Sadly, that’s millions of peoples views of religion for sure often due to their personal experience, even people who have deeply held beliefs that God exists and wish to follow Him. Just because someone went to seminary and has some advanced degree in theology does not cover up the fact we all are, including them, very broken vessels due to sin, and that often comes out in very damaging and hurtful way’s, especially when it’s done by someone in a leadership position within a church. The fact is, we all need a Savior, from the drug addict on the street to the church leader whose life is polished on the outside, but a dumpster fire behind closed doors; some understand this need and some, despite their upbringing, education, and leadership position, never do, or at least never do until their secret lives are exposed often in ways that lead people to reject not only the human messenger, but the whole message.
What you have seen that leads you to believe this is how religion works is totally valid, as this is exactly how it works at many religious institutions and quite a few churches. That’s why no where in the New Testament are we called into religion; religion is man’s attempt on our own accord, to approach God and reconcile ourselves to Him. This is impossible, it can’t be done. Scripturally, we are reconciled to God through the death of Christ into a new relationship with Him; not into a new religion. I’m disgusted when I see the luxurious lives some church leaders live with luxury vehicles, multiple large homes around the country, private jets, etc. Living in such a manner looks nothing like the sacrificial lives of the first century church leaders, not mention how Jesus lived when He walked the earth. Pastors behaving in such a way, at least for me, does not invalidate the existence of God, nor His message in His written word. Religious leaders acting in this way actually validates scripture, which, if you read it, predicts such behavior and casts shade it. Once you understand that, it’s easy to see what is really motivating them, and it’s not God.
For every church leader who is getting rich off their congregants, miss using their position, abusing the power people have given them, and abusing people around them in the worst of ways, there are hundreds of small churches with pastors quietly not doing those things who are faithfully bringing the message of reconciliation to their congregations week after week. Sadly, the only thing that gets reported on are those who are failing miserably in the most public of ways.
My encouragement is to avoid man made religion, read the Bible from Matthew to Revelation and then the Old Testament, then do it again and see how the Holy Spirit will point out different stuff to you. Seek the Lord and you will find He’s not someone man up; it’s actually the opposite.
Carry on.
