Religion's End Game

Mark 3:1-6

Often I’ve stated that religions endgame is to destroy or kill anyone that they fear or are opposed to them.  The Koran is very different from what Jesus taught, Jesus taught to love your enemies and to pray for them, but the Koran teaches to put them under subjection or kill them.  One is a religion and the other a relationship, in one the leader came and destroyed all who would not submit to his teaching and the other came with this promise in John 10:10b, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  They both died, but Jesus rose in three days from the grave and took His rightful place at the right hand of the Father.  It is amazing that one offered life and the other submission or death, yet many have chosen to go with death.  My high school friend, Buddy shared this quote with me from Blaise Pascal, “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.”  I’ve also become a fan of Blaise, and this quote is needed at this point; “In faith, there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.”

So with that background let us explore Mark 3:1-6, “Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”

Religion has rules; lots of rules, and in my youth as a member of small
Baptist churches, it became apparent we had our share of don’ts.  We preached loving your neighbor as yourself, but it was rare when this teenage boy saw it lived out by the members of those small churches.  Have you ever wondered why the world is not knocking down the doors of our Churches, could it be we talk a good story but faith without works is dead, I believe Jesus’ brother James said that.

Well, the Pharisees were professionals at being religious and would have dragged a Baptist to death trying to keep up with all the don’ts and especially about the Sabbath.  So look at this set up on the man with the withered hand, and Jesus’ question to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?”  It seems like a no-brainer, it is always good to do the right thing and it is always good to save a life.  But when trapped the Pharisees did what religion always does, and it also comes from John 10:10a, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  Religions end game is to destroy or kill anyone that they fear or is opposed to them.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice