URC Weekly 7/24/2011: When Religion Becomes Evil



Hi Family!

This past Friday, Anders Behring Breivik attacked government buildings in Oslo, Norway, and killed 76 people. Today, Breivik pleaded not guilty, claiming that he was merely trying to save Europe. Breivik also has said that he was calling for a revolution that would rid Europe of Muslims.

“The operation was not to kill as many people as possible but to give a strong signal that could not be misunderstood that as long as the Labor Party keeps driving its ideological lie and keeps deconstructing Norwegian culture and mass importing Muslims then they must assume responsibility for this treason,” according to the English translation that was read out loud in his hearing.

My brothers and sisters, we are witnessing gruesome mass violence that is so opposite of what Jesus has taught and shown. Yet this is not the first time that violence has worn religious connotation. In fact, world history is full of wars, persecutions, and murders based on one’s religion: crusades, holy wars, Roman persecution, etc.

The extremists of Christianity and Islam are turning religion into evil. Their inhumane and immoral actions are antithetical to not only to the teachings of Jesus Christ, but also to that of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. I have been studying the beliefs of Islam this summer and it is striking how similar they are to our own. Although the Muslim emphasis is more on mercy and justice rather than love, terrorism is not a part of the Muslim faith (and certainly not of the Christian faith for that matter).

We may not be able to prevent every terrorist attack, but we can spread love that will cure terrorism at its source – the evil hearts of certain extreme people. Men and women of God, religion is not evil. Institutionalized religion certainly carries negative reputation these days and rightfully so, since people have committed all kinds of wrongs throughout history in the name of God. But let us remember that the reason why we have institutionalized our faith is because there is incredible power when many people gather for one purpose.

Let us make that purpose the unconditional love of God. Let us strive together to make this world a better place. Let us begin by loving our neighbors in a way that inspires them to love their neighbors. In this way, I believe, religion will become good once again, as it is supposed to be.

• WORSHIP TIME IS CHANGING TO 10AM ON THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST
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