Jesus and the End of Religion: Otherwordly religion

Jesus and the End of Religion

Jesus did not intend to establish a new religion, Christianity. Instead he showed us a new way to approach God and others. Unfortunately, however, his simple message was quickly institutionalized. Despite its many adherents, the Christian religion has lost its way and is viewed negatively by much of the world because of its history and current distortions. In the spirit of Jesus' message, it's time for religion (especially Christianity) to die, and for the resurrection of new faith and life.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Otherwordly religion

Chris Erdman in the blog Odyssey quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer on the appeal and dangers associated with "otherworldly" (i.e. focus on afterlife, heaven, etc.) religion, and offers some of his own valuable reflections:

"... there are many for whom Jesus is only a cypher for a ticket out of this world at some later date while they going on living in this world the same old way and by the same old rules that govern a dying world. Shame on this masquerade of religion that betrays the essence of the message of Jesus that meant to birth a whole new earth. The Jesus of Suburbia is escapist, otherworldly, and fails to take seriously the Jesus who makes us children of this earth with a mission for good in it."

LINK