“Religion” doesn’t work, because it is a man-powered attempt to find God. It doesn’t work, because it is the human exploration of supernatural things that has to stop when we meet the limits of our humanity. It doesn’t work, because we try to see what is invisible with eyes that can only see what is visible.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because it allows room for racism and homophobia. It doesn’t work, because it is a human system in which humanity is the only possible result. It doesn’t work, because greed, judgment, and guilt have been quartered there.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because we cannot possibly fix ourselves. It doesn’t work, because it is exclusive, condemning, and ignorant of other cultures, peoples, ethnicities, nationalities, political philosophies, and time zones. It doesn’t work, because perhaps patriotism is more valued than something like generosity or compassion.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because it has been violent (and probably always will be). It doesn’t work, because it defines people at their core, and people who disagree at their cores tend toward offense, bitterness, and isolation from each other, perpetuating an ignorance and fear of one another. It doesn’t work, because entire collectives of people have a way of being characterized as backwards, ignorant, and hypocritical due to the actions and words of very few.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because it is opposed to intellectualism, rationality, science, and common sense. It doesn’t work, because progress and freethinking have been made enemies of doctrine and truth. It doesn’t work, because it values only itself and can exist in a vacuum, contrary to the rest of reality.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because people need a hero whose reality far exceeds their own reality. It doesn’t work, because people thirst for people, not practices. It doesn’t work, because the system can be valued at the expense of the individual.
“Religion” doesn’t work, because it doesn’t care. It doesn’t work, because it cannot be satisfied, and because it cannot be satisfying. It doesn’t work, because it tells, rather than allowing for a journey of discovery.
Religion doesn’t work, because we don’t work.
It’s why God came to us. He came to abolish the human tendency to identify with a system, with a doctrine, or with an opinion. He came to redefine us. He came to identify with us, and He came to identify us with Him. He came to fix us, and He came so that we may be reconciled to Himself.
God has torn down the banner of religion. His banner over us now is love. It is possible, by His grace and power, to be a Body of believers marked by love. Religion is all but irrelevant in this day, but love continues to win hearts. Love continues to establish doctrine in alignment with His Word. Love continues to reconcile. Love continues to overturn stereotypes, and it continues to redefine the Body’s image. To love is the assignment of the global church.
His love continues to fix and to restore us. It has to.
Because, as we have seen, religion just doesn’t work.
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