate their power and influence over the lives of individuals who need the concepts of religion to complete their own journey through life, but were convinced that they could not realize that goal outside the larger umbrella of organized religion. (Strangely enough, the original religious prophets of many major religions actually did just that- they set out to find their own version of God for themselves. I wonder how the adherents of the faiths they helped organize would perceive their actions today?)
Organized religion teaches people that there is only one path to god and all other ways are false. Organized religion often offers ways to make amends for transgressions in our lives, either through some form of penance or payment, thereby excusing us from our negative behavior without serious consequence or remorse. But organized religion is not a construct of a god, it is a construct of mankind, and therefore is filled with all the negative character flaws inherent in mankind. By insisting that one’s brand of organized religion is the only true way, it is a short step to determine that all other religious thought is false at best, or just plain dangerous. In truth, the only real danger lies in the loss of power for those who seek to lead their respective religions and societies.
Organized religion is the conformation of the masses under one religious ideology for the consolidation of power over public behavior. Organized religion is about reinforcing religious theory through continual repetition, acceptance over substance, and absolution over actions. Organized religion is a contract between the rulers and the ruled, allowing the rulers to maintain the reins of power while the ruled can maintain their human existence without losing a chance at eternal joy. Organized religion is not really about promoting religion at all. Organized religion is about keeping people in the fold.
In the three main monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, no new major revelations from God have been received for centuries, if not millennia (with the exception of the Christian offshoot, The Mormons, who ascribe prophet status to their founder, Joseph Smith.) Therefore, all changes or reinterpretations of the original words of those long-ago prophets, be they Moses, Jesus, or Mohammad, are not changes from God, but adaptations made by man. One wonders if the words of God can be so easily adapted without changing the underlying concept of God then perhaps the words were never really those of God at all, but just of men trying to establish organized religions. But if all three prophets did receive “the word” directly from God, why would the message be different to each of them? Especially when they all share a common concept of whom or what god really is?
If we get back to the concept of religion being an individual journey, the need for organized religion becomes moot. Even the concept of needing a “house of God” for worship and reflection is one borne not from the religious concept, but from the desires of man to congregate with others of similar belief systems. Organized religion seldom achieves what it professes to achieve. It does not offer freedom of religious thought or enlightenment. It does not offer a barrier free path to commune with God. It does not provide assistance to the downtrodden with “no strings attached.” In all cases, organized religion seeks to use the concept of a higher power to control humanity. In most cases, organized religion succeeds in convincing humanity that different religions are not only wrong, but are dangerous. The desire of man to consolidate power through the use of religion has caused more pain and suffering that any other human institution, from the Inquisitions to the Intifadas, from the Holy War to the Holocaust. In essence, these and other conflicts merely used religion as a way to consolidate power and wealth into the hands of a few while keeping the many appeased and at bay.
The hypocrisy of organized religion is probably the most troubling aspect of all. While religious doctrine describes expectations for human behavior, organized religion creates exceptions to all of those rules. No killing, except for infidels. No stealing, except from the public coffers. No idolatry, unless you worship power or money. The list could go on, but the point is clear.
Perhaps it is time for organized religion to release its grip on humanity and allow a return to individual religious experiences. After all, the rituals and specific allegories of the prominent religions of the day serve not so much to answer the burning questions of life and death, nor do they seek to connect people to each other or to God. Perhaps it is time for less emphasis to be placed on particular religious theories and more on a universal concept of God and behavior, a concept that embraces many different paths to a higher force and that not only espouses the concepts of peace, compassion, and connectivity to each other and the world, but that actively pursues those lofty ideals.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2005 at 7:22 pm and is filed under Common Sense, Life, Religion, society.
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August 2nd, 2005 at 10:23 pm
AMEN!
August 3rd, 2005 at 12:40 am
I have something similar Cover Your Genital.
August 3rd, 2005 at 5:40 pm
Organized religion can also be beautiful. It alows you to commune with other people who share the same value an belief system. I agree that sometimes organized religion can be damaging, but it is also a way that millions of people find peace and enlightenment.
August 3rd, 2005 at 9:54 pm
Sounds like you’re trying to start a new religion 😀 No, seriously, your essay has some good points, but you do not address clearly enough the benefits of organized religion (if you think any exist).
August 3rd, 2005 at 10:03 pm
Very well written and very true.
August 3rd, 2005 at 10:05 pm
I have a somewhat relevant blog entry here : http://the-hip.blogspot.com/2005/02/preachers-influences.html
August 4th, 2005 at 3:36 am
I’ve never been a fan of organized religion. I guess what sums it up for me is Sigmund Freud’s The Future of an Illusion…
August 4th, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Great piece! You make a lot of salient points.
