Is Religion a Thing of the Past?
0 comments | Posted by Steven Layson on 26 May 2007 in From Steve's Study ::
“I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world” – Richard Dawkins. “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you’d have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.” – Steven Weinberg. “Religion is not merely the opium of the masses, it’s the cyanide” – Tom Robbins. “I’ll keep it short and sweet – Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business” – Montgomery Burns.
I think it’s fair to say that these people are not too positive about the role of religion in the world today. For many in secular Australia, these sentiments would echo their own thoughts. As John Lennon wrote, “Imagine… no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace.”
Is it true? Does religion just cause trouble in our world? Should all the world religions be brought to an end for the good of us all? How does Christianity fit in all this? Many would say it’s one of the chief causes of the problems!
The Apostle Paul encountered a world, not unlike our own, that was surrounded by many religions. When he came to speak at the Areopagus in Athens to the great philosophers of his time, he acknowledged as much, “I see that in every way you Athenians are very religious” (Acts 17:22). However there was something missing in all their religion… or rather someone missing.
Paul went on to describe how the God of the Universe had made all things with the express purpose that people might “seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him” (vs 27). In many ways, religion is humanity’s way of trying to do just this – to find God. This is a noble pursuit at one level, but it is doomed to failure when it will not acknowledge the one who has made God known – Jesus.
Jesus came to seek those who were lost and to bring them to God. There is no other way to God except through him. Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Paul said that God has “given proof of this by raising him from the dead” (vs 31).
Maybe it is time for the end of “religion” – the process through which people try to find their way to God. Instead, maybe it’s time for people to stop and listen to God speaking to them – to acknowledge the Son of God who reveals God to us and provides the way for us to get to know him.
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