Is religion the root of all evil?

It is not hard to figure out which side of the fence the late Christopher Hitchens was on in this question. The title of his book “God is not great: how religion poisons everything,” makes it quite clear. To take his side for a moment, one would have to be blind or ignorant or both, not to see that far too many wars have been fought over religion, and far too many atrocities perpetrated in the name of God. And this is not to even consider the number of friends who have become enemies or families that have been split over religious issues. So Hitchens' thesis is not without merit, but is it just religion that poisons things, and is it always poison, does it never bring the good?”

Hitchens would have been the last to say that all religion was fanatical, but his point seems to be that if you do away with religion, you do away with fanatical religion. It's hard fault his logic there. And we can deal with pollution and the need for toxic waste disposal the very same way. I mean if there were no people there would be a lot less pollution, right? So let's get rid of the human race! It would solve a lot of problems, including the one Hitchens sees. As I said, Hitchens would be the last to say that all religion is fanatical, and I would be the last to say that religion has not been poisonous. But is religion the only “ism” that poisons us? We need to ask what was the philosophy that brought with it the most atrocities and the most destruction in the last Century? I am thinking of Stalin, Mao Tse-tung, Pol Pot and others with their multimillions slain. Hitchens would argue that it was not atheism per se that was the cause of these atrocities, but we can't have it both ways. Perhaps, just perhaps it is not religion in and of itself that is the cause of all the poisoning. Perhaps there is a better explanation.

It was not that long ago that I was complaining to the God that I felt misunderstood. The response I got boiled down to “You think that you are misunderstood. Buddy you ain't seen nothing yet. What about all those religious types who say they represent me, but don't? What about all the self righteous hypocrites who speak for me, but don't even know me? What about all the blame, all the bad mouthing, all the false accusations, all the nasty things people say and think about Me? You think you have a problem. My son, you ain't seen nothing.”

What I am saying is that God gets a lot of blame that belongs elsewhere. Religion too gets a bad name, and some of it is deserved, and some of it is not. The Scriptures themselves distinguish between true and false religion. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). Who is going to condemn visiting orphans? If I could have had a conversation with Christopher Hitchens I would have asked him what were the things about religion that he had so much trouble with? I am pretty sure that we would have been in substantial agreement. And if he were to have asked me about the things about atheism that I have trouble with, I think again we would be in substantial agreement. So is all religion, are all Christians evil? No. Do I believe that everything atheists says is wrong and that all atheists are inherently evil? Well no, many times no more than the rest of us! The bigger question is "Is what we believe helping us to become better people?" I know those on "both" sides of the theist/atheist divide who are getting better and those who are getting worse!

So perhaps it is not religion in and of itself that is at the root of the problem. But if it's not, then what exactly is it? As always the Scriptures have the best explanation. In condemning that form of religion that was concerned only with image, Jesus told his disciples that “out of the heart come evil thoughts - murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Matthew 15:19). True religion is all about having my heart changed through ongoing relationship with Him as we surrender to His Lordship of our lives. So does religion poison everything? No it is our hearts, our judgemental unforgiveness, our greed and self seeking that poisons everything. And what about my other question "Is there never anything good?" Well the fruit true religion is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). These things don't poison us they make the World go round. I am not perfect by a long shot, but I am in process of getting better. Ask those who know me best!

If you want to pray: Lord I need more of You in my life, more of the fruit of Your Spirit. Forgive me for the many times I fall short of Your glory. Let Your kingdom come in my life right here, right now. In Jesus name Amen.