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Any thoughts on "Escaping Religion" by Vaughn Martin?

Never read it. But I’ll chime in that I do not like the demonization of the word “religion” that is so trendy today.

KingdomBuilder wrote:Never read it. But I’ll chime in that I do not like the demonization of the word “religion” that is so trendy today.

Some people demonize all religion.

Some people use the word "religion" to refer to hypocritical religion, the religion of the Pharisees, the politicized religion that we see all around us. One of the first books I read after becoming Christian was a study on Romans called "How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious". I should go back and read it again, but it was very helpful for me at the time.

New Christians and potential Christians need some kind of name for the kind of worthless religion that should be discarded. Actually, we all do. And calling it "religion" as opposed to "discipleship" can be helpful. Salvation is not about being religious.

Bootstrap wrote: New Christians and potential Christians need some kind of name for the kind of worthless religion that should be discarded. Actually, we all do. And calling it "religion" as opposed to "discipleship" can be helpful. Salvation is not about being religious.

That would, of course, be using the word "religion" to mean something contrary to its meaning in the New Testament.

Bootstrap wrote: Some people use the word "religion" to refer to hypocritical religion, the religion of the Pharisees, the politicized religion that we see all around us. One of the first books I read after becoming Christian was a study on Romans called "How to Be a Christian Without Being Religious". I should go back and read it again, but it was very helpful for me at the time.

New Christians and potential Christians need some kind of name for the kind of worthless religion that should be discarded. Actually, we all do. And calling it "religion" as opposed to "discipleship" can be helpful. Salvation is not about being religious.

I was originally going to post something like this snarkily, but I think I can now say it in earnest: your phrases that I've bolded are a great way to describe the worthless religion that should be discarded. Let's use them rather than redefining the word religion.

I met a woman wearing long hair, a modest dress and a head covering. I said to her "This must have something to do with religion." She snapped back "Not religion, but because of my love for Jesus!" I apologized!

As a trained field anthropologist, I get tired of this assertion that "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship". I get what people are trying to say, but it talks right past most others. 'Religion' is the sum total of the worldview of one's group in terms of faith. For the Christian, this should be the total worldview, as faith should not be compartmentalized. (But maybe the idea resonates with some listeners, I don't know. So carry on, I guess....)

Neto wrote:As a trained field anthropologist, I get tired of this assertion that "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship". I get what people are trying to say, but it talks right past most others.

Ironically, this is the kind of thing that only some religious insiders understand.

Of course, the New Testament doesn't tell us to "be religious" and generally discourages us from trying to "act religious". We are devoted to Jesus, not to religion. If we focus on loving God, loving others, discipleship, holiness, worship, etc. we move in the right direction. If we focus on being religious or looking religious to others, that often leads to the wrong kind of religion.

Whatever words we use, I think having the right focus is important. Seeking first the Kingdom of God can look quite different from what most people think of as religious. Many people who look very religious do not look much like the Kingdom of God.

Bootstrap wrote:

Neto wrote:As a trained field anthropologist, I get tired of this assertion that "Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship". I get what people are trying to say, but it talks right past most others.

Ironically, this is the kind of thing that only some religious insiders understand.

Of course, the New Testament doesn't tell us to "be religious" and generally discourages us from trying to "act religious". We are devoted to Jesus, not to religion. If we focus on loving God, loving others, discipleship, holiness, worship, etc. we move in the right direction. If we focus on being religious or looking religious to others, that often leads to the wrong kind of religion.

Whatever words we use, I think having the right focus is important. Seeking first the Kingdom of God can look quite different from what most people think of as religious. Many people who look very religious do not look much like the Kingdom of God.

Aside from the anthropology perspective, it just tends to remind me of the 'Lone Ranger' attitude expressed in the old country song that said something like
Me an' Jesus, got our own thing goin',
Me an' Jesus, got it all worked out.
Me an' Jesus, got our own thing goin',
We don' need nobody to tell us what it's all about.