I also think of myself as a somewhat spiritual person. This post is not about spirituality.
This post is about Religion.
First, lets define "Religion" (thank you dictionary.com):
re.li.gionThe interesting thing about religion itself is that it has very little to do with spirituality or even God, per se.
-noun
1. A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs.
2. A specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects: the Christian religion; the Buddhist religion.
Religion is humanity's attempt to define traditions and rules surrounding the worship of something supernatural.
Religion breaks up people who are worshiping the same God, but in different ways. Wars have been fought between Protestant religions and Catholic religions not because of who they were worshiping (allegedly the same God)...but because of how they were doing it. Traditions and Morality.
But of course, the reality is less pure and holy. The reality is that it is usually a question of power and money. Oh yes, churches and other religious institutions are after that too. In fact, the Spanish Inquisition was less about 'Tradition and Morality" than an exercise in Papal Authority (i.e. Power).
The division in most of the major religions is usually so very minor that you wonder why they aren't just the same bloody church?
For example, what is the fundamental difference between a Baptist and a Methodist? They both worship the same God (allegedly). They both would probably acknowledge that if everything that they (Baptist or Methodist) believe is true, they will probably bump into each other up in heaven one day.
So why don't they just hang out together? Why have division at all?
Well you see, among other small differences, one religion believes in dunking a recently converted christian in a pool of water, and the other does not. And that is why they barely talk to one another. That is why they are not united in worshiping their god.
Even among Methodists, there are sects and segments:
World Methodist Council
United Methodist Church
AME Church
AME Zion Church
Church of the Nazarene
British Methodist Church
CME Church
Uniting Church in Australia
All of these are "Methodists". They believe in many of the same things, but have their own individual differences and distinctions.
There are some fundamental truths shared by many religions. Like Arminianism for example. In Christianity, there is a theological debate that splits religions call the Calvanist-Arminian Debate.
Methodism (along with offshoots like Pentecostals, Charismatics, Third-wave Charasmatics, etc) and General Baptists usually will subscribe to Arminianism. While Presbyterians, Reformed Churches, Particular Baptists, and others subscribe to Calvinism
What is the difference here? What separates these people? The (major) difference is whether or not man has free will to choose his own actions or whether those actions are pre-ordained.
What...a crock. Wars have been started over this? People have died over this? Who CARES? Obviously the people going to the church are there right then and want to be there. Does it matter if they made the decision to go there on their own or whether a super-powered holy being made them want to go there? The point is...they are there.
I'm going to start my own religion and here are my fundamental principals:
Religion of Paul
1) Seek the Truth.
Find the information that is out there, and apply reason and logic to that information. Science is not evil, it is exploring the works of God's creation and applying reason and logic to it. If you believe that God exists of course. His existence (or lack thereof) would be the first thing you need to figure out for yourself. Your beliefs are between you and God (again, if he exists). Always keep an open mind.
2) Help others seek the Truth.
Whatever you wind up believing in, give as much information to others about it as they seek...and no more. You do not exist on this earth to shove your beliefs down someone else's throat.
3) Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
The 'golden rule'. Or, the Kindergarten Principal. However you define it...be nice.
4) Do no harm.
In your interactions with the world try to leave it just a little bit better than how you found it. If someone doesn't believe what you believe, then live and let live. If your beliefs that there is a wrathful god that puts all the believers in heaven and non-believers in hell, then the non-believers are going to have a long time to regret their decision....there is no sense in making them regret it now. The point is, just because somebody might disagree with you, does not make them your enemy.
Or, to put it another way...'judge not lest yet be judged'. Or 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. I believe I read that somewhere...
5) Help others who are less fortunate.
This probably could be lumped in with rule number 3, or even rule number 4. I'm going to paraphrase Uncle Ben from Spiderman here: "With great power (or resources), comes great responsibility". Give thanks for what you have and work to pay it forward to someone else. This is the essence of morality. Make your life a legacy worth remembering for the positive effect you have had on others.
If everybody in the world subscribed to these beliefs, the world would be a better place. Sadly, we live in a world where people want power, and these rules don't give any institution power. These rules give the INDIVIDUAL power over their own spirituality.
No! We can't have that...
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