The End of Religion

Am currently reading a book entitled "The end of religion, an introduction to the subversive spirituality of Jesus" by Bruxy Cavey. Its a highly provocative title but basically, i guess its good because its about something modern day christians dont really emphasize. Basically, the short and to the point book just illustrates how Jesus came to end the traditions that were bugging the church during His time. Like He used hand washing, 'purifying' water for his first miracle of changing water into wine and He asked a man to pick up his mat on the Sabbath after healing him. Both of which could be classified as work in strict Jewish rules of that time.
I do not think that this is new to most Christians but i for one found it more enlightening to realise how religion has caused more divisions in the world of ages past as well as today. There was the Inquisition, the Crusades, and look at Ireland and Jihad of today. Its really sad to look at the state of the world brought about by blind adherence to religious norms. However, its good to know that Jesus actually came to put an END to such twisted cultures. I find it comforting now to better understand that it is actually so clear in the bible that Jesus came to end such mindless adherence to law.
As the theoretical underpinnings of the book are too myraid to reproduce here, i will just leave with a more motivational excerpt from the book. Mathew 23:1-4 reads 'Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them...." "And that's the problem with religion ... it can point out whats wrong with us without freeing us from those very problems. It can direct us toward where we need to go, but it doesnt help us get there. It gives us an apparently high standard but not the power to live up to that standard. It uses rules to force our steps, guilt to keep us in line, and rituals to remind us of our failure to live up to those rules. In doing this, religion adds more weight to those already burdened by life's hardships" (Cavey 2005, p.91).
To contrast this, the author uses Matthew 11:28-30 and asks us to ponder them anew. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for 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." Cavey also stresses that its a yoke that we take, not "take my couch under you". Its an active, constructive rest. A yoke when used as a farming implement is a symbol of cooperative labour. A yoke often unites 2 working animals together in rhythmic cooperation. Jesus offers us to learn from Him and grow spiritually from a partnership. Just like when His death on the cross tore the temple curtain in two, our connection to him is now first hand and not bounded by intermediaries.