"I'm often accused of being irreligious, and I suppose it's for this very reason. Whether it's Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Judaism, or any other ism, when a religion is created on the subtle premise that God withholds his love and you must submit to the system to earn that love, I consider it the worst of corruptions.
But again, these traps work only because of two things: we long for love, and we are convinced that all love is conditional.
Ironically, this is where so many have a problem with Jesus. For centuries the church has been telling us if we want God to love us, we need to follow the rules. It's been far more important to focus on the sin problem than the love problem. This is the only way the institution can maintain control over our lives. After all, if love is unconditional, what will keep them following our rules?…
What governments have not always been able to do, religions have accomplished with amazing effectiveness. They keep people in line.
What in the world would happen if people actually began discovering the message of Jesus - that love is unconditional?"
-Erwin McManus
