Monday, August 5, 2013

Religion, Spirituality, Individuals, and God

Why people think these 4 things are mutually exclusive I don't know. I'd like to state my beliefs for the record as to religious preference, spiritual tendencies, and man's relationship with God.

1. Religion

I believe people have these things called souls. All people are born with a soul. All souls are born pure. Then life happens and things go downhill from there. 

Religious doctrine, teachings, scriptures, rituals, practices, ideologies, and philosophies can be used to guide people to God. They can be used to help people better understand Him and life in general. It can be used to enhance people's lives, to help them when they get lost or confused, and give them a set of values to esteem towards. 

It has also been abused by individuals and used as a tool to gain power and cause pain and even death to others. This of course being the worst offense against God a person can take. Using God's word as an excuse to drive His own people from Him. To lie about His truth in order for someone to make personal gains. 

So be careful how you apply religion to your life. But which religion should you apply in the first place? 

For me I seek Truth above all things because I know Truth comes from God. It's the safest bet you can make. Follow truth. Because of this I have seen issues, flaws, deceit, and failings in various religions that do not uphold the truth and instead veer in the opposite direction. Sometimes different religions will get some things right but then will often get core, fundamental things wrong. 

In the end, from what I've seen, a PERSON carries God within themselves and Brings God into their religion, their jobs, their family life, and everything else they do. I guess you can call it God's fail safe. As long as a person is with God, they will do right and bring Him into whatever religion they associate themselves with. 

Unfortunately since some religions veer from God in different areas those individuals may find conflict within their religion when they go to apply the Truth in their lives and the religion they are in contradicts it. I'll go into details about the issues with various religions in a future blog. 

2. Spirituality 

Lately I've been seeing issues with people in this department. It's something I struggled with as well. Some people are more prone to being religious -following doctrine to the letter. This can be dangerous when the person is not spiritually connected. They miss the point and often cause others pain. On the other end of the spectrum are people who are too spiritually-oriented. 

There was a woman I recently saw who worshiped Jesus. And Buddha. And went to the church of Scientology. And practiced wicca. She was a busy lady. Very much into alters and crystals. 

Here's the danger with being too spiritual. You don't know where to go. You are not tied to any one path and you end of veering all over the road and getting nowhere. You can also start davling in things that drag you further away from God and the Truth. Choosing the right path and committing to it gives you a better sense of values, purpose, self, and God. Know who You are, who He is, and why You're here. 

3. Individuals and God

Churches aren't intended for what most people seem to think they're for. Churches educate people on religion and Truth and God. They are not there to make stakes in the government and tell people what to do and how to think. Church is meant to be a place for people to come together to share in Truth and Compassion for one another. 

You can't talk about God, the soul, or spirituality at work. Rarely if ever can you talk about these things with your friends and family. When the hell can you talk with someone? How? When do you know it's safe and you won't be judged or wind up in an argument? Church provides a space for people to open up and share in a spiritual and religious way. Or at least that's what it is intended for...

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