For the last 12-15 years of my life I have been on a journey to "find myself" spiritually. Recently I have found myself reflecting more than normal about things regarding my beliefs or lack thereof and the existence of God or an afterlife. Much of this has been blogged and the few that read them and probably are reading this one are aware of this.
I was browsing some books this weekend looking for some material to read to my students and stumbled upon a book my brother and others in my family read years ago called "The Celestine Prophecy" and I recalled how caught up in it they were. So I decided it was time for me to read it. I also found myself looking through a book on the religions in Ohio. It was dominated by Christian denominations but had section devoted to others. I chose to read the section on Buddhism since it has piqued my curiosity of late.
I think I will save my reflections on "Celestine" for another blog. Right now I want to discuss my experience with this chapter on Buddhism. Vicki and I both are intriqued by the theology of Buddhism and Hinduism. They both have aspects appealing to both of us from respect of nature and animals (vic) to the ideas of "the right" and karma (me). I kid about the karma in relation to sports but I'm very serious about its application to real life and I want to pursue this further.
Long ago, I independently began a journey in my head trying to figure out what it is I feel in my heart when it comes to the mysteries that religions strive to explain. I have struggled to strip myself of the religion I was "born into" NOT to discredit it or prove it wrong or anything negative, but to keep myself as objective as I could. I doubt I have done that entirely. My whole framework comes from a Christian background and I cannot deny that. I have a major bias. But I have tried.
Here are a couple things I am becoming more and more certain of at this time in my life. 1) God is not a white bearded man sitting on a throne in the clouds but a greater energy that underlies everything we do and experience. It is part of nature, animals, humans and interactions between us all. 2) Doing good regardless of the reward is worthy and right in and of itself. 3) The afterlife is not as black and white as heaven and hell or even purgatory but part of a spectrum with hell on one end and heaven on the other. Where your soul is at the end of your time on earth determines your place on that spectrum. 4) Coincidences, miracles, emotions, ghosts, intuitions, psychics and the power to heal are all legitimate realities that somehow relate to a higher power or energy.
I'm finding as I read bits and pieces of Buddhism that much of what they believe parallels these things. In addition there are 4 Noble Truths regarding suffering and how to advance yourself past suffering. This journey to enlightenment is what life is to me. Doing the right thing. Passivism. There is much to this theology I want to learn about.
I realize this is not even the tip of the iceberg of this belief system and if one where to look at Christianity from the outside in this way they would think it is such a great religion as well. All the while I could sit here and trash it up and down with its hypocricies and contradictions and downright WRONG interpretations. The same is probably true with Buddhism.
Today....this is where I stand in my journey. You?
7 comments:
Good post. Sorry I haven't been commenting lately. It's just the sort of thing I get anooyed with on my blogs. (Why won't anyone comment?)
You touched on some things that seem to be universal in all religions. I sort of feel that they are all the same for the most part. Christianity just has the best marketing. The problem is that too many people are caught up in the image of their chosen religions and not the meaning behind them. Who cares if Jesus is God's son? Who cares whether Mohamed knew better? The point is in their teachings.
I too have wandered through religions and theories and have always found myself somewhere in "agnostic". I do beleive that there's something that binds us, connects us to each other, the earth, the wind, trees, etc.
Keep searching...
BTW-Don't you wonder if Cleveland's athletic woes are tied to that damn Chief Wahoo? It's so racist!
Ah yes! The Wahoo karma. So true.
I am 100% with you on the comment regarding people getting caught up in the wrong things. The teachings in all the religions are beautiful and worthwhile. And there are so many paralells between them as they proceed to explain the same things. That's the heart of what I am enjoying right now. Finding those teachings from the different religions and relating them to my belief structure.
I finished the Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield and loved it. It really tied them all together in this interesting adventure story. Very enjoyable and inspiring.
Many good thoughts started here for sure! I think it's important to separate Christianity from The Church. Christianity in its pure state doesn't distort anything, but The Church (the political entity behind Catholism) does. That being said, it is so intriguing to me as well this idea of enlightenment how how each religion defines it. I'm looking forward to hearing more thoughts from you, because, as you know, I'm on the same journey.
very good point jenn. there is an distinction between "the church" and Christianity. it is importnat to remember that as we ananlyze things.
As an ordained Christian minister (and as Beau's mom), I have a particular perspective on this:
First, I agree with the four things you are certain of, Beau.
I also know you can find all these perspectives in Christianity (obviously, if I hold them - I'm not a good heretic), and also find many of us Christians who believe that that there is truth in all religions. None of us has a corner on it, no matter what some claim.
Which brings me to institutional religion. (Not just the Catholic church, but all churches, having seen both Protestant and Catholic from the inside, and witnessed some really not-so-pretty things.)
Humans are flawed, and the things we build and organize have our flaws built into them. The church has flaws - some really big ones! Since Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Empire, we've lived in Christendom, not Christianity, where power, money, religion and the military are all intertwined, and that resulted in many lamentable things, or the justification of them (slavery, oppressing women, colonialism, etc.).
And yet.
Now we're in a post-modern age, an un-churched age that's struggling with the transition. That's why right-wing religion is strong, as an anxiety reaction to the uncertainty of the age when answers aren't black and white. That's why people cling to clear-cut, literal translations of SOME (but not all) of the Bible. People are scared since the Enlightenment threw things into question, and that's how fundamentalism arose.
I over-simplify. But it's basically accurate. (I didn't make it up...)
If you read some of the work by Marcus Borg, I think you'll see that the Christian belief system is rich and life-affirming and grace-filled. And something that thinking, sensitive people can re-claim and embrace and live by.
The thing that we talk about that keeps me here is grace. I didn't hear enough about it, growing up, but now it's what I preach. It's the only thing that keeps me going, and keeps my hope alive.
But we can talk more about that.
Love
Mom
Your comment reminds me of "The Celestine Prophecy." I have been wanting to blog about my experience with the book. I also wanted to talk to you about your feelings regarding the book.
Your blog is very sincere and touching.
Religions are mere aids and NOT the final goal.
Spiritual maturity and SELF REALIZATION are the final goal.
One should combine the best aspects of all religions and cultures and practice in their day to day life.
No religion or culture can monopoly TRUTH or GOD or SALVATION [self-realization]
www.amiahindu.com
Post a Comment