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Archive for the ‘Kingdom of God’ Category

A Cheap Counterfeit

Posted in christian living, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, religion, tagged , , , , , , on April 1, 2025|

by Norman Mitchell
Author of A Wild Frontier
https://thewildfrontier.wordpress.com/

Christianity, as it is practiced today, is nothing more than a religion which closely resembles most other religions. It holds the power to bind but not to free.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

Religion has always been a human-powered effort to deal with the problem of human violence and appease an angry God. It’s really very simple. Humans, like animals, are instinctually primed for violence. Unlike animals, however, humans have a conscience. We universally recognize that intra-species violence is a blight on nature, yet we all fall prey to its allure. We recognize that there is something wrong with allowing ourselves to be governed by our animal instincts. We know that morality is a thing to which we should aspire. Our eyes have been opened—slightly—and we know good and evil.

Humans have always done two things to try to fix the problem of the human condition. First, we have always enforced rules governing conduct with the threat of violence. We call this politics. Second, we have always enforced rules governing conduct using cultural pressure. We call this religion. 

Clerics, the self-appointed overlords of Religion, use two powerful tools to keep the masses docile: guilt and ritual. Guilt is the bad feeling you get when you violate your moral code. Ritual is a semi-hypnotic process that suppresses rational thought and induces lethargy but gives people an intense feeling of belonging to a community. Religion induces guilt, then uses ritual and cultural influence to assuage that guilt. Guilt is the symptom, ritual is the “remedy” that lessens the effect of the symptom.

Ritual, however, does not cure the root of the problem. If guilt does not return of its own accord, it is induced. Either way, people become addicted to the treatment. It’s like taking a pain-killer so you don’t feel a gangrenous wound. You keep taking it in ever-increasing doses so that you don’t feel the pain, but the wound never heals.

Clerics also exploit one of the most primal of human instincts: the craving for certainty. They provide a formulaic method of appeasing The Angry God, and they present the formula with such confidence, that their subjects feel quite certain that they are doing the right thing. The laity gratefully accepts the formula, not recognizing that fulfilling the formula is never quite possible. The impossible formula strings people along, making them indefinitely beholden to the cleric and his religious institution.

Clerics justify this manipulation by pointing out that they’re using it to encourage people to do good, which (temporarily) suppresses human violence. Describing religion as “the opiate of the masses” was the one thing Marx got right.

Religion requires institutionalism—the fabrication of a conceptual structure that includes an artificial hierarchy. Institutions are always co-opted by exploiters who use its artificial hierarchy to gain status.

Everything Christ did undermined religion. He came to establish a divine kingdom in which he is the Head and his followers operate in community as members of the Body. Life in the Body reveals a God-powered mode of being that Paul described as a “new creature” and that Frank Viola describes as a “new species.”)

The God-powered mode of being flips religious dogma on its head. It frees people from guilt. It destroys the foundations of artificial hierarchies. Every member contributes. Every member is valued. The humblest servant is exalted, and the least becomes the greatest.

Christ broke people free from the guilt that bound them to religion. He ushered in a kingdom that heals wounds rather than treats symptoms. He shone light on the failings of the Jewish religion of his day, but as his words began to gain influence, people started a new religion that perverted Christ’s message and used his name to gain unearned brand credibility.

Would-be clerics fused fundamental elements of religion with Christ’s words and invented the Christian Religion that is now the world’s most insidious counterfeit of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Because such statements conjure such strong emotion, I suppose I should offer the usual caveat that I do not believe that all the people involved with the Christian Religion are counterfeits. I believe that many, if not most of them, are sincerely doing what they believe God requires. Rather the religion—the institutionalized, human-powered, ritual-driven system—is the counterfeit that keeps people in a state of spiritual serfdom.

The Christian Religion is a clever but cheap counterfeit of the Kingdom of Heaven. My desire is that more Christians would realize this and follow Christ freed from the shackles of religion.

