Living under the weight of creeds and fanaticism is a quiet kind of bondage. One that often masks itself in the guise of devotion, tradition, and piety. Yet, when examined more closely, this form of living can rob the soul of its freedom, its depth, and ultimately, its spiritual vitality. While religion at its purest seeks to lift, enlighten, and transform, the rigid systems we often build around it, creeds, rituals, and dogmas can become formidable traps, especially when followed blindly.
Creeds, for instance, are often designed not merely as expressions of faith, but as instruments of control. They cater to our inner craving for ease and certainty. It is far easier to convince ourselves that by merely showing up at a religious gathering once a week, we have fulfilled a spiritual requirement. It is far more comfortable to believe that purity can be achieved by abstaining from specific foods than by confronting our inner failings or mastering our selfish impulses. But these outward acts are not, in themselves, the essence of purity.
Jesus pointed this out long ago in a moment of profound teaching. A Pharisee once came to report that Jesus’ disciples had broken the rules: they had not kept the Sabbath properly, nor did they fast or wash in the prescribed ways. Jesus, with love responded:
“The man who communes with himself in a quiet hour, who frees himself from all base, everyday thoughts, who does not indulge his lusts, and humbly approaches his God in prayer, keeps the Sabbath. He hallows it! He has cleansed himself of all impurities, and has fasted by eating only what his body needed.”
What a call to inner authenticity and integrity!
Still, none of us is entirely above creeds. We may believe ourselves to be free, yet find ourselves caught in the invisible nets of religious fanaticism without even realizing it. So how can we tell if we are?
Here are 4 signs you may be a religious fanatic:
1. You are fixated on your children or spouse becoming followers of your own faith.
It’s natural to want to share your beliefs with those you love. But when that desire hardens into insistence, we risk robbing our children, spouse, or loved ones of their own spiritual journey. Faith and conviction should not be inherited like earthly property. They must be discovered through independent examination, embraced with sincerity, and lived from within.
2. You expect those of your own faith to act like angels.
If you hold fellow believers to an impossibly high standard and judge them harshly when they stumble, please pause. This expectation is not love; it is pride and illusion. Spiritual maturity means recognizing that all human beings, regardless of belief are on a path of growth and inner development.
3. You look down on people of other faiths.
This is perhaps the most dangerous and subtle sign of fanaticism. Believing that your path is the only valid one and dismissing others with quiet superiority suffocates the possibility of learning, humility, and true love. It also blocks your spiritual progress.
4. You venerate your sacred texts to the point of idolatry.
When a sacred book becomes a museum piece, venerated as though in a glass shrine, it ceases to be a living guide and becomes a lifeless object of worship. If you treat it as too sacred to be placed beside other books, consider whether you have replaced the spirit of its message with the shell of tradition and the vanity of self-righteousness.
These are the signs of a life shackled by creed and dogma, a life drifting dangerously close to fanaticism. It is time to free yourself.
But how?
The answer is disarmingly simple:
“Love thy neighbour as thyself.”
Yes, love, not creed, not ritual, not dogma is the key to freedom. When we love, truly love, we cannot harm our neighbour. We uplift them, wish them well, and strive for their good. In doing so, we lighten our karmic load, build treasures above, and set our feet firmly on the path of spiritual ascent.
Let us then rise above the outer shells of religion and reach for its living core. Let our lives be shaped not by rigid adherence to tradition, but by the fire of conviction expressed in love, humility, and service. Only then can we break the grip of fanaticism and walk freely in the light.
Olusola Adeyegbe
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