I’ll let you look up the definition of RANCID in the event you’re not sure. Religious rites in and of themselves are beneficial, if like all other thing, they are used properly. There are no problems with the Bible as I see it; however, there are all kinds of problems with the interpretations that are gleaned from the Bible by those who read it. We must awaken to the potential and reality of who we ARE!
There are so many trinities when it comes to life and especially religion, so let me give you my three that define rancid religious rites.
1-Sentimentality (the slobbering kind)
2-Anti-intellectualism (pot calling the kettle black)
3-Personal salvistic hype (this one really leaves a mark!)
Okay, what’s up with this trinity and what’s wrong with sentimentalism anyway? Anne Douglas calls sentimentalism when applied to the political scene, “Rancid political consciousness“. A healthy religion is compassionate not sentimental. I’ll never forget the uneasiness I felt when several were praying for me in 1991 (lip cancer), nor the shock when an elder urged those around me to “buck up” and stop with all the sentimental prayers.
Hoo-Ahh! 
Anti-intellectualism comes in many flavors. One can go from a total lack of simple logic (God told me I am to marry you- a stranger) to the putting down of anything that is logical or makes sense: claiming that everything God does is a mystery and cannot be known. I can go with “many things” as a mystery, but not ALL things. I see fundamentalists very guilty of the anti-intellectual paradigm adhering to an “inerrant and infallible” Bible when the errors are right there, even pointed out by the publishers of the Bible (exempting the KJV and Scofield Bible of course).
No offense intended, but maybe a poke in the side.
And when I speak of personal salvistic hype I’m referring to a lack of big picture, an emphasis solely on the historical Jesus, and a void when it comes to a Cosmic Christ. Christology or Soteriology can’t be just about “me and mine”, but about ALL and everyone. Remember the “God so loved the WORLD” point? I bet you can if you try hard.
We have bigger FISH to catch (pun intended).
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