I remember being a little boy and lying awake at night, terribly disturbed by the idea of Heaven and Hell. Something didn’t quite make sense, and I had to figure out what that was. Yes, I was born and raised Catholic, and we went to Mass on Sundays. I recall the feeling of dread every week as Sunday came closer. I also remember feeling very uncomfortable sitting on that hard pew, staring at the figure of a man hanging from a wooden cross with big nails in his hands and feet. How awful. I tried to stay with it and listen to a man in black robes talking about things I did not understand. Honestly, I couldn’t wait for it to be over. As I progressed into my teen years, I decided I didn’t want to continue with the unpleasant experience of going to church, so I stopped going.
What is this all about? A person would think that the experience of God or spirituality would be uplifting and help us feel better about ourselves and our world. Instead, the practice of our religion has left us with deep feelings of guilt, self-judgment, and a lot of questions. Is it possible that our religious experience makes us feel bad because of its poor presentation? Is it possible that our spiritual reality as presented by the various religions of the world incorrect? These are indeed very important questions. I decided they were important enough to me that I had to find answers. It is a fact that if things don’t make sense to us, we have the right to question what we have been taught and what others have told us. It was stated by the Christ himself that “seek and ye shall find”. There are always answers to the questions we have, we just need to look in the right places. With this realization, I began my search. The search is ongoing.
Given all the major changes and adjustments happening in the world today, I thought it would be important to have a few discussions about religion in general in an effort to resolve some questions and concerns we have. Because my experience lies with the teachings of Christianity, this will be the main focus and perspective. I am not intentionally disregarding the other six major religions of the world, it’s that I do not have enough background to have any serious discussion or examination of those institutions. I do encourage all of you to seek information and answers, within and without your own particular religious background, as the answers are certainly available if you are willing to do the work. I will begin with the premise that there are many misconceptions, misunderstandings, and misleading ideas and concepts found in all the religious organizations today.
It is clear that humanity has entered a very important time of discovery. A great movement forward into truth is upon us, hence the confusion and turmoil we are currently experiencing. The foundations of all of our institutions and belief systems are being called into question. The goal of our endeavor is to allow the light of truth to enter and provide for us a path forward into a new and better future for all of us. In order to better understand the future we are building, it has become critical for us to examine the belief systems within our religions, as they are the foundation of the spiritual reality we are participating in. As I have previously mentioned, my background is with the “Ancient Wisdom Teachings” which is based on esoteric or metaphysical principles. An interesting way to understand the meaning of the esoteric approach is that the principles found here are at the core of every religion. The relevance of these teachings then can be understood as the foundation or underlying theme of all religious presentations. If our goal is to find commonality and sameness in purpose and understanding, then an all-inclusive approach would certainly be advantageous.
In the coming weeks, I will be presenting a series of discussions on these matters to give a basis to what it is we are questioning about our spirituality and how our religious background has shaped the view of our reality. I encourage you to question what I have to say if it does not fit for you, or you do not find it helpful in your current experience. But I also encourage you to at least give these ideas some thought. We do have every right to understand and have a sense of spirituality in our lives. I can only say that my studies and background have most definitely had a positive impact on how I feel about myself and how I view the world. I want you to have peace and understanding in your life as well.
All my love and support, stay safe and be well