I guess it depends how one views and interprets religion in one's own life, without doubt Jesus did not ask for blind faith and I feel he was inter-faith, born a Jew but yet embraced all people without exception.
Paul said: ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ Gal 3:28.
I like your term friend and also beloved of GOD, bride and bridegroom resonates with my heart, to obey and be obedient infers inequality but yet we can choose willingly and lovingly to surrender to GOD and align our will with God's will.
A thought to ponder upon we have a ceremony that marries human man and woman but yet I know not of a ceremony within the Christian faith where we become the Bride of Christ. (although is this in the Catholic faith when the little girls dress up as brides?) It as been made clear to me that the love of GOD is more important then love of humans; love humans with all your hearts but the soul belongs to GOD.
I found a passage in the bible the other day when th disciples ask Jesus how they will know when he is coming again and he says all the temples (church) will be destroyed prior to his arrival, does he mean church/religious doctrine too? And so what did Jesus really mean when he asked Paul to start a church in his name? How would you feel and what would you do if Jesus came before you with the same request?
It was also very interesting for me doing research on all of the minor prophets through them God's will was to teach humanity a new social perspective, an improved morality and ethics. It did not include spiritual or religious practice which also reminds me of some of the early philosopher's like Socrates and Plato who were basically doing the same as the minor prophets in the bible. So from this it was self evident that God's will is that we live the principles of the will-to-good, equality, sharing, caring, loving and the brotherhood of man, our good and charitable deeds being the way to demonstrate our love for GOD and this being more important to GOD then any spiritual practice or religious doctrines. Friends helping each other through the maze of life and its obstacles.
Here is what I found in the internet dictionary
Found 5 hits - Term: religion, Database: *, Strategy: exact
[1] : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Ghost dance \Ghost dance\
A religious dance of the North American Indians, participated
in by both sexes, and looked upon as a rite of invocation the
purpose of which is, through trance and vision, to bring the
dancer into communion with the unseen world and the spirits
of departed friends. The dance is the chief rite of the
Ghost-dance, or
Messiah,
religion, which originated about 1890 in the doctrines of
the Piute Wovoka, the Indian Messiah, who taught that the
time was drawing near when the whole Indian race, the dead
with the living, should be reunited to live a life of
millennial happiness upon a regenerated earth. The
religion inculcates peace, righteousness, and work, and
holds that in good time, without warlike intervention, the
oppressive white rule will be removed by the higher
powers. The religion spread through a majority of the
western tribes of the United States, only in the case of
the Sioux, owing to local causes, leading to an outbreak.
See also: [Ghost-dance] [Messiah] [religion]
[2] : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Religion \Re*li"gion\ (r[-e]*l[i^]j"[u^]n), n. [F., from L.
religio; cf. religens pious, revering the gods, Gr. 'ale`gein
to heed, have a care. Cf. Neglect.]
1. The outward act or form by which men indicate their
recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having
power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and
honor are due; the feeling or expression of human love,
fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power,
whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites
and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of
faith and worship; a manifestation of piety; as, ethical
religions; monotheistic religions; natural religion;
revealed religion; the religion of the Jews; the religion
of idol worshipers.
An orderly life so far as others are able to observe
us is now and then produced by prudential motives or
by dint of habit; but without seriousness there can
be no religious principle at the bottom, no course
of conduct from religious motives; in a word, there
can be no religion. --Paley.
Religion [was] not, as too often now, used as
equivalent for godliness; but . . . it expressed the
outer form and embodiment which the inward spirit of
a true or a false devotion assumed. --Trench.
Religions, by which are meant the modes of divine
worship proper to different tribes, nations, or
communities, and based on the belief held in common
by the members of them severally. . . . There is no
living religion without something like a doctrine.
On the other hand, a doctrine, however elaborate,
does not constitute a religion. --C. P. Tiele
(Encyc.
Brit.).
Religion . . . means the conscious relation between
man and God, and the expression of that relation in
human conduct. --J.
