RELIGION AS I SEE IT #30DaysOfNovember

By Joshua Olanrewaju

Ever imagined what the heavenly choir of angels sound like? Read the lyrics below and see if it’s something they could sing.

Holy Holy Holy, Lord God almighty

Heaven is your throne, the earth is full of your glory

The blessing, the honour, the power belongs to you

There is nothing impossible for you to do.

Now instead of singing, try and imagine that the angels rapped it (you know rap – like Jay Z and Eminem). Ha, gotcha! You most likely thought, ‘no way, they can’t be rapping in heaven.’

Have you ever imagined if Jesus was on the earth right now and he was a teenager, do you think he might have worn a pair of Adidas sneakers, a pair of denim pants/trousers and a snapback? It’s difficult to imagine, yeah?

If you were a pastor, would you encourage your members to do a study of the book of Songs of Solomon? You know read about the lips, and the hips and the breasts. Getting uncomfortable?

I just called out the religion in you.

Religion just makes you feel like some things are wrong and some are right. Religion teaches that there are some things you do and some you don’t. It does not matter how the rule came about, the people it was for and why it was enforced, (people even find scripture to back it up). Religion tells you there are some things you cannot eat because they are unholy. Religion tells you hip-hop is unholy but country music is just fine. Religion tells you, you can’t wear this except when it is government issued (those who know, know). Religion tells you, you must pray before you eat, go on a journey or have sex with your wife (true talk, heard that before). Religion tells you to do this and don’t do that, bla bla bla.

I for one, HATE religion.

Does God care what you eat, or wear or sing? Yes he does. He cares about you – body, soul and spirit.

Does he care if your meatpie has pork or chicken in it though? No! Does he care if your trouser is made from linen or denim, no! Does he care if your song is RnB, Country or Rap? No! But he cares when you eat too much and damage your body. He cares when your clothes are too tight or too revealing and you’re causing brothers to run into poles. He cares when your song contains profanities or lyrics that would do damage to your mind.

God cares about the ‘WHAT’ but he cares more about the ‘WHY’.

So you spent two hours reading your bible last night. Your pastor applauds you as one of the fervent members of the church but God knows you were simply studying Solomon’s lyrics and how you would use them on a girl. You recently joined the ushering unit and everyone thinks you are a great Christian but God knows you’re only trying to market your goods (let s/he who reads understand). You attend four services every Sunday all because you want to become a unit head. Having a form of godliness but lacking the substance of it.

Dump your religion, get faith. Believe in God the father, believe in his son Jesus. That’s all you need. God will sort what you wear, eat or sing. Get the real thing. Fix the inside and the outside with get fixed.

Life is sweet outside religion where you don’t do as you’re told but you do because of the truth you know. I know the truth, and it has set me free. And I can sing it from the mountain top.

NB: It’s my pops’ birthday today. Dropping a comment? Send a shout out to him.

Or maybe I will just rap it!