If God is love in all religions, then isn’t what really matters love? Love connects us. Religion when not practiced with love divides and conquers us. Why do we look for differences instead of similarities? Why does it matter if someone is black or white, American or Indian, rich or poor, Catholic or Muslim? If one is a Christian, what does it matter if someone is Baptist or Methodist? Why do we continually practice division instead of love?
It is my belief that all the plans of division we devise separate us from God. Love connects us to each other and to God. When we see someone practicing devotion, the path of love, such as Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Rumi, do we see their religion, or do we see the path they have taken – the path of love?
Love is actually the easiest path in my opinion. It requires no great intellect or wisdom, no resistance or strain, no analyzing or judging. It firmly places us in the now as opposed to the past or future. At the same time it provides the greatest benefit to our whole being - soul, body, and mind.
Sometimes I think God just dropped, we the children off, on this playground called Earth, and said play your little games but be good to each other and above all love each other.
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Comments: 53
So sorry about your loss.
You are so right about the divisions we create among ourselves. We are meant to be loving and compassionate, eternal in that One Spirit.
Your last paragraph describes the Unitarian Church BTW.
Your post reminds me of "Love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and thy neighbor as thy self". The one and only commandmet we have to live by in this Deispensation of Grace.
I do want to say that I agree with much of what you say. God is love. Jesus said, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another."
But truth is important. Different religions teach different truths, but everything everybody believes is not the truth.
The athiest believes there is no God. That is not true.
I believe that Saturday has always been God's chosen Sabbath, many people believe that when the Catholic church changed it to Sunday, Sunday became the Sabbath. One of us is wrong. Should I choose not to know a truth because my brother doesn't know that truth? Or should I go to church where my brother thinks I am not saved because I know a truth that he doesn't know?
I think that we should receive one another in love, but that we should hold the truths that we know to be true. God's word also says, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." If you are fully persuaded and I am fully persuaded and we don't agree, God's grace will simply have to be upon whichever one of us is wrong until we all come to the knowledge of the truth.
That is because such Love is the Equal sign (=) right in the very center of every natural truth which consists of a balance between (+) and (-) ... all together (+=-) THE Trinity of Love.
Mankind that has NOT THAT Love, may claim another "version" that IS conditional and seen as the farthest opposite of non-love (Fear/Hatred) as it can get ... that on a linear scale of Duality shown as (+/-) where in between the opposites is a Void or Gap denoted by the (/) in (+/-), across which contesting of egos often result in conflicts between self claimed good and claims of the "other" being bad.
Spirituality is personal and neutral around unconditional love, centered and balanced (as is God) with God's Spirit ... religions generally have yet to learn of this transcendent truth ... when they do, we will not need them anymore ... and that is why they still deny such truth ... they enjoy their privileged place of power and supposed "respect".
I've heard all of the rhetoric about more wars started over religion and about Bible-thumping right-wingers.
Not all religious people are wackos as many would have you believe.
Yes, many people have died in wars over religion. However, in most cases, half of the participants in those wars were acting in self-defense, not as religious aggressors.
So yes, I am a Roman Catholic and I believe in God. I'm not close to perfect in my behavior, but I do try. While I believe that certain things are wrong, that doesn't mean I don't have tolerance for people who believe otherwise.
The only religion that nobody seems to have a problem with is Atheism. Isn't that scary?
I do believe that in the end we're judged on our thoughts and actions, not on whether we were born into or converted to a certain religion. But I am sick and tired of people expecting us to apoligize for our faith.
Great article.
Rarely have I heard such a groundless statement.
Religion matters because that statement simply does not bare out in the real world at all. And it matters because God, by definition, is not something one can assume agrees with all that men may speak.
I'm not sure that love is an easy path, especially if you're talking about pure love, unconditional love, the kind that we're supposed to have for others and most don't. That kind of love requires much of us, it requires a connection to God. For many, loving someone means little more than they are tolerated. But tolerance isn't enough. When we love, we should honor, respect, hold someone in high regard, want what is best for them (even over our own needs/wants). We can say that we love mankind, but rarely do we want what is best for others over our own self interests. Not unless we have a constant connection to God, and with His help.
