"You Shouldn't Do That!" -- Why Religous Control Has To Go.

Colossians 2:20-23: If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" 22(which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

I was having and discussion with my son some time ago about his comparative religions class and he remarked that his professor had said that he felt religions were created for weak people so they could have power over others. I have to agree.

I really have no love of religion. That is a system by which people are told to do certain things or conform to certain behaviors to gain a spiritual level. In such systems you will see people who in all the rest of their life cannot achieve anything but who rule in the religious structure of --'don't taste that, don't touch that, don't handle that'.

In Christianity, there is the type of spirit people can develop where they see it as their sacred duty to inform the rest of us what behaviors and issues we are avoid and how we should think about them. "Don't watch that it is bad for you." "Don't read that it will corrupt your mind" "Don't send you kids to public school -- it could ruin their faith." etc. etc. ad nausium.

First of all, if my faith cannot stand up to something out there in the world, then my faith isn't worth much is it.

Secondly, where in the world do we read in the Bible that our struggle with our own sin is external. The external can tempt us but the real struggle is not out there is it. I takes place in our own hearts and minds.

Now I am not saying we can just do as we like but that the struggle we have with sin is as individual as the person and no universal rule about 'taste not, touch not, handle not' is going to stop a persons thoughts and meditations of heart.

Take the Pharisees as an example -- outwardly -- perfect in every outward behavior. Inwardly ---corrupt and unrighteous. Think about it.

Thirdly, the same spirit that thinks externals are where it is at it the same one that wants to make others conform to that behavior. Manipulation and control of others follows.

Probably the most common place to find this is in parenting -- I have watched well meaning parents force kids to church, memorize Scripture as punishment and censor their kids from certain activities, programs and books. The result universally -- when they turn 18 -- see ya! I don't want to have anything with God or religion -- time to party -- and the first thing they do is embrace all the things they couldn't do at home. The Bible -- "I was punished with it so I am going to avoid it because it is like a belt on the backside to me"

My point, no amount of external control will change the heart and until you work on a child's heart you will not see them change. Until you can get a child to be genuinely transformed by Christ, you are only delaying the inevitable by external control. Or worse, creating someone who can look good on the outside but inwardly and when they are in private is a sinner extreme.

If you want to change children you have to love them like Christ loved you -- that mean forgiveness and a lot of trust even when they don't deserve it or you think they are in the wrong. Love is a tough thing both ways.

This is none of many examples I can give but the end result is you cannot control someone to salvation.