I think that one can commune with God with out being religious, and the connection one feels in doing so is spirituality at its most initimate, pure, and life affirming level. Spirituality requires true faith and belief, religion requires strict, unquestioning adherence to dogma; it is anything but life affirming, as religion uses fear to coerce people into complying with the dogma of the sect. Fear of God, fear of hell, fear of being ostracized from one’s community.
Having said that, I think the world would be a much better place if people became more spiritual and less religious.
August 5th, 2005 at 7:07 am
(responses)
Roximoon- And Hallelujah! Thanks for dropping by.
La Bona- And an interesting article it was, though I’m not sure I agree with the analogy. Thanks for sharing though.
Eddy- I don’t have a problem with disorganized religion at all, as it would lead to less dependence on the corrupt institution of the church and the power it wields over individuals. What’s wrong with seeking your god in your own way, without some church blessings?
And I don’t think people fear organized religion as much as they are tired of its dupicity and dishonesty. Glad for your two cents on this.
Anonymous- But couldn’t enlightenment also be found without succombing to all the trappings of the organized church? What’s wrong with a handy guidebook? Not that I have a problem with folks getting together to worship together…just think that organized religion is often used for less divine purposes. Thanks for the comment.
Todd- No new religion here. As for the benefits of organized religion…I think they do exist, but have little real religious value other than a shared superficial element. To merely claim membership to a church is not true religion. It’s no different than joining the chess club and agreeing to play by the same set of rules, whatever they may be. Hope to hear from you again.
Raven- Thank you for the nice comment.
Eko- Your post goes well with my thoughts here. I just wonder about the line- “if you don’t follow the law (of god, per the preachers) you will suffer some sort of peril” (paraphrased) and wonder how this attitude of the past is any different from organized religions today? Seems to me that this kind of thinking is a driving force behind the missionary and sometimes radical conversion efforts of Christianity and Islam to name a few. Glad you dropped by again.
Shea- Haven’t read much Freud so I’m not qualified to comment on his works, but in general I’m not a big fan of organized religion either. Thanks for chiming in.
Nigel- Thanks for concisely pointing out the difference between spirituality and religion. I agree with this thought and your final statement. Glad you dropped by.
To all- Something I received in an e-mail seems appropriate here:
“Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that ‘God
helps those who help themselves.’ That is, three out of four
Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core
of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact
uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The
thing is, not only is Franklin’s wisdom not biblical; it’s
counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message,
with its radical summons to love of neighbor.”
– Author Bill McKibben, in his Harper’s magazine essay, “The Christian Paradox”
August 5th, 2005 at 2:20 pm
Ken, I believe the main benefit, and it’s a huge one, is a sense of community – a support network. If that’s where you draw the line, I agree. What I disagree with is organized religion pushing an agenda on non-believers or those who are not of their faith. I was raised as a California Baptist in the liberal bastian of Central California. My faith is still strong, but I have always taken issue with the most difficult vocation of all, Missionary. Your job is essentially to take organized religion and sell it without tangible proof of its existence, while not taking no for an answer.
Organized religion serves a great purpose as long as it does not cross the line of intrusively spreading its philkosophy. All my humble opinion, of course. I like your non-confrontational approach to all of your topics.
August 5th, 2005 at 2:27 pm
Thanks for the kind comments at my blog; I’ve always enjoyed perusing yours, also. Keep up the good work.
August 6th, 2005 at 5:10 am
Okay, which one of these (agnosticism, alchemy, ancient mystical order rosae crucis, animism, anthroposophy, atheism, christian mysticism, confraternity of the rose cross, cosmotheism, ditheism, esoteric christianity, esotericism, freemasonry, gnosticism, gnosticism, henotheism, hindu mysticism, humanism, kabbalah, kathenotheism, maltheism, monism, monolatrism, monotheism, mysticism, occultism, panentheism, pantheism, polytheism, rosicrucian, rosicrucian fellowship, secular humanism, shamanism, suitheism, tantra) should I choose?
