DON'T WANT TO BE RELIGIOUS

In prison, there are so many religions. I’ve met Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, Muslims, 7th Day Adventists, Buddhists, Christians, and even Wiccans (Male witches). During casual conversation, religion is a heavy topic. You never want to disrespect somebody’s beliefs, so the content of these discussions are very sensitive. I’ve noticed a lot of people know the in’s and out’s of their religion, mostly the self-acclaimed Christians who can interpret the bible, yet their actions and behavior suggests otherwise. I’ve witnessed inmate’s religion debates almost turn into a “Holy War,” literally, all over the meaning of one word or phrase. In essence, we spend more time interpreting a Bible verse than we do applying it.
In the prison yard on a hot day, you stand out like a sore thumb if you have your shirt on. Because of being tatted up, inmates are always asking me about their meanings. The most common question I get because of my tattoos is, “You’re very religious aren’t you?” In a way, that bothers me.
For one reason because I don’t want my tattoos being the only reason someone would ask me about my religion; and second, because I don’t really like the word religious. It sounds like some sort of system or order as opposed to a true belief. Now a days, everybody is religious. If you attend a service on Sunday you would say, “Sure, I’m religious.” I’m guilty of this myself, I would claim to be religious because of my tattoos, because I grew up in the church, and because I know Bible verses. Today, more than ever, I would say, I’m no longer striving to be religious, but living to be REALigious. We are too “churched.” It’s not about religion, it’s purely relationship. We attend church, we smile and claim to know God, and then we go home and put
God on a shelf until next week. Us inmates attend our services and praise God and then return to our tier to gossip and slander and much, much more. We have become too systematic, soo churchy. At the end of the day, the Lord requires a personal relationship with us, a true connection/love. The manner in which we live should speak louder than “being religious.” God wants a relationship with us—the kind that seeks the Gift Giver and not just the gift. God never wanted our convictions to become systematic or service-like; He wants us to spend time with Him. Paul explained it best, the usefulness of being churchy without relationship and love:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” I Cor. 13: 1-3
~~~SET APART BY MY CONVICTIONS NOT MY LABEL AS A CONVICT~~~