Religion is always a difficult subject to write about.
First, there are always the people who don't believe in God at all, then there are people of other religious persuasions, and finally other sub-groups of Christians who all feel the need to point out the inconsistencies of how I describe my faith versus what the bible says in various scriptures.
Second, it is personal, if you ARE religious (or perhaps if you are even an atheist) you have strong feelings about how you view the universe around you. It's inevitable that conflicts and disagreements arise.
Third, how do faith and religion apply to "real life?"
I am a Christian. I believe in God. I believe that Jesus was born a man in the form of God (by that I mean that he is the human manifestation of God - sort of God's pattern applied in a physical way). He was a prophet, he was a teacher but most of all he died for me (and you), a final sacrifice... an end to the old ways and a start of a rich and dynamic faith that lives in the heart, not written in books or carved on stones.
In all the New Testament writings (the gospels, epistles and revelation) one thing (at least to me) is apparent: whenever Jesus spoke, he topic was love and compassion. He stated, in fact, that the two greatest commandments were all about love. Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as you would love yourself (by that he meant, do you feed yourself? Do you clothe yourself? Do you take care of yourself? These are rhetorical questions, of COURSE you do and so should you do to your friends, enemies and anyone you encounter).
To me this IS religion, this IS faith. I believe in who Jesus was and that his message was about being kind, generous, loving and compassionate. These ARE things we can ALL do on a daily basis. Help that old lady across the street. Feed that person who has no food, offer your coat to someone who is cold (and do not expect to get it back).
One problem people have with religion is that they feel they do not have to be told do to kind and compassionate things... or to want to do them. This is very very true. I certainly would not argue against that idea. Jesus did not simply come to say that if you want to be close to God, do these things. He came to say "look, if you are close to God you WANT to do these things."
In one way people who practice what Jesus preached and do NOT believe in God are closer to God than people who believe but are not kind hearted. It is not enough to simply believe that Jesus lived and died for us, but to keep his words, his commandments, written on our hearts where we can dynamically and compassionately refer to them as needed.
One last parting thought... Jesus said that he did not come to bring peace, that households would be thrown into chaos over his words. Understand that what he said came true. Jewish families were thrown into turmoil when one of their own would convert to this "nazarian" sect of their faith. In the end Jesus message WAS about love and peace, but that message, as he predicted, was not well received.
