The Grand Inquisitor and Religious Lies
What if the age old church’s teachings and traditions that we observed are not Christ or God centered? What if we pushed God aside because we wanted to promote our own agendas and interests more than his? What if we really are blinded by delusions so strong and we picked and chosen whatever teachings that are easy and require less sacrifice?
One of the most thought provoking books I have ever read was The Brothers Karamazov by the great Russian novelist, Fyodor Dostoevsky. There is a chapter in this book called ‘The Grand Inquisitor’ which I believe was one of the catalysts that sparked me on the quest for the truth of God deeper than ever. I read this book when I was in my final year in college and if truth to be told it enlightened me more than those thick text books I studied during those years.
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The Grand Inquisitor is actually about a poem that was written by one of the Karamazov brothers, Ivan, who described the idea of the poem to his youngest brother, Alyosha. Ivan is an atheist and Alyosha is a young Christian mystic who was brought up in a monastery.
The scene in the poem took place in Seville, Spain during the Spanish Inquisition circa 1470’s. In the heat of this period stakes were flaming all over Spain, burning heretics who were condemned by the church for heresy. In the midst of this horror, Jesus came again to the world. Not in Armageddon setting, but he came quietly, as quietly as his first advent. He came unannounced. But his presence was recognized by the people who accepted him with joy. People rushed towards him not unlike the first century crowds that welcomed him. He healed the sick as of old, even raised the death – a young girl who was in her coffin en route to a church for her funeral rites. As Jesus raised her, lo and behold, the Grand Inquisitor appeared at the door, an old wrinkly 90 years old man, tall and gaunt looking. The crowds became hushed at his presence. He had an air of superiority indeed. He had witnessed the resurrection along with the crowds and he was not pleased. He gave orders that Jesus be arrested. The excited crowds who had excitedly welcomed Jesus now silently watched without protest as the guards led him away. He was thrown into an ancient and gloomy prison cell.
The Grand Inquisitor visited Jesus that night. Holding a lantern he stalked into the dungeon. Inside the cell, he scrutinized Jesus silently and then started to accuse him, “Why should you return now to impede us in our work?” In essence he was telling Jesus that, “everything was given by you to the Pope and everything now rests with him alone. You are no longer needed on earth as the church is better able than you to give people what they need.” I am not going to review the whole thing here but the whole chapter further deals with the Grand Inquisitor’s denunciation of Jesus around the 3 questions Satan asked him during his temptation in the desert. At the end of the poem, Jesus who had been silent throughout, raised and kissed the Grand Inquisitor on his “bloodless, aged lips”. He released Jesus and told him never to return, “Go and return no more…do not come again…never, never!”. Jesus left without spoken a word. The Grand Inquisitor was left with the kiss that “burns his heart” but he remained firm in his own ideas and unbelief.
I shuddered after reading that chapter. I bet Dostoevsky shuddered too. He obviously struggled with this idea throughout his life as projected in his other works like The Idiot and Crime and Punishment. I started to question myself things most people dare not question. What if it is true? What if the age old church’s teachings and traditions that I observed are not Christ or God centered? What if we pushed God aside because we wanted to promote our own agendas and interests more than his? What if we really shoved God aside because it is not convenient to follow his seemingly difficult teachings? What if we really are blinded by delusions so strong and we picked and chosen whatever teachings that are easy and require less sacrifice?
Honestly I felt scared, so scared that I just sought deeper and deeper for the answers. I questioned the meaning of my salvation and I was not convince by merely living a life being a Sunday church goer. It got to be more than that. I read, I listened, I questioned, I observed and I prayed. I despaired too. If I am living a lie, then what or where is the reality and the truth?
I did get my answers years later. I would spare you the details as this long piece risk of becoming a conversion story. It is not. This piece actually meant to bring your attention to religious lies. The Father of Lies has a knack for taking the words of God and twisting them to suit his own desires and devices. The destruction that has been brought about by the use of religious lies are abound around us.
The scriptures are often taken out of context, misunderstood and abused to promote selfish ambitions. Look at the history of the world. It literally strewn with tragedies that were the consequences of twisting the scriptures: the Crusades, the Inquisitions, anti-Semitism, racism and oppression. These are the obvious ones. There are countless tragedies around us today in personal lives of sincere seekers of truth. These men and women who are so much like you and I, have incredibly thwarted in their attempt to seek the real truth about God. False doctrines are mushrooming over time. People do not know what to believe anymore. One church teaches this, the other teaches that. How can we know what to believe? People got hurt and confused today more than ever. Some denounced Christianity forever. The sin within the upper echelons of many churches does not help either. Molestation, rape, power hungry, sodomy, greed, you name it. Where is integrity in that? Many people are bitter towards the church and curious with anything it presenting.
Amidst this shambles, there is hope. God does not left us to our own devices in a guessing game. There is a way to find out the truth. But first, do not be afraid to question your belief. Fight against the popular views and practices if you have to. Risk being different. Risk being radical. In your quest for truth, you would inevitably offend many even your spouse, children, friends, colleagues. Seek, seek, seek and seek. Do not stop at being a mediocre or ignorant, find out more. Stop being spoon-fed with religious dogma by religious leaders or family members. Build your faith based on the scriptures, not on hearsay or traditions.
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The quest for truth will hurt you in many ways, yes, but believe me, God will meet you halfway. The day will come when you would stare at the truth face to face.
Probably it would kiss you on your lips.
And when it does, do not just let it burn your heart or show it the door.
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. ~ 2 Timothy 4: 3 – 4
Like this? More from Faith Selaka:
We Can’t Control Everything, Can We?
The Church and Our Roles As Christians
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This is heartfelt and breathtaking. I’ll always stand strong. Thanks for the reminder that lies will try to corrupt us. people don’t need to fear if they just have the heart of a child and believe what the Bible tells them. Like this!