Well - it's like this: If you take Christ seriously, living is a community of faith is a given. In fact - if you take any religion seriously, a community of faith is essential.
I used to visit the Holy Cross monastery in Pineville SC (not there any longer). The monks - all except one - lived 24 hours a day in community - in relationship with each other. The lone exception was one monk who felt called - at least for a time - to live as a hermit. The community wanted to honor his wishes, but also wanted him to be safe. They devised a number of ways for him to check in and for them to check on him. So even in his "solitude" the community shared his calling in their creative support.
The 10 commandments - if we pay attention to them- speak to this living in relationship - in community. The first several commandments speak to our relationship with God. The rest speak to how we live in relationship with one another. Far from being an abusive, tyrannical list of rules, they tell us with great precision how we might learn to live together more justly, and therefore live in relationship with God more closely. They are not a bag full of clubs to beat up errant sinners (that begs the question, "aren't all sinners errant?")
Church can be exciting, frustrating, hypocritical, loving, merciless, merciful, forgiving, judgmental and many times simply boring. Now change the word "Church" to "living."
This blog is not exclusively about religion. But it doesn't exclude the topic either. Practicing religion is about perfecting our relationships with God and with each other. If we aren't working on those two things then religion, organized or other wise, is not worth the time and travail.
Pax