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What Is A Religious Done

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Ekklesia, institutional church, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, religion, The church, tagged , , , , , , , on March 12, 2025|

by Michael Donahoe

In recent times, we seem to hear more about the religious dones. Different surveys talk about the nones, the dones and the religious unaffiliated. This means different things to different people.

I think many church people and Christian people think the same thing on this topic. If you are a religious none, you have left God. If you are a religious done and do not go to church, you have decided not to follow God and are in a backslidden state.

I do not believe that at all. Being done with religion to me means done with organized religion and institutional church, but not done with God. We are done with religion, but only because we want a more meaningful walk following the example of Jesus. So basically, we leave the organization to enhance our walk with God.

For about twenty years, I increasingly became more and more disillusioned with church. I sat there week after week thinking there has to be more, God certainly did not intend that following him meant nothing more than looking at the back of the head of the person in front of me. We sit for an hour listening to a few other people do all the singing and preaching, then get up and go home for the week.

I felt that the church emphasized more that we listen to the pastor and follow the Bible rather than learn how to listen to and follow the Spirit that was within us. I realized that we no longer needed a middle man because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we find the Kingdom of God within us.

I remember how afraid I was to ask questions because people would think I was losing my faith. I was tired of hearing exclusive teaching and discrimination by telling us how bad certain people were and that we needed to stay away from them. The only exception was if we used every opportunity to witness to them. The church would say everyone was welcome, but then exclude them from participation until they changed and became like the church expected.

I could not understand why there were so many different types of churches and denominations, all supposedly following the same God yet being mad and arguing with people from different churches.

I think I could go on and on, but I just got so tired and dissatisfied with church that my wife and I decided to stop going and see how things went. Well, for us, they went better. That dissatisfaction seemed to disappear. I started having relationships with others that I was told I should have no association. I started asking questions and finding that it was OK. I started finding new friends in various places and they did not ruin my fellowship or belief in God.

I know many people who enjoy going to church to be with others and that is OK. Yet I know others who got fed up with church and had issues that made them mad. For us, that was not the case. We just felt so unhappy and unfulfilled while in the institutional church we had to move on.

I think most people think that if you are a done, you have completely given up on God. They think you became an atheist and want nothing to do with God, when actually it is just religion itself we are done with, and we no longer want to spend time in a building that just does not mean what it used to mean.

After fifteen years outside the institutional church, we can honestly say we are happier and more fulfilled. We rely more on learning to hear from the Spirit within, we are free from specific doctrines and beliefs found in religion and we depend more on God to lead us to meaningful fellowship with all people as we walk in the freedom we have found outside the walls of religion.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer as his views fit perfectly with those of Done with Religion. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/

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The church Today

Posted in christian living, institutional church, Kingdom of God, Love of God, religion, The church, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2025|

by Jim Gordon

I have become more inclined to follow my feeling that the church today is way off base of what God intended. By church, I mean the organized, man-made denomination, the religious church. I continue to come across books and websites that confirm my thoughts.

Take for instance the teaching of the church on tithing. We are constantly told we need to give our 10% to the church or we are robbing God. Wait a minute, that was in the Old Testament. Jesus came to fulfill the law and provide grace for us.

Am I saying it is wrong to tithe? Tithing is no longer required, but freely giving is always a godly thing to do. If you attend an organized church and you feel they are doing what God wants for them, yes, support it. But do not feel you have to tithe. Do not let a pastor guilt you into giving because he uses some Old Testament verse to tell you that you are robbing from God. Give because you love God and want to give. Give 1%, 5%, 10%, 50%, whatever you determine in your heart to give. We are free to give the amount we determine and are no longer under law nor required to tithe.

Another issue to me is, why get so caught up on being in a building each week, listening to one man (or woman) telling us what God is saying or what the Bible says. Jesus said he was sending us another comforter, and we now have the Holy Spirit to teach us. We are the temple of the Spirit and the Kingdom of God is within us. We no longer need a building nor a middle-man to lead us.

