Losing My Religion

religion

Religion is too hard. That’s why I’m giving it up. Too many rules to remember. Too many toes to look out for so that I don’t step on them. Too many fragile egos to stroke, my own included.

Reflecting on my faith life, I made the following statement on Twitter the other day:

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Taken at face value, that’s quite the statement. And, really, it is. I didn’t come to this conclusion on my own, however. Neither am I alone in my assertion. From Kristin:

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How Do You Lose Your Religion?

This begs the question that Kristin asked, “Just what does this all look like anyway?” Giving up a humanly structured religion sounds noble, but just how does one put this lofty idea into action? Allow me to offer a simple starter list as to what I’m thinking:

  1. Dying to self: I realized recently that there is very little dying to self involved in my walk with Jesus. My natural instincts win out most of the time. This is ironic because the promise of the Christian life is to be led by the very Spirit of God and not our natural instincts. When we reject Jesus, we reject life. I want to embrace life. Therefore I need to put to death my old way of living.
  2. Being Spirit-led: One of my professors recently stated in class, “I challenge you to spend more time praying for your sermon than you do reading commentaries for it.” Wow. That hit me right between the eyes. But he’s right–how often do I look to the words of people rather than consulting the Spirit who wrote the Scriptures in the first place? Granted, this approach is more “messy,” but much more life-giving.
  3. Judging the hearts and motives of people: I have no idea what’s going on beneath the surface of most everyone’s life. Neither do you. So I’m going to stop acting like I do. I can only judge by the fruit I see coming from someone’s life. That’s it. I’m going to stop looking at people and assuming I know where their heart is with God. For all I know the drug-addicted, transvestite prostitute could be miles ahead of me on the road to eternity. I just don’t know. You may not have as flagrant a besetting sin as drug addiction or prostitution, but as my mentor says, “You have herpes of the soul.” Vivid. True.

The implications for following Jesus instead of cut-from-stone, person-centered religion are staggering. Asking Jesus to “teach me, LORD” affects every aspect of my life: From my marriage to my ministry; from the books I read to the way I treat the cashier at Target; from planning a ministry event to spending offering dollars. But I’m ready for it.

So ready for it. Are you?

How are you losing your religion?

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Contributor: Justin Wise

I am a religious deviant who enjoys coffee, collared shirts, spending time with my wife and son, learning about quantum physics and creatively exploring the riches of the Spirit of Christ. Find more here: JustinWise.me
  • Hey Justin, great blog. Love reading.

    For an interesting read (and maybe you're already in the know) check out William Lobdell's 'Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America-and Found Unexpected Peace'
  • I'm glad i read this post! I'm giving up religion as well and focus more on developing my relationship with Jesus christ! God bless you Justin!
  • I enjoyed your dialogue with Bryne... when I think of religion I think of man's way to worship God, therefore all religion is essentially "man made". Dan Kimball recently blogged about "organized religion" and the downfalls of it all. For me the problems are not that we all have an approach to religion or to God for that matter, but with the organized masses that say you have to do it our way to really get to God! This is what has caused so many issues for the Jesus in his day and for the church throughout history. I think this is why the first Christians were known as followers of The Way... Jesus did say I aM The Way, The Truth, and The Life!
    Peace
  • Ryan C.
    I was reading "Searching For God Knows What" by Donald Miller the other night and he wrote about how when we go to church and take communion it's such a stretch from how Jesus and the disciples did it. We stand in line, staring at the back of a fellow church member completely unaware or what do to with our hands so we'll fold them or twiddle our thumbs while listening to some melodramatic hymnal that provokes deep thought. We take the bread and the wine, hit the refresh button and start over. Donald Miller referenced the initial "communion" between Jesus and the disciples and made me think how "man-made" (as you reference) we make communion, a cornerstone of attending church. Does that apply to this post?
  • kt_writes
    I'm so glad you're following up on this! I figured you were in your own mind and heart, but I couldn't help being curious about how it would play out. Too often I "decide" I'm going to do something like this, but end up doing nothing because there's not enough concrete mixed in with the abstract.

    I LOVE your third point. I have grown so much in this way (and by seeing people more this way) in the past few years. I'm still working on it.

    Your second point is humbling and critical. Even though I'm not writing sermons, I can easily apply the heart of that to aspects of my own life.

    But I'm still wondering about your first point. I get it, but I'm just wondering how you work at *doing* it. I'm not trying to be a pain, but maybe you can elaborate on that next? :)
  • Well said. One step towards losing my religion has been to constantly ask myself a question I believe Anne Lamott put on the table in Bird by Bird: How / in what ways am I creating God in my image?
  • amydau
    Here is (what I think is) an excellent sermon about this topic....following Jesus' leadership, even in our spiritual lives. http://joannareyburn.com/audio/grumpy-dead

    Isn't it funny how we talk about trusting Jesus with our money, with our relationships, with our time, with fill in the blank. However, we rarely talk about trusting Jesus fully with our spiritual journey (or development or "walk" or whatever you want to call it). He is FULLY trustworthy, the Father has FULLY trusted Him to redeem humanity. And I have a hard time trusting Him to lead "MY quiet time"...sheesh.
  • amydau
    I lose my man-made religion when I stop thinking that I am working FOR God and I partner WITH Jesus in every aspect of my day. "Apart from me you can do nothing..." John 15
  • One way that I constantly battle religion is battling my own religion.
    Meaning I have created my own god and religion that is a mutated form of Christianity. I often have to let go of being god and let God take control of my life.
  • brynelewisallport
    justin, is the problem really that religion is "man-made"? wasn't god "man-made" in jesus christ? wasn't the whole point of the incarnation to create a "man-made" witnessing community?

    if the purpose of the gospel is to establish a community, then that community, like all communities, needs a shared vocabulary of beliefs and practices. a shared vocabulary makes corporate growth and worship possible. religion is our shared vocabulary.

    now i'm not claiming that what religion says about the gospel is without reproach, but religion is also capable of speaking life into its adherents and out to the world. religion is not wholly lost and its worth not wholly losing.
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