3 Questions People Would Ask God

2. "WHY IS RELIGION FULL OF HYPOCRISY?"

 Why ask that question?

'If God appreciated sincerity,' some might reason, 'there wouldn't be so much pretense among those who claim to worship him.'

TO THINK ABOUT: Imagine a son who rejects his father's fine upbringing and leaves home to lead a corrupt life. Although the father does not approve, he allows his son to make that choice.  Could those who latter meet the son rightfully conclude that he had a bad father or even that he had no father at all?  Of course  not!  Likewise, hypocrisy in religion only proves that God allows people to choose their own path in life.  (Note: This people is what is called free will-to choose your own path, right or not)

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:  God hates religious hypocrisy.  (Jeremiah 7:29-31; 32:35) At the same time, he allows people to exercise free will. Many who claim to believe in God choose to follow man-made religious teachings and their own brand of morality. -Matthew 15:7-9) 

In contrast, religion that God approves is not hypocritical.  Jesus said:  "By this all will know that you are my disciples-if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:35) This love must be "without hypocrisy."  (Romans 12:9) Most religions have failed  to live up to that standard.  During the 1994  genocide in Rwanda, for example, tens of thousands of religious people slaughtered members of their own faith, simply because those people were  of a different tribe.  In contrast, Jehovah's Witnesses did not share  in the massacre, and many of them protected  fellow believers and others, even risking their life to do so.  Such selfless acts prove that religion can be free of hypocrisy. 

Next time: 3 Questions People Would Ask God -3."WHY ARE WE HERE?" 

From the Awake! magazine