How do I stop believing in religion?

Answer Request:
How do I stop believing in religion? It seems self-evident that there's a God, but this stuff ties into my self hatred and I want it gone.

You might be surprised to hear this, but the religions of the world, including most of Christianity, all have this thing in common; laws and traditions! These laws and traditions are the fabrication of men so that they can measure themselves up against righteousness and commend themselves for the good job they are doing to please God. Its a performance and acceptance system that is not what God asked of us, neither wants from us.

When God gave Israel the 10 commandments, its primary objective was to show Israel that even these 10 commands could not be kept! These 10 commandments were to be a tutor for Israel to lead them to Christ…

Galatians 3:24-25 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

…it was NEVER supposed to become a system of laws that bound Israel and put them under a heavy yoke. But as Israel missed the point, their leaders, and the Pharisees, expounded on these 10 commandments and complicated the system by adding their own laws to facilitate keeping Gods laws. Eventually their Torah had over 600 laws that they tried to keep rigorously. This is RELIGION! It's derived from mans convoluted addition to God's basic requirement of righteousness! It's a trap of bondage that God never intended for us to keep!

You may also be surprised that Jesus, Peter and Paul all spoke against RELIGION,

• Jesus spoke against this Pharisaical religious system. Just read Matthew 15:1–9. Jesus refers to the religion of the Pharisees as the "tradition of the elders" and the "commandments of men".
  
  
• Peter spoke against the false religion of the Jews in his day saying, Acts 15:10 "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?"
  
  
• Paul spoke against false religion and the practice of laws and traditions saying, Gal.5:1–6 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love."

So, if these men spoke against a performance and acceptance program and against practicing men's traditions then what did they actually promote. Well, I speak for Paul here (as he is the apostle to the Gentiles), and in simple terms, Paul promoted a way of life that simply trusted in the lead of the Holy Spirit. The letter [of the law] kills, but the Spirit give life! Paul promoted a way of walking by the instructions of the indwelling Spirit.

How does one "walk in the Spirit"?

Colossians 2:4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 ... 6 As [in the same way] you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord [by faith in the Gospel message], so [likewise] walk in Him [by faith in the voice of the Spirit],

Simply put, the way that you came to Christ in salvation is the same way that you continue to live. You simply respond to the dynamic flow and spontaneity of the Spirit's workings within you. Read the above scripture again, and let it take root in your understanding.

Here's one more scripture about living by Christ within, or walking in the Spirit? Lets have a look at what Paul wrote to the Galatians,

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.

Do you see that part that says, "but Christ lives in me"?

Too often, "but Christ who lives in me" becomes "I must try harder to live for God", and too often, "I have been crucified with Christ", becomes "I need to crucify my sinful desires".

You cannot live the 'Christian life' yourself; it is all by God's strength, will and doing!

Being led by the Spirit is what He works within us, and NOT what we have to do for God.

Philippians 2:13 ...for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, ..., 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Many Christians fall into the trap of trying to walk by the Spirit in their own strength and ability. They try to add laws or traditions into the process that bring them constantly under condemnation when the fail to keep them! The natural human response is always to control a scenario and do something. This is called RELIGION!! and is the opposite of walking in the Spirit. You... yes YOU…CANNOT walk in the Spirit under your own ability or control. It is a spontaneous releasing of oneself to the Spirit who does the work. It is a river of living water that wells up within you, and when it does, and you become aware of that river of life, you simply give in to it and respond to it in faith. It's the most beautiful and expressive experience when you give in to it. These are the moments throughout your day that you wait for, and when those moments come, you let them flow.

Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; … .