The R-Word

We asked a man next to us at the poker table recently what he thought of the things of God. His answer: "I've never been terribly religious...."

Does that describe you.... really?  What does it mean to be religious, anyway?

Some people seem to have a "religious" devotion to poker. They'll play in tournaments or cash games every day, if they have the chance. To them, a poker room is the equivalent of a church or a synagogue for other groups of people.

Our home dictionary from the 1970s defines "religious" as, "Adhering to or manifesting religion; pious; godly.... Extremely faithful; scrupulous; conscientious." If you separate those points, it's easy to conclude some people match all of them - but others match only a few. For instance, how many poker players would you call "pious" and "godly?"

You may be surprised to learn that the Bible, considered the book of Christian "religions," doesn't mention religion very often. Perhaps the most shocking section is this:

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. - James 1:26

James goes on to write some people praise God with their tongues, then turn around and curse other people (James 3:9-10). This may be why some believers in Jesus Christ say God doesn't really want our religion. But keep reading....

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. - James 1:27

To God, pure religion is about caring for people in need - as well as avoiding sin. Compared with verse 26, it's about our actions and decisions as opposed to our words. Here's an example....

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. - I Timothy 5:4

Caring for family members is a religious trait that matters to God. If you're going to poker nights to get away from that, perhaps it's time to stop and think. Are you putting yourself ahead of God? Ahead of your family? Especially people in need? To borrow from a classic rock song, is it time for "Losing My Religion" - for one God really accepts?