Institutional religion, as a system of rules and traditions, creates layers between people and God rather than drawing them near. Genuine spirituality requires questioning everything — including the sacred traditions we were told would lead us to God — because lies are embedded in the very institutions we were taught to trust most.
The Argument
- The author's personal journey from church culture through nihilism to freedom demonstrates that throwing out religious assumptions was the path to genuine spiritual relationship
- Lies are embedded not just in culture or politics but in the very institutions and traditions we were told would lead us to God
- The pursuit of truth without external restrictions — questioning everything, with nothing off the table — is the vehicle for discovering who God truly is
Key Scriptures
- Matthew 23:4
Over to You
What if the thing standing between you and God isn't sin — it's the religion that promised to bring you to Him? How does that sit for you?
From Dismantling Religion by Chris Drake — Introduction