Keep the Faith by Losing Your Religion

The violence and abuse rooted in religion is a worldwide phenomenon that’s been evident throughout history.  We see it in wars, inquisitions, crusades, and the enslavement of people. Recognizing how religion has been used to harm people and the world, how do we maintain faith and spiritual practice while honestly assessing the history of religion? 

The following is a text version of this blog.

The history of religion is problematic.  When I say that, I’m talking about organized religion and religious institutions.  Living in the West, we’re familiar with the historic problems of Christianity, like centuries of war, Christians killing each other over doctrinal differences, Christians killing Jews, Christians taking land from indigenous people and killing them, and Christians enslaving African people for profits in the Americas.  While all these actions were done in the name of Jesus, it’s important to remember that in other parts of the world, religion was used to promote war, division, and the enslavement of others – and still is.  Yes, these things were all done by religious leaders and defenders of their respective faiths in Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.  Then add on the sexual abuse and financial abuse as well as the subjugation of women and the promotion of hatred for LGBTQ+ people and it becomes clear that religion has been profoundly harmful and destructive for many people and cultures.

But there’s something else that’s true.  Many religious people have found their spiritual path through the teachings found in their religion.  It’s somewhat ironic to me that at times when institutional religion was most corrupt, those were also the times when a significant number of people encountered mystical experiences.  For example, it was at the time of the Spanish Inquisition that the great Christian mystics Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were writing their amazing books about the depths and heights of spiritual experience.

In the past, it was difficult to separate institutional religion from the spiritual and mystical dimensions of the teachings.  But today, we are in a different era.  People around the world have access to books and other writings, videos of speakers and teachers, and online groups to support their spiritual journey.  It’s also an era in which we can look at the systemic problems of religion and critique them honestly.

I cannot justify or correct any of the ways religion has harmed people in the past or the ways it continues to do so.  There’s been and continues to be systemic abuse that leads to physical, emotional, and spiritual harm.  Of course, those things are wrong and should be stopped.

At the same time, I am one of those people who learned my foundational spiritual practices in the context of religion.  I was nurtured by teachers, writers, and spiritual directors who were religious people.  As I look back, I understand that what was significant for them was the richness of spiritual experience rather than the politics of religious institutions. I am grateful to have had them to support my journey.

Many different people are drawn to religion.  Among them are people who desire power and control.  Sometimes, it’s because they are wounded individuals who find that they feel best about themselves when they control others.  But then others simply desire power.  Such people are found in every kind of organization, like corporations, political parties, and, yes, religious institutions.  They spin a narrative to captivate people and, in the end, hurt people. 

I recognized this dynamic some time ago and I began to avoid the label of “Christian.”  I don’t want to be associated with any religious institutions.  But I am a follower of the teachings of Jesus.  My experience is that the day-to-day life of most “Christian” organizations and churches has very little to do with the teachings of Jesus. 

For me, there came a point when to preserve my own spiritual well-being, I needed to say that I could no longer support the institutional religion of any brand.  In doing so, I’ve learned to keep my faith by losing my religion.  Perhaps that will be true for you, as well. Whatever your spiritual path may be, remember that it’s your path to follow.