K["o]stlin
(Schaff-Herzog
Encyc.)
After the most straitest sect of our religion I
lived a Pharisee. --Acts xxvi.
5.
The image of a brute, adorned With gay religions
full of pomp and gold. --Milton.
2. Specifically, conformity in faith and life to the precepts
inculcated in the Bible, respecting the conduct of life
and duty toward God and man; the Christian faith and
practice.
Let us with caution indulge the supposition that
morality can be maintained without religion.
--Washington.
Religion will attend you . . . as a pleasant and
useful companion in every proper place, and every
temperate occupation of life. --Buckminster.
3. (R. C. Ch.) A monastic or religious order subject to a
regulated mode of life; the religious state; as, to enter
religion. --Trench.
A good man was there of religion. --Chaucer.
4. Strictness of fidelity in conforming to any practice, as
if it were an enjoined rule of conduct. [R.]
Those parts of pleading which in ancient times might
perhaps be material, but at this time are become
only mere styles and forms, are still continued with
much religion. --Sir M. Hale.
Note: Religion, as distinguished from theology, is
subjective, designating the feelings and acts of men
which relate to God; while theology is objective, and
denotes those ideas which man entertains respecting the
God whom he worships, especially his systematized views
of God. As distinguished from morality, religion
denotes the influences and motives to human duty which
are found in the character and will of God, while
morality describes the duties to man, to which true
religion always influences. As distinguished from
piety, religion is a high sense of moral obligation and
spirit of reverence or worship which affect the heart
of man with respect to the Deity, while piety, which
first expressed the feelings of a child toward a
parent, is used for that filial sentiment of veneration
and love which we owe to the Father of all. As
distinguished from sanctity, religion is the means by
which sanctity is achieved, sanctity denoting primarily
that purity of heart and life which results from
habitual communion with God, and a sense of his
continual presence.
Natural religion, a religion based upon the evidences of a
God and his qualities, which is supplied by natural
phenomena. See Natural theology, under Natural.
Religion of humanity, a name sometimes given to a religion
founded upon positivism as a philosophical basis.
Revealed religion, that which is based upon direct
communication of God's will to mankind; especially, the
Christian religion, based on the revelations recorded in
the Old and New Testaments.
See also: [Neglect] [Natural religion] [Natural theology] [Natural] [Religion of humanity] [Revealed religion]
[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0
religion
n 1: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that
control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his
morality" [syn: faith, religious belief]
2: institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was
raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own
faith contradicted him" [syn: faith]
See also: [faith] [religious belief]
[4] : Jargon File (4.3.0, 30 APR 2001)
Religion
Agnostic. Atheist. Non-observant Jewish. Neo-pagan. Very commonly, three
or more of these are combined in the same person. Conventional
faith-holding Christianity is rare though not unknown.
Even hackers who identify with a religious affiliation tend to be relaxed
about it, hostile to organized religion in general and all forms of
religious bigotry in particular. Many enjoy `parody' religions such as
Discordianism and the Church of the SubGenius.
Also, many hackers are influenced to varying degrees by Zen Buddhism or
(less commonly) Taoism, and blend them easily with their `native'
religions.
There is a definite strain of mystical, almost Gnostic sensibility that
shows up even among those hackers not actively involved with neo-paganism,Discordianism, or Zen. Hacker folklore that pays homage to `wizards' and speaks of incantations and demons has too much psychological truthfulness about it to be entirely a joke.
[5] : THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993)
RELIGION, n. A daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the
nature of the Unknowable.
"What is your religion my son?" inquired the Archbishop of Rheims.
"Pardon, monseigneur," replied Rochebriant; "I am ashamed of it."
"Then why do you not become an atheist?"
"Impossible! I should be ashamed of atheism."
"In that case, monsieur, you should join the Protestants."
It seems that the Christian religion is based upon realisation, revelation spiritual practice and ethical principles in the bible.
Love beyond measure
Kim xxx
LOL I start this hoping it will stay light and humorous in all the posts. 
