Bridge Out: Why Modern Religion Fails Us

Our team thought it a great idea to start rewinding previous (but timely) episodes of our show during the times that Mista Yu is away from the microphone. All of these beautiful Blasts from the Past were previously broadcast, but we are sharing them with you at a time when you might need them most. Hope you enjoy the review!

Have you ever wondered why so many spiritually-minded people avoid organized religion? What if the problem isn't religion itself, but our fundamental misunderstanding of what it's supposed to be?

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we dive deep into the topic I've hesitated to discuss – religion versus relationship. I break down the rarely-examined definition of religion (appearing only 5-7 times in the New Testament) and explore why terms like "system," "institutionalized," and "ceremony" leave such a bitter taste in so many mouths.

We confront the uncomfortable truth that hypocrisy isn't just a church problem – it's a human problem. Whether it's telling our kids not to talk to strangers except on Halloween or claiming we don't eat certain foods while making exceptions, we all live with contradictions. The question becomes: are we willing to acknowledge them?

Ready to transform your understanding of faith? This episode might just change your tomorrow. Subscribe now and join the conversation about what truly matters in our spiritual journeys.

Chapters

• 0:00 Episode Introduction
• 4:18 Understanding Religion's True Definition
• 9:00 Why We're Wary of Religion
• 14:06 The Hypocrisy Problem
• 21:06 Organized vs. Unorganized Religion
• 28:20 The Bridge Is Out Warning
• 32:40 Religion vs. Relationship Showdown
• 42:45 Pride: The Christian's Kryptonite
• 48:00 Final Thoughts and Episode Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Thanks again for listening to One on One with Mr U and your Inspiration Station. I'm really excited about today's episode and a chance to share another compelling story with all of you that I really hope changes your tomorrow. Let's not waste another minute, let's get into it. On this episode of they Call Me, mr U, we'll be straight shooting on the one topic I hesitated to discuss. Yeah, that one. We're straight shooting on religion today, the pros and cons and what it all really means. It may not be exactly what we originally thought. When we're done today, you'll see where we've been missing it and where we're getting it right. We're going toe-to-toe, baby. For all the marbles, the brawl, for it all Religion versus relationship. We even discuss your favorite superhero of all times. Trust me, that's going to be good. It'll all come together.

Speaker 1: 0:52

On this episode of they Call Me, mr you, which starts right now. What's up everybody? Welcome back to the All Purpose Pod for an all-purpose life. We're your weekly mirror check before you go change the world, baby. I'm your host and your coach, mr U. Ha, yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. Welcome back to the all-purpose pod for an all-purpose life with your weekly mirror check before you go change the world. Thank you for joining us today. Wherever you are and however, you're listening to our podcast. Thank you for making the Call Me, mr you part of your morning, your day and your week. Let's get it.

Speaker 1: 1:59

We're so excited about all of the positive reaction to some of the changes that we've been making to our podcast. We are in a rebranding phase and it feels so good. We're excited. You know, one of the reasons why we are at a place today where we're refocusing I'd say looking at some things differently is because there is a problem that I have recognized. I've seen it in my own situation and I see it in the conversation that I have on a nearly daily basis. So, to all of the podcast fans who want spiritual and professional development but don't trust religion, I got something for you.

Speaker 1: 2:49

You know, we often ask what and we often ask who. Questions like that but when we ask why questions, most times it serves as an indicator that we're looking for the purpose of an effort, seeking a benefit, perhaps, or just a deeper understanding, so we can feel a sense of belonging. We want to know why. We want to know what the impact on the world is going to be, on our community or on us personally. We just want to understand why are my family members and friends and listeners weary of religion? Why are you weary of religion? We're going to get into it. It's a topic that I didn't want to discuss, or I hesitated to discuss and didn't know how to frame it, but today we're just going to get after it. We're going to tell the truth, we're going to lay it all out. Whatever happens happens. What it is is what it is. So just in case you were wondering and you were unsure or you had a perception that perhaps may not be totally complete about what religion is, a few things you should know.

Speaker 1: 4:00

The word religion is used only five to seven times in your modern day Bible, specifically in the New Testament. You can't find it at all in the Old Testament. There's a very, very important reason for that as well. But what does it actually mean in the literal sense? Religion in the literal sense means a particular system of faith and worship, a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance, commitment, devotion, things like that, including the service and worship of a supreme being. It's also described as a personal set of institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs and practices. In the Greek, if you translate it that way. It's an expression of worship, it's an observance of ceremony. It usually points to the worship of angels and or other gods or multiple gods polytheism. Well, since it's translated into Greek, you may understand that, based on Greek history, why it was translated that way, or why it means that to those individuals, based on their approach to worship and deity, and you can research those things on your own, but you'll make more sense when you see it that way. So again, why are so many of us weary of religion?

Speaker 1: 5:18

Now, in my humble opinion, the keys are in the definition. When you hear specific or particular system, where does your mind go? When you hear specific or particular system, where does your mind go? Does that indicate a formatted way of accomplishing things that predated you? Perhaps Does your nature immediately want to try a different way, just for the sake of change? Maybe, or do you truly believe your way is better than a time honored tradition? At times, that may be so.

Speaker 1: 5:55

When you hear the word institutionalized, what thought comes to mind? When you hear the word institutionalized, what thought comes to mind? When you hear the word institutionalized, what thought comes to mind? Well, for me, I think about the prison system. I think about a mental health facility. To be honest, perhaps it's by design. How many of you think about marriage as well? How many of you think about marriage as well?

Speaker 1: 6:24

Many have called that an institution, in a derisive way perhaps, but it's been commonly known as the institution of marriage. See what powerful imagery can be found in words. Institution sounds like marriage to some, or mental health facility to others, or even the prison system. This is why the word religion by itself can't be understood based only on our experiences. We need to have full context, we need to fully understand what it means, the placement, the context, so we can have a better understanding, so that we don't go out here and share misinformation without fully understanding context, placement, audience, things like that.

Speaker 1: 7:21

That's your message from the English major today. You're welcome, but words like ceremony and commitment, devotion and practice they have one thing in common, maybe more, but one thing comes to mind for me today Consistency and effort and behavior and speech and lifestyle. When you hear ceremony and commitment and devotion and practice, I hear consistency. It's something that you do continuously, and so my commitment and devotion is continuous. Practice is continuous. If you're an athlete and you want to be better at your craft. You want to catch more passes. You want to score more touchdowns. You want to make more three-pointers, it's going to take practice. If you want to finish more races and have more stamina, it takes practice. If you want to throw the javelin farther, it takes practice. That's consistency in effort, consistency and behavior, consistency and lifestyle, even in speech, positive affirmation, things of that nature.

Speaker 1: 8:35

That word, consistency, has been the primary mountain that I've struggled to climb my entire life. Just to be transparent with you guys, I've done a lot of things well, but I haven't done a lot of things consistently, at least in the past. Discipline, whether it be in exercise, financial budgeting or religious activity, has always been the block that most humans stumble over. When you come face to face with that particular hurt that you're feeling because somebody from the church, who's supposed to be holy and authentic and a representative of who God is supposed to be, has wronged you, remember that word is likely part of the problem. It's convenient To blame it on other things, like the whole faith goes into the trash because somebody did me wrong, but consistency is part of the problem. That person who hurt you may not be consistently that person, but because they broke the pattern or the chain of consistency in that person, but because they broke the pattern or the chain of consistency, in that moment you saw a different person.

Speaker 1: 9:52

We're not talking about human beings today per se. We're not talking about consistency and lifestyle per se. I just want you to understand what religion looks like in modern day applications. Now, let's be honest. We've been failed by the idea of religion in the context of those five to seven scriptural passages that I mentioned earlier in the podcast. They are describing a person's way of life solely on what they believe, describing a person's way of life solely on what they believe. It condemned the actions of those that say they believe something but their lifestyle, their words and actions don't reflect it. The person that suffered that massive church hurt or that betrayal. They're not looking at this. They should, but they're not looking at this. They're living in the world that that hurt created. They're living in that experience and they're recycling it over and over again. It's almost like sitting in some kind of closed off room where there's no airflow, and you got smoke in the room. It just recycling over and over again in the room and you just smelling it and inhaling it. That's what happens when somebody hurts you and you continue to live in that world. That's what happens with religion.

Speaker 1: 11:12

Religion has caused many people to turn away from God or their understanding of who God is, their concept of God, in those passages that I was quoting earlier, or that was quoting earlier what I was mentioning earlier. Religion is supposed to describe a person's way of life built on what they believe, consistency in their lifestyle, consistency in their words and actions. Their words and actions match what they say, they do, what they do they say. But where I come from, when you don't see that reflection, when you don't see that reflection, when you don't see that match where I come from, we call that hypocrisy. That is one of the prime symptoms for why so many don't trust religion because they see hypocrisy. But let's pump the brakes just for a second. Hopefully your seatbelts are on. Allow me to take this really sharp pen and point it towards your bubble just for a second. Hopefully your seatbelts are on. Allow me to take this really sharp pen and point it towards your bubble just for a moment.

Speaker 1: 12:08

We are all hypocrites, see. We all do something that runs counter to what we say, we believe, even in the little small things, even in the tiny things we say. I don't eat blank, but this meal that I like has a little bit of blank in it, even in that little small example might be humorous, might not seem like a big deal, but it's still hypocrisy, because we've been telling people that we don't do this and we don't do that. But what do we do? We all do something that runs counter to what we say we believe. Let's be honest. We teach our kids that you never, ever, talk to strangers, but we break that rule on the 31st of October every single year. Not only that, stay with us, we'll be right back.

Speaker 1: 13:06

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Speaker 1: 13:55

We pretend to be somebody else just for a night. We dress up in a costume and pretend to be somebody else While our kids talk to strangers so we can get some candy. You might be laughing, but that's hypocrisy. We tell our kids to be good or Santa won't bring them any gifts, but we struggle with believing in a loving father that gave you a priceless gift even though you were not deserving of it. There's something wrong there. Is it possible that we only feel comfortable when we can define who is good or what is good and who is not? Is it possible that we only feel comfortable when we can define who is good or what is good and what is not? Well, that, ladies and gentlemen, is the very definition of the kind of religion so many people hate, and we do it to others every single day. We want to be the ones that define what this means, what it should look like, how it should make me feel, but we're not fit to be in control of that. Could have left to our own devices, and I've said it many times on many different episodes If left to our own devices, we will screw this world up worse than it is. If left to our own devices. That red button probably got pushed years ago. If left to our own devices, we can't be in charge of defining what words mean. I'm grateful that I don't have that responsibility because I'm positive that with all the things that I've learned, all the wisdom I've attained over the years, I would most certainly screw it up and screw somebody else up. So I don't want to define religion. I just want to share with you what religion is defined as and we'll go from there. Can we do that so honestly?

Speaker 1: 16:12

When I speak to critics about organized religion and I meet quite a few of them throughout my life, I even know some of them very personally by organized religion we'll discuss what that actually means. But I asked them when we're having conversations candidly about organized religion, local fellowships and things of that nature, I asked them and myself what alternative would you suggest? If organized religion makes your skin crawl so much, what would you prefer as an alternative? Makes your skin crawl so much, what would you prefer as an alternative? Sound like you would prefer unorganized, chaotic religion. That's the opposite. If you don't want organized religion, you must want unorganized, chaotic religion. I know people like to live on the fence and be like Switzerland and say they don't have an opinion, but every decision that you make or not, or don't make, it is still a decision. So if you don't like organized religion, you're choosing the opposite of whatever that is. It's easy to say you know what. There's always four or five options, but in the case of religion and spiritual things, there's only really just two options One that lines up with the Bible and the one that doesn't. Pure and simple. We can argue about that on social media if you prefer, but that's what I believe. It's my show. I'm going to stand on it. So if you don't like organized religion, you must like unorganized, chaotic religion. What does that look like?

Speaker 1: 17:57

When Moses climbed Mount Sinai for his 40-day new member orientation with the Lord, the people went ballistic. They went bat crazy, took off all their jewelry and made a cow god to worship and dance, before singing songs and straight up acting a fool out there while he was gone for the entire 40 days. Now, when we say unorganized, chaotic, uncontrolled, is that the picture that we're shooting for? Are we saying we want religion without instructions, dictates, daily disciplines or rules At the core, even though that's not what we see in our lifetime. It's not how we see things played out in relationships with other people.

Speaker 1: 18:40

Religion is supposed to be about a devoted lifestyle to the Supreme being. We call him God and Jesus Christ, but it should be a devoted lifestyle that is complete with worship and devotion and a unconditional love that dictates how we treat each other. That's technically what religion is supposed to be. What normally ends up happening is when man puts their hands in stuff, like we normally do and like we always do. We mess up things, we muck up the works, we put our hands to stuff that was fine before we started trying to mess with it. So unorganized religion versus unorganized religion is a a discussion that we need to have with ourselves.

Speaker 1: 19:39

If I had a way to give you an analogy of what I think unorganized religion looks like, I would probably liken it to an Easter egg hunt. But instead of only eggs, someone paints some shapely rocks and hides those two among the eggs, and we may not realize that we gathered something other than eggs which was the intent until we bring them home and find that our basket has some foreign elements in them. So instead of tossing them out because they're not the eggs that we were looking for, or we didn't question why these foreign objects were even included in the hunt. We just accept them with the other eggs as if they're the same. Might be a weird analogy, but you get that tomorrow. Unorganized religion is a term that is used derisively most times, at least in the circles that I run in, but there are some benefits to this that the Bible supports.

Speaker 1: 20:36

So, for all those that say they hate organized religion and they're never going back to it because they had a bad experience at home with their parents or in their early adulthood, you may want to plug your ears or unplug them and listen close. Maybe we will help you today. See, I'm not telling you to go run to organized religion in general, under the right circumstances, there's value in a spiritually disciplined lifestyle that is in conjunction with the Bible. Number one, if you're taking notes, which I strongly advise just to kind of ponder this and think about this a little bit more deeply. Number one the need for fellowship and community. Now, see, it's understated how important this is to be around like minded individuals who share struggles with you, who share the same challenges and who have victorious testimonies that maybe you haven't gotten a chance to experience yet.

Speaker 1: 21:35

See, at our base, we are tribal people. We need connection, we need fellowship. We discussed it on last week's episode. Regarding connection, we need it, we're made for it. We were created to connect with people. We're created to serve and give and love and connect and fellowship. It's our nature. It's natural. It's unnatural to be a hermit and live in a mountain, far away from everybody, for years, for our whole life. That's unnatural. It's natural for us to commune and connect and vibe with other people. That's how we were made. It's natural for us to do that. That's how we were made. It's natural for us to do that. We are a tribal people and being around others to enjoy discussions and engagements and hearing about the inspired lives of other people is natural. But it's also liberating, literally.

Speaker 1: 22:30

Number two accountability. I know some folks over the years that are proud to tell you that they watch a service on TV and that's good enough for them and that God is pleased with it. A couple of mistakes there. One we don't know what's good enough for us because most of the time we don't even know who we are. We kind of figure ourselves out on a daily basis what we like, what we don't like, what we need, what we don't need, what we need, what we don't need, and sometimes case in point myself as an example it takes us years to figure out that you know what. What I thought I needed, I don't need the people who I thought needed to be in my life and in my circle. I didn't need that. I didn't need what they brought to the table. I found that out years later.

Speaker 1: 23:17

So for me to determine what's good enough for me, it's a fallacy. And on top of that, they're speaking for God by saying they know that God is pleased with what they're doing. How do you know that? If it makes you feel good all the time, is that certified evidence that God is pleased with it? What you're saying to me this is the Mr you translation today what you're saying to me is this God that you're hanging with at home every week is okay with you not being healed from the offenses of other people, and this God wants you to remain in isolation, away from the struggles and challenges and victorious testimonies that we were talking about a little while ago. And the same God advocates your separation from community. He's giving you a thumbs up saying stay by yourself so you won't get hurt.

Speaker 1: 24:14

Now, if you asked a former alcoholic or someone with a fear of public speaking, their breakthrough likely came from standing up in front of people and sharing their struggles publicly with those that are able to understand, can relate to it, or able to share how they got out and how they got free. Or talking to a group of people in an opportunity to show courage and gain the experience that helps conquer the fear. That's what they would say. But you're saying that being separate from community is best for you, it's safer for you, it's better for you, it's good for you. Nope. Number three atmosphere for personal growth and development, studying, learning from our mistakes, receiving wisdom in specific situations, avoiding the trap of doing life by ourselves. That's just three ideas of why I think organized religion is helpful and why it's beneficial when done correctly, when done well. Now, if you're looking for perfection, you can close your eyes and stop looking because there's nowhere to find it.

Speaker 1: 25:26

But the system of organized religion, like anything else, can be misused and mishandled. Even the best things in our life can be misused, mishandled, misshapen, used for evil instead of good. Abuse can take place rather than nurturing and healing in almost any situation. False doctrine can be taught directly or indirectly. But we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. That's a really old saying. I'm not even sure where that came from. I think that's almost some really bad imagery now that I think of it, but hopefully it makes some sense in this context today. Now, another reason why religion leaves such a bad taste in our mouths.

Speaker 1: 26:08

Imagine what if you were driving down a multi-lane highway and because of the traffic, you slow down and you notice someone on the other side of the road and they're trying to flag you down and they're saying the road is out. The road is out, turn back. And you look around for a bridge out sign, because the skeptic in you can't help it. I didn't see a sign that says bridge out. What's that crazy dude talking about? So you don't see that sign and you're watching the cars in front of you continue to go forward and the cars alongside of you continuing to go forward. You might have a gnawing feeling in you that maybe that man might. Why did he say that? Why did he tell me to turn back? But you keep driving anyway? Why? Most people will continue? Because the cars in front of you and the cars alongside of you are still going, and that gives you a sense of confidence that you know what All these people are doing it, so it must be right.

Speaker 1: 27:09

See, the people that know and have experience and are aware of certain pitfalls are not supposed to act like the bridge isn't out. That's one of the reasons why religion has a bad name in most of our communities, because the people who are supposed to know better don't do better. They know the bridge is out and, regardless of how many people are riding it, it's not good for you. You're going to end up in the drink. That man should be all of us that know that religion is not what people are purporting it to be. There should be many more on the other side of the road telling you the same thing. We see people go into dangerous situations, head down roads that we know what the end is going to be because we were on that road, but we don't seem to care enough about people or to live a life of integrity to let them know the bridge is out.

Speaker 1: 28:15

The modern day believer hopefully you've met one at some point in time, but the modern day believer is often living as though there's no reckoning. At the end of the bridge there's no great day to come. And that's the kind of believer that causes religion to leave such a bad taste in people's mouths. Because they live their life perhaps for gain, for worldly and financial gain, perhaps for status, perhaps to have a name for themselves, to have their own ministry, to have people follow them. But they're more condemned than anybody else because they know that there's a certain way of life that leads to eternal happiness, to joy, and they divert people from it because of how they chose to live. So that's almost a sick. It's almost a comparison I made to the man on the side of the road. They know the bridge is out, they're watching you drive it and they're cheering you on. Go for it, dude. Get in the drink. That water's so cool.

Speaker 1: 29:44

There was a quote by John Wesley that I love. Don't have the direct quote, but he's saying I only think about today and that day. Anyone that you meet that is a modern day believer in Christ is going to talk to you, hopefully, about that day. If today was the only day we had to live for, it would be a horrible experience, a horrible existence. We know people that have taken their own lives because they couldn't see past the temporary pain and saw it as permanent. They saw it as what their life is going to be. I know some folks who are living with physical pain, and have been for years. When I talk to them, what they sound like they're saying to me is that this is my life. It's never going to get any better. They say they believe in God, they have faith in God, but they don't believe that God can heal them of what afflicts them. That might be a different topic for a different day, but the point I'm trying to make to you is there is a lot of times that we watch people on that road where, eventually, they're going to run into no more road because the bridge is out.

Speaker 1: 31:04

Just something to think about when you survey the landscape of your life and your relationships. Are you the person that's driving that road and someone is telling you that the bridge is out to turn around? Or are you the person that is on the other side of the road, that knows the bridge is out, but you haven't said a word? Just something to think about. So now we're in the ring, ladies and gentlemen. In this corner, religion, in this corner relationship.

Speaker 1: 31:43

See, religion emphasizes morality of your life. It focuses on the good things that you do, the good works you perform. It focuses on more self. That's the modern day version of religion. It focuses on self, what you've done and how well you've done it, the skills that you did it. In Relationship is recognition that you can never be good enough, no matter what you do. It also recognizes that our view of goodness is warped because by nature we are not good.

Speaker 1: 32:27

Religion is for sojourners in a place that is not their home. Last week we talked on the podcast about the 11 day journey of the children of Israel. That lasted 40 years. For all accounts, they should have just been passing through the wilderness. Probably took less than 11 days to get through it. It was supposed to be to be passing through, just sojourners having a temporary stay, a short stay in the wilderness, stayed there for 40 years. That's something that is emblematic of what religion looks like in the modern day. We stay on the same pews. We sit in the same seats every single week. We talk to the same people every single week. We don't venture out into different seats. We don't talk to different people. A lot of the times we don't stretch ourselves.

Speaker 1: 33:26

Religion is almost the epitome of living at the milestone that we should have passed on our way to the finish line. My old pastor used to say this all the time and I can't forget it. I've been saying it for almost well more than 20 years now. I can't forget Never make a permanent decision in a temporary situation, never make a permanent decision in a temporary situation. That's religion. We live at the milestone. Oh, I made it here. Now I'm going to just hang out. When we still haven't gotten to the finish line yet, we just hit a mile marker.

Speaker 1: 34:07

But relationship is recognizing that the ultimate goal. When we still haven't gotten to the finish line yet, we just hit a mile marker. But relationship is recognizing that the ultimate goal is to get back to where it all started, to get back to the peace, to get back to Eden, to get back to an absence of tears, an absence of pain and misery, an enduring relationship with the only one that we can trust with everything, with our entire life. You're thinking about your BFF, but I'm going to bust that bubble again. They can fail you. Stay with us, we'll be right back.

Speaker 1: 34:50

What up, everybody? It's mr you. You know I love hearing from all of our viewers and listeners. You guys have some great questions. I love it. On every episode of the podcast they call me mr you. Right at the top of our show notes is a way you can text me directly. It's called fan mail. Send a text to me anytime in or out of our shows with questions, feedback, topic ideas or some kind of encouragement for the coach, and I'll respond back to you at the very next episode of our show. I'm making you a part of our show, so send a text. Show some love. Ask a question, fan mail. Thanks for supporting us again. We love you. We appreciate you. Have a great day. Enjoy the music. Coach out.

Speaker 1: 35:38

Religion is a pond. You know what a pond looks like stagnant, settled water, standing water, usually a haven for mosquitoes and other pests. Religion is a pond, but relationship is a river. It's flowing in and out. That's why most times they're fresh water. It is a constant flow, a constant churning. What if we can all be like a river instead of a pond? Something to think about.

Speaker 1: 36:14

Religion highlights the words that we speak, the sacrifices. I am doing finger quotes when I say sacrifices. By the way, religion highlights the sacrifices that we make. You can check out our podcast on living sacrifices. It's about three episodes back or so. Check that out. This will make a little bit more sense if you check that out. So religion highlights the words we speak and the sacrifices that we make. Relationship removes all the substitutes that we try to find in our activity and our good deeds and it just bask in being around the one that we love, which, for the believer, is God. Not to negate the love of a spouse or a child and parent, but we're talking about the relationship with the one who has made us. I said it on many times before If you have a product that's built by Hitachi and it's not operating it's not turning on, it won't power on you don't call Mitsubishi for that.

Speaker 1: 37:21

If you have a car made by Honda, you don't call Vizio, who makes televisions the one thing that I love from one of our mentors, dr Miles Monroe Honda. You don't call Vizio, who makes televisions the one thing that I love from one of our mentors, dr Miles Monroe, who's gone on to be with the Lord. If we have a problem with the product which, in this case, in this scenario, is us we go to the manufacturer. We don't go to Facebook to ask them to help us. I see it on a daily basis and it's like it's really weird to me. Why would you go to somebody who is imperfect, that messes up all the time and avoid the person who knows us better than anybody else? Does something to think about again.

Speaker 1: 38:07

Religion does what suits us and allows us to use our own judgment or what feels good, what feels right. Religion does what suits us, what feels good and what feels right. Relationships recognizes that we're just a manager and we're not an owner. Everything that we have we've been given those resources to be a good steward over what we have is not ours. It's given those resources to be a good steward over what we have is not ours. It's given to us to be a blessing to other people, to serve other people.

Speaker 1: 38:35

You may not want to hear that, but that's what relationship says. Like we said earlier, we really only have a couple of options here. It's either religion or relationship. Even if you say I don't go to church and I don't read the Bible the system of your practices and your behaviors it still qualifies as religion. You don't have to have a cross to do that. You don't have to have a book that you read to give you insight and wisdom and inspiration. You don't have to have a congregation or a fellowship. You can have a religion in a negative sense, just by doing what you're doing. So the choice is either religion or relationship. Religion says I need to inspect it first, taste it, smell it, touch it and then I'll decide if it's worth my time. How many times have you heard that one Relationship is trusting what you can't see? Relationship is about faith. Relationship is believing the character of the one who told you this is the best approach for life.

Speaker 1: 39:47

Religion is fixated on admiring our own work, self-aggrandizement, what I did and who I did it for. The focus is on the giver when we're giving and on the receiver when we're receiving. Hear that again. Religion focuses on the giver when we are doing the giving and focuses on the receiver when we are receiving. Yeah, that's religion. But relationship filters out the us and the self or selfish parts of us and embraces the they and the them, the dedication to service, to give an honor, helping the widows and the orphans. It's the mindset of living with open hands. See, religion can't do that. So when Jesus condemned the Pharisees, they were as religious as you get. They were the religious leadership in the region and Jesus condemned them why? Because religion, in that sense, was about admiring their own work. It was all about what they did and what they thought merited praise, and it was less about serving the widows and orphans, watching them suffer while you talk about scriptures. It was the opposite of living with a mindset of living with open hands.

Speaker 1: 41:10

Religion is living under the impression that I can do it by myself. If I simply do blank, all I have to do is do this and I don't need nobody else. That's religion. Relationship is putting super on your natural Trusting in the only one that can make this happen. Sometimes, when we see those, we call those miracles. Relationship, with the recognition that, if left to your own devices, like we discussed earlier, you'd screw up again and again and again and guess what Again. So religion versus relationship, from all that you've heard today, which would you prefer? Because this is definitely I can't stress this enough this is a matter of life and death.

Speaker 1: 42:05

The scenario about the bridge being out is a real thing. The bridge is spiritual, but it's a real thing and people are going off of it all the time. People have the opportunity to help turn some people around, so they don't go off the bridge feeling as though the pain at the end right now is going to be their whole life. The struggle, the mountain that they can't get past right now is going to be their whole life. We have the ability to say the bridge is out, turn around. I know a different route. We have an important role in our hands.

Speaker 1: 42:50

So I promised you at the beginning of the episode that we're going to talk about your favorite superhero. Now, in my era, that would have been the man of steel, superman. He was my first hero, the first comic book that I read, the first character on television that I to some degree idolized. Those thoughts changed over some time. But he was virtually unstoppable, extremely powerful. His one weakness is a mineral called kryptonite and it originates from his home planet. So, just to be clear, he was born on a planet that produces an element that could kill him. I really hope that you got that. There's not enough time in the episodes to get that. I'd love to. Maybe I'll do it on social media. I'll flesh it out a little bit more, but think about that. He was born on a planet that produces an element that could kill him. It renders him helpless and weak to the point of death. It's a very exploitable weakness. He was born on a planet that makes the element that could kill him To everyone under the sound of my voice.

Speaker 1: 44:02

That has believed that they are on the right path, and it's because they've done all the right things They've been nice to people, they have given to charities, they've gone to church at the most important times, ie Easter, christmas and Palm Sunday. They love animals and they occasionally toss some coins to the homeless guy on the corner. You are presently in the presence of your kryptonite and his name is pride. It's what makes religion that should have been pure and undefiled something detestable and vile. Pride is every super Christians kryptonite, and as long as we continue to trust in our own devices and our own intellect and good judgment and, worst of all, our own hearts, it will render us helpless and it will eventually kill what should live and let live what should die. Hear what I'm saying to you today. If you think that all those things I just named insulates you or make you better or cause you to rise above others. You're in the presence of your kryptonite and although you may feel strong in your mind and in your senses, you are weak. What should be pure and undefiled to God is detestable and vile. That's why Jesus condemned the Pharisees, and you can look it up and research it on your own. But that's why he did that? Because pride was at work. Pride is the Christian's kryptonite and as long as we continue to trust in our own devices and our own intellect and good judgment, I promise you especially trusting our own hearts. Check out Jeremiah 17, verse 9. Check that out. Our hearts can be trusted. The heart may want what the heart wants, but we ain't obliged to give it to him. You're in the presence of your kryptonite and what happens there is going to eventually kill what should live and let live what should die. That kryptonite will kill what should live and let live what should die.

Speaker 1: 46:14

Hope you guys enjoyed the episode today. Love to hear your thoughts on our social media platforms. A lot to think about. I strongly suggest get a notepad and a pen, write some of these things down, think about them, consider them. We'll be posting a blog at some point today with more detail, with some of the scriptural references that we were talking about earlier, so you can read them and ponder those, and I'll flesh out some of the things that I didn't get a chance to talk about today, so I'll do that on the blog.

Speaker 1: 46:45

Hope you guys have a great time being who you need to be this week, changing what must be changed this week. We're excited. We're excited about every one of our listeners, everyone that's hearing us today, wherever you are and however you're listening to our podcast today. We really appreciate you guys making the Call Me, mr U, part of your morning, your day and your week. Have a great day, seize the day, coach out. Thank you, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and on our YouTube channel, and please leave a comment and a review. This episode was made possible by the support of viewers and listeners just like you. Thanks.