God and Religion: Do They Go Together?

I just read Mollie Players post (this is on Monday Night).  You should read it, too.  It will help you figure out where I am coming from here.  Here it is –>post <–

Mollie’s post about “get a religion” to be happy did not sit well with me; that is, before I read it.  I know Mollie enough that, even when I read the title, I read the post.  She thinks a lot like I do and I just couldn’t see her telling me to get religion.

People who know me well and have read my posts or asked me probably understand that I don’t care much for organized religion.  I am not against spirituality; I am not against God; I am not against people having faith and believing how they may believe.

What gets to me is that almost all (I think all but I will allow a bit of leeway) organized religions contort the view of God by attaching all types of rules, regulations, and “must do” things (rituals) and stating that you MUST follow all of these to the letter in order to be assured a place in heaven (if you rename heaven as simply being with God, you and I will be on the same wavelength).

I am not going to denounce everything religions have to say; nor will I tell you that you are wrong for believing whatever religion suits you.  People have a right to believe and to put their faith in whatever and/or whoever they choose.

I don’t agree with the “one true” part, but believe what you will.

Now, here is the hard part:  I don’t really care to sit down with you or here in this post and argue discuss my beliefs and yours.  If you out-maneuver me and get your “points” I still won’t change much.  You and I agree on a lot of things, I imagine.

I believe in a higher power than myself and the world (I choose to call this power God).

I believe that when you die, your life continues in some fashion.

I believe that you can call upon this power to aid you (I choose to call this prayer).

Much beyond this and we will begin to diversify.  The one thing that may really be different about us and our beliefs (be honest now) is that I can honestly look at you and say that your beliefs are fine.  I am not going to try to talk you out of your beliefs; I am not going to show up on your doorstep with pamphlets and/or flyers telling you how to keep out of hell and the “rules” you need to start following.

I will tell you that God loves you.  I believe that, no matter what you believe or don’t believe, God loves you.  I believe that God works in our lives so that “everything works together for good in the end; if it hasn’t worked out, it isn’t the end.”  That’s my mantra and I love it; it has always been true in my life.  God has never let me down and I can’t say that for anyone else, including me.

I had two Jehovah Witnesses stop by my home this morning to see how my life was.  We had a nice conversation, she left me with a pamphlet, some kinds words came from both of us, and we both went on to a good day.  There was no arguing; I didn’t tell her she was wrong or that I wasn’t going to listen to her; we just innately agreed to be humans and love God.  I wish that would be more true to more of us.

If two people talk or meet and there is tension, then love is diminished.  Where there is true, real love (not the romantic kind) then tension is gone and life flows there.

I feel both, sometimes, when I am writing or commenting on a post or even answering comments to mine.  I feel both a tension and a flowing of life.  What I know is that in the tension I have disagreed with someone; I have enabled a rift to form (sometimes, that happens).  When there is a flowing, then love is existing there.

Life is full of love and beauty.

I love to learn; I love to experience the beauty of life.  I do a lot of that through your blogs.  And, those blogs that are not so happy, still allow me to experience beauty.  I see it when you come through the problems like Zoe in Buckwheatsrisk; I see it when Mollie points out another way she has found to be happy; I even find it in the funny posts and humorous stories told by many of the bloggers I follow.  I find it in many places, just not all places.

I have begun to ramble which means I need to make my point and end.

Point:  Religion and God can go together.  It is “how” you incorporate the religion into your life that determines how much God there is in religion.

God is in every part of my beliefs (read that “religion” if you are going to use it as Molly did).  Love flows through my life.  Is it always perfect and loving? No, I don’t manage that all the time; however, God’s love is always there, so, when I am tired of the tension and decide to return back to my beliefs, there is God and there is love.

If you can say that about your beliefs…wow for you.

Namaste,

Scott