Am I saying it is wrong to go to church? Of course not. I do believe the modern-day organized church is not in line with what God intended. I also believe we do not have to attend any organized church. Some will say the Bible says do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. That is true, but it does not say you have to assemble together anywhere in particular or on any particular day. Meet up with other believers in a restaurant, or invite them to your home for a meal, or have a time of fellowship online. That is what I feel the Bible is talking about. We do not need a human-led, organized and pre-planned organization to find fellowship and spiritual guidance.

In our day and age, it is time to get over the man-made religious system and the church building being the center of our Christian life and realize there is more. Most churches today are more of a social meeting place or a big business than anything. We should focus on Jesus and build our relationship with him and realize that WE are the Church and the Holy Spirit lives within us, making us the dwelling place of God. We are the temple of God.

We need to build our fellowship with God and with one another. This does not need to be done in a building with an organized service, but in spending time with our brothers and sisters in Christ, helping one another and serving one another through God’s love for us. Others should be able to know that we are Christians because of the love we have for one another, not where we spend our Sunday morning.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Why Listen to Humans When We Have the Spirit?

Posted in Bible, christian living, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2025|

by Michael Donahoe

Do you notice how we Christians get so caught up on which pastor, evangelist or leader becomes our focal point? We listen to this one or that one, read books from this guy, or listen to tapes by that woman. We attend a fellowship because we like the pastor, or we will drive miles to listen to a popular TV or radio evangelist. But wait a minute, doesn’t God’s word say that the Holy Spirit will teach and guide us? Aren’t we all brothers and sisters in Christ, all fellow-servants? We are not to be called leaders, no one is higher up than anyone else (Matthew 23:10 – Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ). We do not need anyone to teach us because we have the Spirit of Christ within us, the true living Word lives in each of us. In Christ, we are all His children, no one should be looked up to or revered more than anyone else. True, we can learn from one another by the way Christ works in each of our lives, but we should stop putting our hope in other people and start listening to the Holy Spirit that is within us for truth and guidance.

For many, it is hard accepting the fact that God lives within us. Sadly, the church rarely teaches or emphasizes this fact. We have been taught that if we listen to the pastor, read the Bible and live our lives trying to follow the commandments, one day we will go to heaven and live with God face to face. We have an image of God sitting on a throne way up in heaven and here we are, far, far away down on earth. Yet, Jesus said the Spirit lives within us, and the Kingdom of God is within us. We do not have to wait until some day in the future, we are living in the Kingdom right now.

Rather than spending time to focus on the inner voice, the inner intuition, we talk about going to a meeting and the Spirit showing up, or being at a specific place because God is there. We pray and talk with God, yet we wonder if our prayers are even being heard. The more I read, I am finding that we really have the whole thing backwards. God does not show up anywhere because God lives in us.

The Old Covenant has been fulfilled in Christ and we are now living under a New Covenant. We no longer have to try to be good enough. The law was a tutor that led us to Christ, but now that Christ has come, we no longer need a tutor. We are free from the law! The Spirit of God now lives within us.

Jesus came to live among us and show us the love of God. When Jesus left, he said he would send us the Spirit. Notice he did not say he would send us a pastor or a book. God has now come to live within us through the Spirit. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we have the mind of Christ. Jesus prayed that we would be one with God just as he and God are one.

Sounds to me that we are missing the main point. We do not have to wait to die to go to heaven and enjoy kingdom living. We do not have to wait to be united with God. We no longer need to look to a human guide, teacher or preacher. We have the living, powerful, perfect Word of God living inside us who is our teacher and guide.

There is nothing wrong with listening to others, getting their thoughts and ideas and being encouraged by other believers, but we do not need to rely on other humans. We have the Spirit within us, teaching us and guiding us in the way we should go.

We do not have to look up in the sky to some far-away place and wonder if God is listening. We do not have to go to church to hear what the pastor has to say. We can turn our thoughts inward and realize the Spirit is right there within us, listening, loving us and ready to teach us as we begin to hear his voice from within.

