Etymologically Impossible
This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27 NASB
Religion – John Gager points out that the word “religion” did not exist before the Christian era. The idea is worth investigation. If Gager’s claim is true, then James (among others) could not have said “pure and undefiled religion.” His use of the Greek threskeia would not mean the same thing that we think of when we hear the word “religion.” In fact, this translation would mislead us.
Wikipedia offers some abbreviated insight. “Religion (from O.Fr. religion “religious community,” from L. religionem (nom. religio) “respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods,” “obligation, the bond between man and the gods”) is derived from the Latin religiō, the ultimate origins of which are obscure. One possibility is an interpretation traced to Cicero, connecting lego “read”, i.e. re (again) + lego in the sense of “choose,” “go over again” or “consider carefully.” Modern scholars such as Tom Harpur and Joseph Campbell favor the derivation from ligare “bind, connect,” probably from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or “to reconnect,” which was made prominent by St. Augustine, following the interpretation of Lactantius.”
Pay close attention to this etymological note. Did you see the names Cicero, Augustine and Lactantius? Do you recognize these men as Romans or Christians? Did you notice that the word comes from Latin, not Hebrew or Greek? Did you know that early Christian apologists adopted the rhetoric of Cicero in efforts to distinguish Christianity (as a religion) from Judaism? Did you realize that Judaism as a religion didn’t exist in the first century either? As a religion, it came into existence under the definition of the Christian Church. The Wikipedia article notes that what we call religion in ancient times is much closer to the idea of law. Law governs actions. In ancient cultures including Hebrew, the focus was on practice in daily life. It wasn’t religion. It was a way of living. Perhaps that’s why it is impossible to separate how one lives from what one believes in the ancient world. They are essentially the same.
But not anymore. Now religion is a set of beliefs, a system of thoughts, an institution of culture. How I actually live is only tangentially connected to these statements of faith. It’s no longer what I do that matters. It’s what I say.
Heschel reminds us of the striking differences between a way of life and a religion:
“Israel is not a people of definers of religion but a people of witnesses to His concern for man.”[1]
“The categories of the Bible are not principles to be comprehended but events to be continued. The life of him who joins the covenant of Abraham continues the life of Abraham. Abraham endures for ever. We are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob.”[2]
“It may be difficult to convey to others what we think, but it is not difficult to convey to others what we live.”[3]
“We do not confess our belief in God; we adore Him. We do not proclaim our belief in revelation; we utter our gratitude for it. We do not formulate the election of Israel; we sing it. Thus our liturgy is no mere memorial to the past; it is an act of participating in Israel’s bearing witness to the unity, uniqueness, love and judgment of God. It is an act of joy.”[4]
I can’t imagine James defining true “religion” since the word didn’t exist when he wrote this letter. But I can certainly imagine him writing about what it meant to live according to the Way. It’s all about practice! Do this! Don’t do that! It comes down to the rules. It always comes down to the rules. Those who live according to the Way follow certain rules about life – and count it joy that they know what God wants of them.
The word James uses, threskeia, is quite rare in the New Testament and the LXX. It is connected to worship, not theological systems. Once again, it’s about practice. Try reading James with this substitution for “religion.” “Pure and undefiled worship is . . .” Changes things, doesn’t it?
Topical Index: religion, worship, threskeia, James 1:27
“Joseph Campbell favors the derivation from ligare “bind, connect””
Hmmm
Joseph Campbell is one of my favorite writers on “religion” and I have quite a few of his books
On the level of experience, I tend to “connect” with people, places, and ideas and “bind” with them
Or not
Religion I tend to think of as a form of ideology, a set of ideas_actions and “false consciousness”
As opposed to science, which is composed of concepts/practices that can be proved empirically
On the other hand, the “way” is in my view a set of actions that produces a spiritual effect
Sometimes I think there is a “fine line” between the spiritual experience and “madness”
I only wish your faith in science “that can be proved empirically” was actually the case. Read T S Kuhn and Karl Popper and Michael Polanyi.
