Relative Religion

September 20, 2024

Our Family was a part of a very fundamental group of faith when my siblings and I were growing up. They were and are wonderful people. Very fraternal. Their written list of restrictions and prohibitions was long, and candidly very bizarre.

1) Members could not chew gum,

2) Ladies were not allowed to wear makeup,

3) Ladies were not allowed to wear pants or shorts,

4) Men and women could not swim together,

5) Members of the organization could not wear jewelry,

6) Members were not allowed to go to movies,

7) Their position on divorce and marriage after divorce was unscriptural and very hurtful and divisive to individuals and to families,

8) They touted a position of exclusiveness that was incorrect and unscriptural and discredited many whom God has and had chosen for leadership,

9) They ascribed virtue to church membership that only comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

And the list continued. They had actually created lists specifying more than fifty such things.

The point of all of this is that all of these positions over time have changed and have now become acceptable and okay. They were relatives to begin with. They were not eternal and they were not to be our first consideration. They were distractions to the important things that were and are eternal.

When we put first things first, the secondary choices become more clear and easier to understand. There were and are many wonderful people who are a part of this organization.  They are great friends. They simply were taught wrong, and many were injured. 

Unfortunately, this story has played out countless times in churches and faith groups of all stripes. Have you experienced the same thing in your faith background and history? As you reflect on this, make a commitment to build and focus on absolutes in your life and faith, rather than that which is relative.