We are all at different stages along the path we walk with God. We need to remember none of us have it all figured out. We so often want to fight and argue from the understanding we currently have without realizing that we have not reached completion. The Spirit did not stop teaching us when the Bible was completed. There is more the Spirit wants to teach us as we become ready to listen and accept it.

We should come to accept each other where we are currently, realizing what we know and believe today will more likely be different a little further down the road. We can love each other, learn from one another and accept each other as we are, just like Jesus loves and accepts us just as we are. Yet, our main goal is to look deep within ourselves, listening for the voice and guidance of the Spirit. We should not put our hope in others and those we think are more spiritual because they have been trained, educated or paid to do so. Remember, we are all kings and priests and have the same Spirit within us. Each of us are equal and important parts of the body with Christ as the head. His Church is not a building, not a denomination but it is the people.

This is not saying we are God, but the Spirit lives within us and we are one with God. It would do us all good to start focusing on this fact rather than thinking of a future event after we die. Kingdom living is now. Listening to the Spirit, being taught by the Spirit and living day by day in communion with God is a reality that we all need to live in each and every day.

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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer as his views fit perfectly with those of Done with Religion. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/

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Getting Saved Isn’t About Going to Heaven or Hell!

Posted in christian living, Kingdom of God, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 12, 2025|

By Mike Edwards

I wrote recently here  what might be the greatest misunderstanding about God and getting saved. Christians often emphasize the main message about God and the Bible is avoiding hell and getting to heaven by saying the sinner’s prayer: “God, forgive me for my sins and thank you for dying on the Cross to pay the price for my wrongdoing.” No such prayer is found in the Bible. Recently, I failed to include the greatest objection below to what I am claiming – that the Apostle Paul, who wrote a lot of the New Testament, supposedly spoke of something similar to the sinner’s prayer. It is important because we may be misrepresenting God’s main message to us.

The main message can’t be about avoiding Hell 

I bet if you ask most non-church people what church people say is important about the Christian faith, they will talk about getting saved to go to heaven to avoid hell. The main message can’t be about Hell which doesn’t literally exist. See 12 Reasons To Believe Hell Is A Myth! There is no word in Hebrew or Greek for “hell,” only possibly words used as metaphors to illustrate that spiritual death is as tragic as physical death. The Apostle Paul who wrote most of the NT never refers to Hell. No prophet in the OT warned of Hell as a consequence for behaviors here on earth.

What did Jesus say about eternal life? 

Jesus never spoke of something similar to the sinner’s prayer to make others feel secure about the afterlife. True, he couldn’t talk about the purpose of the Cross since hadn’t happen, but Jesus message seem to be more about the here and now, not trying to terrify you about the afterlife. When Jesus was asked how to have eternal life, Jesus didn’t speak about a physical destiny but life here on earth. (Lk.10:25-37) Jesus simply answered the question “love God and your neighbor,” speaking more about the quality than quantity of life. Jesus elsewhere defined eternal life as beginning in the here and now (Jn 17:3), not what awaited in the afterlife.

When Jesus met his disciples, he only said “follow me.” (Mark 1: 16:17, 2:14) A set of beliefs wasn’t required. The main message to the disciples was living a life worth living. When asked what was the greatest commandments, Jesus only said to love God and your neighbors (Mark 12:30-31). What! Not drop to your knees, pray, and ask for forgiveness! Jesus encouraged loving God because Jesus knew that leads to loving others.  The above interactions are like when Jesus dealt with the women caught in adultery. (Jn. 7:53-8:11) Jesus only encouraged the woman to go and sin no more. He might never see her again. Where was Jesus evangelical spiel?

Didn’t Paul though preach repent to avoid punishment?

It is argued that Paul did say “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rm 10:9) Paul recognized Jesus’ death and resurrection, but Jesus’ sacrifice was to draw attention to the Good News already proclaimed by Paul – God’s desire to empower unselfish living. Paul preached about the Kingdom of God being here (Acts). Paul did say “the wages of sin is death.” (Rm. 6:23) But Paul is speaking of spiritual death because Paul is still alive though sin has put him to death. (Rm. 7:11) Paul mentions Heaven twice in Romans, yet says nothing about Jesus dying so we can go to Heaven (Rm. 1:18, 10:6).

