God vrs Religion
Religion is a mechanism through out which people intend to connect to God.
God is humanly indecipherable, but generally speaking, God is everything that is good.
We humans only know love and kindness through ourselves, through our human relations. Therefore, I think it would be correct to describe God as everything that is good in ourselves: truth, love, respect, compassion, solidarity, kindness.
History shows Religion has been the cause of many God-opposite human actions. In the name of God, people have done all sorts of injustices and cruelties for centuries, and continue to do so.
Why must we all try to impose our beliefs onto others? Who ever said diversity was a bad thing? Why do so many believe so? Why is diversity so hard to accept and embrace through respect and tolerance?
Modernity came upon humanity with secularism and technology, "making life simpler". It's impressive that we yet continue to fight the same fights and behave in the same intolerant judgemental ways, even though we've seen the same ending play over and over again: suffering, hate, unhappiness. The exact opposite of what all humans are after one way or another.
It seems like Religion is once again becoming an existential issue in human lives, other than a social, traditional, cultural, historical mere coincidence no one has control over. And it is dividing people, instead of uniting.
I understand that people turn to God in the search of comfort, consolation and hope. This are tough times and we humans are being challenged in several ways and levels.
We need God. And if we look for it in each other's kindness we'll find God, a universal God that:
- is all love
- is all tolerance
- inspires us all to struggle to overcome all challenges and difficulties
- awakens in us the urge to never stop trying to understand and forgive
- makes us want to never stop trying to be happy no matter what
- reveals the pointlessness of hate and resentment
I know that's the God I want to believe in. And I'm not saying that Religion is a bad thing at all- what I'm trying to say is that Religion should never be confused with God. It is human-made and therefore imperfect. We should never confuse the point of Religion, which is to bring people closer to God (God being everything that is good). Religion is not bigger than God, and God should not be antagonized in the name of it. It's simply not logical is it?
God is humanly indecipherable, but generally speaking, God is everything that is good.
We humans only know love and kindness through ourselves, through our human relations. Therefore, I think it would be correct to describe God as everything that is good in ourselves: truth, love, respect, compassion, solidarity, kindness.
History shows Religion has been the cause of many God-opposite human actions. In the name of God, people have done all sorts of injustices and cruelties for centuries, and continue to do so.
Why must we all try to impose our beliefs onto others? Who ever said diversity was a bad thing? Why do so many believe so? Why is diversity so hard to accept and embrace through respect and tolerance?
Modernity came upon humanity with secularism and technology, "making life simpler". It's impressive that we yet continue to fight the same fights and behave in the same intolerant judgemental ways, even though we've seen the same ending play over and over again: suffering, hate, unhappiness. The exact opposite of what all humans are after one way or another.
It seems like Religion is once again becoming an existential issue in human lives, other than a social, traditional, cultural, historical mere coincidence no one has control over. And it is dividing people, instead of uniting.
I understand that people turn to God in the search of comfort, consolation and hope. This are tough times and we humans are being challenged in several ways and levels.
We need God. And if we look for it in each other's kindness we'll find God, a universal God that:
- is all love
- is all tolerance
- inspires us all to struggle to overcome all challenges and difficulties
- awakens in us the urge to never stop trying to understand and forgive
- makes us want to never stop trying to be happy no matter what
- reveals the pointlessness of hate and resentment
I know that's the God I want to believe in. And I'm not saying that Religion is a bad thing at all- what I'm trying to say is that Religion should never be confused with God. It is human-made and therefore imperfect. We should never confuse the point of Religion, which is to bring people closer to God (God being everything that is good). Religion is not bigger than God, and God should not be antagonized in the name of it. It's simply not logical is it?
rocio - 8. Jun, 21:48
rocio - 9. Jun, 10:41
THANK YOU
Thanks Jose! I agree, being humble and open minded is key in living in peace and harmony!!! Thank you for your comment, good to hear from you again!
Fanche - 25. Jun, 21:54
Agreement's not my forte
First of all, I'm a french guy who happened to do a mistake in his google search. And I would like to say that I will only expose my point of view. You are only obliged to think what you want about it. I don't pretend to know the truth.
You talk about harmony and about God as universal. What about evil ? Is it an errata from the creator ? Isn't it part of the creation as a whole ?
