I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the religions that I know about, and have concluded that they do a good thing. Surprised? Just take a look at society and you can see how society always has one or more religions as a key part.

Religions are essential to the correct functioning of society, for they help control the natural impulses of people to rebel and to tear society down. I don't think it matters too much what the particular religion is, as long as it fits with the goals of the society that it is in. For example, where I live we have a number of different "Christian" religions, with basic labels such as Catholic and Protestant - but all of them ultimately encourage loyalty and obedience to their church leaders, and ultimately to the society they are in. While any given group may be loyal to a leader outside their immediate society, such as the Catholic Pope in Vatican City, they also teach obdedience to the local authority, and seek to have their views heard there.

I am using religion in a broad sense here, and when I do so I find that even people who claim they don't believe in a God have things in common with each other, and you could call that a religion too.

Because of this, I think religions are useful to the society and the state that is contained within it. Society itself is always in need of propping up, for it is no more perfect than the people who create and maintain it.

To my mind, this sheds some light on how those who accept the call when Jesus comes knocking at the door of their heart are different. They can be anywhere, and in any organization, for they have a personal relationship with God, not a religion. Jesus talked with Nicodemus about how his followers were like the wind; he said you feel the force of the wind on your face, but you don't know where it came from and where it is going. We who have a relationship with him receive LOVE that is beyond our understanding.

Our humanity needs the rules of society, and that is what religions are for. Our sprituality needs a relationship with God and that door is open for anyone who will receive it.

The human part of man needs rules of conduct; that is why the Jewish people chose the Law at Mount Sinai. The spirit of man needs God, and a relationship with God is like soaring on Eagles Wings, being carried by Love. The difference really is that simple.

Till next time,

Duane