Bad religion

Mark 14:56-65 (TNIV) -

56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: 58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’ ” 59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked. 64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death. 65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

My thoughts -

What would cause someone to mock another person, to beat another person, to spit on another person, and to condemn another person to death? Unfortunately for far to many the answer to that question is their religion.

Jesus was killed in the name of God. Jesus himself being God incarnate makes this somewhat ironic. But it never ceases to amaze me how much hatred our God of love can inspire.

It's September 11 and some of us religious people are celebrating it by doing stupid stuff in the name of God. There's a pastor down in Florida who wants to burn a bunch of copies of the Quran to mark the occasion. He's even crazy enough to believe that moderate Muslims shouldn't have a problem with this, only extremists would. It takes a special brand of narcissistic fanatical lunacy to not be able to see that when you do something that pretty much everyone in the world agrees is vile they're not the "extremist", you are.

But fanatical lunatics don't need a special occasion to be crazy. We've got religious people blowing up clinics, murdering doctors, telling us who God hates, spewing vile bigotry and homophobia, and flying planes into buildings all the time.

If you think God is telling you to hate your neighbor, here's a tip:

THAT'S NOT GOD YOU'RE HEARING.

God is love. If you feel called to hate that's not God's fault. That's your religion.

And it's a bad one.