Wednesday, September 13, 2006
The Purpose of Religion
via email from Rusty Lee Thomas
Dear Champion of the Lord and the Preborn,
The Lord richly bless you! Just received an interesting request from a student. She is involved in a history class that is exploring the world of religion. She asked me to comment on this important subject. The following is her initial request and then my response. If you find any merit, please pass it on to others.
IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,
Rusty
Rusty,
this is ruth ferrell. for history class we have to compile a survey based on the following questions: What is the purpose of religion? Is religion simply a means of social control? or Does it have real spiritual meaning? I was wondering if you would be willing to give your opinion on these questions.
Thanks for your time.
Dear Ruth,
The Lord richly bless you! Here goes.
It is our worldview that determines our definition and meaning as it pertains to religion. If one holds to a theistic (God centered) view of the world, religion will play an important role in one's life. On the other hand, if one holds to a humanistic or secular worldview (man centered), even though this worldview has been defined as an official religion, traditional religions will not resonate.
The Bible declares that man is the highest crown of God's creation and is made in God's image. Theologically this means that "man thinks God." Because God used reason, logic, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to create the heavens and the earth, these attributes in measure have been granted to man. Though sin has certainly marred and corrupted these attributes, they still function in some measure. Religion is therefore inescapable. Since time memorial man has asked deep philosophical and religious questions. Why are we here? Who am I? What am I to do with my existence? What happens after we die? Why is there evil and so much misery
in the world? Is there a God? What is He like and so forth? In man's inevitable search for these perplexing questions, different religions and philosophies have emerged over time to try and relieve man's anxiety and quest for viable answers to these tortuous questions. So, in answer to the first question, "What is the purpose of religion?" It is to find some sense of meaning and value in a world filled with suffering, pain, misery, evil, and death.
The quest then becomes whose religion is true? For the human landscape is littered with many religions that are available to indoctrinate gullible souls and the latter state of the seeker of religion can become worse than their former state without religion. The principle here is our beliefs in and of itself in any religion does not determine whether or not the religion is true. Truth must determine our beliefs. Sincerity of belief is no substitute for the substance of our beliefs. In other words, the folks on the Titanic sincerely believed the mighty Titan of the Seas would not sink. History records they were sincerely wrong. The nineteen Muslims who crashed airplanes into our buildings and brought America to its knees, sincerely believed they were serving their god, Allah. Their belief brought many innocent people to an untimely death. If these murderers could come back from the dead, they would reveal a horror much worse than the Twin Towers collapsing. Rather than joining 72 virgins as promised by the religion of Islam, they would scream of the torments of hell. Instead of entering a paradise, they find themselves in a place of eternal damnation that they cannot escape. They can't even commit suicide again to be released and no belief in the Koran will deliver them from the severe consequences of the lies they believed.
Secondly, the next question, "Is religion simply a means of social control? Oviously, in our post 9/11 world and the rise of the threat of Islamic terrorism, this question becomes crucial. Those who are suspicious of anything religious would certainly hold to this view and thus chafe against it. I can't tell you the number of people who have contacted me as one who holds to a Biblical Christian worldview and have compared me to the Islamic Fascists. Because I hold to a belief in the God of the Bible, they believe it is the same as the belief that Muslims have in the god of the Koran. Because I hold to a belief in absolute truth, they believe I'm a fanatic like crazed Muslims bent on Jihad. The truth is every religion of man seeks to control men from without. Doctrine, tenets, and rules of religion become primary in controlling the masses of "true believers." In fact, Karl Marx, founder of the religion called Communism and hater of religion true or false, defined religion as "an opiate for the masses."
