Faith: Jesus Over Religion

I am a Christian but I don’t like the word ‘religion’ and I don’t like being called ‘religious’.  To me religion is a word which brings up images of fighting - fighting over which religion is the best e.g. Protestantism v Catholicism. 

There have been many people killed in Northern Ireland in the name of religion, but to me none of it is actually religious – it’s political.  In Northern Ireland religion has been mixed up too much with politics and to me they don’t go.  Religion does not have a good name anywhere.

The word religion means a belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a God or gods. 

Christianity is a religion as are Islam, Judaism including others.  And within these religions there are different denominations or practices. In Christianity there are as mentioned before Catholics and Protestants. And within the Protestant movement there are different denominations:

• Baptist
• Anglican
• Presbyterian
• Methodist
• Bethren etc.

I am a Christian but I am not religious.

To some religion means:

• Fighting over who is better,
• You are not good enough
• You can’t go to church in jeans
• You have to wear a hat
• You are now allowed to speak in church
• Kids should be seen and not heard
• We need to sing hymns
• You won’t be accepted in you have piercings or tattoos
• You need to be perfect

But none of this is true, especially within Christianity. And I write about Christianity as that is what I know.  The important thing to know and understand is that God accepts anyone and everyone.

• He came for the sinners and the lost
• He came for the sick, the bruised and the broken
• He came for the outcasts
• He came for everyone. 

God accepts everyone. God accepts us if we have tattoos or piercings. God accepts us if we made or still make mistakes. God accepts us all and God came for us all.  None of us are perfect. We are all sinners and God loves each and every one of us.  God loves us so much he even knows how many hairs we have on our heads.

I am a Christian but I am not religious. Christianity is totally accepting of everyone but religion judges and discriminates.  God doesn’t discriminate, he loves the old, he loves the young. He loves us no matter what colour we are. He loves us no matter what race we are. He loves both males and females the same. He loves everyone equally. God loves us and accepts us and all we need to do is to love God and accept his love for us. Do you?

Steven McLeish, a Scottish Christian poet sums everything up in his poem Jesus over Religion with these great words: “Religion is God’s love with misprints, Jesus is God’s love for misfits”.

To view Steven's Video 'Jesus Over Religion' click on this link:

And to view the american take on this, click on this link to see Jefferson Bethke on why he hates religion. 

Politics: The EU Debate

Brexit or Bremain? That is the big question at the minute and I am so looking forward to the 23 June when everyone casts their votes and a decision is finally going to be made, although it will take two years for everything to be sorted out if the decision is Brexit.

I get quite frustrated when this subject is brought up at social gatherings I am at and I can feel myself getting anger. Sometimes politics is not the best subject to debate with friends.

I have my views and I know which why my vote will go, but I am not sure that opposing my views on other people and trying to influence them or tell them how I think they should be voting is the best idea. I would hate people doing it to me, so why should I do it do others?

We all have the right to decide for ourselves so I think we should all do that. I have decided how I am that I am now going to surrender the issue to God and let Him deal with it, because at the end of the day God is completely Sovereign and already knows how things will plan out, so I am going to let Him deal with it as I know that with Him all things can work out for His greater good.

I am now not going to discuss the Bremain or Brexit issue again except with maybe my family as with them my views are safe.  If this question comes up in other social gatherings, church or work, then I am just going to turn my ears off!

When I vote I will be taking into consideration the following areas as I think they are very important:

• What will the consequences be for Northern Ireland if we leave the EU?
• What will the consequences be for the NHS be and how will it affect the giving of health services to those who need it?
• European Holidays and how they will be affected?

And finally the most important area: 

• If the United Kingdom left the European Union, how exactly will it affect the young people of today? In all decisions of life as big as this we need to think of the younger generation and how it will affect them as they are the ones who will have to live with and deal with all outcomes, fallouts and consequences.

Life: Believe in yourself

I saw the below image on Facebook recently and thought I would share it as it is something I believe people who suffer from Chronic Illnesses or Depression etc need to know. Many a times I have felt like a burden on family and friends - they tell me I am now, but its not easy to believe them when the lies in your head are stronger.

So read these truths and believe in them as they are true: