Jesus Religion- Book Review

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Someone on a Yahoo group I'm on told me about the book "Jesus Religion" by Louis Charles. I checked out the author (listened to a pretty long radio interview with him and befriended him on Facebook) and decided the book was worthy of a read.  I just finished reading it and I think it is a  good book.

The book examines the illogical and inconsistent teachings of what has become traditional Christianity.  Louis Charles takes us through a brief history of how we got the Bible we have, how the hell doctrine arose, how Jesus was deified by the early church fathers, etc.  For someone like myself who has been on a truth quest about these things for close to a decade now there's not much shocking here.  I found the book to be similar to several written by former fundamentalist Christians who have realized that just doesn't make sense to them anymore.  Not only does it not make sense.  But, it's actually debilitating, fearful, life-sucking religion. That doesn't mean the book isn't original or worthwhile. We each have our own story to tell and, of all the authors I've read, Louis may be the one whose story is closest to my own.

I agree with Louis on most of his points.  The Bible isn't what most Christians think it is.  The doctrine of Hell is a man-made invention (politically motivated) to keep the masses in line. The man people worship as G-d in the flesh wasn't named Jesus Christ.  His name was more like Yeshua.  And, I think He'd be shocked and disappointed to see what is being done in His name today.  But, the tone of the book, to me, was just a little over-the-top in condemning Christianity and church.  I find many people who have left what they now call the Institutional Church (IC) seem to have lost the ability to find anything good in gathering together with other seekers.  I've read several books now that I think are intended to "free" people from the shackles of religion/church. But, rather than just leaving their experience as their own experience they project it onto everyone else and pretty much say we all must leave the church.  I can't agree with that.  I think there is a place for church/community even if the IC for the most part has mucked it up.

Another point that Louis made that I struggled with is the idea that it's better to know than to believe.  I agree that believing/faith are given way, way, way too much emphasis in Christianity. In fact, the way Christianity is taught to many all that matters is what you believe.  You don't have to do anything.  You don't have to practice.  You just have to believe the right things.  And, if you don't believe the right things, you're condemned to hell.  And, I agree it's better to know than to believe.  The Buddha taught to not take any of his teachings based on his word only.  But, to try them out and see how they work in the real world.  Perhaps that is what Louis was trying to say. But, Louis says things like we're all eternal spirit and G-d resides within us and that our physical bodies are not our true selves, etc.   When he says those things, he is expressing beliefs.  None of these things have been directly experienced by him.  I agree with him, BTW.  I believe those things, too.  But, to classify those beliefs as "knowledge" and somehow superior to Christian beliefs is unfair, IMO.

Personally, I have not found it possible or necessarily to abandon Christianity (yet).  I'm operating more on along the lines of what Daniel Helminiak suggested in his book "The Transcended Christian".  To use an analogy from one of the challenges on Project Runway, I'm taking the material from my old wedding dress (Christianity) and creating a new garment from it.  But, Louis does point out two major incompatibilities with Christianity that I have a really difficult time with.  The first is the teaching of "original sin", the idea that we are born defective and alienated from G-d.  Not only that.  But, G-d wants to condemn us to eternal torment for being born the way we are.  The second is related to that.  I was taught that when are are "saved" we are covered with the blood.  Basically we're still rotten to the core.  But, G-d overlooks that since we've been "washed in the blood".

Back to the book review.  Overall, I think this is a good book.  But, the timing has to be right for it to resonate with you.  (When the student is ready the teacher will come).   Most Christians will simply not be ready for the book. Don't buy a copy and give it to your fundamentalist parents or friends unless you want to see their heads explode.  For those who have read books like Pagan Christianity?or other books that take a critical examination of the history of Christianity and the church, you might find it to be somewhat redundant.  But, if you're feeling like something is wrong with Christianity and can't quite put your finger on it, this might be the book for you to help you work through some of that.

Here's a short video from the author about the book.