Religion.

Well, now that I've blogged about politics, why not religion? :)

Well, we had a bible study last night, and part of the class we discussed the word "religion". We read different dictionary definitions, and those all seemed... inadequate. Then, Bret quoted this statement:

"Religion is practical piety, rightly directed"

I really like that one. I'm not sure where he found it, but I think it's a good start.

The first chapter of James has one of the most useful discussions about "religion" I've ever found.

19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen,
slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27Religion 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.

I've bolded the bits that I think are most salient.

• Be quick to listen.
• Be slow to speak.
• Be slow to anger.
• Get rid of the moral filth that's crept into your life.
• Accept the Word.
• Don't just accept the Word as a concept, DO it.
• Control your tongue.
• Take care of others - espeically those who are less fortunate and the helpless.
• Keep yourself pure. Be careful about those slippery slopes.

That's a tall order, but it's do-able. Almost all of these involve self-control when you think about it.

Well, I'm no scholar. I don't think I have any answers past this point.