Or listen to Skip’s lectures on epistemology. 🙂
Or listen to Skip’s lectures on epistemology.
Hi Ian et al,
I have listened to Skip’s lectures on epistemology and read Kuhn and read a little Popper
My point was that “knowing” that H20 = water is very different for me
Than knowing that if I move to the present and focus on God
That I can experience peace and love
I put no faith in science, rather I take that knowledge for granted
And my experience of the text tells me that followers of Yeshua
Might have seen Yeshua
But that does not prove that he has been resurrected
God works in strange ways
The way is not science or ideology IMO
Christianity, Hinduism, and Judaism etc are all religious ideologies in my view
They all promote certain practices that can produce followers of the Way
They also provide support for followers who live in false consciousness
Most of us do not live in monasteries and are not focused on God
Most of the time, I suspect, based on my own experience
>> Religion I tend to think of as a form of ideology, a set of ideas_actions and “false consciousness”
– As opposed to science, which is composed of concepts/practices that can be proved empirically.. <<
O Michael! – "if only.."
If only you and I had been "right there" with Saul on the his way to Damascus to do "his business." There was a new and (of course) "false" religion that was springing up and perhaps was a "perceived" threat to the status quo; the established, comfortable lifestyle of a certain group of people. Saul was certainly a zealot for this "way of life" as his mission in life was to find, persecute ("within the authority of the law" of course!) and with the full authority and nodded approval of the "powers that be"- eliminate the "perceived" threat these twice-born "little Christs" or Christians seemed to be.
The LORD's "direct answer" to Saul?
Meanwhile, Sha’ul, still breathing murderous threats against the LORD's talmidim, went to the cohen hagadol and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Dammesek, authorizing him to arrest any people he might find, whether men or women, who belonged to “the Way,” and bring them back to Yerushalayim. He was on the road and nearing Dammesek, when suddenly a light from heaven flashed all around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Sha’ul! Sha’ul! Why do you keep persecuting Me?” “Sir, who are you?” he asked. “I AM Yeshua, and you are persecuting Me. But get up, and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.”
The men traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. They helped Sha’ul get up off the ground; but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing. So, leading him by the hand, they brought him into Dammesek. For three days he remained unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
You see, up until the time of Christ The Messiah.. "religion" was big business.. (much like it still is today!). Yes, the more things change- the more they stay the same! May I? (oy vey!)
"Empirical evidence?" Yes. Yes, indeed..- and amen! May we proceed (together?) What evidence is there to "prove" Yeshua HaMashiach, (Jesus (who is the) Christ), is who He said He was.
Liar, lunatic or LORD? Son of man AND Son of God? We might say, "impossible!" but let us (together) consider the facts as presented in the written record of God's revealed truth, our Bible.
How many prophecies concerning this "Messiah" have been fulfilled concerning this One called Jesus? How about every single one of them! He is fully qualified in every jot and tittle! Starting with "virgin born.." lol!
Impossible again? According to what you and I know- yes, it is. This is NOT how it's done, is it?
~ What do the scriptures say? ~ (We ALL do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God!)
"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a Ruler who will shepherd my people Israel." (Matthew 2:6)
Oh, don't you "throw" Christmas at me like that! I shall not and I refuse to do so! But what I will present to you (sir or m'am) and to all who want "evidence that demands a verdict," is One who was born of a virgin, "swaddled" in rags and laid in a feeding trough for animals,- One who was born in a barn in Bethlehem."
Now, it is "right?" or good? or proper? to celebrate tHis birth? (We report, -you decide..)
Yes, throughout the history of mank ind there have been many babies born. But none (so far as I know) have ever been "born of a virgin!" Biologically, according to the birds and the bees- it ain't happening!
I'll ask the question for you (and for me!) And I'll ask the same question even Mary herself asked of the angel who told her the news.. "how can these things be?" (Impossible!)- or is it? Don't we read in the God-breathed scriptures, "but with God all things are possible?"
