I
recently took a class that left me with so very many emotions—some very
conflicting, very objectionable, few truths, and some very ludicrous. What is
really bad is that I already am anti-organized religion and feel the “Christian
Community” of the 20th and 21st centuries is already
misguided and misguiding to a certain extent by religious doctrine. This is was
just another flame into the fire of reality—theoretically speaking.
John
Milton contended: “It was also evident
to me, that, in religion as in other things, the offers of God were all
directed, not to an indolent credulity, but to constant diligence, and to an
unwearied search after truth; and that more than I was aware of still remained,
which required to be more rigidly examined by the rule of Scripture, and
reformed after a more accurate model. I so far satisfied myself in the
prosecution of this plan as at length to truth that I had discovered, with
regard to religion, what was matter of belief, and what only matter of opinion…
I earnestly beseech all lovers of truth, not to cry out that the Church is
thrown into confusion by that freedom of discussion and inquiry which is
granted to the schools, and ought certainly to be refused to no believer, since
we are ordered to prove all things, and since the daily progress of light of
truth is productive far less of disturbance to the Church, than of illumination
and edification.”[1]
Milton, upmost than anything, was an educator and is teaching us a lesson. We
have to satisfy ourselves—our souls, not the Church, not the neighbor, and not
the religious academic community in our belief, or our faith when it comes to
God and Jesus.
I
am now of the total understanding, that religion and the church were as confused
in the 16th century just like it is in the 21st century. How
can I make this claim? The claim is a personal perspective: like when did we
have to dress in our finest to worship? When did the church become so
commercial or capitalistic? When has the materialism of life become more
important than the soul? When you ask yourself these questions, be honest with
yourself in the answers. The only person we have to prove anything to be our
internal being and the relationship we have with God.
There
are so many different interpretations, definitions, etc pertaining to things we
do not know or seek to find guidance from that is written in the Bible.
Religion and doctrine are defined by man. In some cases they were defined by
men as early as the 4th century and further back in time than that.
We people get too caught up in all the definitions of the world as to what
something means; we can find ourselves lost.
When
I make the statement “you have no idea—no clue” means that the Bible contains
many scriptures without a definition or an answer. Any interpretation past that
point is mere conjecture. Any and all conjecture, ideas, input, or insight can
be wrong in 5 minutes, 400 years, or 10,000 years. We may never know an answer
to anything and never have a clue.
We
should put our faith in God and Jesus but at the same token, beware of religion
and religious doctrine because in all honesty, they were written by men who
claimed to be inspired by God. The Bible (for that matter) was written by men
who claimed to be inspired by God as well. We have no idea and there is no clue
as to the truth. All interpretations were also done by mere man. We personally
do ourselves an injustice when we fail to learn just this fact of nature.
Question is this literal or literary? Is it a parable or actual account? Is it
opinion or fact? Much of these questions should be asked when reading the
Bible. The Bible existed before the conformed compilation of only pages and
there was more to it than what is considered allowable by mere man. The average
person was not allowed to read all, because a group of “mere men” made
decisions for us as to what is spiritual and what is not in the ancient text.
BUT,
faith in God and in Jesus is a tradition that I care not to test or question. I
am glad I made that decision to have the relationship with God and Jesus that I
do! It is a relationship with each that I will never regret.
Read the Bible for your soul’s sake—your
personal understanding and no other. Read the Septuagint for knowledge purposes.
Make informed decisions about how you as a person should have a relationship
with God and Jesus.
God
bless you all and keep you safely in His arms
[1] Sumner, Charles R. "John Milton Treatise on
Christian Doctrine.” Archive.org. 1825, pg 6. https://archive.org/stream/treatiseonchrist01miltuoft#page/n115/mode/2up (accessed July 7, 2014).
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