Christianity radically departs from this religious process. First of all, religion is defined as man seeking God. It is man through his own efforts trying to solve the alienation he experiences from his Creator and other human beings. That is why every religion besides Christianity is based upon good works and religious duties. The brilliance and uniqueness of Christianity, however, is not man working his way to God, but God came to us to seek and save them which are lost. Our relationship with God is not based upon our obedience of keeping religious rules, which is impossible to keep, But to put our faith in the One who did, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In other words, as man is drowning in the sea of sin, alienation, despair, and death, God did not throw at us a religious rule book to control the masses. This would have only caused us to sink quicker by the weight. No, He sent a Savior to rescue us. The two, mans way to God and God's way to man, are mutually exclusive.
Besides this, a wise Congressman by the name of Robert Winthrop in the 1800s made this profound statement, "All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them, or a power without them; either by the word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet. It may do for other countries, and other governments to talk about the State supporting
religion. Here, under our own free institutions, it is Religion which must support the State."
Man, due to his sinful nature must be controlled and governed, otherwise chaos, confusion, and mayhem will rule the day. Man has two choices in solving this dilemma. He can rely on forces from without, both civil and religious, which leads tos tyranny and oppression, or man can control himself from within by the saving grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is either One Nation under God or one nation simply under.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams, Second President of America.
Our Founding Fathers knew that only "One Nation Under God" can produce order in society and freedom to individuals. They knew freedom was the power to do as we ought and not to do what we want. They knew there were two enemies to liberty, licentiousness amongst the people and tyranny in civil government. They knew self-government was the key to protect liberty. Only a religious, moral, and virtuous people who put restraints upon their appetites, lusts, and greed can remain a free people. Both the Bible and our history attests to these truths. If America does not return to these truths, America as we know it will cease to exist.
Finally, the last question was "Does it have real spiritual meaning?"
Emphatically yes, if it is true religion undefiled, it leads to salvation, freedom, liberty, and prosperity. It answers all the gnawing questions, fulfills our destiny upon earth, and leads to eternal life in Heaven. If the religion is false, however, it leads to the robbing of man's destiny here upon earth and eternal destruction to all those who are ensnared by its deception. It has profound spiritual meaning regardless. One has the power to save men's souls and the other is a lie that brings men's souls to damnation.
IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,
Rusty
Dear Champion of the Lord and the Preborn,
The Lord richly bless you! Just received an interesting request from a student. She is involved in a history class that is exploring the world of religion. She asked me to comment on this important subject. The following is her initial request and then my response. If you find any merit, please pass it on to others.
IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,
Rusty
Rusty,
this is ruth ferrell. for history class we have to compile a survey based on the following questions: What is the purpose of religion? Is religion simply a means of social control? or Does it have real spiritual meaning? I was wondering if you would be willing to give your opinion on these questions.
Thanks for your time.
Dear Ruth,
The Lord richly bless you! Here goes.
It is our worldview that determines our definition and meaning as it pertains to religion. If one holds to a theistic (God centered) view of the world, religion will play an important role in one's life. On the other hand, if one holds to a humanistic or secular worldview (man centered), even though this worldview has been defined as an official religion, traditional religions will not resonate.
The Bible declares that man is the highest crown of God's creation and is made in God's image. Theologically this means that "man thinks God." Because God used reason, logic, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to create the heavens and the earth, these attributes in measure have been granted to man. Though sin has certainly marred and corrupted these attributes, they still function in some measure. Religion is therefore inescapable. Since time memorial man has asked deep philosophical and religious questions. Why are we here? Who am I? What am I to do with my existence? What happens after we die? Why is there evil and so much misery
in the world? Is there a God? What is He like and so forth? In man's inevitable search for these perplexing questions, different religions and philosophies have emerged over time to try and relieve man's anxiety and quest for viable answers to these tortuous questions. So, in answer to the first question, "What is the purpose of religion?" It is to find some sense of meaning and value in a world filled with suffering, pain, misery, evil, and death.