Again, ~ what do the scriptures say? ~ is not My word like a hammer, that breaks the rock in pieces?
~Now when Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herodus the King, The Magi came from The East to Jerusalem. And they were saying, “Where is The King of the Judaeans who has been born?” For we have seen His star in The East and we have come to worship Him. But Herodus The King heard and he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. And he gathered the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the people together and was asking them, “Where would The Messiah be born?” And they said, “In Bethlehem of Judaea”, for thus *it is written* in The Prophets:
“You, Bethlehem of Judea, were not the least among the Kings of Judaea, for from you shall proceed The King who shall shepherd my people Israel.” (Matthew 2.1-8)
In the words of "doubting John," (John the Immerser) "is He the One?- or shall we look for another?"
And the answer of the Christ when He heard this? " Go and tell John the things which you have seen and heard..
~ After Yeshua had finished instructing the twelve talmidim, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns nearby.
Meanwhile, Yochanan the Immerser, who had been put in prison, heard what the Messiah had been doing; so he sent a message to him through his talmidim, asking, “Are you the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?” Yeshua answered, “Go and tell Yochanan what you are hearing and seeing — the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara’at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised,]the Good News is being told to the poor — and how blessed is anyone not offended by Me!”
As they were leaving, Yeshua began speaking about Yochanan to the crowds: “What did you go out to the desert to see? Reeds swaying in the breeze? No? then what did you go out to see? Someone who was well dressed? Well-dressed people live in kings’ palaces. No, so why did you go out? To see a prophet! Yes! and I tell you he’s much more than a prophet. This is the one about whom the Tanakh says,
‘See, I am sending out my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.’
Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser! Yet the one who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he! From the time of Yochanan the Immerser until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been suffering violence; yes, violent ones are trying to snatch it away. For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until Yochanan. Indeed, if you are willing to accept it, he is Eliyahu, whose coming was predicted. If you have ears, then hear!
“Oh, what can I compare this generation with? They’re like children sitting in the marketplaces, calling out to each other,
‘We made happy music,
but you wouldn’t dance!
We made sad music,
but you wouldn’t cry!’
For Yochanan came, fasting, not drinking — so they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came, eating freely and drinking wine — so they say, ‘Aha! A glutton and a drunkard! A friend of tax-collectors and sinners!’ Well, the proof of wisdom is in the actions it produces.”
Then Yeshua began to denounce the towns in which he had done most of his miracles, because the people had not turned from their sins to God. “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Beit-Tzaidah! Why, if the miracles done in you had been done in Tzor and Tzidon, they would long ago have put on sackcloth and ashes as evidence that they had changed their ways. But I tell you it will be more bearable for Tzor and Tzidon than for you on the Day of Judgment! And you, K’far-Nachum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Sh’ol! For if the miracles done in you had been done in S’dom, it would still be in existence today. But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment it will be more bearable for the land of S’dom than for you!”
It was at that time that Yeshua said, “I thank you, Father, LORD of heaven and earth, that you concealed these things from the sophisticated and educated and revealed them to ordinary folks. Yes, Father, I thank you that it pleased You to do this.
“My Father has handed over everything to Me. Indeed, no one fully knows the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.
~ Come to Me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, because I AM gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light ~
~ The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I AM come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly ~ (John 10.10)
Empirical evidence? – Tis' the song of the soul set free.
~If the Son therefore shall set you free, you shall be free indeed! ~ (John 8.36)
Hi Carl,
I believe some interpretations of the text are better than others
But I think that if God wanted us all to see the same way
We would all see the same things, and we don’t
And I’m not an empericist
“It may be difficult to convey to others what we think, but it is not difficult to convey to others what we live.”
I was under the impression that it was the same James who said, “But someone will say, “You have faith (pistis) and I have works.” Show me your faith (pistis) apart from your works, and I will show you my faith (pistis) by my works.”
