God wants "true" religion (1)

I have read and re-read "Making the true Christ experience" by Mr Anthony Zarb Dimech (The Sunday Times, February 25). It is abundantly clear that the writer was urged by noble feelings and upright aims. Nor do I doubt his efforts to "criticise constructively" and "in a loving way". However, he will allow me to disagree with him on some conclusions.

I have no difficulty in sharing Mr Zarb Dimech's fear on the sad state of "religiosity" among us, not excluding "the paganism we see in Malta" and his worries as to "village festas or political religion". But I must disagree with his condemnation: "Many Church leaders still exalt religion". If God hates "idolatry" and if He rejects "show and pretence - your hypocrisy of 'knowing' me with your religious feats", that does not mean that He "hates religion".

On the contrary, as rightly noted by St Thomas Aquinas (2.2 quest 81. art 1), religion indicates our relations with God; it is to Him that we must tie ourselves in directing our choice as to the unfailing beginning and ultimate end.

The prophet Amos, when quoted, was not condemning religion, but false shows of religions, those outward manifestations that correspond not to our inner feelings and beliefs. Chapter 5 of prophet Amos is "a lamentation for Israel and an exhortation to return to God".

God was lamenting that Israel had "carried a tabernacle for your Moloch, and the image of your idols" (Amos 5. 26). And it is not only in Amos that we come across such condemnations in Holy Scripture. A very well-known instance is that of the prophet Malachias: "I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts: and I will not receive a gift of your hand" (Mal 1, 10).

God wants true religion, not merely the religion "of the mouth", but that of life. He wants that the way we live corresponds to what we profess by word of mouth. That is why, in James 1, 27, we are told that "Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation: and to keep one's self unspotted from this world".

So God wants religion and it is a grave sin to assert that He "hates religion". As early as the times of Exodus, God , for "religion", even wanted "priests to me by a perpetual ordinance" (Exod. 29. 9). Earlier, in the same book, we have the Lord saying to Moses: "This is the service (religio) of the Phase" (Exod. 12, 43). Then, in Leviticus, God orders: "You shall afflict your souls by a perpetual religion" (Lev. 16, 31)

Mr Zarb Dimech wrote "What is the use of being religious and full of pomp and pageantry when one does not witness healing and all the wonders that Jesus had given to His people? Jesus did not give us a religion of nice theories." But this does not mean that God does not want true religiosity. Nor should Christians be "sick and tired of religiosity", even if they rightly do "not (want) man-made religion that divides Christians".

In Ecclesiasticus (today called Bin Sirak) God warns us that "Religiousness shall keep and justify the heart, it shall give joy and gladness. It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord, and in the days of his end he shall be blessed". (1. 18-19). Later on, in the same book of the Bible, we read: "In the treasures of wisdom is understanding and religiousness of knowledge". (1. 26)

God so wants us to be truly religious that, through the mouth of His prophet Daniel, He exhorts us: "O all ye religious, bless the Lord the God of gods" (Dan. 3. 90). The book "Acts of the Apostles" speaks well of the "viri religiosi" who were in Jerusalem: that was when the disciples were "filled with the Holy Ghost' (Acts 2, 5). Further on, this same book of Holy Writ praises "a religious man, and fearing God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and always praying to God" (Acts 10, 2).

So, dear Mr Zarb Dimech, it is not religion that is wrong. On the contrary, religion is man's duty. Theologians put forward an argument from man's nature.

They say that man should act according to his nature "adequately considered". And that human nature, adequately considered, that is with its relations to God as Creator, preserver, helper and ultimate end, demands that God as such be recognised and praised, that reverence and gratitude be shown Him and that His laws be rightly kept. This is religion.

On the other hand, that God hates false religions, such as the various we know and perhaps see in our midst - that is very true!