WordUp by Chad Gramling

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“Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers. It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people’s business. I live by the golden rule: Treat others as you’d want them to treat you. The religious right wants to tell people how to live.”

This blunt and to the point quote had many individuals calling for then-Governor Jesse Ventura to resign his post. All he did was point out the views held by a large portion of American people – and people worldwide for that matter. These people consider themselves as spiritual and most profess to believe in God. However, they hold a largely negative opinion of those denominational structures, bureaucracies, hierarchies, churches, etc. which identify with organized religion.

In fact, in addition to members of the general populace, individuals who are often thought of as great thinkers and/or leaders have proclaimed similar sentiments, albeit much less abrasively:

“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. … Each of these churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all.”~ Thomas Paine

“This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!”~ John Adams

“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise. … During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.” ~ James Madison

Abraham Lincoln, considered by many to be our most theologically profound President, refused to join a church. John Kennedy, a lifelong Catholic, went out of his way to separate his own views from official Roman Church concepts.

These are just a few examples of a debate that has been taking place for centuries. As Madison suggests, what good has come of it? We have hundreds (maybe thousands) of denominations who all believe different things. We have denominations who insist things are to be done certain ways. Things change and evolve and then we find ourselves in the midst of “movements.” Supposedly, these movements will change the world. Rarely have they ever.

Church as it exists IS A SHAM. Jesse Ventura is correct.

Yep. I said it.

He is also correct that many who flock to a church are weak minded or simply weak in general.

Yep. I said that too. After all, I would contend that it is mostly the broken who seek out God. It’s difficult for a self-made individual who has enjoyed success absent of Christ in their life to take the same path. (If you are thinking otherwise, REALLY think about it and then be honest with yourself).

I don’t know where I am going with this argument other than to say I am discouraged with the whole “business” of church. Somewhere along the way, I have witnessed my own church and many others go from being a place of fellowship and worship to a “strategic plan” for “growth” and blah blah blah blah blah.

I see people going to church for various reasons: i.e. because they enjoy the people there, because they like to sing, because they feel like it is the right thing to do, because they want to be seen in church because it will help their public image, because they enjoy the service . . . there are countless reasons. All of them are selfish.

I hear an equal number of reasons why people leave their churches. The pastor doesn’t relate to them, they don’t like the style of music, the service is too long, they have too much emphasis on tithing, there are not enough people the same age, there is not enough kids the same age as their kids . . . blah blah blah blah blah. All of them are selfish.

I have seen people go to church for selfish reasons, leave a church for selfish reasons, do things for a church for selfish reasons, not do things for a church for selfish reasons. Simply said, people are selfish. Even when it comes to belief - - - - it is MY belief. I guess that’s because belief’s are personal. But still, they’re selfish.

Let’s forget about music, money, growth, donuts, programs . . . blah blah blah blah blah.
Let’s get back to basics.

1.) Jesus died for me.
2.) No part of that act was selfish.
3.) Maybe I should try to be more like Christ