I kind of originally wanted this blog to be as objective as possible. However, it might be better use of this blog for me to give some insight on my particular take on religion. It could be debated that no matter how much I think I’m objective about religion, there will be people that will disagree with my analysis of religion. As one person in a Bible study said to the group onetime: “I don’t look at Christianity as “religion.” To me, it is the truth and the way.” -And then I would say she’s at the opposite end of “narrow-minded.”
As I’ve said before, I view religion as the expression of spirituality with discipline. Spirituality is something that any person probably has. Some people don’t fuel it.
My being a member of organized religion probably helped me with human/spiritual development. I don’t believe that any specific religious tradition is an absolute reality in itself. To come to this conclusion required much studying of religion that most people don’t have the time, resources, or know-how to do. Some religious traditions are better defined than others, however, you will always find variations within traditions. This might lead others to believe that maybe they are frameworks of thought/belief. Are some frameworks more correct than others?
I would consider myself pluralist. This is not a religion. You could say I have my own religion, as I partake of “spiritual goods” and wisdom from many religious traditions. I was raised to believe that it is wrong to create your own religion. I don’t expect my religion to be a religious tradition of it’s own. I understand that it is dynamic to fit my worldview and needs at the time. After all, one of my beliefs is life is transient, and so are people. This comes from the Buddha. I would like to think that I would never contradict myself, however, maybe there is harmony in contradictions? That’s a talk for another time. Fact of the matter is, there is an infinite amount of knowledge in the world and I am finite. Different pieces of wisdom will give me insight into living life and managing my existence as this dynamic life… and brain… unfold.
Christianity/monotheism and I:
I was raised Catholic. I rubbed shoulders with and studied protestant Christianity. I am bored with Christianity. I’m opposed to the incontrovertible nature of monotheism. “God” is an idea. To quantify it is to belittle it. Our descriptions of it help us to relate to it on superficial levels. Our descriptions of it are not the ultimate reality. The “Bible” is not the only book. It is not the center of the universe. I believe the old testament is a story about the history of a specific lineage of followers of Yahweh. Yahweh is not the ultimate/universal reality but a description. Jews did and do have a real relation with this idea. It is a force in their lives.
I believe Jesus was a Jew with temporal lobe epilepsy. I believe his condition gave him particular insight into life. I can choose to believe his lessons without believing he’s the monotheistic universal/ultimate reality, even if he said that he is God.
“Thus, as a mother with her own life guards the life of her own child, let all embracing thoughts for all that lives be thine.” Metta Sutta of Buddhism