Doesn’t “what we live” merely convey “what we think”? I understand it may be difficult to convey what we think if there is a mismatch in what we live. Actions really do speak louder than words — for they convey what we really think.
People say what they believe but they do what they value.
It is my experience that people too often usually say what they think you want to hear. In other words, they don’t even convey what they believe. But, then, if pragmatism is the guide to life, why not.
I’m with Ian… and I get to spend Thanksgiving with just such a person…. ugh.
Skip, I am not in disagreement with you on anything you just said, in fact it really speaks to where my life seems to be at this present time. My question is the verse before, “if anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is worthless.” I am sure James still doesn’t use the word religion and his thought process isn’t going to follow a Greek or Latin or even Cicero correct? It’s all the same idea of put your money where your mouth is kind of concept right?
[i]For pure and holy ministry before God The Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their affliction, and for a man to keep his soul without defilement from the world.[/i] Aramaic Bible in Plain English
From http://www.elaion.org
In searching about for an alternative, Elaion hit on the ancient word “threskia” – meaning the practice of worship. This was the central term used by the ancient Greeks when referring to religious life. Talking about ‘threskia’ rather then the clunky “Hellenismos” turned the focus to what we think and do, rather then who we are. It recaptured the pre-Christian ethos in which a religion was more a way of life and thought then a pre-fabricated identity. It enabled a sense of sense of spiritual solidarity that comes from the communal spiritual practice of prayer, ritual and right action.
Man seeks religion.
God seeks for man to have a revolution!
His goal for us is not just that we would ACT differently,
but we would be transformed and BECOME different in our inner being.
So we take on His easy yoke and learn from Him, especially cleansing
the inside of the cup and dish.
“until Christ is formed in you . . .” Gal 4:19
Then, we can become “the true worshippers” Jesus referred to in Jn 4:23.
“Those who live according to the Way follow certain rules about life – and count it joy that they know what God wants of them.”
AMEN! I was “born” a catholic. I didn’t know about THE BIBLE until I was 16 yoa (tho I saw the priest way way up “on stage” kiss some fancy, huge book) and found my brother-in-law’s father reading it one early morning! Before that day, I was as one stumbling along in “the wilderness” waiting for a Word from my God, completely believing that He walked with me 24/7 tho he was the “quiet type” many days, weeks, months. My faith was completely in Him.
The saddest thing of all is that, my brother-in-law, who had custody of me, forbid me to have a Bible in our home. He hated the Bible… but oh how he loved porn… and drunkenness… and … well, you get the picture.
Oh how BEYOND WONDERFUL it is to know that MY GOD WROTE ME A LOVE LETTER… A BUNCH OF THEM… AND THAT THEY ARE COMPILED INTO ONE BOOK– an actual BOOK! Wow.
“Perhaps that’s why it is impossible to separate how one lives from what one believes in the ancient world.”
I submit that it is still impossible to separate what you believe from how you live. But today our culture enables people to fool themselves as well as others. When we ought to be looking at how one lives and then draw an inference about what is believed, we instead believe everything that is said and hold it at a higher standard even when it is in clear opposition to behavior.
I agree that too many people don’t say what they believe, but ultimately their actions will demonstrate who (and what) they truly hold dear. Talk is cheap. It’s easy to say a “sinner’s prayer” and go on living a pagan life, especially in culture that values intention over consequences.
“I submit that it is still impossible to separate what you believe from how you live.”