"It requires no great intellect or wisdom, no resistance or strain, no analyzing or judging.
This is simply untrue, in the real world. People lie. People deceive and manipulate. People come up with ideas that sound great at first, perhaps even to themselves, but turn out to be wasteful, or worse. That is the world we inhabit, that is the creature we are.
Love is easy in the idyllic universe of the imagined, but on earth, it's hard.
True Love = Service to the God in all beings.
Religion is a human creation to remove the fear of what happens after death.
And just how do you know that? How do you divine such a thing? Is it not merely something you happen to feel comfortable assuming?
Am I too reject what I personally witness, because you weren't there? Wouldn't that be virtual insanity? So you have not seen the things others have, which led them to believe in things you don't. What makes you think reality revolves around what you in particular believe or not?
Is this a "scientific" way of thinking, or an egocentric or occultist way? Could one not just as easily conclude that dis-belief "is a human invention, to remove fear of what happens after death"? Indeed, more easily, since virtually every human society has "believed" in some form?
Yes Tom in so many cases, very true ! In "other" cases it is but an "insurance policy", for just in case one might fear not paying the "dues" ... many others also think in terms of "no pain no gain" in that one MUST sacrifice to have faith, especially to be become "qualified" to enter the kingdom.
Yet the main reason for religions is that which comes from the "authorized" ones, the "leaders" and priests of the various orders, sects, and dominations. It is from them, those that "lead" as the self proclaimed intermediary between God and mankind ... what would we ever do without all of those fine people giving us council on matters of love, fear, hate, and all involved with life and death ...
Heaven forbid that someone non-aligned with an established "religion" should ever receive Spiritual contact and come to believe and trust in it ... why religions would claim you were being deceived, that either the devil himself, Satan, or a false prophet was instrumental in such thoughts ... some would want to give such a one an exorcism ... or just kill him as a blasphemous heretic ...
"It is my belief that all the plans of division we devise separate us from God" - This just made my jaw drop in it's simplicity, truthfulness and clarity.
But I respectfully disagree on one point. Love *should* be easy, but it is not an easy path for all people. Unresolved hurts make it hard for some people to love themselves and that, it turn, makes it hard for them to love others.
I understand the custom of speaking as if one's conclusions are facts, and certainly don't expect, or desire, a constant "In my opinion" to accompany each statement one makes. However, to ALL who declare the ultimate nature of what human societies do, and declare that there are simple (and just coincidently I suppose, self reinforcing to your beliefs) reasons for people to have faith in God, or a Book they believe comes from God, or a sharing of worship or learning about such things; I say; Just who the hell do you think you are?
You DO NOT see into the hearts and minds of other people. You can't. So speak of why you do what you do, if you really think you understand that, and let others speak of why they do what they do. When you declare the invalidity of massive numbers of human beings, you are indulging in judgmentalism, and bigotry. That's what those words mean. If you are gullible, you may think those words are referring to OTHER people who do such things, whom you are not similar to, but the words have no such escape clauses. If you do this, the words are describing YOU.
Please point out any inconsistency in what I say, if you see such. I certainly don't wish to be ignorant of my own deficiencies.
I am sorry to hear of your loss. I too experienced a loss from my family on December 4th.
As far as religions, I am in line with you on that.
In response to James C., above, most faith communities have stories they tell and comfort they offer when members go through challenging times. Gangs draw on this same aspiration, which is perhaps why some spiritual groups do outreach in prisons, trying to draw market share from other ways of coming together. I believe God is in everything, which is why I look for good in all persons, but there are behaviors that contribute more to common good than others. If people expect only one source of group good, say, government, then monoculture might prevail. I see monoculture as an invitation to corruption.
For Tom H., above, the practice of faith and the fellowship of it, does remove a fear of death for me. But when I go to my community, I cannot tell if that is functioning for the person next to me.
Thanks for the posting, ChrisJerri. I have so appreciated your other postings as well.
war or fighting... One God for all....
May your holiday be filled with love and happiness.
Mary Mc
Thanks for commenting on my weekly Quick Tips 4 U article. I appreciate it.