I don't blog much about my spiritual life. That or everything here has something to do with my spiritual life. I definitely don't blog much about my off and on relationship with organized religion. I went to Palm Sunday mass yesterday. I left scratching my head. I couldn't tell if I'd gotten anything out of it or not. I will probably go to some of the other Holy Week services too.
So let me alienate my heathen readers with this quote from Paolo of
Jamie Bakker's Revolution Church:"Even the sin of unfaithfulness was covered by Christ on the cross. So go forth, and struggle with your faith, and have your doubts. And do it all without shame, and without guilt; because these things too were atoned for at Calvary. That’s all."Is That You - Buddy Miller
6 comments:
I believe myself to be an extremely spiritual person, one who is in constant spiritual battle. Actually, I aspire to be Spiritual on the daily. And it is only because of the guilt and shame born and bred into me that I struggle.
I too struggle with the likes of organized religion. I was raised Catholic and then my parents founded a large Messianic Jewish group/following and then MIA so you might say I have a rather eclectic background.
I have issue with the likes of those in *organized religion that seem to make it up as they go, you know, they twist the plot, the words of the Word. They pick it apart and choose to believe one thing and not another. But if the Word says it, it is so. If it does not say it, well I do believe the history of those *OR's tells a tale of embellishment to keep the masses in check, reign them in with guilt and shame. As well, that history also tells a tale of acceptance of dogma and a lack of acceptance to any other books of scripture that were found, i.e. Dead Sea Scrolls, etc. When presented with evidence, I believe it was King Leo who stated that it was hogwash and not to be believed or accepted. And if the King, who was of divine providence says it's not to be believed that's what was accepted. It carries on till today. The DaVinci Code, although a fictional piece was, on the contrary actually on to something.
I do however give credit where credit is due, to the faithful, even the ones that knock on my door with their pamphlets and such. I may not agree with their "religion" but again ya gotta give credit as they are trying, huh?
I believe there will be an accounting and it will/is up to us, each and every one to not be led about by a ring in our nose but in a constant search for the Truth. I believe myself to be there, in that search. After reading some of your posts, I must agree that you too are in that search.
Per usual...I have been long winded. You must forgive me, lol!
no alienation here. a spiritual quest is important, even vital to life. for me at least.
whether we get to do that with formal congregations and established conventions or through our own individual path does not matter.
if we want more to life than science and logic we have to bring the spiritual into our lives.
good luck to yer.
At it's best, religion is something you do, not something you believe. I spend all kinds of time thinking good thoughts, but I've owed an amends to someone for several months now. I keep "forgetting" to follow up on it because I believe I owe him some money. I'd just as soon keep "my" money and think some more good thoughts. The point, if I really want to be a spiritual person, is how I conduct myself. Too much religious thinking is about being right, as though life was a debate.
I don't know if your comment was to me but I couldn't agree more. Like I'd said in my comment to your post concerning giving credit where credit is due, what I am also referring to is NOT having to be right, ya know?
I'm too busy trying to get my own act together to be hindered by trying to persuade someone or be right in my beliefs. Or rather, to prove someone else to be wrong. Although I don't wish for them to sit there, I don't feel the need to convert the masses. I think?
Now, just to clarify...I will not go out of my way to prove someone wrong, i.e. Jehovah's Witness, etc. I've actually had rather engaging conversation with them but do not agree with their doctrine. But yet again, I can certainly appreciate their conviction as they knocked on my door, not me knocking on theirs.
I do also stay clear of projecting my opinion, lets say in mixed company, of course because of several factors; I don't care to open my mouth where I have no real educated opinion, meaning I don't know it all about religion or politics for that matter.
I do have the belief and this took me a hot minute but I will say this much; If I deny him in public, will He also deny me? I happen to believe it to be a true test.
What I mean is there was a time where I may have even have feared writing about my beliefs on my blog. But now I am not afraid, do not care what people think and I even put my most personal prayers, online at Chronicles of Thankfulness
If you happen upon that page, you'll most likely walk away with the opinion that I am a sure hot mess, lol!
My ex joined the Mormons. Nice people, but they sure did get on my nerves. Still, I tried my best to respect their faith while not much caring for their doctrine. I should be the last to judge in these matters. I worked the steps and I've seen them change people. Some of those people are atheists, some are Buddhists, some are Christians, some follow the Red Road, most refuse to identify with any religion. That's just among my own friends. The fact that a Higher Power works in our lives, regardless of what we call him, or her, or it, or them, leaves me slow to claim any religion.
I also have a lot of problems with the Church I was raised in. As a worldly power it has a troubling history. Still, some of my happy childhood memories come from my religious upbringing.
For a lot of reasons, I keep coming back around to the church I was born into. I suppose I believe you should "grow where you are planted".
Aunt B, it's nice to have you commenting here.
Shift Commuter you know you're always welcome too.
Thanks for taking the time to comment back to me. I also have fond memories, my childhood and my trip down Catholicism Lane;
I wanted to be a Nun so badly when I went to Catholic School. I had two black skirts, one I wore over my clothes and one on my head and pinned it like a habit (a bad habit, all puns intended). I'd put on my belt and hang my Rosary from the belt. I'd then walk around all "Holy" and pretend to teach the children. This sustained me until...I discovered boys. It was all downhill from there!
Ah, this Spiritual quest, yes, that's what it is. I must say that a good and solid reason the Steps are so successful is because they will say or stress an importance of a Higher Power. It (12 Steps) embraces spirituality taking the element of religion out of the equation. As well, it plants a seed, hopefully for that person to go onto, possibly, their own spiritual quest, right?
Very engaging, I hope I have not been a pain where the pill can't get to, lol!
Enjoy your week, my friend!
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