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

I Live My Life

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nbdtW1wVYTw/TPvec_rKu9I/AAAAAAAABY4/mZt5MwNjESg/s320/walking%2Bon%2Bclouds.jpg

I Live My Life
By Scott L Vannatter
September 14, 2012

I live my life just like a jet
Moving and running, never is set
My gait is wide open I am really alive
I am living my life; hey, I am five

I live my life just like a plane
I go here and there, not to be seen again
I hoop and I holler; I make such a din
I am living my life; hey, I am ten

I live my life just like a race car
I move here and there, both near and far
I can handle anything; though it looks like a zoo
I am living my life; I am twenty-two

I live my life just like an old Chevy
I move to new houses, though the tasks may be heavy
My job’s wearing thin; I’m tired of eating so late
I am living my life; I am thirty and eight

I live my life just like a shiny, new bike
I still climb those mountains, a wondrous hike
I tire of the old; I need to train a bit more
I am living my life; I am forty and four

I live my life just like a small deer
I still move quite well, just more around here
I am looking to settle with my piece of Heaven
I am living my life; I am fifty and seven

I live my life just like a small boat
I am still doing my work to keep us afloat
I am staying at home more; just you look and see
I am living my life; I am sixty and three

I live my life now more like a raft
Still doing some things like reading and craft
I am slow but I’m steady and still can have fun
I am living my life at seventy-one.

I live my life now like a wagon that’s pulled
I enjoy sleeping late and my memory’s dulled
I use a cane to go slowly but fine
I am living my life; I’m now eighty-nine

I’ve lived most of my life like one thing or other
I miss all my friends, my Dad and my Mother
I think I have done most what I will do
I still have my life at one hundred and two.

For all of you people who’ve passed through my reaching
I hope you will learn from all of my teaching
To live each year happy, not filled up with fear
I have lived all my life and was happy right here.

Namaste,
Scott

That Question of Death

It is early evening on Sunday.  I, generally, try to write my blog post in the morning.   However, with my Dad in the hospital, I visited with Mom, stayed quite awhile, and came home late this afternoon.

I have been dealing with several issues lately and will throw them out to you for discussion if I may. My belief in death is that we all go to God when it’s done. I have never been big on judgement and punishment; I know that statement will bother a lot of church-goers; I apologize.  I am not trying to offend, just explain.

Dad doesn’t like to show worry, but I believe he is.  I am.  I am not worried for anything except his physical body, the deep emotions he would leave behind, and the problems with him being gone.

My faith in God watching over us (over him) and bringing all things together for good, does not leave death out of the picture. I understand that. I also understand it is not always better for someone to continue living. I don’t believe this is Dad’s case at all. He has many years left in him and he doesn’t want to die. My dilemma is simply the pain of leaving behind people who have issues.

I know it’s not my place to worry about everyone and I don’t really. But, I have just been trying to work and word the idea of “everything works together for good” and the idea of death. How do we talk with people about this and still sound compassionate?   I am sorry, but “he’s in a better place now,” just doesn’t cut it well with me. Nor does “you know, he lived his whole life preparing to leave and be with God.”

Perhaps, that makes me selfish, but, if so, it does most of the population of the world, I think. Opinion?
Namaste,
Scott

Sunday Morning

It’s Sunday morning. I am going to church today. That hasn’t been my practice recently. However, I told a friend who also hasn’t been that I would sit with her if she would come.

My not coming has been a product of habit and sleep. I have gotten out of the habit, mostly, because I don’t sleep well and I don’t like going to simply sleep there. However, I will try today.

Church is not a place I feel you have to go in order to “reserve your place in Heaven”. Church is a place; church has friends for me and I, usually, take away a few words of peace or encouragement. I believe that God has all types of opportunities out there for us to be at or to interact in that will do us, at least, as much good as Church. On the other hand, going to Church is fine, especially, if you believe in what is being said and choose to have that reinforcement in your life. I guess the point here is that I think whatever a person feels they should do is fine, as long as it isn’t hurting them.

I was asked once how I could go at all and not feel like a hypocrite when I don’t agree with a lot of the services and what’s being said. The simple answer is that the service is there for many reasons. Some people truly need to hear all of what is being said; it helps them through their day. Others need the nourishment of good friends of a certain type found in church. Still others need the organization of a service to feel organized themselves.

Whatever the reason, mine is a small mixture of, at least, the first and second. I also like being there with my family, another important reason. I am comfortable enough in my own skin and secure enough in my own beliefs that I could go a lot of different places and be just fine. I went to a Unitarian church a few weeks ago and enjoyed that service quite a bit.  It allows for most all to come and worship.  God and nature are more at the center and no one had to feel left out or weird because of their particular beliefs.  I did enjoy it.

Did you know there are over 1,000 churches listed online as part of yellow pages for churches in Indianapolis? I find that number a bit incredible. This morning seems to be a bit of a wandering post for me, so bear with me and try to get something out of this, knowing that it is perfect for someone and that all things do work together.

Somewhere in this flighty talk someone is being helped by this or inspired to do or say or think something else that will help things along for them or for someone else. I have given up trying to figure it out and just accept it as it is.

Perhaps, this is the message here: trust.
Namaste.