In Matthew 26, we see Religion's ultimate attempt to stop God:
Jesus...told his disciples, "You know that Passover comes in two days. That's when the Son of Man will be betrayed and handed over for crucifixion."
At that very moment, the party of high priests and religious leaders was meeting in the chambers of the Chief Priest named Caiaphas, conspiring to seize Jesus by stealth and kill him.Religion seems to think it can sneak up on God: "conspire to seize Jesus by stealth." If it wasn't such a deadly idea, the smugness of this plan made by small minds would be humorous.
Religion is a small, deadly version of God. Deadly because It limits its participants from maturing in a true faith relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Religion:
Does not encourage personal growth and exploration. It is too afraid to let God be God because the True God might confront It's false boundaries and loveless rules.
Consistently frames God as less than He is. It takes personally any attempt to present God as larger and more encompassing than It's version of Him.
Puts procedure over Power. Hoops, steps, limits, rituals, boundaries--when established without the authority of God--become religious idols.God is never surprised by Religion--He, in perhaps His most brilliant move, surprised Religion by using It's very judgment to turn the world upside down with the Resurrection of Love and Forgiveness, freeing all of us from Religion to join Jesus.
None of us has to abide in Religion's closet of treachery (Day 2).
Tomorrow: the path out of abuse.
