People have been using God’s name to justify all kinds of behaviour for centuries, but frankly, not all of it looks like something He’d actually sign off on.
While faith can be a beautiful thing, it’s often twisted to suit personal agendas, spread judgement, or control people. It’s caused a lot of hatred, intolerance, and even wars throughout history, and that’s not what spirituality is meant to be about. If God could hand out official statements, here are some things He’d probably want no part of.
1. Using religion to control or manipulate people
Faith is supposed to be a personal journey, not a tool for control. Yet, some people use God’s name to guilt-trip, pressure, or manipulate others into doing what they want. Whether it’s a parent shaming their child for not following their beliefs or a leader twisting scripture to maintain power, it’s more about control than faith. God isn’t about forcing people into submission. If faith is real, it comes from a place of love and understanding, not fear and manipulation.
2. Judging people while ignoring their own flaws
Some people love to call out what they think are other people’s sins while conveniently overlooking their own. Whether it’s pointing fingers at someone’s lifestyle, choices, or beliefs, they act like they’ve got a direct line to God’s opinions. But the whole “judge not” message seems to fly right over their heads. Holding other people to impossible standards while ignoring personal faults is the exact opposite of humility. If anything, God’s probably shaking His head at the hypocrisy.
3. Treating faith like an exclusive club
There are people who act like they have the ultimate VIP pass to heaven while everyone else is doomed. They create a “holier-than-thou” mindset that makes others feel unworthy of faith or spirituality. But if God is love, why would He be in the business of excluding people? Gatekeeping has no place in faith; it’s about kindness, openness, and grace. Acting like you have all the answers while looking down on other people is missing the whole point.
4. Using religion as an excuse to avoid science
Some people think believing in God means rejecting science, even when it’s based on facts. They act like medicine, evolution, or space exploration somehow challenge faith, rather than seeing them as part of the incredible world that exists. But if God created everything, wouldn’t that include intelligence, discovery, and progress? Faith and science aren’t enemies. They can exist together, and shutting down knowledge in the name of religion probably isn’t what God had in mind.
5. Forcing beliefs onto other people
Faith is personal, but some people act like they need to push their beliefs onto everyone around them. Whether it’s through aggressive evangelism, laws based on religious views, or shaming others for not believing the same, it feels more like control than spreading love. If faith is meaningful, it shouldn’t need to be forced. Convincing someone to believe in something shouldn’t come from pressure or fear; it should come from choice. Even God seems to value free will, so maybe people should take the hint.
6. Treating wealth as a sign of divine favour
There are plenty of people who believe financial success means they’re more “blessed” than others. Prosperity preaching makes it seem like God rewards the rich while the poor must be doing something wrong. But if Jesus spent his time helping the poor, this logic seems a little off. Wealth isn’t a measure of faith, and struggling financially doesn’t mean someone is less favoured by God. If anything, using religion to justify greed or ignore those in need is the real problem.
7. Hating people in God’s name
If God is love, then using His name to spread hate makes absolutely no sense. Yet, history is full of people who’ve justified cruelty, discrimination, and even violence in the name of religion. Whether it’s racism, sexism, homophobia, or any other form of exclusion, there’s nothing holy about hate. Loving your neighbour isn’t supposed to come with conditions. If God had a list of things He wanted nothing to do with, this would be right at the top.
8. Picking and choosing scripture to suit personal opinions
It’s funny how some people will latch onto certain verses to justify their views, while ignoring those that don’t fit their narrative. They’ll use the Bible to condemn certain behaviours but conveniently overlook the parts about kindness, forgiveness, or humility. If scripture is supposed to guide people, it should be taken as a whole, not used as a weapon. Twisting faith to win arguments or justify personal biases isn’t spirituality—it’s manipulation. And let’s be honest, God probably isn’t impressed.
9. Punishing kids for asking questions
Source: Pexels Some parents treat curiosity like it’s a challenge to their faith rather than a natural part of growing up. When kids ask, “Why?” instead of getting thoughtful answers, they get shut down with “Because God says so.” But faith that can’t handle questions isn’t really faith — it’s blind obedience. Encouraging kids to think, explore, and understand their beliefs on a deeper level probably leads to a much stronger connection to God than shutting them down ever will.
10. Using religion as an excuse to avoid personal growth
Source: Unsplash Some people use faith as a shield to avoid taking responsibility for their actions. Instead of working on themselves, they claim “God made me this way” or “Only God can judge me” to justify bad behaviour. But faith isn’t a free pass to avoid self-reflection or growth. If anything, spirituality should encourage people to be better, not give them an excuse to stay the same. Growth, accountability, and kindness are way more aligned with faith than stubbornness.
11. Turning prayer into a performance
Prayer is meant to be personal, but some people use it as a way to show off. Whether it’s overly dramatic public prayers or constantly telling people, “I’ll pray for you” without actually doing anything helpful, it turns something meaningful into a performance. If the goal is to look spiritual rather than connect with God, the focus is in the wrong place. Genuine faith doesn’t need to be put on display. Quiet moments of reflection probably count for a lot more than showing off in front of an audience.
12. Using faith to justify avoiding help
There’s nothing wrong with praying, but refusing practical help because “God will provide” can be dangerous. Whether it’s rejecting medical care, ignoring therapy, or refusing financial support because “God has a plan,” it’s an excuse that can lead to real harm. Faith doesn’t mean ignoring common sense. Accepting help, taking care of mental health, and making smart choices aren’t signs of weak faith — they’re signs of responsibility.
13. Viewing kindness as weakness
Some people think being religious means being aggressive about their beliefs rather than leading with kindness. They confuse arrogance with strength and act as if being understanding makes them “too soft.” But if Jesus was all about love, compassion, and patience, where does that logic come from? Being kind isn’t weak; it’s one of the hardest and most meaningful things a person can be. If faith doesn’t include kindness, something’s gone wrong.
14. Believing God only loves people who believe exactly the same way
Some people act like their version of faith is the only valid one and that God has no interest in anyone who doesn’t follow their specific beliefs. But the idea that an all-powerful, all-loving God would be that exclusive seems pretty flawed. If faith is about love and connection, then different perspectives shouldn’t be seen as a threat. The world is full of diverse people, and assuming only one group has it “right” is pretty narrow-minded.
15. Forgetting the message of grace and forgiveness
Some people love to preach about rules and consequences but forget about grace entirely. They focus on punishment over redemption, acting as if mistakes mean someone is beyond hope. But if grace is one of the core messages of faith, shouldn’t it apply to everyone? If God is about love, then holding grudges, shame, and judgement doesn’t fit the picture. Forgiveness, understanding, and second chances are probably more aligned with what faith is meant to be about.