God wasn’t so pissed to require Jesus’ death than yours

To insist God required Jesus be murdered on the Cross in place of you isn’t Godly or parental love. Google “theological views of Jesus’ death” for many interpretations about Jesus’ death. Did Jesus and the Romans have no choice but to murder Jesus for an unjust cause? Soldiers die for one another because of a cause they believe in. Jesus thought his message was worth dying for. Jesus accepting death than powering over others may be the reason billions have been influenced to live unselfishly. Jesus wanted to change our attitude about God, not to change God’s attitude toward us. What kind of God sees how the world has turned out and doesn’t just say the Hell with it, but instead enters such a world to experience underserved suffering via the Cross to inspire and relate? 

What really is God’s salvation?

Jesus spoke of a life, worth living, empowered by God, for your good and those you have relationships with. I believe Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as deep down you wish you could. I get help from God in pursuing a life with less regrets, of being the husband, father, friend, and man I truly want to be. It’s on God to come through for you if you choose to follow. Jesus when leaving this earth spoke of having God’s spirit within us. God’s influence, though invisible, can be the same as a parent who has left this earth that you believed loved you to the fullest. The Bible/Jesus/God’s message isn’t dropping to your knees to avoid Hell to go to Heaven after death, but start loving now with God’s help – a path toward great relationships.  

Getting Saved Isn’t About Going To Heaven Or Hell!

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

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Why Do We Forget the Holy Spirit?

Posted in Bible, christian living, institutional church, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, The church, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 22, 2024|

by Jim Gordon

Over the years I spent within the church system, I was told the Spirit of God has been given to us. Yet, the real emphasis on the fact that the Spirit of God actually lives within us seems to be missed. If we could get this deep down within us, that we now live in the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit of God actually lives within us, it would certainly help us in sharing the love and power of God with people we meet each day. We do not need to sit back and wait for some future day when we die to enter the Kingdom of God. We can live as one with the Spirit of God in the Kingdom of God each and every day beginning right now.

The more I talk with people who are active in the institutional church, the more I hear that so many (not all) churches emphasize the organization, the building and the pastor, yet neglect the fact that the Holy Spirit of God lives within us.

God does not live in buildings made by hands. God lives in us. The Kingdom of God is within us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our guide and teacher and we do not have need of anyone to teach us. Yet the church pushes dependence on the organization. It pushes the idea of the pastor being the mouthpiece and intermediary for God. This is just not true. The building is not the house of God, we are, and God communicates directly with us through the Spirit within.

Many people are afraid to trust their inner feelings. We wonder how do we hear from the Spirit within us? The sad thing is we are more in tune with hearing from the pastor each week. We are so used to depending on another human being that we do not try to learn how to trust the leading of the Spirit. The churches have failed at focusing on teaching how to hear from the Spirit, mainly because they want us to continue to depend on the pastor. We have to realize the pastor is not the middle-man or mouth-piece of God. The pastor is a fellow brother or sister in Christ who is just like the rest of us, ever learning and always to be helping and encouraging each another.

For me, I have come to really pay attention when I get an unusual feeling of peace, or a feeling of just knowing something and being at peace that it is right or wrong. I even had dreams a few times where I heard a voice in regard to some specific issue and when I woke up, I acted on it and found the answer I needed. I do not say every dream is from God or every instinct we have is the Holy Spirit, but these are ways the Spirit can lead us. We seem to think we need to clearly hear an audible voice to know it is the Spirit, but I think we need to learn to focus on the inner intuitions and sense of peace.

We must remember this great gift of the Spirit of God living within us. We need to focus on learning how to hear and understand the leading of the Spirit rather than focusing on the words and teachings of men/women.

Here are a few verses from the bible that mention being one with the Spirit and living in the Kingdom of God:

Luke 17:21

nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 14:16,17

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 17:20-23

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 6:19

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?

