I Don't "Do" Religion

***NOTE: THIS POST DISCUSSES MY PERSONAL VIEWS ON RELIGION. I DO NOT NOW, I NEVER HAVE, AND I NEVER WILL EXPECT ANYONE TO AGREE WITH ME. IN THE SAME TOKEN, I AM NOT GOING TO CHANGE MY BELIEFS BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE'S OPINION. I AM PERFECTLY OPEN TO HEARING OTHERS' OPINIONS BUT I DO NOT TAKE KINDLY TO FLAMING***

I grew up in a Christian church. I loved my church - no horror stories about being traumatized by the church I grew up in. I've had shaky experiences with devout believers of other religions throughout my years but my home church feels right to me. I love learning about other religions and points of view but I don't do so well when people are trying to tell me their way is the only way.

Over the years I have gained enough knowledge about the various religions and denominations within them that I can hold my own in a conversation without invoking the other person's wrath. I have always considered it a blessing and a gift that I can discuss volatile topics with a person and have them come away thinking I agree with them without ever compromising my beliefs verbally or spiritually. (Although I do confess to having intentionally tormented a few people by stating radical beliefs just to push their buttons, but that was a LONG time ago.)

Every so often, I am confronted by someone who wishes to force their beliefs upon me, sometimes because they truly want to help, sometimes because of some sense of superiority, sometimes just because that's what they were taught to do. Normally when this happens, I smile and nod and try to keep the tone polite and inquisitive - I do enjoy learning about other religions, as I said. Then we go our separate ways and la dee da. Oftentimes, though, following such an encounter, I find myself reflecting on what it is, exactly, that I do believe.

This is the part where I state my opinions. Please do not read further if you are likely to be offended by alternate views or would think less of me if I do not share yours.

In my last post, I shared that I had come very close to the edge but walked away, barely avoiding falling over it. I received a few very supportive comments, for which I am grateful. Elsewhere I received a different approach. I was told that I should not commit suicide because God wouldn't like it and I would burn in Hell for all eternity.

Wow. Talk about kicking a soul when he's down...... A person is so depressed and miserable and desperate and hurting that they end their life, only to be told by a supreme being that we are even worse than we thought and are now going suffer forever because of it. Dude! That is cold...

I thanked the individual for his views and commented that that is certainly not the ideal outcome and I would take in under advisement. He truly meant well. But it got me thinking about Heaven and Hell and God and all the things that go with them. And I realized again how different from mainstream Christianity I am. I have assimilated most of what I learned in Sunday School with what I have seen and most importantly with what my instincts tell me are true. I answer to no religion but am actually rather spiritual. Here are some of my core beliefs...

There is but One Power and One Presence in the universe and in my life, God the Good, Omnipotent. This was the statement of belief that I learned as a child. Translated it means there is only God. That everything, regardless of good or bad or any other judgement label it is given, is still God. And that God is Good. I have often questioned this one. It seems that nearly everything in our world is polarized. There are two extremes of the spectrum by which to compare each other. So if there is Ultimate Good, wouldn't that mean there must be an Ultimate Evil? The conclusion that I came to is no. Because God is what is there after all the labels and judgements and assessments and measures and rules have been stripped away. God Is.

Heaven and Hell are not afterlife destinations. I was taught that Heaven and Hell are simply states of mind. If you are miserable, you have created your own Hell. If you are blissful, you live in Heaven..... yeah - I don't buy that. But I don't buy fluffy clouds and fiery pits either and certainly not as eternal judgements.

I think there is a transition period after one life and before the next. And those can be perceived as "Good" (Heaven) or "Bad" (Hell) depending on the label one chooses to apply to it. I think the transition period is about reviewing your life, how you lived it, what kind of person you were, what kinds of choices you made. And if you didn't live a very "good" life (by means of choices not circumstances) then I imagine that review process would be uncomfortable - it would be Hell. But if you did well over all and could look back mostly with pride, I'd bet that would be a pleasant experience - Heaven.

We are here to learn a lesson. It seems to me that certain people face the same situations over and over until they "get it" and that sometimes they never do end up there. I think we are here for a reason; we are here to learn something about existence: about Life, The Universe, and Everything. And if, at the end of our lives, we haven't learned that lesson, we can try again next time. Likewise, I believe that every situation is a learning situation. The worst imaginable evils teach some very important lessons - for all involved parties. And the most charmed of lives also provides invaluable insights. Life is the ultimate "Teachable Moment".

God's love is unconditional. This doesn't require much explanation. I FIRMLY believe that God loves every one of his creations, regardless of their experiences and choices, equally and unconditionally. There is nothing we can do to "make" God love us more or love us less because He loves as much as Love is possible. If He casts judgement on our choices (which I have come to doubt), it is the actions He approves or disapproves of, not the person.

God's plan is manifest always and will adapt to our choices. Like I said, I think we are here for a purpose, to learn something on a soul level. And to that end, God has laid a path before us to enable us to learn those lessons. But God gave us free will - the ability to think for ourselves and make our own decisions, even contrary to His plan, is a powerful gift indeed. But even if we turn away from His path, no matter how many times we do it, it is never too late. His plan for us adjusts and adapts to give us more opportunities to do our soul's work. No matter how often or how badly we've screwed up before, there is always another chance to follow His path.

God is with us always, available to us always. I think God and I have a pretty good relationship. He is my instinct and my compass. He is my Jimminy Cricket and my Guiding Star. God and I have whatever style of relationship I choose because God is in me always. When I laugh and joke around with Him, He replies in kind. (Dude has a helluva sense of humor at times, and can get a bit literal if I'm not careful.) Likewise, when I need a solemn and calming Grace, He is my rock and my shelter.* God even lets me throw temper tantrums at Him, which I do more often than I ought. I'll rant and rave at Him and say all kinds of bitter things. And when I've worn my raw emotions back down to a manageable level, that still small voice inside me (that *isn't* one of mine) usually replies with, "Are you done now?" or "Feel better?"

God is the whisper that calms my anxiety, the strength that lets me fight for my children, the itch that gets me moving and the blanket that keeps me safe. IF I LET HIM. And there is the "catch" - when I separate myself from God (and it is ME moving away, not Him) then things don't go so well. A God-Guided life is so much easier, richer, and more satisfying.

If only it were as easy to live this as to say it...



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*Note from above: the actual Bible quote is "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." from Psalms 23:4. That is feeling I was going for but my words are more relevant for me so I left them.