Absurdity and the Christian Religion

The Christian Religion is absurd.  Now I have offended everybody.  But wait!  I said “religion,” not Faith.  There’s nothing absurd in believing in Jesus whom many call The Christ.  In fact, I believe very strongly not only in the existence of Jesus but that he was the Son of God and that his mission on the earth was to teach humans how to live and to redeem humankind from a bad fate by some supernatural and mysterious means.  Faith in Jesus is great.  The Christian Religion is absurd.

For example: The Vatican has created new sins.  Poor sinners have even more “sins” to worry about.  Besides terrible Cardinal Sins and all the little sins we’ve been whacked about with over the centuries the Powers that Be in the Catholic Church has heaped a few more.  Darn shame we can’t by dispensations like folks used to be able to!  Oh, well, I couldn’t afford them anyway. 

Afraid of going to hell?  Then you better recycle!  Terrified of that fiery lake?  You better not be involved in cloning or any kind of medical research dealing with stem cells.  Want to keep your hide from the crisper?  Better fight to save the planet.  Since we don’t have a blue bin with that triangle on it I suppose we’re toast.

Give me a break.

“But I’m not a Catholic!!”  If you are a member of the Christian Religion I will disagree.  Your declaration is another reason the Christian Religion is absurd.  Every major denomination in America, save one or two, are branches off the same crooked tree that modern Catholicism comes from, a Blooming Contradiction of a tree planted by a Roman Emperor and watered by the blood of millions of people who fell at the feet of glory and power seeking church leaders.  If you don’t believe me, look it up.  Learn the history of YOUR denomination.

Most Protestants point back to the Reformation.  Guess what.  It wasn’t the doctrines of the church that Calvin and Luther objected to so much.  It was the practice.  There has not been anything “Christ-like” in any of the major denominations, left or right, since they were formed.  The structure, the attitudes, the power-seeking hierarchy exists everywhere, even in purportedly “independent” associations.  It’s there.  It’s just more subtle in some than others.

It doesn’t matter what the association or bishopric or head honcho’s are called.  ‘Doesn’t matter if they do not control activities of local congregations or regulate every single aspect of the local church.  They still dictate doctrine and beliefs.  They say what members of their church organization can officially believe.  They publish the literature.  They explain the practices.  They teach the sacraments and how sacraments are done.  And they define sin, whether it’s as obvious as the Vatican’s decree or the “suggestion” to be more ecco-friendly made by the Southern Baptist Convention.

The Christian Religion, like I said, is absurd.  It is absurd because it bases its rule-making on a collection of legal statutes that its penultimate leader, Jesus, cast aside.  Jesus threw out all the Old Testament and Jewish law and replaced it with two very simple, easy, and straightforward commandments which not a single Christian Religion (denomination) honors.  How absurd can one be if one ignores his spiritual leader and guide and instead decides to make up books of rules that contradicts what he taught?

When I was growing up I was always confused by the schizophrenic nature of my religious instruction.  I was taught that Jesus loved everybody, “red and yellow, black and white, they’re all precious in his sight.”  Right?  No.  Blacks were “N…” (that horrid word) and “knew their place.”  Jesus set us free, forgives us, but then if we don’t do every single thing right we’ll go to hell.  Are we forgiven or not?  Sunday school teacher said Jesus did away with the Jewish law but Reverend in the Pulpit preached about hell and pounded the podium as he quoted the same Old Testament that Jesus did away with.  Huh?

In fact all the “rules” I have ever been taught came from that book of rules Jesus treated with disdain and disrespect.  Even the “Pauline” rules have their roots in the Hebrew Scriptures which Paul knew extremely well and which he fought for before he was zapped on the road to Damascus. 

Jesus didn’t just NOT follow the law, he flaunted not following the law.  What he did would be tantamount to walking into one of the local holier-than-everybody-else congregations smoking a joint and escorting a couple of hookers.  Why did Jesus do such things?  Because HE said the Jewish Religion was absurd.  Since the Christian Religion is born of Judaism cum Christ, the Christian Religion is also absurd.

Christian Religionists will forever condemn people like me, and me especially.  I’m being rude, self-righteous, disrespectful, and I’m sending myself to hell.  They’ll think that.  They’re wrong.  I’m following in the footsteps of that Person whom I have absolute faith and belief in: Jesus.  I love him and his Father with all my heart.  I love all others.  I respect every individual who has touched the mind of God no matter what he calls himself.  But I can’t sit idly by and say nothing when so many people I really do care about are so bound up in absurd religious practice rather than enjoying the peace, love, and grace available to every human who recognizes the Truth of Jesus and the freedom he gives.

Hate me if you wish.  I love you so I just can’t keep my mouth shut.  I am not a Christian religionist.  I follow the teaching OF Jesus, not the religion about him.  I worship God in the name of Jesus, I do not bow to the Son and ignore what he and his Father said.  I obey his commandments as best I can.  Those commandments tell me to love God with all my heart and love others instead of myself.  I know that in following them all other rules are superfluous—they are not needed.  If I love others I will respect others and the home where they live.  That home is called Planet Earth.

What the Vatican and every other Christian Religious group SHOULD do is teach Jesus’ two commandments and practice them absolutely.  But that would mean a few—or a lot—less gilded cathedrals or massive sanctuaries, wouldn’t it?  Ahh, but I meddle so I shall rest my pen for now.