What about:
Babism
Bahá’í
Bahá’í Faith
Orthodox Bahá’í Faith
Islam
Ahmadiyya
Kharijites
Nation of Islam
Shiite
Alawites
Ismailis
Jafari
Zaiddiyah
Sunni
Berailvi
Deobandi
Hanafi
Hanbali
Maliki
Mu’tazili
Shafi’i
Wahhabi
Sufism
Bektashi
Zikri
Druzism
Judaism
Karaite Judaism
Rabbinic Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Haredi Judaism
Hassidic Judaism
Modern Orthodox Judaism
Reform Judaism
Conservative Judaism (Masorti)
Reconstructionist Judaism
Humanistic Judaism
Historical Sects
Hasmoneans
Essenes
Pharisees
Sadducees
Zealots
Sicarii
Ebionites
Elkasites
Nazarenes
Talmidis
Crypto-Jews
Marranos
Conversos
Jewish messianic movements
Frankists
Sabbatians
Donmeh
Christianity
Eastern Orthodoxy
Roman Catholicism
Oriental Orthodoxy (Monophysitism)
Nestorianism
Protestantism
Anabaptists
Anglicans
Baptists
Lutherans
Methodists
Pentecostals
Reformed
Calvinism
Presbyterian
Society of Friends (Quakers)
Waldensians
Mormonism
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Judeochristianity
Adventism
Seventh-day Adventist
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Samaritans
Mandaeanists
Rastafarians
Black Hebrews
Agama Hindu Dharma (Javanese Hinduism)
Shaivism
Shaktism
Smartism
Vaishnavism
Gaudiya Vaishnavism
ISKCON (Hare Krishna)
Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission
Ayyavazhi
Samkhya
Nyaya
Vaisheshika
Purva mimamsa
Vedanta (Uttar Mimamsa)
Advaita Vedanta
Integral Yoga
Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga
Hatha yoga
Siddha Yoga
Tantric Yoga
Buddhism (see Schools of Buddhism)
Mahayana
Nikaya schools (which have historically been called Hinayana in the West)
Theravada
Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism)
Jainism
Digambara
Shvetambara
Sikhism
Ayyavazhi
Zoroastrianism
Magus (see Three Wise Men)
Gnosticism
Basilidians
Bogomils
Borborites
Cainites
Carpocratians
Cathars
Marcionism (not entirely Gnostic)
Ophites
Valentinians (see Valentinius)
African religions
Akamba mythology
Akan mythology
Ashanti mythology
Bushongo mythology
Bwiti
Dahomey mythology
Dinka mythology
Efik mythology
Egyptian mythology
Isoko mythology
Khoikhoi mythology
Lotuko mythology
Lugbara mythology
Pygmy mythology
Tumbuka mythology
Yoruba mythology
Zulu mythology
European religions
Anglo-Saxon mythology
Basque mythology
Druidry (Celtic Religion)
Finnish mythology
Greek religion
Greek mythology
Mystery religions
Eleusinian Mysteries
Mithraism
Pythagoreanism
Norse mythology
Roman religion
Roman mythology
Slavic mythology
Babylonian and Assyrian religion
Babylonian mythology
Chaldean mythology
Sumerian mythology
Bön (Indigenous Tibetan belief)
Chinese mythology
Shinto
Oomoto
Tengrism (Indigenous Mongol, Tartar & Kazakh belief)
Yezidis (Modified indigenous Kurdish belief)
Abenaki mythology
Aztec mythology
Blackfoot mythology
Chippewa mythology
Creek mythology
Crow mythology
Guarani mythology
Haida mythology
Ho-Chunk mythology
Huron mythology
Ibo mythology
Inuit mythology
Iroquois mythology
Kwakiutl mythology
Lakota mythology
Lenape mythology
Navaho mythology
Nootka mythology
Pawnee mythology
Salish mythology
Seneca mythology
Tsimshian mythology
Ute mythology
Zuni mythology
Australian Aboriginal mythology
Balinese mythology
Maori mythology
Modekngei (Republic of Palau)
Nauruan indigenous religion
Polynesian mythology
Ásatrú
Church of All Worlds
Dievturiba
Ghost Dance
Neo-druidism
Judeo-Paganism
Hellênismos
Kumina
Obeah
Santería (Lukumi)
Voudun
Candomblé
Macumba
Umbanda and Quimbanda
Xango
Summum
Wicca
Alexandrian Wicca
Dianic Wicca (Feminist Wicca)
Gardnerian Wicca
Faery Wicca
Feri Tradition
Carvaka
Confucianism
Fellowship of Reason
Spiritual Humanism
Mohism
Taoism
Demonolatry
Dragon Rouge
Satanism
LaVeyan Satanism
Church of Satan
Order of Nine Angles
Setianism also spelled Sethianism
Temple of Set
The Storm
Quimbanda
Arès Pilgrim Movement
Cao Dai
Falun Dafa (Falun Gong)
Huna
Konkokyo
Law of One
Manichaeism
Unitarian Universalism
Universal Life Church
Tenrikyo
Theosophy
Seicho-No-Ie
Ayahuasca-based beliefs
Church of the Universe (marijuana sacrament)
Peyotism
THC Ministry
Burkhanism
Cargo cults
Ghost Dance
Native American Church
Rastafarianism
Umbanda
Candomble
Sai Baba/Sathya Sai Organisation
Hare Krishna
Transcendental Meditation
Sant Mat
Swaminarayan
