It's time to lose our religion

Apparently, the popular musician left a comment on a live video by popular radio OAP, Daddy Freeze, airing his opinion on religion in Nigeria.

He wrote, "If it's by religion, with the amount of churches we have, Nigeria should be heaven."

Sarcastic, I know. But doesn't he have a point?

In Nigeria, people have made it their mission to have churches on every street, and have overflowing seats every Sunday, but how many of these churches are taking the time to ensure that their congregation are actually leading Godly lives?

We call ourselves Christians, but very few people have lives that are Christlike.

Rather than emulating the life of Christ, His humility, love, no judgement rule, we have turned our focus to blindly following doctrines, and our individual preachers' lifestyles.

Rather than preaching about what it really takes to abandon the world for God's sake (Mark 10:29), sermons are now about tithes, miracles, and prosperity.

In fact, it is my opinion that organised religion can easily distract us from what really following God is about.

ALSO READ: 10 times South African pastors have embarrassed Christianity

No wonder, popular Gospel artist, Kirk Franklin released an album titled, "Losing My Religion" last year.

Defending his album against traditional believers, he said, "Religion, throughout the years, has become a very oppressive thing that doesn't allow people to get to know the God it was created to try to lead them to. So basically, it's just like marriage cannot guarantee intimacy, religion doesn't guarantee a relationship."

On the "Tom Joyner Morning Show" last year, he said, "It doesn't guarantee you're going to have a loving, relationship with God. So God becomes this distant person that's always pointing at my sins, always beating me up and you never know Him as a friend and as a father."

"We're getting rid of the systems and all the rules, and the processes, and it's like, let's fall in love with the Father and see Him as a father that loves us as flawed as we are," the songwriter and former choir director added.

I absolutely agree with him.

One can definitely be religious without actually having a personal relationship with God or living a life that reflects His values.

Now, being religious is mostly about church attendance, paying tithes, and blindly following what your preacher says you should do.

Nothing wrong with these, but none of this guarantee spirituality, living like Jesus Christ or more importantly, a ticket to Heaven.

Thus, we need to shift our focus from rules, doctrines to actually leading lives that reflect God's ways.

ALSO READ: I have just given my life to Christ, what do I do next?

People should be able to tell that we are all about God, not because we wear wristbands, have car stickers, but through our lifestyles.

Our humility, love for everyone including strangers, unreserved kindness, should be the indicator of our beliefs, not just our words.

In the words of Fela Durotoye, "We are the church, not the building. You are an altar (a place for God to reach the earth through you)."

It's definitely time to lose our religion and focus on leading better spiritual lives.

It's time to lose our religion

Today, I woke up to the news of Ruggedman attacking religion.

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