For some time, these thoughts have been taking shape, helped by this memory, this quotation, this idea and that notion.
Within the bounds of those who are, or claim to be, 'spiritual' people
there's a division which cuts across traditional religious lines. On
one side are those for whom, like myself, faith is a process which works
through doubt and is thereby deepened and strengthened. This is
sometimes a quiet, but always a robust, faith as measured by these
criteria: such a robust, living faith welcomes questions, can answer
criticisms cogently, gives mockery a pitying smile and spurns any
state's efforts to 'strengthen' it.
On the other side are those
whose 'faith' seems to be chiefly based on the denigration of others on
any basis handy, be it 'race', ethnicity, recited creed, sex or sexual
orientation, not to mention economic class. This in and of itself is
enough to mark such a 'faith' as dry, brittle and moribund. It seeks
with desperation to squelch questions, criticisms and mockeries even to
the point of begging the state to help shore up its shell. Their
adherents seem to associate bliss with not having to think a whole
lot--or at least are told to believe this by their clerics, whether
imams or priests. This by itself flies in God's Face--the God which we
are commanded to love with all our mind as well as heart, soul and
strength. Switching off one's mind is the opposite of this and leads in
turn to walling off one's heart to be shared only within Our Group, by
whatever other name it may be called.
As a Christian myself, I am
instructed to use the life of Jesus as a 'lens' through which to read
Scripture. I don't know what 'lenses' Jews or Muslims may so use for
theirs although I can't help reflecting that Spinoza was a lens-grinder.
Maybe for them it's on more of an individual basis, but this much I do
know: such lenses have to be crafted for growth of each of us with and
towards God. No one ever did Islam a greater injury than the fool who
said some eight centuries ago that 'The gates of ijtihad are now
closed.' 'Lenses' built with the intention of blinding or bullying
people into submission cannot be of God but are of the Enemy!
Those
with a living faith eagerly grasp at the idea of being able to become
children of, and eventually co-creators of, God's Realm. Those without
such a faith usually have difficulty with this notion and wind up
committing one of two mistakes. Either they conclude only We are God's
True Children OR they say, 'God does not need children. We are his
slaves.' Can such a God be all that Merciful and Compassionate?
Seriously, Worst of all, sometimes they can say one and act out the
other.
Well, it IS true that God does not need children. But with
God, His needs (He has none) are not the point. But God wants us to be
able to become His children and help Him create His Realm here on Earth!
Is this not what a God Who is Love would want for all of us? We all
need to do some serious re-examinations of our various faiths and
practices and see what helps us grow in heart, mind and soul in our
faiths--and what does the opposite! Get rid of what stunts such growth
and nourish that which encourages it, wherever we find each item.
This is deep matter, so don't be afraid to dive into it as often as each of y'all needs to. Blessings to all of my readers!
Sunday, February 17, 2019
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