2 Corinthians 6:16

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

2 Timothy 1:14

Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

1 John 2:27

As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Becoming a Religious Heretic – Part 1

Posted in Bible, christian living, institutional church, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, religion, The church, Word of God, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 17, 2024|

by Jim Gordon

Yes, I admit it. I have become a religious heretic. So, what is a heretic? According to the dictionary, it is a person holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted; the formal denial or doubt of a core doctrine of the Christian faith as defined by one or more of the Christian churches.

First let me say, the following are my thoughts and opinions. I am not saying I am right or wrong, but is where I am at now. I have changed my views over the past several years, and I will most likely change my views over the next several years. We are all entitled to our opinions and we should accept each other with the opinions we have. We certainly will not all agree.

After spending nearly sixty years in the institutional church (including from the time my parents took me as a baby and young child), my wife and I left the organization because we no longer felt we could completely agree with many of the church doctrines and generally accepted ways of the church. What led up to this decision was the many years within the church that taught me some things that I finally had to question.

I remember I went to church whenever the doors were open. I felt that I was going to God’s house and the Spirit may fall during a service and I did not want to miss it. I felt the pastor was well trained in spiritual matters and he was the middleman between God and me. I looked to the pastor for all the answers and to teach me more about God and what I should be doing.

Obviously, I believed that Christianity was the only way to know God and to be a true follower of Jesus. I always thought that Jesus came to start a new religion that would be the only correct way to follow him and only those who followed that religion would be saved.

I always held the Bible in very high regard. I felt it was dictated by God to humans, who carefully wrote everything down so we would have a perfect book about God. It was a love story and a rule book that would guide us each day of our lives. I believed the Bible was the true, inerrant and perfect word of God and it was clear on what it said.

I was one who believed people needed to get right with God or they would end up in Hell after they passed from this earth. Hell was created for the Devil and his angels, but people who rejected God would end up there also. Hell was also a great way to make people afraid enough to make a decision for Christ and boost church attendance.

How many times have we been told that God is our father, a male figure sitting on a throne in Heaven watching down on us, just waiting for us to mess up so he can punish us. If God did not see Jesus in us, then we were all doomed. Even Jesus called him father, so what else could he be?

Now, after becoming totally unsatisfied with what I had always been taught, I started to ask questions and seek answers from someone other than the pastor. I found books and podcasts of others who had other interpretations and views that really made sense. I found many people who had left the institution and were asking questions and finding answers other than the traditional ones the church always taught.

I came to see that church is not God’s house after-all, and the Spirit does not fall at specific places or at certain times. We the people are the church. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit who came to live within us once and for all. The Kingdom of God is within us. The church as we know it is just a building where people meet to fellowship and learn about God, but it is not necessary to attend and there is nothing wrong with not attending if you so choose.

I know there are many religions in the world and that Christianity was not started by Jesus. It is just another man-made organization, but based on the person of Jesus. There are many religions and I believe we can learn from each of them. I believe if Jesus walked the earth today, he would not be a Christian nor attend a church. He would be accepting of all people no matter their personal religious beliefs.

I found that the Bible never claims to be the Word of God, and never claims to be inerrant. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and our guide. John wrote that in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. He also added the word became flesh and dwelt among us. That certainly is not a book. We can learn from the Bible because it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, yet it is not dictated by God and it is not inerrant. I personally feel that the Bible has a lot of allegory and parables that point out spiritual truth, but it is not always actual events.

In regard to hell, I began to wonder how can a God of love create such a place. In the Bible, when it talks about hell (actually Gehenna) it was talking about a dumping ground/sacrificial area outside of Jerusalem. The idea of such a place has its origins in early Christianity, where those who rejected Christ were threatened with eternal torture in a lake of fire, called Tartarus or Gehenna (from Greek mythology and a nearby trash pit, respectively). I think that the theory of hell was started by the early church as a scare tactic to bring people into the church. Hell is a fear-based topic, but we know that perfect love casts out fear. Love draws and there is nothing about love in the theory of hell.

