When discussing Christianity with a non-Christian, it’s not uncommon for them to dismiss the call to discipleship by saying, “I’ve tried religion and it didn’t work for me.” There are a number of questions you could ask when hearing such a statement.
First, “What religion(s) did you try?” There are many different religions, and most are as different as night and day.
Second, and more importantly, “How do you think religion is supposed to ‘work’? What do you think religion is supposed to do, such that you deemed it a failure?” For some people, they think the purpose of religion is to get God or the gods to do what you want. Perhaps someone “tried religion” because they wanted help overcoming an addiction, needed a relationship restored, or were in need of finances. When their prayers or religious observances did not get them what they wanted, they deemed religious a pointless exercise. Other people think religion in terms of emotional fulfillment – religion is supposed to give people a sense of meaning and purpose in life. Since they did not find emotional fulfillment in religion, they conclude that it “doesn’t work.” Or, more commonly, those who think of religion in terms of emotional fulfillment never even “try” religion because they find meaning and purpose in non-religious sources, and thus have no need for religion.
The problem with both of these approaches is that they are thinking of religion in practical terms, rather than in terms of truth. No one would say “I tried gravity and it didn’t work for me” because belief in gravity is not based on what it can do for the person, but whether or not it exists. Such individuals are taking one element of religion (answered prayers, emotional fulfillment) and making it the essence and purpose of religion. This is a mistake. Religion – particularly Christianity – is about so much more than answered prayers and emotional fulfillment. It’s about restoring a broken relationship with God and growing in our knowledge of God for eternity. That’s why, in the course of our evangelism, we should be focusing on who God is, what God wants for us, our sinfulness, future judgment, and what God has done to rectify all that has gone wrong in the world. These are matters of truth, not experience. The only reason to be a Christian is because it is true. Christianity will “work for you” when you properly understand the purpose of Christianity.
Thinking to Believe 
February 5, 2021 at 5:03 pm
Since I am a person for whom religion didn’t work, I can help with answers to these questions:
“First, “What religion(s) did you try?” There are many different religions, and most are as different as night and day.”
I grew up all over the world, and my parents often encouraged me to explore the various religions of those countries. I often went to the various churches, temples and synagogues my friends went to, especially after sleepovers. I was exposed to a lot of different religions and their various sects/denominations, from Christianity to Islam to Hinduism to Shintoism and more.
“Second, and more importantly, “How do you think religion is supposed to ‘work’? What do you think religion is supposed to do, such that you deemed it a failure?””
Well, every religion makes promises, such as the effectiveness of prayer, a sense of purpose and meaning, increased health and wealth, and so on. None of those happened to me as a result of doing what’s required by the religion. Prayer never worked for me, although almost every religion claimed it would (there were ALWAYS caveats to explain it not working, no matter how selfless the prayer).
But the most important part that never worked for me was belief. You can’t force belief. You can’t choose to believe. Belief happens on a subconscious level based on factors we can’t control, and I never actually came to believe in any of the religions…probably because I could see how similar they all are at their core, although all claim to be so different from the others and the only “true” religion. Mainly, I found religions offered me nothing that I couldn’t do myself, including finding purpose, meaning, health, wealth, life satisfaction and happiness. That’s why religion didn’t work for me.
“The problem with both of these approaches is that they are thinking of religion in practical terms, rather than in terms of truth. No one would say “I tried gravity and it didn’t work for me” because belief in gravity is not based on what it can do for the person, but whether or not it exists.”
Well, the difference is that gravity can be demonstrated in no uncertain terms to exist. I personally can do a multitude of experiments to justify belief in gravity, but religions don’t provide that. Belief for me has always depended on evidence. Perhaps that’s what you mean by thinking of religion in “practical terms,” but no other way of thinking works for me. After all, there is an infinite number of false things one can believe, and only a finite number of true things, so there has to be some reliable method to separate the false from the true. Faith doesn’t work, since faith can lead one to believe literally anything (as exploring all those various religions taught me). Belief based on demonstrable evidence, OTOH, has led to a far greater understanding of our universe than any other method. So that’s what works for me.
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February 6, 2021 at 6:55 am
“Christianity will “work for you” when you properly understand the purpose of Christianity.”
Couldn’t you say that about ANY religion — or, for that matter, about any aspect of your life: if I understand what it’s supposed to do, I can use it to do that thing.
Religion is supposed to help you get your arms around the transcendent idea of “God”; to guide you in setting a purpose for your life; to help you establish relationship with other people and with the world in general. If your “religion” can’t do that for you, if it can’t “work for you,” go find another religion.
Religion is a cultural artifact. Every culture (of the few that I have read about) has some sense of the “transcendent.” To make that sense understandable to people in that culture, each culture dresses “transcendence” in its own clothes. To understand what, say, Hinduism is supposed to do for you, you have to immerse yourself in the Hindu culture.
We are “Christian” because we grew up in a Christian culture: it is one of the ways we make sense of the world. It’s not the only way to make sense of the world.
Amen.
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February 6, 2021 at 5:55 pm
I think that’s very well put, Joe.
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February 6, 2021 at 11:53 pm
Derek… Grazie.
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