About six billion people in the world profess a belief system. This represents a staggering cacophony of notions for those searching for answers to the mysteries of the universe. One wants to believe in something. It is comforting to think that there is caring God who nurtures us. History tells us otherwise. Our past is garnished with the blood of those engaged in religious conflicts...much in the name of a particular belief system dedicated to the eradication of dissimilar views.
The two major religions are about equal is size. Christians number more than 1,929,000.000; Muslims more than 1,137,000,000. Hindus number more than 746,000,000 and the Jews have about 15,000,000 adherents. The rest repose in differing amounts of atheists, Buddhists, satanic cults and agnostics.
In searching my thoughts for answers, I am reminded of such talents as Nostradamus and Edgar Cayce, both members of the human race who seem to have been blown clear of dust by a divine wind. Both men professed to believe in a supreme being. Both men died in their sixties. Nostradamus lived during the period of the Inquisition and was careful to avoid punishment by writing in quatrains, which were not deciphered until the events he foretold occurred. Cayce, on the other hand, lived in a more enlightened period, and was hailed as a great prophet during his lifetime. He had the uncanny ability to enter his mind's eye into other bodies and visualize illness and proscribe treatments, even with the presence of the patient. One must conclude from these events that there is a divine will that rises above the established religions of this world. We are bound by our beliefs and it is a sad commentary that we are at loggerheads over irrelevant dogma, while the real truths escape in a sea of controversy.
I believe that the greatest mysteries cannot be solved by fixed ideas. The shepherds of our current religious beliefs simply exhort us to have faith, because they can find no other reason to marshal our support. Faith leads a precarious path when our religious leaders dismantle our allegiance with irrational behavior. We are told be ministers to send them our money because "the end is near" and we must not be bound by earthly goods. If such is true then why would hey need our money? Most television evangelists are caught up in the race for money by offering DVD's, books, vitamin pills, health foods, etc. on the open market. One minister offers to sell bricks with your name on it for $1,000, to be placed on a walkway where everyone can see it. What does vanity offer to the supplicant? Another technique is the use of fear. We are told that God will strike us down if we do not submit to his will. Then there are other pastors who promise us great wealth if we give to the church. "Your gift will be returned tenfold if you mail in your contribution today,” we are told. These are Christian tenets.
The Muslims are even for difficult to comprehend. Their clergy advocates the destruction of an entire race while posturing as peaceful. They train their young men to become suicide assassins, with a promise of a swift journey to paradise where 70 virgins await. These young volunteers who smash open their guts with high-powered explosives have not thought this thing through. If such rewards await, why don't the leading clergy stand first in line to enter paradise?
With such a diversity of religious beliefs, we as individuals should ponder our selection with care. It seems that Nostradamus and Cayce may have supplied us with a clue. They were given a power that transcends the mundane belief systems that clutter our lives. From their experience, we must conclude that a divine wind does flow through all people, but we shut the windows of opportunity with stubborn resistance. The truths lie within ourselves. Let is open our minds to the possibility that individual selection may be that window. Shun the standard belief system and embark on your own voyage of discovery.
you know, you really should study buddhism. i think you'd like what you find.
ReplyDeleteIn case you didn't know it, both Nostradomus and Edgar Cayce were Christians. They both felt enlightened above the common practice and rituals of their days. They were both tuned-in on a level that wasn't understood when they lived and is studied with awe today.
ReplyDeleteOne of the great things about Christianity is the message of "choice." God gave man "free will" to choose - or not choose - a basis of belief and lifestyle. He also gave us the gift of forgiveness/salvation through Jesus. We can choose to accept this gift, or reject this gift. The only strings that are attached is when we reject the gift...but even then, the choice is ours.
There are lots of screwed-up Christians in this world...just as many as non-Christians. Sadly, too many of them have a podium and as they mess-up it casts a negative reflection on the remaining members of the faith who are nothing like them. But just because there are screwed-up Christians, or worse - people who profess to be Christians but are actually wolves in sheeps clothing - doesn't mean that the rest of us Christians should give-up our faith because it's an unpopular act and we are criticized for our faith by non-believers.
We have really horrible politicians in the world, but does that mean we should all stop voting, or quit trying to make a positive difference in our communities and our country? No, it doesn't. In fact - I see many more of the common man and woman working hard to pick-up the slack for our failed politicians. We have more activists today than we've ever had in history and that is largely in part because we recognize the failures of our political system and can no longer trust our lawmakers to do right by society.
The same is true in Christian faith. We have many pastors and church leaders who have either led flocks astray, or failed their church communities. But we have even more good Christian people working hard to live as role models in their communities and make a positive difference, especially when others have had created a negative image for Christianity as a whole.
To imply that Christianity is "bad" just because there are a few rotten apples is like saying that all parents are bad because some parents are abusive and neglectful of their children.
Maybe if more people had a stronger faith base and the courage to share it/live it positively as it was intended, then the overall image of all religions would change...and change the world for the better, too!