I believe that God is not some super-hero man sitting in heaven watching down on everyone. God is Spirit and the Spirit of God lives within us. God does have male and female traits, but God is not a male nor female. We are the temple; the Spirit of God lives within us. Could it be that the writers of the Bible were following what was common in their day, where women were property and only men were worthy. Did they use their prejudices when writing what would become the Bible by referring to God as male and Father? Personally, I think so. It is all written from a male perspective.

So, as you can see, I am definitely considered a heretic among the traditional Christian church-goers. I have no ill-will toward any of them. At one point, I was where they are now in my beliefs, but I no longer accept or follow the traditional doctrines taught within most churches today. I do follow the example of Jesus of loving God and loving others.

Obviously, these are all only my opinions and views. I may be right or I may be wrong. I do not force these views on anyone else. Each of us are free to chose for ourselves what we believe. What we are to do is love one another even in our differences, accept each other as we are and live life trying to help and encourage our fellow human beings along the way.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Morality Cannot be Legislated by Politics

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , on November 3, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

We Christians seem to think that we can make everything better by voting the right politicians into office and passing the right laws. We seem to think that we can actually legislate morality. We have our pet doctrines and think with the right people in office or the right laws passed, the world would be a better place.

We think if we can get the democrats out and the republicans in, or the other way around, things will improve. By posting the ten commandments on the courthouse wall, putting prayer back in school, or keeping ‘In God We Trust’ on our money, things will be better.

The trouble with this way of thinking is, it does not work. We cannot legislate “Christian” values based on what we think is morally right. First, here in the USA we have freedom of religion. This means everyone is free to practice the religion they want to follow, and no one can force their particular religion on others. Second, when trying to follow Christian principals, we are all subject to interpretations and whose to actually follow. Third, rules and laws do not change the inner person.

There is no political party that is going to make everything OK. It is useless to condemn one political party or the other when neither party is going to have the answers that makes everything better.

We get so caught up on what a political party or politician can supposedly do, yet, no human is going to come up with the answer to solve all our problems. Nothing will change until we come to realize that God is within us, and it is by the power of the Spirit that we can love others. It is the change in us that can bring change to the world.

We should be praying for our leaders, no matter which party they belong too. Although we pray for them and respect their position, we should not be placing our hope in any political party. Political parties are made up of human beings who are imperfect. Truthfully, most often they are only looking out for their political agenda and financial well-being.

We need to forget the allegiance we seem to think we need to political parties and seek first God’s Kingdom. Realize the Spirit of God lives within us and we are actually living in the Kingdom right now. Listen for the voice and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and love others no matter who they are or what they think. We are not going to change people by voting in politicians and making new laws. Only by loving people, accepting them as they are, and showing them the love of God by our actions will we make any real impact on our world.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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God Is Not Up There Somewhere

Posted in christian living, Ekklesia, Jesus follower, Kingdom of God, Love of God, The church, tagged , , , , , , , on October 5, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

Have you noticed how people like to look up toward the sky when they think of God? I recently watched several football players giving God praise by looking up and pointing toward the sky. Many of us who are Christians seem to think of God as being up in the sky somewhere looking down on us. We are taught in our churches that God is up there and someday we will go to be with God.

We tend to forget that the Kingdom of God is within us. We are told that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and God resides within us. The sad fact is that we really do not act like we believe this truth.

If we could only get it in our head and down in our spirit that God is not somewhere up there, far away in heaven. God lives within us by the Spirit. We have the Spirit within us to teach and guide us. The bible says we have the mind of Christ.

We are living in the Kingdom of God right now. Yes, we are constrained by our human body, but our spirit is one with God’s Spirit and we are spiritually living with God in the Kingdom now.

It would be nice to begin hearing more about the presence of God within us right now. More often we hear about a God who is far away and who may show up from time to time to bless us if we attend the right meeting at the right place.

