Religious Competition

October 6

(Acts 19:33-34 NIV) ““The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. {34} But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!””

(Matthew 24:7-14 NIV) “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. {8} All these are the beginning of birth pains. {9} "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. {10} At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, {11} and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. {12} Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, {13} but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. {14} And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

When religion drives the hearts of people and their economy, it will not tolerate dissent. It is easier to eliminate those who challenge the system than to compete in the marketplace of ideas. Mob violence becomes a standard response. We see it here in the near-death experience of Paul and his friends in Ephesus. We see it in the killing of Jesus, and in the angry crowd surrounding the cross. We see it in our world today in the public beheadings of those considered infidels, and in the sinister character assassination of anyone foolish enough to challenge the secular gods of political correctness. Even Christianity, when twisted just a bit, can become a toxic religion that burns heretics at the stake, and drowns those suspected of witchcraft. This is not the way of Jesus! He offers love, and heals hearts with grace and forgiveness. We should do the same. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day