I'm writing this rant because I can't hold it in any longer. Religion is or was a construct of humans to gather together for mutual encouragement, sharing of faith, and worship of GOD, in whatever form he was envisioned to be by the leader of the religion. Jesus set the example of prayer, worship, good behavior, compassion, love, forgiveness, and teaching. Religion, soon after Jesus' resurrection, became a man-made bastardization, deformed by humans of great hubris. The current religious battles, Jihads, and inhumane treatment of fellow humans is proof. Mankind does not have a better idea.
Hubris:
1. Christians who think 'their way is the only way' with reference to the adopted religion of each.
2. Muslims who become terrorists to prove their point.
3. Politicians who corrupt their leadership with the hubris of superiority of 'religion.'
There are more religions in the world than there are political positions. Yet, the two shouldn't be in bed together. They are separate parts of life. Let me paraphrase some of Jesus' teaching:
If you profess Christian beliefs, then you understand that Jesus' message was, and is, one of being a good Samaritan; leading with kindness; valuing life; refraining from wrong doing; and do you remember that Jesus said, "Other sheep I have who are not of this fold"? What does that mean for you? Are your beliefs superior to what Jesus taught? Jesus was a Jewish man who taught something new and different from the Jewish base of knowledge; though it was foretold in the Jewish scriptures. Who were those 'other sheep not of this fold?' Different ethnicity? different religious backgrounds? those who practiced things forbidden to Jews? Hmmm. Makes one think;
Jesus proclaimed to his followers that they should "Render unto Cesar that which is Cesar's; render unto God that which is His." Separate obligations. Separation of church and state? My thinking: keep church, religion and beliefs out of politics and government.
Humans have simple needs: food, clothing, shelter, love, compassion, and freedom to Be. Almost all humans have the need to worship a higher Being; however, individual hubris causes some humans to make themselves into 'a god,' whom they profess to be 'all knowing.'
Think about Adam and Eve: they had the perfect living conditions; really. They didn't need clothing because they had been created perfect and given a home of the Garden of Eden. In their Hubris, and with a little help from a fallen angel, they decided they wanted, even needed, more. So they broke the rules. What did it cost them? They lost their eternal lives; they lost their perfect home; then life became very difficult for them. Their first-born son became a murderer. All because of Hubris.
Warfare came along, cities developed when people feared the great expanses open to them. Existence could be very bleak; and then along came politics and government. More corruption of the lives of people; however, when you are born into something, you know no other way unless you learn. This is where Jesus' example of teaching comes in: if you want to change your life, you must give up something to get something better. No, we lost the promise of having it all when Adam and Eve followed one disgruntled and misguided former angel. The cry: 'Simplify, simplify, simplify' continues to ring true, more and more, every day. As an experiment, walk through the grocery store some time, with the keen eye of seeing everything you don't need. You'll find it amazing.
2016 seems to the year of religious conflicts, political garbage, and more losses due to hubris. Gandhi was right to say: "Be the change you want to see in the world." Change takes place one person at a time. Those who become blind followers of the loudest, strongest, cruelest, hateful, and least compassionate humans become afraid to be the person of hope, compassion, love, caring, kindness, and faith.
Unless we change as individuals, we are lost. Humanity loses every time one individual loses sight of what really matters: faith, hope, love, and charity. Remember which one Jesus said was the greatest? Love.
No comments:
Post a Comment