God is here now, living within us. God is with us each and every day walking with us in whatever we go through in our daily life. God loves us and is concerned about us and is there for our good. It can be a hard thing to get the old teachings of the church out of our heads and accept the fact that God lives within us now. It reminds me of the old saying ‘you can take the boy out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the boy’. In this case, you can take the boy out of religion but you can’t take religion out of the boy.

Religion is man’s way of making his way to God. Yet we find out that man cannot come to God by our efforts and good works. Grace is the only way man comes to God, and it is all by the grace of God through Jesus.

Once Jesus left this earth he sent us a comforter, the Spirit who now dwells within the people of God. The Church is not a religious organization and is not a building. The Church are the followers of Jesus whether they attend a physical church or not.

God lives within us. God’s home is within us and God is with us spiritually just as much now as when our earthly body passes away and we live in our glorified, spiritual bodies.

Start making the effort to see things as God says they are, not as we have been taught within religion. God is not up in the sky, God lives within us. We are the temple and each of us collectively form the kingdom body now.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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Politics and the Christian Life

Posted in Acceptance of Others, christian living, Community, Kingdom of God, Love of God, tagged , , , , , , , , , on September 27, 2023|

by Jim Gordon

With political activity starting to ramp up in the United States, and with all the various issues and events in politics today, you may wonder if Christianity and politics can actually exist together. It seems that Jesus really had no real interest in the political system of his day, yet he also did not condemn it. He said to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.

In our day and age politics can be a powerful thing and many people find it extremely important. No matter what country you live in, it is controlled by a political party in one way or another. Many countries, like the United States participate in free elections and others are under more of an authoritarian rule. Either way, we humans are all under some type of political influence and control.

I have found that from a Christian viewpoint it seems many Christian people in the United States feel that if you are a Christian you have to be a republican. Actually, there are many Christian people who are democrats as well as republicans, independents and a few other political views. Personally, the way I feel about politics, I really do not care which political party a person belongs too. Unfortunately, I really do not see much of the ways of Jesus in either of our main political parties. It seems politicians are more concerned with political power and financial gain rather than on serving the people and making things better for all.

When I vote, I try to vote for the person I feel will do that best job for the most people and I do not worry which political party they belong too. I know there are many politicians who are of the Christian faith, yet there are also many who only use Christianity to get more votes. The main point is, whether Christian or not, we need people who are willing to work together and serve the people of the country in the best way possible.

Truthfully, being a Christian has nothing to do with a political party. Those of us who are followers of Christ live every day by our faith which involves every aspect of living. Our faith in God is not a Sunday only thing or a political thing. Many people seem to think they have a spiritual life on Sunday and a secular and political life the rest of the week. Yet the truth is, as Christians we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we walk with the Spirit of God each and every day. Everything we do can be considered spiritual because God is within us all the time.

Many people seem to think we can use political power to force our Christian values on everyone. Christian Nationalism *(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_nationalism)* and Dominionism *(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_theology)* are trying to take more control. Some want to declare the United States a Christian nation and rule it by Christian people according to their interpretation of biblical rule. Although these two movements are not necessarily republican or democrat, if politicians accept and back them, they can make it more likely these movements will take over. I for one do not believe we should or can legislate Christian values and morality on anyone. God does not force his love and ways on us, so why should we try to force our values and beliefs on others.

True religious freedom is for all people to be able to choose which religion they want to accept and follow, and also have the freedom to choose no religion at all. Obviously, in the United States there are a wide variety of religions and beliefs, and everyone should have the freedom to chose what they want to believe and follow.

Jesus was obviously more interested in speaking and teaching about the kingdom he was a part of, the Kingdom of Heaven. He was not nearly as worried or concerned about worldly kingdoms or political powers. His is a kingdom of loving one another.

I would love to see people stop bringing Christianity down to political purposes. Focus on Christ and loving others no matter which political party they endorse, if any. Politics is not the answer and is not worth all the fighting and arguing. Loving God and loving one another is a much more important and meaningful way of life no matter what political views are involved.

Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com

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