Too many people us religion as a club.  Yes, there’s double meaning there – as a selective group you must join or as a weapon.  My first thought in writing this was of religion as a weapon or a defense.  Too many don’t take religion as a call to transformation but as a way to be “right,” and then they proceed to hit anyone who doesn’t agree or bat away anything that pushes them into transformation.  And that leads into the exclusivity of the club that is on the winning side, a team of us that is better than them.

All of this is human nature, but I think true religion makes us back up and look closely at ourselves to be sure we aren’t using religion as a club in any way.  True religion is about being honest with ourselves and deepening so that we make a journey that isn’t hindered by illusion.  I’m writing this on the Christian Holy Saturday, the day of the biggest transformation.  Any real transformation will involve pain and death and resurrection.  I think that’s why it’s so easy just to choose a club.