This morning I opened to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (from Paul to the Galations)
What's this all about? Free from what? Paul then went on to say "if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." "Christ shall be of no effect unto you, whosoever are justified by the law." Ouch!! to those faithful church-going types who do everything they are supposed to do...
Christians forget that Jesus came to redeem us from religion - a wonderful reminder from the son of Hamas, a brand-new, fervent Christian.
Paul was warning the new Christians in Galatia to stay away from organized religion, with all its do's and don'ts - apparently the pressure was there to conform - to be entangled! But why should obeying the laws of the institution be so deadly?
I have found no clearer explanation than in the 1st Edition of Science and Health: "Belief is not a manifestation of Intelligence, but of non-intelligence" "Believing in God never made a Christian." By its very nature, organized religion requires believing instead of understanding. And there is nothing worse than the one posturing as though he has understanding, but has only belief.
Circumcision, baptism, eucharist, not believing in doctors for religious reasons, attending church services, etc. as ritual, as belief systems, enslave man by settling for belief, and therefore missing out on Truth and the freedom it brings.
More from 1st Edition:
"Views taken on trust cause conflicting opinions and beliefs that emit a poisonous atmosphere of mind more destructive to the harmony of body than the miasma of matter. Understanding cools and purifies this atmosphere, and thus invigorates the body; but before this result is obtained, understanding and belief, or Truth and error must meet in a war of ideas, and the thunderbolt of public opinion burst overhead; but when this outburst of opinion is spent of its fury, like the rain-drops on the earth it will have moistened the parched thought, whereby the rich buds and blossoms that come from the tree of Life may put forth new beauty."