Organized Religion

Vs.

Spiritual Freedom

As someone who has been spiritually curious since the age of 5, I can totally relate with humanity’s quest to know its place and purpose in the universe.   I was raised by parents who taught me morals such as independent thinking, treating EVERYONE with dignity and respect, and taking pride to be the best in whatever I chose to do. Fortunately, my parents only INTRODUCED me to Christianity but left me to develop my own system of spiritual/religious beliefs.  Perhaps that’s why I don’t understand the concept of organized religion.  Understanding your place and purpose in the universe is such a deeply personal journey that I don’t see how anyone could dictate how I should take that journey and what realizations that I should gain as a result.  I most certainly cannot fathom  killing someone because they don’t share my religious beliefs.  Yet, billions of human lives have been snuffed out for just that reason  and it’s happening at this very moment.

Spirituality and religion both draw HEAVILY upon MYTHOLOGY.  Though I believe the roots of these concepts were “divinely” influenced, they are tainted with the ego of mankind.  It is absolute vanity and arrogance to attempt to personify the universal lifeforce that is the source and totality of ALL that is, ALL that was, and ALL that shall ever be.  Spirituality and religion are just  theories that show our inadequate comprehension of that which dwarfs us yet dwells within us. Whether or not we share the same spiritual/religious beliefs is irrelevant when we ALL share the same Source.

Religion as a tool of manipulation and oppression

What boggles my mind is how easily we submit ourselves to writings of “holy books” such as The Bible, The Qur’an, The Torah, etc. without questioning the obviously exaggerated stories or the identity, character, and mental capacity of the authors.  It has been shown that humanity had some pretty crazy ideas about the world in which they lived let alone the immensity of the universe.

I am not denying that there is a great deal of timeless wisdom  in many of these books but there is also a great deal of symbolism that people have taken literally and have twisted to suit their own agenda in controlling the behavior of others.  Tragically, the worst-case scenario continually plays out the world over. Religious leaders stir the negative emotions of hate and fear in their followers to a crazed bloodlust against people who don’t share their beliefs and declare “holy” wars.  This insanity has gripped the planet since the idea of organized religion was introduced in the first civilizations and countless lives have been lost as a result.  There is NOTHING holy about war and there NEVER will be.

To a large degree, religion is the excuse we hide behind so that we don’t have to take responsibility for how badly we treat one another.  Do you really need the threat of judgment from  some imaginary supreme being  or hellish afterlife to be a decent, loving person?

Each of us have the spark of life that created the universe inside us. When we dedicate ourselves to be of service to life, we will know our TRUE purpose and power.

Humanity is continually given the gift of life and yet we continually create new reasons and ways to extinguish that life.  Is this how we show our appreciation?  Are the intangible, ill-conceived theories about our place and purpose in the universe more important than life itself?  

I do not claim any one religious, spiritual, or philosophical affiliation because my belief system is a synthesis of various concepts from cultures around the planet that I feel are aligned with my core values. I use the mythology contained in these concepts as a means of empowerment and therefore, don’t take any concept too seriously. I have no problem discarding concepts that have become obsolete as I evolve.  At the end of the day, I believe that I am an embodiment of the universal creative force and changing in every moment.

As I mentioned in the Root Issue section of this page, your spiritual journey is something that is deeply personal and though there are guides along the path, you must ultimately determine your own direction.  The journey is a lifelong adventure in which you are constantly challenged to be both student and teacher to reach ever-higher levels of self-knowledge.

If you are interested in concepts that encourage spiritual freedom and self-knowledge go to the Social Engineering Network section.