Religion is a "system of make-believe.”

Some time back, I was involved in a conversation with a brother during which he asked me why it seems that so many people are not “religious” these days.  Or, if they are, why they’re involved with and following doctrines that are different from those of the Lord's church?  He indicated that he was puzzled by the fact that there are many more “religious” people following false doctrines than those following the true doctrine of Christ.

In some ways it puzzles me too and I know that there are many reasons that could be mentioned that might explain this disparity in numbers and I thought we could spend a few moments considering this situation.  First off, there are some who just simply don’t believe in God or in any Supreme Being. 

I’m aware that, percentage-wise, there are many more who profess “religion” than those who are true atheists, at least here in America.  It just seems to me that our “non-believers” are a lot more vocal these days, which probably makes it seem like there are a lot more of them than there really are.

I’m also of the opinion that our colleges and universities have become more and more secular in their teaching and I’m sure that this influences many people.  In fact, two writers whom the “academia” puts a lot of store by are the Huxley brothers, Aldous and Julian.  They are looked on as being great thinkers and thus produced great thoughts and philosophies.

It was Aldous who, in his writings, said that religion “is a system of make-believe.”  It was his older brother, Julian that wrote that “God is just a product of the human mind” and He “does not exist.”  Like I said, it’s writers and philosophers such as these that are promoted by our “enlightened” institutions of higher learning which have great influence on a lot of our young people.

You know the sad thing about this?  The teaching of “no God” is, by default, the teaching of “no rules of conduct.”  That man is the highest power and therefore, whatever man decides to do, or how they decide to act, is okay.  Could this have a bearing on a lot of the news reports we’re seeing regarding the adverse and troublesome events taking place on our college campuses?

Plus, we’re seeing a great rise in “socialism” or the promotion of a “socialistic” society in our current election cycle, aren’t we?  Well, “socialism” and “communism” are hand-holders.  Religion and those philosophies are diametrically opposed.  It was one of their founders, Karl Marx, who said that “religion is the opium of the people.”

He believed that religion so altered a person’s mind that they couldn’t reach the potential that communism would allow them to.  In one of his writings he said, “communism necessarily includes atheism.”  And socialism, being a close relative, is of the same order.  It and religion cannot coexist.

Well, those were a few thoughts on why some people don’t believe in there being a God of any sorts, so let’s see some thoughts regarding “religious” people and what influences them.  I suppose that we can just lump those influences under the heading of “false doctrines” but we need to discuss the nature of some of them to see their influence.

What I’ve noticed about “false doctrines” is that they come in many forms.  Many purveyors of them have realized that certain things appeal to people thus making a particular doctrine more attractive than others.  Especially doctrines that center on “social programs” or “entertainment.”  People like to be entertained and if you can combine it with some appearance of religion, you’ll develop a lot of followers.

Man has discovered that if you develop a doctrine that appeals to people’s likes and desires, they’ll follow.  I think these followers are the ones described by Paul and having “itching ears” (2Tim. 4:3) and unfortunately, they’ll have no trouble finding “false prophets” who’ll scratch them.

But, you know what?  It shouldn’t come as a surprise to any true Christian because we were told by Christ Himself that this great disparity in numbers between “unbelievers” and “believers” would be in our world.  In Matt. 7:13-14 we find that oft-cited passage the “wide gate and broad way” that leads to “destruction” and the “narrow way” as the one that “leadeth unto life.”

And He further told us that, percentage-wise, there will be many more taking the “wide road to hell” than those who “find” the “narrow way” and stay on it.  And, guess who the guides on the “wide road” will be?  You got it - the “false prophets.”  This “wide way” situation is aptly described by Jesus in Matt. 15:14 where He calls them the “blind leading the blind” with both the guide and the follower ending up in the “ditch.”

I guess that what puzzles me the most is how people can read the same Bible, the same “road map” so to speak, and come up with different directions to eternal life.  I suspect that it’s because the larger percentage of “religious” people never really study God’s Word for themselves.  I think that the “wide way” is the “easy way” because all they feel they have to do is follow whichever “false prophet” that sounds good to them and they’ll go to heaven. 

While thinking about the “ways” Jesus described in Matt. 7, let me close our lesson today with a couple more thoughts.  Did you notice that there were only two - the “wide” and the “narrow” which equals the “right” and the “wrong.”

Secondly, there are lots of people who have heard the “truth” spoken to them, perhaps even studied it for themselves and yet, have not obeyed it.  For one reason or another, they’ve put off being obedient to it and have not taken the “narrow way.”  By default, if one is not on the “narrow way” they’re on the “wide” one and we’ve already mentioned where that one leads to.  Here’s a little saying that is so applicable to this last thought.  It’s not real wordy, yet it says a mouthful.

   “By the street of By And By, one arrives at the house of Never.”

Respectfully submitted,

Ron Covey