Hi Suzanne,
Your point is well taken, but I think we have an “unconscious” tendency to deceive ourselves
For example, we probably all believe we need to turn ourselves over to God and act accordingly
However, if we have really turned ourselves over to God, we wouldn’t have much to worry about
Jesus didn’t think twice about walking up that hill and confronting the Jewish priests
Who were collaborating with the Romans and had the Roman army at their back
Because Jesus had put all his faith in God
But rather than completely turn ourselves over to God and do the right thing
Most of us probably worry about all sorts of things that have much less painful consequences
Than crucifixion
For example, I worry about how my kids are doing in school or my dog’s health
Objectively speaking it would seem that many of us often take our “eye off the ball” (God)
And then rationalize why we do it
In any case, this behavior of mine I refer to as “bad faith” or “false consciousness”
Here’s the REAL etymology of the word (from Hebrew):
RELIGIOUS RiGeeYLOOS Resh-Gimel-Lamed-Vav-Sahf
Rig-GEE-loose _____רגלות _____ [RGL RLG]
ROOTS: Fittingly, there is no Indo-European root for RELIGION. Dictionaries perform the usual alchemy on Latin, whose religio means scrupulous piety and conscientiousness (not spiritual transcendence). Religio is thought to come from religare, to bind back – re plus ligare, to bind. This alleged “binding” is never tied to the many given definitions of faith. Meanwhile, one can go to a gambling bar and brothel RELIGIOUSLY – that is, with REGULARITY. Piety, rather than belief, is all about scrupulous attention to ritual. The word RELIGION is all about REGULARITY, not belief or faith. רגיל RaGeeYL (see the “REGULAR” entry) means regular; there is a common M132 metathesis of the letters due to the cosmic scrambling at Shinar (Babel). RELIGION was so hard to trace because its Biblical origin was scrambled from Resh-Gimel-Lamed, RGL, to RLG. Usage also confuses the REGULARITY of religious ritual with heartfelt faith.
The Post Biblical Hebrew רגלות RiGeeYLOOS or RiGeeYLooT means “wont” or “habit”, one’s REGULAR routine. The challenge of organized RELIGION is to not let rote rituals become routine for the REGULAR, jaded spiritually-challenged masses. The Edenic, Biblical origin of the Modern Hebrew term is רגל ReGeL (leg, foot), moving rhythmically from steps to occasions – as in the plural רגלים RiGaLeeYM. In Numbers 23, the evil prophet Balaam’s leg or רגל ReGeL gets crushed in verse 25. Balaam then hears his she-donkey (who makes an ass of him) complain that she was beaten three times ( רגלים RiGaLeeYM – verse 28).
Besides the typical word play lost in translation, RGL specifically means legging it religiously to the Temple in Jerusalem. רגל ReGeL is also one of the REGULARLY occurring pilgrimage holidays with all their attendant REGULATIONS (Exodus 23:14) – see “REGULAR”.
The -ות Vav-Sahf or Tahf suffix is the equivalent and source of the English suffix –IOUS.
BRANCHES: English has over a dozen words with this RLG root. Most Indo-European languages use the same root. The Dutch word for religion means “time out for the deity;” Arabic, Turkish and Swahili prefer a term meaning “law;” and the Hebrew equivalent, דתDa’aT, (only late Biblical) infers “knowledge.”
B.t.w.: every single word of every single language on the planet can be traced back to it’s original Edenic (proto-Hebrew) root. Isaac Mozeson in Jerusalem is working on this project for more than 30 years now. I am his Dutch connection. It’s really amazing to see how words you use in your every day language are connected to the Hebrew origin of before Babel. If you want to learn more: look at
http://www.edenics.org/
Kees, Thank you for your insights. I find this work you are participating in with Isaac Mozseon and Edenic roots quite fascinating. I researched it a few months ago when you first made mention of it. Too heady for my aging grey matter, so I’ll leave the scholarly stuff to you and other faithful scholars and partake of a sampling of your abundant and delicious harvest. I wonder if the Kingdom won’t also present these types of multiple choices, (but amplified and perfected) so that there are manifold luscious fruits to partake and fields to harvest (things to learn and experience), but at that time and place there (hopefully) will not be the time constraints we face now where we have to choose only one or two things to explore, learn and grow proficient in to the exclusion of all the others we might like to experience. Till then, keep up the good work and maybe I’ll join with you in study then and there! (hoping for some amplified and perfected grey matter as well) Shalom, Michael
PS hoping all is working out with the reconciliation process. Our prayers are with you and all those who are married. May YHWH keep us, grow us and conform us.