MAN AND RELIGION | Segun M. Alonge Jr

'Everyone is first human - religion came to separate us'
- Segun M. Alonge Jr

In speaking about religion and religious worldviews, I do not intend to exalt one at the expense of the other. I strongly believe that religion is man's orchestrated most potent means of satisfying his heart search for a creator - with the intention of finding meaning to his existence.

Going back in time, history portrays one of man's greatest edifice - The tower of Babel (1). The whole earth had one language and one speech. There was unity in focus and they decided to erect a monument to maintain this oneness eternally - Man was then in a fallen state!

Come, let us(unity in trinity) go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech (2). Elohim stepped into the scene and confused the language of all the earth.
Prior to this time, man had began to call on the name of the Lord (3) as an act of worshipping the now invisible creator and to create a path of restoration. I propose that this is the origin of the diverse religious worldviews we live with today.
Man is incurably religious. He builds altars, paints pictures, convene ceremonies, erect structures to appease his heart search for God.

With the advent of diverse languages, came different modes of worship. You would agree that most religions of the world today - even those that claim to be global in nature and prospect are still attached to a particular language and cultural heritage. Won't you? I use to wonder how the creator of peoples, nations, tribes and tongues would choose to convey his message in an exclusive language to his creation.

Looking back in time, most of the wars which were more like a platform for sacrificing ourselves were on the grounds of diverse religious beliefs.
When are we going to stop destroying one another on the platform of religious differences?
When are we going to do away with coercion in religion and religious beliefs?
Why can't we live together as humans even with our differences in religious beliefs?
I submit that religion has done more harm than good to mankind!
This frequent bloodshed and human sacrifice must in the name of religion must stop. Tolerance must be inculcated into our religious differences.
The only success that religion could record is to instill that search element upon the tablet of man's heart.

THE END OF THE SEARCH......

God's self disclosure in the person of Christ.
I choose to use this astute illustration of Quranic/Biblical origin as stated by a revered Christian Apologist, Dr Ravi Zacharias. In speaking about the person of Christ, he was engaged in a debate. He stated thus....

Abraham (Ibrahim) took his son - we do not need to argue about which son it was, and they both set out to the land of Moriah to offer him there as a burnt offering. He built an altar and laid him on it to be slaughtered. He stretched forth his hand and took a knife to slay his son, but the angel of the Lord restrained him. A provision was made by God.
As long as we reject God's provision for man's malady in the person of Christ, we would not cease to sacrifice ourselves on the altar of religion.

That singular promise he made to Abraham was fulfilled when he gave up his son on Calvary without restrictions. He died, he was buried and he resurrected - to be eternally glorified.

Reference(s)
Genesis 11 (1,2)
Genesis 4:26 (3)

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