| On a personal level Religion
has definitely become a subject that I have declined to discuss
publicly in any depth for a long time, it’s a lot easier
to keep the peace and simply say I am not a religious person
but I am a spiritual one that answer seems to suffice.
However recently I have accepted that Religion is an important
subject one that needs to be debated and explored more openly
without judgment and without fear, for each and every one
of us are a part of a greater picture, and we are here to
be that part that we are and to express ourselves fully on
all subjects touchy ones not excluded.
There does seem to be a general undertone
of “if you are not with us then you must be against
us’ in certain religious groups, this is not helpful
to anyone who wishes to discuss further the subject in an
open way. I invite feedback on anything that I write in this
article as all others and I ask that please people will write
to me in an open and intelligent way with the best intentions
wherever possible because I do believe that tolerance is something
that needs to be cultivated in all persons and in all nations
for us as the human race to survive thrive and grow.
Religion is in itself a vast and fascinating
subject I do not in any way profess to be an expert on the
subject, simply a person with a knowing and an opinion to
express, in this my current lifetime. There are many religions,
and different ways of religion does anyone know the actual
number? Indeed Many religions some answers and even more question?
It seems that since long ago some might say
since “time “began that man has needed to believe
in something greater than himself, and yet at the same time
there is a longing to make sense of things for self, questions
such as “Why are we here?” or “How does
reality work?”
“Or when did it all begin and how? Are most commonly
asked?
When answers don’t seem to make sense or are not easy
in finding its tempting to accept and even believe glib answers
often supplied by religion and religious leaders that we cannot
understand, and that we will not be able to understand in
this lifetime, yet if we are “good” all will be
understood in another time and place when we are ‘DEAD”
There is almost an unwritten agreement generally speaking
to go along with this and not to ask too much, for many this
agreement and believing in something, via faith and what we
are told, is a way to silence the questioning part of ourselves,
and to find some peace.
There are some things that I am sure of and
that I “know” no one told me them, I Just knew
from the moment that I was born despite being told many times
differently, other things I know after a lifetime of searching,
experiencing, and questioning, both alone and with others.
The following are some of those things that
I “know”
I know that we are all good people; people
are inherently good there are “bad” projections
but “Good “people.
I know that people even those who have been brutalized and
suffering incredible emotional pain and existing in abject
poverty and ignorance,, given the chance know how to live
and how to treat others.
I know that we are each truly free powerful
and amazing beings, but that few of us know who and what we
actually are, or what we can do.
I know that we are not mere mortals that
we are not born sinners, born with sin,, or into sin.
I know that religion has served a purpose
and that each religion has symbols and basic focal points,
be it the cross of Christianity of the meditative pose of
the Buddha that are there for us to find out about, what they
truly bring us, how to use them and to springboard from there..
I know that we are not here in this life
to be eternally grateful for life, to be submissive, or to
live our lives in pain and suffering.
The suffering has already been done.
I know that “God” whatever we
perceive that/it or him to be is not separate from us and
is not greater or smaller than us.
We are both small and vast at the same time. We are both one
and all.
I know that the first basic steps to awareness
and working anything out include, healing our wounds, understanding
why we allowed them, and loving ourselves completely without
condition.
I know that there is not necessarily a beginning,
a middle or an end, there is not a central point of creation
or reality only a believe that seems to make it appear to
be so. We are not going forwards or backwards we are all time,
here and now, in actuality time does not exist it’s
simply an agreed upon perception.
I know that neither life nor death are as
they seem, and that currently we know very little of either,
I know there is no separation between them only in our beliefs
and in our minds. In fact we are mostly agreeing to a mass
illusion about many things in our reality.
I know that every single thing in our life
is perfect and quite brilliant, the good the bad the ugly,
we can see and experience everything as perfect if only we
release our own judgments and instead open our eyes our minds
and our hearts.
I know that each one of us has the capability and the potential
to truly realize all of the above now.
Religion is a pivotal point a place to grown
and springboard from, not a place to suffer with, or in, or
allow ourselves to be beaten with, and to accept fear from
.Religion is not to be used to suppress ourselves or others.
The perfect that we are is not a thing to strive for or to
move towards it is what we already are but unfortunately the
religions that we are taught do little to help us realize
this.
I know that the very nature of reality our
perception of it, and our experience of it is currently changing
in subtle ways we can barley imagine, and yet change continues
to take place.
I know we still kill because it is the nature
of the beast within;; man refuses to let that part go easily
because he does not yet know the true strength of refinement.
I know that Pain is not necessary, its still
used because it catches our attention, and makes us feel present,
it is a vastly overrated tool that we use to justify our staying
in time and the present vs. all time and all things and to
allow ourselves to have constant, direct experience with bliss,
with timelessness, and all that is.
Religion tells us that we cannot have direct constant experience
of the all that and pure bliss on this earth in this time,
I know that this is not true. Few of us simply believe or
know how, and are not yet experienced enough, or accepting
enough of bliss for any length of time to be comfortable yet
with it.
The question is how do you feel about your religion? Does
it give you all answers and all that you need? Does it allow
you to feel good? and to constantly remind you that you are
perfect, that you are an amazing being and that you have unlimited
powers and potentials that you can realize now? Is your religion
fair? Is it tolerant? Is it just? Is is loving supportive
and kind?
If not perhaps its time to ask some grown
up questions, to take more of a personal responsibility in
your own evolution, are you ready for an expanded version
of what you have been told so far?
There is a great deal to find above and beyond
religion, there is a great deal to discover and use within
religion, but it is time to move on., of that there is no
doubt, we can honestly no longer continue in our agreement
not to question and receive real answers that we can understand.
We each owe that to ourselves and to be able to feel good
about ourselves life and others. Let’s not look forward
to death lets instead enjoy life, and even know that we do
not need to die.
If you haven’t already watched it I
can recommend
“What the bleep do we know”...
A movie available at Blockbuster now..
| 
