Don't tread on my spirituality
We really are becoming a country that is seemingly unwilling to make a stand, declare what we believe to be true and (God forbid) tell someone else we think he or she is wrong! EEK! Don't want to hurt any delicate sensibilities out there, for sure!
This article (http://www.religionnewsblog.com/16165/spiritual-group-sheds-church-label)
about a church that is shedding its former label in order to be "spiritual" is just another prime example of how we've become even more mamby-pamby - Amen?
I say if you're a Christian, for pete's sake be a Christian and stand up for the beliefs that Christ taught. And for Muhammed's sake, if you're a Muslim, stand up for the beliefs that Allah's prophet taught. And for the sake of 3 million gods, if you're a Hindu, stand up for the beliefs you've learned along the way! I've said it before and I'll say it again: they CANNOT all be right.
All paths do not lead to the same end. In the end, you alone have to decide which one is right, which one is true. You alone have to commit, if you're the sort that needs something to believe in. And even if you're not someone who needs something to believe in, isn't it paramount simply to believe what is true? Why spend your life living what is untrue - it seems like an irrelevant life is the one that lives by what is false.
And so what exactly is being "spiritual" that the above article refers to? I wish someone could explain it to me because in my mind it simply means 'I'm being the best person I can be.' And isn't that what most of us try to be on a daily basis without calling ourselves "spiritual?" So what, if I throw in a few readings from the Koran or the Bible for good measure - is supposed to make me "spiritual?" Sheesh. What ever happened to picking a religion - the one that makes the most sense - and sticking to it - giving it everything you have, with all you soul, heart, body and mind. Now that, to me, is something to believe in. This term "spiritual," which is becoming a psuedo-religion all to itself, seems like drinking luke warm water that does little to satisfy that longing for either ice cold water, or piping hot chocolate. Anything in the middle is just down right unsatisfying.
Being "spiritual" is kinda like not committing in marriage to the boyfriend or girlfriend you've been dating for eight years. You tell him or her, "I love you, but I just can't commit the rest of my life to you, heart and soul, because something better might come along. But, for now, I'm comfortable where I'm at." Would the other really buy that? My bet is that the non committal one would end up alone.
Now imagine one God really did exist - the Christian God, Allah, the three million gods of Hinduism or any of the other myriad of Gods out there - and you had to answer for your life to that God? When he or she asked you why you never committed what would you say? Why can't we see that all of these religions and gods are exclusivistic, that they're all jealous and demand all of their followers' attention? The point is: commit to ONE. Don't be afraid to stand up for your God, to seek out what is truth and right and good. One way will make itself clear to you. But no matter which one you choose just pick one. When will we as a culture realize that believing in something is not like going to a buffet?
Like all other good things, we Americans have once again Americanized our religions. We want the best of all of them, leaving out the things we don't like for the parts of the religions we want. What it leaves us with is a cobbled up mess of psuedo spirituality that simply builds an even more spoiled people who believe that the gods are there to serve our whims - little ATM machines in the sky doling out wealth, happiness, well-being and health. By that definition we would be gods - little gods of our own universes dictating our own wants at our own pleasures. And since our Americanized "spirituality" has turned us all into gods, what use do we even have for readings from the Koran, the Bible, the Torah or other religious texts designed to teach us or for spiritual disciplines designed to help build the character most of us tend to lack. Why pretend to follow anything at all since we ourselves dictate what's good for us? We might as well be meditating atheists, meditating on our own greatness.
This article (http://www.religionnewsblog.com/16165/spiritual-group-sheds-church-label)
about a church that is shedding its former label in order to be "spiritual" is just another prime example of how we've become even more mamby-pamby - Amen?
I say if you're a Christian, for pete's sake be a Christian and stand up for the beliefs that Christ taught. And for Muhammed's sake, if you're a Muslim, stand up for the beliefs that Allah's prophet taught. And for the sake of 3 million gods, if you're a Hindu, stand up for the beliefs you've learned along the way! I've said it before and I'll say it again: they CANNOT all be right.
All paths do not lead to the same end. In the end, you alone have to decide which one is right, which one is true. You alone have to commit, if you're the sort that needs something to believe in. And even if you're not someone who needs something to believe in, isn't it paramount simply to believe what is true? Why spend your life living what is untrue - it seems like an irrelevant life is the one that lives by what is false.
And so what exactly is being "spiritual" that the above article refers to? I wish someone could explain it to me because in my mind it simply means 'I'm being the best person I can be.' And isn't that what most of us try to be on a daily basis without calling ourselves "spiritual?" So what, if I throw in a few readings from the Koran or the Bible for good measure - is supposed to make me "spiritual?" Sheesh. What ever happened to picking a religion - the one that makes the most sense - and sticking to it - giving it everything you have, with all you soul, heart, body and mind. Now that, to me, is something to believe in. This term "spiritual," which is becoming a psuedo-religion all to itself, seems like drinking luke warm water that does little to satisfy that longing for either ice cold water, or piping hot chocolate. Anything in the middle is just down right unsatisfying.
Being "spiritual" is kinda like not committing in marriage to the boyfriend or girlfriend you've been dating for eight years. You tell him or her, "I love you, but I just can't commit the rest of my life to you, heart and soul, because something better might come along. But, for now, I'm comfortable where I'm at." Would the other really buy that? My bet is that the non committal one would end up alone.
Now imagine one God really did exist - the Christian God, Allah, the three million gods of Hinduism or any of the other myriad of Gods out there - and you had to answer for your life to that God? When he or she asked you why you never committed what would you say? Why can't we see that all of these religions and gods are exclusivistic, that they're all jealous and demand all of their followers' attention? The point is: commit to ONE. Don't be afraid to stand up for your God, to seek out what is truth and right and good. One way will make itself clear to you. But no matter which one you choose just pick one. When will we as a culture realize that believing in something is not like going to a buffet?
