A Look at Blindness 3:Blinded by Religion

In an era where suicide bombings and the activities of terrorist groups such as the Boko Haram are rampant, the killings of the cartoonists in their office by some Muslims in Paris two weeks ago still astonished many.These extremists  were furious at the portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed  by the cartoonists and decided to inflict punishments themselves.Fortunately even fellow Muslims have condemned their act and dissociated themselves from such inhumane behaviour. Nevertheless,it is important to realize that  these extremists may not have started out with murder in mind.Gradually and with increasing degree their intolerance for others built up  until murder became an option to support their cause.They are a modern day warning of the dangers of religious blindness.

This is what happened to the Apostle Paul, who did not start out killing Christians.Being a Pharisee he was so consumed with keeping the Law that when the Church started, he opposed it so vehemently.The first time we see him in Scriptures he is holding the coats of those who were stoning Stephen, the first martyr to death(Acts 7:58)  and he progressed from a supportive role(Acts 8:1), to a leadership role(Acts 8:3). In this later role, we find him  on his way to Damascus(Acts 9:1-3)having collected  letters  from the High priest so that he could arrest Christians there.Luckily a dramatic conversion  led to a change.

It is also possible that  as Christians we may become blinded by religion and  religious ways and thus refuse to change ineffective previous  patterns  or embrace novelty.Sometimes it may be our own preference or denominational  style of doing things that we have turned to a law and  a standard by which we  judge others.People who are not following our self imposed laws are then likely to be condemned with their reputation at stake.Sadly,it is not sin that is their offence.They have not just followed our own set of rules,feeding our egos while we are bereft of our blindness.

Religious convictions are so strong that sometimes in a bid to follow them,there is a tendency of being blinded.Paul had this problem with some of the churches(Romans 14:18-23 ,Colossians 2:16) and he used the Scriptures to convey the truth to them.Other spiritual disciplines such as prayer and being led by the Spirit are aides  to the recovery of sight from religious blindness.

Yours in Him,
Grace Tom-Lawyer