Friday, 10 October 2008

• Fairies vs Faith

  Agnostic theism (also called religious agnosticism)—the view of those who do not claim to know existence of any deity, but still believe in such an existence.

  Ever since there has been but one God, much blood has been shed, much lives lost, many families torn asunder and all that in His name.

  In this time of mounting sectarianism, where Mine is deemed by Myself to be better than Yours, I feel most compelled to examine the way in which these ways of life have driven us, not taught us, to think dastardly deeds and to act on them.

  I am no religious scholar. In fact, I am not a religious person.

  re·li·gion play_w2("R0140600")  (r-ljn) n.

  1.

  a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.

  b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.

   

  Shall we examine this word?

   

  Religion may call on God (s?), claim to speak His words, impose His doctrines. Yet people fail to realise that religion is nothing more than an institution of Man, claiming to act on His behalf.

   

  Agnosticism, to me, allows us to look beyond the mundane and understand the why  of religion and spirituality without being mired in any one particular school of thought and the assumptions that they try to impose on others.

   

  I've spoken to a number of Christians (from different teachings- Baptists, Catholics, Anglicans, what-have-you) as well as other self-proclaimed religious people of variosu faiths and they all say the same thing. If you're not in my Church, and not listening to my priest or pastor preaching the words of God, I will not see you in my Heaven. Are you willing to honestly tell me that you believe your God to be so jealous a God? That it's His way or the highway? Heaven, if it does exist objectively, must be a very lonely place indeed.

   

  church play_w2("C0347400")  (chûrch)

  n.

  1. A building for public, especially Christian worship.

  2. often Church

  a. The company of all Christians regarded as a spiritual body.

  b. A specified Christian denomination: the Presbyterian Church.

  c. A congregation.

  3. Public divine worship in a church; a religious service: goes to church at Christmas and Easter.

  4. The clerical profession; clergy.

  5. Ecclesiastical power as distinguished from the secular

   

  The Christian Church is the only way to know God and so please him that he may allow you to ascend into His paradise.

   

  Is a Church no more than a gathering of people, a social institution, where people come together to worship? Can you not see this concept repeated in the Sangha of Buddha, the Synagogues of Judaism, the Mosques of Islam, the Circles of Wiccans? How dare we claim the moral right to say that mine is rightand yours isn't?

   

  ko·sher play_w2("K0104200")  (kshr) also ka·sher (kä-)

  adj.

  1. Judaism

  a. Conforming to dietary laws; ritually pure: kosher meat.

  b. Selling or serving food prepared in accordance with dietary laws: a kosher restaurant.

  2. Slang

  a. Legitimate; permissible: "consolidating noneditorial functions of the papers, which is kosher" Christian Science Monitor.

  b. Genuine; authentic.

   

  Dietary laws abound in every single religion in the world. Do they not all say but one thing? Take care of your body for your body is also His?

   

  prayer ¹ play_w2("P0504800")  (prâr)

  n.

  1.

  a. A reverent petition made to God, a god, or another object of worship.

  b. The act of making a reverent petition to God, a god, or another object of worship.

  2. An act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as in devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving: One evening a week, the family would join together in prayer.

  3. A specially worded form used to address God, a god, or another object of worship.

  4. prayers A religious observance in which praying predominates: morning prayers.

  5.

  a. A fervent request: Her prayer for rain was granted at last.

  b. The thing requested: His safe arrival was their only prayer.

  6. The slightest chance or hope: In a storm the mountain climbers won't have a prayer.

  7. Law

  a. The request of a complainant, as stated in a complaint or in equity, that the court grant the aid or relief solicited.

  b. The section of the complaint or bill that contains this request.

   

  The ritual of prayer takes many forms, Christian Hymns, Buddhist chants, Muslim Azan. Do they all not serve but one purpose?

   

  I have been questioned by many people, why not profess one faith, choose one way to get closer to God. Here's my answer, religion as we know it today, is a joke. The Divine has been so tangled up in much socio-political intrigue that these institutions are more often than not secular in concept and in deed. It is my personal belief that subscribing to these institutions of Man under His name to play political games is hypocrisy if not outright blasphemy.

   

  I include under this tag also the various people I know (probably representative of the relative whole) who treat religion as a cosmic cash machine (exams are coming let's go pray, O God, gimme a car, a beautiful wife) who turn to Him only in times of secular needs. You guys need a fairy, not Faith.

   

  And so, after that brief rant, I come to the thesis of this issue. There may be millions of religions all over the world; these are but different ways to know God and his wonders. These teachings, though different may be their traditions, doctrines and rituals, ultimately brings us all together under one law; do good by society and live well. God speaks to His people through different languages and different practices comfortable to those indegenes predisposed to what they're most comfortable with and His message is Universal. Through various means of worship, the more you learn about God, the more we learn about ourselves and our place in the Grand Scheme.

   

  Picture this in your mind and let there be no more conflict amongst the Faithful.

   

  All the religions in existence are like different roads. Some may be rocky, some may run uphill, some may be submerged, others may yet wind in neverending circles but they all lead to a common destination which is to say back into His arms.

   

  Live right by Man and his many Families and I guarantee you, it wouldn't matter what faith you profess, your life would be pleasing to Him.

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