Damn You, Religion!

Religion.

We think of it as a good thing. Religion brings better morals and children who are well-behaved and controllable human beings. It tells us how to act and gives us guidlines and rules for situations. It makes us better people.

But does it?

God says He just used the law to show us how we absolutely couldn’t make it to perfection.

Jesus roars “I have come that they may have life and have it ABUNDANTLY!” And then Paul comes along in all of his zeal and cries out “It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you FREE” And something in the human heart should leap at those words. You mean I don’t have to be trapped by guilt any longer? You mean I’m not obligated to think only about myself? You mean this life can actually be enjoyable and filled with hope and encouragement and even laughter? But instead, religion rears his ugly head and starts speaking ‘shoulds’ and shouldn’ts’ and telling us all about how we need to be

Religion is the law. And the law only brings death. So while I have been busy feasting at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil I’ve been slowly dying. In the meantime, Life is just waiting for me. Readily displaying it’s fruit for me to take hold of and claim. And I have turned back… and back… and back to good and evil. Oh when will this heart of mine learn that intimate relationship is really the only way to live?

So how do I fight religion? Not with nasty words focused on right and wrong. But by being me. By being Annie Rose following what my Daddy says and where He moves.  I don’t want to be natural Annie Rose. I can learn to be supernatural in the simplest of natural ways. And I enter into relationship. Relationship with my Father in heaven. Which isn’t always going to be perfect. It might be dangerous. I might be on the edge. It might not have any guarantees. But I will live it just the same

So religion, I want nothing to do with you. There is a swaying dance of life that I am invited into. Where He whispers and I perk my ears to hear. It is romantic and adventurous and altogether more than I can handle. And somehow when I dance with Him, it entices others to dance.

It’s like when you watch a bride being loved well by her husband. As you watch him compliment her and lead her and support her in every moment, something in your heart is healed. At least that is true for me 🙂 Because all of a sudden there is hope again that there really could be a life that is that good, and I really have the possibility of being that loved and pursued.

 

Anyway these are thoughts that were started in Spain and completed after a month of being home. And still so true! 🙂

Religion, you are done. Intimacy, you’re what I was created for!