Over the past four decades, Christians in the conservative
To the conservative Evangelical, “religion” means ritual. Namely the rituals of people who lack this relationship with Christ Jesus. And for the most part, they’re thinking of people who aren’t conservative Evangelicals like them. They figure progressive Evangelicals are more focused on
If they grew up in such churches, the way they remember them was based on how these churches introduced ’em (or, let’s be fair, didn’t properly introduce them) to Jesus: How they were told they gotta behave themselves, gotta follow the rules, gotta practice the rituals, and so forth. These churches might’ve taught their adults about having a personal relationship with Jesus, but all they ever seem to have taught their kids was, “Goddamnit, behave yourselves.” Consequently they felt like hotbeds of
Assuming they ever heard
Hence, religion.
Conservative Evangelicals insist they have a relationship, not a religion. But here’s the thing: We do have rituals. We do practice various faith-based things on the regular, in order to further our relationship with God. ’Cause when we don’t, our relationship with God is really gonna suck.
But that’s religion. Might be disciplined; more often
And whenever we conservative Evangelicals tell
- We name-drop God an awful lot for someone who’s “not religious.”
- We rail against sin an awful lot for someone who’s “not religious.”
- We keep up to date with our bibles an awful lot, for someone who’s “not religious.”
- We pray way more often than any not-religious person would.
- We use a lot more religion-based vocabulary than any not-religious person would.
- Wait, we go to church? Voluntarily?
Pagans know we absolutely are so religions. Because they’re not religious. So what other conclusion can they come to?—they think we’re trying to pull a fast one. “You’re ‘not religious’? Oh,
So, if you’re using the word “religious” wrong, this is why you need to cut it out.