Religion is powerful and full of resources. Tragically, clever men work hard to exploit its riches. If there is an angle to be milked, someone somewhere is selling books, CDs, T-shirts and seminars for all its worth. Even the most genuine of souls can get caught up in religion’s money-go-round. It is very concerning when high profile Christian writers, entertainers or public figures leave the faith. It is to our shame that we do not warn each other that the commoditization of faith is spiritually lethal. But what is equally spiritually lethal is creating a religion of your own making and using the ‘Jesus’ brand to authenticate it. Richard Rohr, a seventy-six-year-old Franciscan friar, has spent his last 50 years perfecting the art of convincing people that they can have the Jesus of their choice. For a monk who has long honoured his poverty vows, he sees no problem with encouraging the self-generated religious views of the rich and famous. His ‘name dropping’ line-up is staggering—Bono, Oprah and Melinda Gates top the list. People have made gods in their own images since time immemorial, so nothing is new there. But to define and practice Christian spirituality in non-Christian terms and practices is to miss the mark. And thus, we arrive at our problem—definitions. For Richard Rohr Christ’s teachings are anything that you want them to be and who is anyone to say otherwise? Anything goes! Now, you can fight with me all you like on this, but you will have to eventually face Jesus in judgment over your desire to mix religions and then put Jesus’ name to it. Jesus claims exclusive rights over every aspect of your being—Body, Soul and Spirit! Your life is to be solely bound up in his kingdom (Mt.6:33), and you are either totally for him or totally against him. No middle ground. He says: “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). There is no other way to God. There is no hope without LIFE. Jesus said: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).(johnstaiger1@gmail.com)
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