Can you be too religious?

[DanaC]

Giles Fraser, of the Guardian, asks the question: Can you be too religious?

Quite a thought provoking comment piece, I thought. So, given the subject of religion, in particular Christianity, has been a hot one in here just lately, I thought I'd post a little of it here.

He discusses religiosity as a concept, but the most interesting aspect is his view of Christianity.

Jesus spent much of his time laying into the pious and the holy and lambasting the religious professionals of his day. And this was not because he was anti-Jewish – as some superficial readings of his anti-Pharisee, anti-Sadducee, anti-Temple polemics would have it – but precisely because, as a Jew himself, he came out of that very Jewish prophetic tradition of fierce hostility to religiosity. Here, for instance, is the prophet Isaiah on feisty form.

'The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me? says the Lord.
I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. Stop bringing meaningless offerings!

Your incense is detestable to me. New moons, sabbaths and convocations – I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.'

This is the sort of theology to which Jesus looked for inspiration. And partly, it was this uncompromising anti-religiosity that got him nailed to a cross.

His concluding paragraph is a lovely piece of writing and, I think, nails what Christianity should be about. It certainly is more like the Christianity I grew up with than a lot of what I currently read and hear.

Of course, I'd say you cannot be too Christian. That's a different kettle of fish. And if "being too Christian" makes you think of Christian fundamentalists, I'd want to insist that they are simply not Christian enough. Indeed, that it's their lack of faith that makes them cling to a bogus form of certainty and literalism. Mostly, Christian fundamentalists worship a book. They like the safety of having pat answers. But this is just another form of idolatry of which the Hebrew scriptures regularly warn.

Worshipping a book and worshipping God are two totally different things. Falling down before a baby, with all the inversion of power that this implies, takes courage not intellectual suicide. It is about the world being turned upside-down, the mighty (including the religious mighty) being cast down and the weak being held up. It is about placing something other than oneself at the centre of the world. And no, I don't think there can be too much of this.

It's a really interesting read. The rest can be found here:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...eligious-jesus