Vedanta Society
Osho/Rajneeshism
Meher Baba (actually a Zoroastrian)
Subud
Ahmadi
Baha’i
Dances of Universal Peace
Said Nursi
Nation of Islam (Black Muslims)
Unification Church
Jesus People
Children of God
People’s Temple
Pentecostalism
Holiness movement
Iglesia ni Cristo
Soka Gakkai
Won Buddhism
Hoa Hao
Friends of the Western Buddhist Order
I-Kuan Tao
Falun Gong
Tenrikyo
Seicho no Ie
Johrei or Reiki
Oomoto
Soka Gakkai
Aum Shinrikyo
Chondogyo
Unification Church
Caodaism
Hoa Hao
Theosophy
Golden Dawn
Gurdjieff Work
Spiritualism
Eckankar
Thelema
Argenteum Astrum
Fraternitas Saturni
Ordo Templi Orientis
Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis
Church of Jesus Christ Christian
World Church of the Creator (Creativity Movement)
Church of the American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
Nuwaubianism
The Aetherius Society
Raelism
Scientology
Church of Scientology
Free Zone
Urantia, Book of
Aum Shinrikyo (Aleph)
Breatharianism (Air cult)
Brianism
Church Universal and Triumphant
Eckankar
Elan Vital
Faithists of Kosmon
Juche
Order of the Solar Temple
Process Church of the Final Judgement
Kardecist Spiritism
Subud
Virus, The Church of Yoism
I’m so confused!
August 6th, 2005 at 5:57 am
(responses)
Todd- Thanks for another thoughtful comment. Yes, if birds of a feather feel like flocking together, I’ve no problem with that, as long as they remember that their spiritual views do not give them the right to run everyone elses life. It’s fine to educate others about your beliefs, if they want to know. It’s another to force feed it throguh legislation or door to door sales.
Martian- Thanks. We can mutually enjoy each others blogs. Hope to hear from you again.
Shea- Beautiful illustration! It woould be easy to become confused if you tried to understand all of those before you could make a choice. Easier, simplier, and probably more spiritual to just keep it simple. Play nice, treat people well, don’t trash the neighborhood…it’ll all work out fine in the end. Many thanks!
August 19th, 2005 at 3:28 pm
Yes, we seem to be pretty much on the same page here Ken. Being a software engineer, I like to functionalize things on my blog. I’ll define a complex issue and assign a label to it. In this case, I call it “bat-shit crazy”, represented by the variable BSC. So, from then on, I just say “the BSC’s are pitching a fit about homos” and so on and so forth.
Where religion seeks to connect a person to their god, organized religion seeks to keep a person at arms length (or more) from their god and from each other.
I prefer to separate the concepts by the terms “spirituality” and “religion”. Religion assigns a label to a persons belief and merely groups them together with other people who think the same way. In other words, “religion” is organized by default.
Spirituality can be individual. And, while spirituality is rather harmless on it’s own, it’s still kidding oneself. It seems to me that it’s irrational to convince yourself, or have a “belief”, in something that’s improvable. It’s like me saying that I’m convinced the color of the universe is green. Well, I can’t know what the color of the universe is, because it’s beyond being observable by definition.
If I define my spirituality in that manner, I become BSC.
There is only one true spirituality in this existence. And here is the great and divine truth;
I don’t know why anything exists.
If you try to explain it beyond that – you’re making shit up and kidding yourself.
November 15th, 2005 at 3:47 pm
Writer: I would like to simply let you know that I am praying for you. It is apparent that at some point you were burned by a church, religion, person, whatever and that has clouded your view of what religion really stands for. I completely agree with you that there are those churches, pastors, leaders, religions that are hypocritical and who have made a mockery of what religion is supposed to stand for. But the truth of the matter is that we are all sinners, we are all inperfect and dirty and no matter what any man or woman says to you, that is the simple truth. If in their “religion” they try to tell you otherwise, then they are mistaken and need to check themselves. May you find the peace that you need and may God make himself shown to you.