The Comforting Illusion: Lifting the Veil on Organized Religion by Greg Bentall

Author:Greg Bentall
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
Published: 2019-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Living and Dying Without Religion

Several years ago, I was admitted to the hospital for some heart-related issues. As part of the admission process, I was asked to state a religious preference. I surprised myself by saying, “n one.”

For the first 61 years of my life, I participated in public acts of worship at least 50 times each year. What’s more, I spent seven years in academic preparation for ministry and several more after I was ordained. 20 years of my life were spent as a pastor and regional church administrator. Religion has been a central part of my life for as long as I can remember, so why upon spontaneous questioning would I choose to claim no religious affili ation?

In recent years, I have become increasingly unhappy with the Church. Calling oneself a Christian often seems to denote a belief in ignorance, bigotry, superstition, fanaticism, and self-righteous zealotry. There was a time when there were progressive voices in the Church that stood against the dark tide of this hateful fanaticism, but those voices have grown increasingly silent. Never has it felt so embarrassing, even intellectually offensive, to call myself a Chri stian.

Of course, that is not to say that I am embarrassed to proclaim Jesus as Lord. Rather, I am embarrassed to be associated in any way with the Church that seems to have lost the true way of Jesus’ teachings altogether. There seems to be no Christ in Christian. Those who thump the Bible the loudest seem never to have actually read it. The raw, unbridled ignorance is appalling; the arrogance is stultifying; the self-righteous zealotry is insufferable. As Gandhi said, “I like your Christ — I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Chri st.” 34

The more I contemplated my decision to claim no religious affiliation at the hospital, the more secure I felt in my choice. I ran through my mental checklist and realized that there was nothing that any religion could off er me.

I am aware of my own mortality and health issues. I know that one day I will die, whether that death may come in 15 days or 15 years. I do not believe that I will live 20 more years and would not wish to do so unless I could be vigorous and productive. Until my death, I will live every day. And then I will die without either sadness or fear. Life is not measured by its longevity — many live long and useless lives, dying without ever having lived.

I do not need a priestly presence to utter magic incantations or perform symbolic rites or rituals over me. For all such things are simply an illusion that gives comfort to the fearful — if you die without fear, what need do you have of them? Life and death are so much bigger than these illu sions.

I do not need a shoulder to cry on. In times of illness, loss, or despair, I will survive and thrive. I know how to be strong.

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