Wednesday, March 25, 2015

My Faith Walk

I have immersed myself in Bible study, books on Scripture, devotionals, prayers, etc. over the past 6 months.
The more time I spent studying Christianity, the more restrictive it felt to me.
I have always believed that God is at the hub of the Spiritual Wheel and there are many spokes, which in my mind, connect each individual to his/her Creator.
We do, indeed, bloom where we are planted and religions will vary as much as cultures.  
I believe the Great Creator endowed us with the ability to communicate with Him on many levels and each of us must find our own way to do that.
I also believe respecting, embracing, and not judging the faith of others is a step toward world peace.
Yes, there will always be extremists of every faith who will distort the foundations religions were built upon.  We have seen what religious wars have done throughout all civilizations, including our own present time.  But we can overcome those fears and prejudices and look toward the light of each faith.

The Youngblood's song, "Get Together" speaks volumes...to me.

Love is but a song to sing
Fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry
Though the bird is on the wing
And you may not know why

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Some may come and some may go
We shall surely pass
When the one that left us here
Returns for us at last
We are but a moment's sunlight
Fading in the grass

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

If you hear the song I sing
You will understand (listen!)
You hold the key to love and fear
All in your trembling hand
Just one key unlocks them both
It's there at your command

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

2 comments:

  1. I know what you mean about rigidity in religion and restrictiveness of belief.

    Someone mentioned to me a book she is reading with her book club recently called "Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian" by Paul Knitter--you might find that interesting.

    I have been enjoying a deck I bought called the Lojong Cards with Buddhist Lojong slogans that are very helpful in every day matters of the human condition and wisdom. She has extra sources listed on her site there.
    http://lojongforthelayperson.blogspot.ca/

    I have also bought a book by Norman Fischer called "Training in Compassion: Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong" and I have several books by Pema Chodron and Ezra Bayda on Buddhism. I personally find this approach gentler and less judgemental of others. Particularly today with so much hatred and violence in the world, we need to think differently, react differently.

    For me, the final straw with fundamentalists came with their picketing of funerals. A young boy dies of AIDS and they picket outside the church with signs of vitriol of hatred. Imagine being a Mom and seeing that when you walk out sobbing after the funeral of your child. That's not Jesus, that's plain old mean, nasty humans with no empathy or compassion.

    You might enjoy exploring in these books I mention. Compassion for Self and others, opens things up, gets people together.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for you insightful thoughts and reading suggestions, Judy! I agree that some things done in the name of Christianity are definitely NOT Jesus...

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