When I was growing up a big deal was made about what was the “right church” to go to and what wasn’t. Religions, other than the one I belonged to, were made to seem almost evil…. blasphemous, pagan… intentionally leading people astray. No doubt, they would all be tossed into some kind of “lake of fire” as punishment.
Doesn’t really matter that I tell you which religion I belonged to because a lot of religions are just the same. There’s a “true church” to belong to and there’s a “wrong church”… a correct religion and an incorrect religion.
Over the years I’ve come to the realization that this is absolute garbage.
The “true church” is not a religion, the true church is the heart we are given, the body we inhabit, the soul that guides our lives. What we do with these things is what matters.
If the heart is employed to love, to foster unity, to treat people with kindness, to nurture, that is the true church.
The “wrong church” is when a person uses religion as a tool to hate, to exclude, to wage war, to judge or to pretend like they’re better than everyone else. The wrong church is using the gift and the power we were given to intentionally harm people.
Even all those years ago when I was very small I knew this to be true. Not even sure where that came from… but I know now that I’m far from being alone in my thinking. Buddhists have known all about this for thousands of years. Jesus knew it and taught it. From what I’ve gathered from my limited studies, the Prophet Muhammad taught this same lesson as well.
If it’s true that God was created in our own image, then perhaps he understands us a lot more than we think… the decisions we make… the mistakes we make… our true intentions.
I do wholeheartedly believe that our bodies are our temples.* And if that’s true, our “church” can be anywhere we are at any time.
*Source: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
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Amen.
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Thank you. Yes, amen!
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We’re wire to search for truth. More than principles, syllogisms, and dogmas, truth is a Person. Being in love with that Person constitutes the greatest adventure in the universe, JoAnn. And He is closer than your heartbeat. Thank you for sharing!
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You’re welcome and thank you so much! So glad that He brought you into my life.
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Well said! I absolutely agree with your views.
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Thank you and thanks for visiting!
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My pleasure!
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Dear JoAnn, I couldn’t agree more with what you are saying in your article. Love and unity, the great keywords.
A religion should never ever separate people from each other, that is one sign that there is something wrong with it. My theory is that basically the starting ideas of all religions are all the same, but then people start “working” on them with personal ambition etc., they create hierarchies and people who tell others what to think and what to believe. That is why I am more in favour of the mystics of all religions, who don’t believe in religious authorities and, therefore, always were defamed and persecuted, often even killed.
You are blessed to have had this knowledge in you already as a child!
I wish you all the best for the Christmas season and the coming new year!
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Yes, things always go wrong in utopia don’t they… greed, power, selfishness… at least that’s how our present existence seems to be.
Mystics is a great concept and something I need to study more. It’s not an easy thing to swim against the current.
I hope you also have a great Christmas… I think a lot of us are happy to see a new year start and hopefully the world will gain control over this epidemic.
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Good post. Most religion is damaging nonsense other than the good ethical teaching. Mealy mouthed nonsence mostly.
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Much agreed. It can be very damaging. 😕
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JoAnn, I almost clicked off of this post when I saw it was about religion. I am so glad I didn’t. I wholeheartedly agree with your point of view. All of the hatreds of racism, religious intolerance, and national exceptionalism are what lead to violence, war, genocide, lack of global cooperation, and lack of empathy for anyone we perceive as different. Well-reasoned and well-written post! ❤
Happy 2021! 🙂
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Yes, I’m glad that you didn’t. I can understand why you would be hesitant though. I felt that way too for a long time when it came to any mention of religion. I guess I’m finally finding some kind of half-way point… keeping the good and discarding the bad.
Happy 2021 to you as well. I do hope that the New Year will bring us all much needed relief from the stressful past year!
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I second that! This is a beautiful piece!
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Thank you and thanks for visiting! 🙂🌸
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Beautifully stated! 🙂
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Thank you so much!!
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