I am sure that if a God in fact created the universe, he would have been very careful. So a mistake could not be present in this world. And I am persuaded that evil is not a mistake but was intended to be. Why ? Obviously for harmony.
And be sure that those concept of selfless good and evil are only fairytale... There is and never was in this world pure good and pure evil. Everyone is human. A good reaction can be perceived as a bad one or as nothing at all and vice versa. And a good reaction can reveal to be made through bad intentions...
For me Harmony is the answer. But it is not harmony with people which should be first searched for. Every human being on earth should search for its own harmony, knowing himself, understanding it and finally accepting that he or she is not perfect. After that everyone could try to adapt and evolve with the surrounding crowd.
Only three words, knowledge, comprehension and acceptance. But this work is long and hard. I doubt that everyone is able to do it. No matter what... everyone should try don't you think so ?
EDIT : Do not interpret that as "harmony is the way to a perfect world"... I don't believe in perfection. There will always be conflicts and mistakes. But Harmony could allow a better comprehension of those mistakes and conflicts to solve them in a better way.
You talk about harmony and about God as universal. What about evil ? Is it an errata from the creator ? Isn't it part of the creation as a whole ?
I am sure that if a God in fact created the universe, he would have been very careful. So a mistake could not be present in this world. And I am persuaded that evil is not a mistake but was intended to be. Why ? Obviously for harmony.
And be sure that those concept of selfless good and evil are only fairytale... There is and never was in this world pure good and pure evil. Everyone is human. A good reaction can be perceived as a bad one or as nothing at all and vice versa. And a good reaction can reveal to be made through bad intentions...
For me Harmony is the answer. But it is not harmony with people which should be first searched for. Every human being on earth should search for its own harmony, knowing himself, understanding it and finally accepting that he or she is not perfect. After that everyone could try to adapt and evolve with the surrounding crowd.
Only three words, knowledge, comprehension and acceptance. But this work is long and hard. I doubt that everyone is able to do it. No matter what... everyone should try don't you think so ?
EDIT : Do not interpret that as "harmony is the way to a perfect world"... I don't believe in perfection. There will always be conflicts and mistakes. But Harmony could allow a better comprehension of those mistakes and conflicts to solve them in a better way.
rocio - 1. Jul, 13:19
in disagreement there is knowledge
you have a great point! i'm glad you ended up here by mistake. it was a rather fortunate mistake as it has widened my understanding of myself and others. thank you for that!
i think you are right; goodness exists just as evil does and they are both sesence to human kind. thinking that pure good or pure evil exist is a mistake... i guess sadness has to exist in order for happiness to exist as well, as there is no white without black, if you get what i mean. as you point out, harmony between good and evil IS the key that makes human relations' way of working somewhat understandable.
i agree with the conclusion you drew: "Every human being on earth should search for its own harmony, knowing himself, understanding it and finally accepting that he or she is not perfect. After that everyone could try to adapt and evolve with the surrounding crowd".
thanks for your insight. do you have a blog? i would like to read some more of your thoughts.
i think you are right; goodness exists just as evil does and they are both sesence to human kind. thinking that pure good or pure evil exist is a mistake... i guess sadness has to exist in order for happiness to exist as well, as there is no white without black, if you get what i mean. as you point out, harmony between good and evil IS the key that makes human relations' way of working somewhat understandable.
i agree with the conclusion you drew: "Every human being on earth should search for its own harmony, knowing himself, understanding it and finally accepting that he or she is not perfect. After that everyone could try to adapt and evolve with the surrounding crowd".
thanks for your insight. do you have a blog? i would like to read some more of your thoughts.
Great post
So what happened? Well both religion leaders and their people have done a few things wrong from my point of view:
- The leaders have tried to keep their people loyal to their creed by focusing on "the bad things that will happen to you" part instead of the "love everybody" part. Preaching of how you will suffer hard if you ever doubt them, how all people from other religions or atheists are sinners and basicaly bad people.
- The people lose focus when they become radical about their believes, when they want to feel so special about their religion that somehow begin to discriminate any person that is not on the same page.
In other words when someone believes that they are in possession of the absolute truth nothing good will come out of it, we need to be a little more humble and a little more open minded and respectful to other points of view.
Have a nice week!