Karl Marx is accredited with the following quote: “The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly a struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion. Religious suffering is at the same time an expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sign of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of men, is a demand for their real happiness. The call to abandon their illusions about their conditions is a call to abandon a condition which requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, the embryonic criticism of this vale of tears of which religion is the halo.”
Of course, this is the source of the phrase "religion is the opiate of the people." It may seem strange that I would attempt to explain why I support mission trips by using this quote, but I think its essential to understand what I truly believe missions is NOT. Missions is NOT about religion because in an extreme sense, Marx may have been at least partially correct in his assessment that religion can be illusory. By "religion" I am a Southern Baptist but I do not seek to press the tenants of Southern Baptist propriety on people. Still I am greatful for my Southern Baptist upbringing because it pointed me to a greater "somebody." Perhaps, this is where Mr. Marx may have missed the mark (marx... mark, yeah that's bad). Whereas Marx saw religion as the "end game," others, like myself, see religion as a pathway leading to "somebody." Somebody that we need; somebody that wants us; somebody greater than ourselves; somebody that Loves us; somebody seeking after us; somebody that compels us to share; somebody that gives us a mission to share about greatness, need, Love, and seeking. Missions then becomes talking about somebody with people who need somebody, not religion, but somebody.
There's Somebody Out There
There's somebody out there hurt
And confused
An innocent child being abused
There's somebody out there whose heart is
Breaking in two
There's somebody out there feeling alone
A husband, a wife being done wrong
There's somebody out there shattered from
A broken home
Chorus:
But there's Somebody out there with arms
Open wideWho longs to embrace you, dry the tears
From your eyes
He's hope for the hopeless
He'll carry the burdens you bear
When you don't have a prayer
There's Somebody out there
There's somebody out there who thought
It was coolTo keep taking chances thinking they'd
Never lose
Now they're hooked on a feeling that'sLeft them empty and fooled
There's somebody out there who can't
Quite decide
Whether to live or whether to die
They're searching for strength to get
Through their crisis in life
Ron David Moore
