Beyond Religions: The Vision of Jesus

 Today, religions often seem to disturb world peace rather than protect it. In the name of religion, human beings turn against one another. Because of this, many people with common sense ask an honest question: Wouldn’t the world be more peaceful if religions disappeared?

When we look at Jesus, we see that he stood against the religious system of his time. He openly criticised religious leaders who valued laws and rituals more than people. Jesus taught that human beings are more important than rules. He crossed social and religious boundaries and welcomed everyone—the poor, the sick, sinners, women, foreigners—without regard to caste or religion.

Jesus did not come to start a new religion. His goal was to create a world built on love, compassion, and justice. He taught that loving God is inseparable from loving one’s neighbour. Mercy, forgiveness, and fairness were at the heart of his message.

Yet, over time, a religion was formed in Jesus’ name. Sadly, this religion often slipped back into the very patterns Jesus opposed—rules, rituals, power, and divisions between “us” and “them.” Instead of preserving Jesus’ message, it sometimes controlled and confined it.

So the question before us today is this: do we want a religion about Jesus, or do we want to walk the way of Jesus? Religions tend to divide people, but the way of Jesus brings people together. What the world needs today is not more religions, but the humanising vision that Jesus lived and taught—one that goes beyond all religious boundaries.