Like all other good things, we Americans have once again Americanized our religions. We want the best of all of them, leaving out the things we don't like for the parts of the religions we want. What it leaves us with is a cobbled up mess of psuedo spirituality that simply builds an even more spoiled people who believe that the gods are there to serve our whims - little ATM machines in the sky doling out wealth, happiness, well-being and health. By that definition we would be gods - little gods of our own universes dictating our own wants at our own pleasures. And since our Americanized "spirituality" has turned us all into gods, what use do we even have for readings from the Koran, the Bible, the Torah or other religious texts designed to teach us or for spiritual disciplines designed to help build the character most of us tend to lack. Why pretend to follow anything at all since we ourselves dictate what's good for us? We might as well be meditating atheists, meditating on our own greatness.
posted by Jeno at
10:57 AM
5 Comments:
for each person on earth there is a unique path to follow.It might include examining various ways, getting clues or guidance from each; following one way, or just your own inner way.I agree, if you say you are spiritual you must be so 24 hours a day, declare it, live it and die it.You are something, or are not something.It must extand from the most important expressions down to the smallest everyday things.However, it is not our right to say to anyone; ' your way is wrong' for we cannot discern from the limits of mortal mind what might yet lead someone to light, transcendence, or enlightenment one day.Getting out of a 'way' they followed for years might be required to strengthen someone.We cannot judge.
By
chokecherrygalleagle.blogspot.com, at 8:09 PM
This is the first time I'm feeling abit of a wishy-washy in your blogging. It is those that believe in something strongly it seems, that go around with bombs strapped to their chests and blow themselves and others up for something they strongly believe in. What d'ya think? Spread your gospel, I think, allow me your thoughts and insights. But don't blow me up when I don't end up thinking your way! There is a limit to what should be allowed!
By
Anonymous, at 11:36 AM
Hi Chokecherrygalleagle:
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I greatly appreciate the dialogue.
I have to say that I'm not sure I understand why you say "it's not our right to say to anyone: 'your way is wrong?'"
I understand the feelings of the most spiritual parts of us to want to defend everyone's own personal beliefs, but I feel that I must challenge you on this, as I hope you continue to challenge me with your thoughts and understandings.
I guess from my perspective if you take that statement (you can't tell someone else their way is wrong) to its logical extent, we could never tell anyone they're wrong. For instance, if my spiritual path is one that says that it's ok to murder because I get spiritual transendence from it, then who can tell me I'm wrong? For an example of this see comments made in interviews by notorious serial killer Ted Bundy. How can he be condemned, how can he be judged even by the courts, if he truly believes within himself that what he is doing is best?
Another example: by you telling me that I cannot tell someong else they're wrong, you're telling me that my way is not the right way and that I'm wrong. And that goes against what you just argued - that it's wrong to tell others they're wrong. In essence, by the logic you're using you're telling me I'm wrong when you just told me I can't tell others they're wrong. And in effect you're guilty of judging me by telling me that it is wrong for me to tell someone else they're wrong. Do you see what I'm saying here? Does that make sense? If no way is wrong, then we could never talk to each other about our beliefs. On top of that, by this logic, we could never dialogue and talk about what truth is.
And in my estimation, we should never be afraid of what truth is, and we should never be afraid to tell someone we think they're wrong. That's how the best conversations and friendships start, in my humble opinion. Challenging each other and dialoging about our beliefs is a wonderful way to finally find truth, and isn't that what we're all after in the end anyway?
By
Anonymous, at 3:46 PM
To anonymous:
You bring up great points, I think!
The point of this blog, however, is not to debate the right or wrong of suicide bombings (which I certainly believ are wrong); but rather the idea that creating a mish-mash of religions as if they're a buffet is simply akin to picking only the things you want to hear because they make you feel good.
So for example: let's say I like some parts of the Buddhist religion, while I like some parts of the Christian religion. And let's also say that I think the Eightfold Path is a great way to achieve spiritual transcendence and to eventually reach Nirvana. But let's say I also buy into the whole idea of Christ's teaching of the greatest commandment: Love God with all you mind, heart, body and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. Sounds like a good combination - the Eightfold Path and Jesus' greatest commandment - right? I say: not so. In its most basic essence, this type of Buddhism is atheistic in nature and requires the follower to do the eight things required of him/her to reach Nirvana. But on the flip side, Christianity is obviously not atheistic because it asks you, in part, to love your God with everything in you. Not to mention the fact that Christ declares he is the only way to God or Ultimate Reality.
The point is that you can't take some parts of one religion and mash them with another because they contradict each other.
While it's possible to live with contradictory philosophies in your head - people do it every day - I propose that it's impossible to actually LIVE OUT a life of contradictory philosophies.
So in the end, it is my belief that we need to search through them, find the truth, find what makes the most sense to us and then live it out.
We should never be afraid of the truth because it will ALWAYS leads us back to God. It seems that no matter what religion anyone professes, we can all agreed that ultimately All Truth is God's Truth.
So for those out there who are hurting others for their ideologies of ANY religion, I would say maybe they should do some more digging. Maybe they should dig deeper for the truth even if it means giving up what they once believed to be true.
After all, isn't what's most important is that we are living our lives by what is true?
I hope that explains a bit better about what my blog was trying to get across.
Peace and Christ's Love,
-J
By
Anonymous, at 4:06 PM
chokecherrygalleagle:
Did you just write that it's wrong to tell someone they're wrong?
Isn't if wrong of YOU to say it's wrong to do that?
Wouldn't you say you just broke your own rule?
By
Anonymous, at 5:03 PM
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