| Is
Religion an Illusion?
“Religion is an illusion and it derives
its strength from its readiness to fit in with our instinctual wishful
impulses.” – Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud only had it half right. Yes, our
impulses are instinctual but why? It is because God made us like
that. We are made to worship something be it God, sex, money, life,
academics, sport or anything else. By making us God took the risk
that we would worship something other than Him, and he was right,
we do everyday. But what God waits for is when we turn back to Him
at the end of the day.
So the question on everyone’s mind…is
religion an illusion? No! How can it be? Just a look in the mirror
defies that very thought. The greatest thing satan ever achieved
was to convince people he never existed, or more to the point, does
not still exist today. There are some people (including Christians)
that see satan as an evil being from long ago who now represents
himself in the ‘negatives’ of this world. Many people
believe he is not a single being but rather a representative of
sin.
I’m afraid to say God disagrees. Jesus
spoke about the devil coming into the wilderness to tempt Him. Satan
sits on his ‘throne’ of sin and darkness and like a
spoilt, selfish brat gets his demons, his principalities to do his
dirty work for him. Religion is not an illusion but rather a result
of a fallen world. The word ‘religion’ itself portrays
a fallen relationship between us and God. God did not send His son
so that we could follow a set of rules but rather so that we could
engage in conversation with the wisest, loving, compassionate and
thoughtful warrior of all time…and even before then.
‘Compassionate warrior’ sounds like
an oxymoron to me. Jesus has always been portrayed as meek and mild
holding sheep but he is denied glory for fighting the biggest battle,
the battle of the souls.
And I hate to ruin it for you, but as my friend
Brett says: if you read the end…we win! Say it with me “We
win.” So why the hesitation? Why the lukewarm-ness? Because
satan’s demons whisper in our ears doubts and fears. Because
as Paul said: his mind chooses one path but his body insists on
taking the other! It sounds like a vicious circle, how do we get
out? By engaging in conversation with that compassionate warrior.
It sounds easy. I won’t lie to you, it’s
not. It is harder that you could ever imagine. “Following
Jesus’ footstep, and trying to live a righteous Christian
life is the most difficult and extreme challenge ever.” But
that’s why God gives us grace. “It [God’s grace]
is free but it’s not cheap!” No, not cheap…Picture
this: an innocent man given unfair sentence and killed; but not
just killed, crucified. The only sin they had against Jesus was
his disregard for the laws of the Sabbath. (Jesus healed a woman
on the Sabbath). The Pharisees however forgot that “Sabbath
was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” –Mark 2:27.
So finally my point: for those of you who don’t
believe, give Jesus a chance to touch and change your life; you
will never find a better friend. For the “head believers but
not heart believers” take this to heart and release yourself
from that psycho mumbo-jumbo satan uses to defeat us. And finally
for those of you who are on fire for God, denying yourselves and
living everyday for Him: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be
with you all, forevermore, Amen! |
