Religion & Spirituality
"Religion is a personal issue and applied to oneself and to your personal philosophy. No wonder when artistic pictures are drawn, made and /or promoted somebody is bound to be offended. The flip side is you should not be offended if you see another viewpoint somebody else has."
~ Anonymous
When speaking to people about my 'Spiritual' beliefs, I have been told that I represent many things. Mostly I have been told that I my beliefs label me under the following 'titles'; Pantheism, Wicca, Paganism, Hinduism, Gnostic and Agnostic.
I have found it very odd that these people who label me these things, need me to be. They need me to be in a group, mainly so they can understand my views. In the past and sometimes even in the present, I have longed to belong to a certain group, or religion. This is a basic human desire, to be part of something, be it a family, a group of what have you.
I have read about almost every religion, theology, dogma and whatever else seems to catch my attentions, from Satanism to Born Again Christian. I have found religion, as a whole, is detrimental to the human race.
When one joins a religion, most religions believe theirs' is the only way. I wasn't really taught this when I raised as a Catholic. My mother was actually an atheist and the family went to church a lot when I was real young. I remember even saying prayers with my mother before going to bed. As I got older, church became a place to visit on a few occasions, weddings, funerals and certain holidays.
I remember being in bible school, which was held every summer. I would ask a question, but no one seemed to know the answers. I think I asked too many straight forward questions, that were beyond the realm of what the teachers were prepared to answer or even discuss.
I think the last experience I had with the Catholic church was my father's funeral, and before that my 'confirmation', which my mother told me I was to do, so I could get married in a Catholic Church. This wasn't really a concern of mine. I remember a big 'to do' over having to pick a name, like a gospel writers. I was adamant about being who I was, my middle name is Paul, I found that to be enough. I needed no ritual to remind me of what my beliefs were or from were I came from.
After this, a few years later, well more like a decade, I joined a local UU church, Unitarian Universalist, or was it a Universalist Unitarian church? I honestly cannot remember. However I do remember the memo they sent me, saying they were going to erase my name from their member files, even after taking all these classes and having a ceremony to join. The reason? Well I made a pledge to give a certain amount of money every month. I always found this idiotic, anyways, I fell under hard times, unable to even work or afford food. I thank those around me who pulled me through that time in my life.
I wrote a scathing letter to the minister, and then was sent a well written response from someone whom must have been the public relations person. It was as if they had never read my original letter. I felt like someone had spit at me, as if I wasn't worth a membership to this church cause I got sick and had no income. I always thought churches were supposed to help those in need. Well I never asked for it, but seriously, their behavior was uncalled for. So needless to say, the history books within this church have no longer held my name. Its like being excommunicated.
So I do not join churches, for the above reasons and because what I see happening around the world. This is like a double edged sword. I do not want to be part of a church, but coming from America, if it was not for the founders and their taking over the Indians land, while damning them, I would not be in the most free country in the world. I am not saying it is perfect, but in opinion, it is the best country to live in and be born in. So the dilemma; I am against wars and religion. But war is usually fueled by religion on some level, in other words, power and money.
there is a quote from Jesus that explains a little more as to why I do not really like religion:
"Formal religion has no place in psychotherapy, but it also has no real place in religion" and he goes on to say: "The attemps to formalize religion is so obviously an ego attempt to reconcile the irreconcilable that it hardly requires elaboration here."
One thing I get from this is, we as humans are so intwined with our egos, it gets in the way of any cause we may think we are providing others, under a guise of religion.
So at the present time, I say I am 'Spiritual'. I believe in God, on many levels. I believe He is not a He, but I call Him that out of habit. I also believe He is everything and in everything. He is the beat of our heart, the energy that dna lives on. I also believe He can be a personal figure in our lives, as in Shiva,
As for the meaning of 'Spiritual' I have found the following online, these may be partial, I placed only a few and only the ones described as an adjective for the meaning of Spirituality;
Adjective
1.
of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal <man's spiritual needs>
2.
(a) of or relating to sacred matters <spiritual songs>
(b) ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal <spiritual authority> <lords spiritual>
3. concerned with religious values
4.
related or joined in spirit <our spiritual home> <his spiritual heir>
5.
