When I hear people say they are spiritual, not religious, I’m afraid they’ve fallen into a trap. In fact I’m afraid our whole culture is in danger of falling into a false reality. I think it came from a very good thing: the right each person has to have a voice. Giving dignity to everyone is great.
The problem is that not everybody is a specialist in everything. So each person’s voice cannot speak truth on all things. And the danger of the demand for dignity crashing into the speaking of truth, is that we are forced to value each person’s opinion as a truth just as valid as anyone else’s truth.
And then in a culture which also prizes each person’s right to happiness (also a good thing most of the time) is that each person (including myself) defines their truth to be a thing which most benefits them.
I hear a lot of people saying they are spiritual and not religious. I think some of those who say that are trying to separate themselves from the type of religiosity that have burned so many people. But I’m afraid when we say that we are in danger of swinging to the other extreme, where each of us defines whatever truth suits our preferences, instead of conforming to an objective truth with a helpful balance of freedom.
I think we (including myself) must be careful that we don’t make the purpose of religion primarily to give us peace or pleasure in a crazy world. It’s easy to create something that will do that.
The purpose of Christianity isn’t primarily about making our life better. It’s about conforming to a God who created the universe and sent his son, Jesus to communicate his love to us. The good thing is that he also happens to want the best for us which, in the long run, should also bring us pleasure.
Raw Spoon, 5-11-17
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