Games Religious People Play

Photo by Daniel Clay on Unsplash

As a young child, I had a growing interest in spirituality. My (adoptive) parents believed in the importance of being raised in the catholic faith. Religion (of any kind) is a thorny area. Loved by some and loathed by others as oppressive. As a teenager, I had a part time job at Woolworths. Every Saturday, I dressed in a white, short sleeve business shirt and black tie. I would get on my bike and travel to and from work. One afternoon, I was peddling back from work. A small boy pointed at me. He said to his friend: `there goes one of those religious fanatics.’

Religion provides a body of traditions, beliefs, and practices that people are socialized into as part of a religious community. At its best, religion inspires people to live for a bigger story rather than owning their interests. At its worst, religion can be tedious and unpleasant. Like milk that sours when exposed to the midday sun.  

I want to have a Fool’s look at religion…yes…the good, the bad and the ugly. As the old saying goes…people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! Alright, I’ll `man up’ and take it on the chin. I have also ventured over to the `dark side’ of my own religious practices and lived to tell the tale. Through the eyes of the Fool, I am going to explore games that religious people play.

1. ‘Do More and Try Harder.’ (DMATH) Karl Marx, the atheist philosopher, said religion was `the opiate of the masses.’ If so, then DMATH is an equal opportunity religious game. Whether rich or poor – anyone can play.  DMATH is the solution to every problem you are experiencing with your spiritual life (and life in general). If you are not getting the result you want, try to increase your efforts. If things are not as expected, work harder. `Do More and Try Harder.’ About 25 years ago, I participated in a bible study group. That’s when a woman named `Miriam’ admitted feeling depressed and anxious. Another woman in the group scolded her. She said, `The problem is that you’re not reading your bible enough!’ Miriam’s depression and anxiety decreased when she learned to be more vulnerable with other non-judgmental people in the parish. Another expression of Do More and Try Harder is:
2. Put on a McHappy Face and Sing. (POMFAS) During a really difficult phase of my life, I had experienced a major depressive episode. I would leave church early to avoid listening to the praise and worship music. The light fluffy, sentimental lyrics and `la dee da’ tunes added to my pain. An elder in the church criticized me. He said, ‘You better get used to it. This is what you will be doing for eternity!’ Seriously, singing those sickly sweet, syrupy, sentimental love songs of the `Jesus is my boyfriend’ type forever sounds unbearable. It seems like a form of slow torture! A lot of contemporary worship music is like eating fairy floss on an empty stomach. After the first sugar hit, you are left feeling dissatisfied, hungry and with a queasy feeling in your stomach. Healthy religion encourages people to bring their whole selves (including sadness) to God.   

3. Global Citizen. Global Citizens play a larger game in response to climate change, poverty and injustice. They are motivated to travel and advocate for some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. The game becomes unhealthy when global citizens lecture the `peasants’ on the evils of consumerism, overseas travel and middle-class entitlement. Social media offers many chances for global citizens to `share their pain’. It helps to educate the ignorant, uneducated, and apathetic. Oh…and that trip to Bali…don’t even think about it peasant! Jesus had some confronting words for people who `play act’ while ignoring their own faults.

4. We’re a friendly church. Like most games, this usually has a positive start. A church congregation aims to welcome new people. They make a statement on their website that says, ” We’re a friendly church. As the congregation (or parish) grows, people form friendships and become comfortable with each other. New people who visit often find that existing church members are unfriendly, inhospitable, and more like a private club. Long-standing church members struggle to understand how newcomers experience them as unfriendly. `We’re a friendly church’…they think to themselves as they generalise from their own past experience…oh…and…um…It’s also on the church website.