(a) of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena
(b) of, relating to, or involving spiritualism
Adjective
1.
of the soul: relating to the soul or spirit, usually in contrast to material things
2.
religion of religion: relating to religious or sacred things rather than worldly things
3.
temperamentally or intellectually akin: connected by an affinity of the mind, spirit, or temperament
4.
refined: showing great refinement and concern with the higher things in life
Adjective
1.
Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material.
2.
Of, concerned with, or affecting the soul.
3.
Of, from, or relating to God; deific.
4.
Of or belonging to a church or religion; sacred.
5.
Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit; supernatural.
Adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or consisting of spirit; incorporeal.
2.
of or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life.
3.
closely akin in interests, attitude, outlook, etc.: the professor's spiritual heir in linguistics.
4.
of or pertaining to spirits or to spiritualists; supernatural or spiritualistic.
5.
characterized by or suggesting predominance of the spirit; ethereal or delicately refined: She is more of a spiritual type than her rowdy brother.
6.
of or pertaining to the spirit as the seat of the moral or religious nature.
7.
of or pertaining to sacred things or matters; religious; devotional; sacred.
8.
of or belonging to the church; ecclesiastical: lords spiritual and temporal.
9.
of or relating to the mind or intellect.
There seems to be many, although almost the same from these sources, interpretations of the word Spiritual. Which means, it has different meanings.
My description is pretty easy. I basically believe to be 'Spiritual' is to long for, search for and be open to experiences that will allow you to find out who you are. Within this, you will find that the energy, the life inside us, inside everything, is all connected. This energy is God. Seems pretty simple, but it is not that easy, not for anyone. Someone who says they have 'found the light' or are 'born again' are more apt to turn their back on experiences that would allow them to open up more, and let the light of God in. This is a very Pantheistic point of view obviously. But if we feel we are all done learning what we can, we close off for future learning. I heard the saying that goes something like this, "Keep yourself as empty as a rice bowl". Which I take is open and ready for knowledge. To fill the 'rice bowl' and to keep it full, does not allow space for anymore.hence the idea of keeping yourself open, allowing yourself to journey through this life, with your eyes open, consciously awake.
We all are from different background, and we are all on our own paths., therefore we learn at our own pace, and the way we feel best at this time. This is one reason why I believe in reincarnation. To be able to come back on this earth again, and travel another path, journey through life, to learn more. This I believe, is our gift. I myself have had many ups and downs, but as of this moment, I am still here, I want to live so I can learn.
There are times I feel so close to God. I feel safe. Then there are times when I feel so alone, as if I am not good enough for God, or for the human race. Both are extremes. I do not think most people feel this way, but I am sure there are people who have doubts and troubles. We are human, this is good. As I said above, if we were always feeling at peace, we are blind, in my opinion. We need to keep an open mind, look with unclouded vision and unblocked ears.
If you are a person who has found a religion or a denomination of a theology, that you feel is allowing you to grow emotionally and spiritually, you are a very lucky person. Please share what you learn with others. God works through people, through all of us.
Follow following link to a GREAT website that contains alot if information;
Portal to Religion, Spirituality and Compassionate Action on the Web
100 Philosophy & 200 Religion links
Many links to the following; Buddhism, Christian Hinduism Islam, Judaism, Pagan/Wiccan, Sufism, Tao, Unitarian Universalists along with many more miscellaneous Religious/Spiritual links and Environment and Human Rights links.
Also check out
Which states;
"We are a multi-faith e-community designed to help you meet your own religious and spiritual needs -- in an interesting, captivating and engaging way. We are independent. We are not affiliated with a particular religion or spiritual movement. We are not out to convert you to a particular approach, but rather to help you find your own. Fundamental to our mission is a deep respect for a wide variety of faiths and traditions."
Here is an example of what happens when religion & theology go wrong - religion becomes fundamental
November 2005
"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover, if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city. And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there."
-Pat Robertson, regarding Dover, Pennsylvania's ousting of all school board members who voted to mandate the teaching of intelligent design.
For information about Agnosticism, Atheism, Seperation of Church and State, Freedom from Religion and much more, check out the Guide to Atheism on the Web