The quest then becomes whose religion is true? For the human landscape is littered with many religions that are available to indoctrinate gullible souls and the latter state of the seeker of religion can become worse than their former state without religion. The principle here is our beliefs in and of itself in any religion does not determine whether or not the religion is true. Truth must determine our beliefs. Sincerity of belief is no substitute for the substance of our beliefs. In other words, the folks on the Titanic sincerely believed the mighty Titan of the Seas would not sink. History records they were sincerely wrong. The nineteen Muslims who crashed airplanes into our buildings and brought America to its knees, sincerely believed they were serving their god, Allah. Their belief brought many innocent people to an untimely death. If these murderers could come back from the dead, they would reveal a horror much worse than the Twin Towers collapsing. Rather than joining 72 virgins as promised by the religion of Islam, they would scream of the torments of hell. Instead of entering a paradise, they find themselves in a place of eternal damnation that they cannot escape. They can't even commit suicide again to be released and no belief in the Koran will deliver them from the severe consequences of the lies they believed.
Secondly, the next question, "Is religion simply a means of social control? Oviously, in our post 9/11 world and the rise of the threat of Islamic terrorism, this question becomes crucial. Those who are suspicious of anything religious would certainly hold to this view and thus chafe against it. I can't tell you the number of people who have contacted me as one who holds to a Biblical Christian worldview and have compared me to the Islamic Fascists. Because I hold to a belief in the God of the Bible, they believe it is the same as the belief that Muslims have in the god of the Koran. Because I hold to a belief in absolute truth, they believe I'm a fanatic like crazed Muslims bent on Jihad. The truth is every religion of man seeks to control men from without. Doctrine, tenets, and rules of religion become primary in controlling the masses of "true believers." In fact, Karl Marx, founder of the religion called Communism and hater of religion true or false, defined religion as "an opiate for the masses."
Christianity radically departs from this religious process. First of all, religion is defined as man seeking God. It is man through his own efforts trying to solve the alienation he experiences from his Creator and other human beings. That is why every religion besides Christianity is based upon good works and religious duties. The brilliance and uniqueness of Christianity, however, is not man working his way to God, but God came to us to seek and save them which are lost. Our relationship with God is not based upon our obedience of keeping religious rules, which is impossible to keep, But to put our faith in the One who did, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In other words, as man is drowning in the sea of sin, alienation, despair, and death, God did not throw at us a religious rule book to control the masses. This would have only caused us to sink quicker by the weight. No, He sent a Savior to rescue us. The two, mans way to God and God's way to man, are mutually exclusive.
Besides this, a wise Congressman by the name of Robert Winthrop in the 1800s made this profound statement, "All societies of men must be governed in some way or other. The less they have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government. The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint. Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled either by a power within them, or a power without them; either by the word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible or by the bayonet. It may do for other countries, and other governments to talk about the State supporting
religion. Here, under our own free institutions, it is Religion which must support the State."
Man, due to his sinful nature must be controlled and governed, otherwise chaos, confusion, and mayhem will rule the day. Man has two choices in solving this dilemma. He can rely on forces from without, both civil and religious, which leads tos tyranny and oppression, or man can control himself from within by the saving grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is either One Nation under God or one nation simply under.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams, Second President of America.
Our Founding Fathers knew that only "One Nation Under God" can produce order in society and freedom to individuals. They knew freedom was the power to do as we ought and not to do what we want. They knew there were two enemies to liberty, licentiousness amongst the people and tyranny in civil government. They knew self-government was the key to protect liberty. Only a religious, moral, and virtuous people who put restraints upon their appetites, lusts, and greed can remain a free people. Both the Bible and our history attests to these truths. If America does not return to these truths, America as we know it will cease to exist.
Finally, the last question was "Does it have real spiritual meaning?"
Emphatically yes, if it is true religion undefiled, it leads to salvation, freedom, liberty, and prosperity. It answers all the gnawing questions, fulfills our destiny upon earth, and leads to eternal life in Heaven. If the religion is false, however, it leads to the robbing of man's destiny here upon earth and eternal destruction to all those who are ensnared by its deception. It has profound spiritual meaning regardless. One has the power to save men's souls and the other is a lie that brings men's souls to damnation.
IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,
Rusty
posted by Steve Harris, 6:28 PM
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