In the spirit of John the Baptist, this will likely make some people mad. My hope is for introspection after the anger. Not a quick reaction. My observations are out of love.
Our society has grown more secular in appearance as well as practice. This is not a bad thing since our society is also pluralistic. A melting pot. Exclusive, theocratic systems are very abusive and clearly not a way forward.
That being said I have different point to make. It looks as if religion and the religious are an acceptable group to harbor prejudice and bigotry towards.
Institutions of every sort harbor abuse and self protection, be it: college athletics, police, military, political systems, governments, schools and of course religious intuitions. Every single one of these also has had the workings of very beautiful souls who have made the world a better place.
I am indeed spiritual but I am also religious. Religion is a tool like a hammer; it can bludgeon or build a house. A brilliant marketing plan of (E)vangelicalism was/is that its a relationship with Jesus, not a religion. They have understood the decline of religion in the West so it was determined (maybe subconsciously) to re-brand the faith. In traditional understanding for 2000 years it is clearly a religion formed out of a religion. This doesn't mean there isn't the personal relationship with God; that is an absolute part of a living faith. The negative of this re-branding is a truly American sense of go it alone faith. Also many folks that really religious are blind to it.
This isn't saying that spiritual but not religious people are bad or wrong in their journey. These are my observations. I definitely love and appreciate aspects of all faiths as well as Humanism. A cafeteria plan of spirituality without a foundation is often the result of the deconstruction of the former (E)vangelical. Sadly, it can also a result of time within abusive religious structure. This may very well be their best way way forward. They are still include in Go's unconditional love, no matter what. Do what you are called to. I caution condemning every aspect of where you have been. Ultimately, you could wind up either condemning yourself or self-righteously looking down on others who are not quite as enlightened as you.
The thing that bothers me is the accepted and often unconscious bigotry and prejudice towards religion in general. The generalizations are so similar to those who are racist, xenophobic or homophobic that it is scary. These can often be very loving people who have no problem categorically dismissing religion as an ultimate evil. MLK, Mother Theresa, and Gandhi were all religious even with their faults, they changed the world from their religious convictions. Jesus himself was religious even from his youth. Religious folks can often be just as prejudiced towards atheism and secularism and that is an area of repentance as well.
This prejudice and scapegoating is crap, plain and simple. It is silver bullet thinking that refuses to see the big picture. This world is grey and a mix of good and evil everywhere. Most often the evil is the result of a lack of love. Religion DOES NOT turn otherwise good people evil. That is a misnomer. Unfortunately, there is a part of human nature that can be inclined to look down on "the other", This is a deception we are all susceptible to and often blind to our own ways of doing it.
Let us repent of not loving our neighbors where they are for who they are.
Let us repent of judging and condemning entire groups and the people in institutions.
The Holocaust was primarily against a race with a specific religious identity. Not even 2 generations ago it happened. It is imperative to wake up to our blind spots.
