religion can kill your spirituality
Religion is the form in which worships God. Spirituality is one's personal connection to God. Let's not let our religion kill our spirituality. Religions are created by people with vision. That vision has been inspired by God, and facilitated by the Holy Spirit. Its purpose is to provide an avenue, or vehicle, through which Love, Light and Wisdom may manifest in the world. Since "God is Love", the principle taught in the new religion is love. Man's ego is always standing by with the sword of restriction and separation. It's job is to restrict the spirit of unlimited love, wisdom and the human potential.
On our recent trip to Prague, the Czech Republic, I had a first hand view of the result of religious prejudice and its counterpart, communism. Catholicism was the state religion since the eighth cen5tury. The Protestant faith emerged and persecution became rampant. Fear of each other and animos5ity continued. In 1517 a priest, Martin Luther, nailed his protests on the door of the catholic church in Wittenburg, Germany and murder, massacre and mayhem began in earnest.
Religious wars between protestants and Catholics expanded to include their pogroms of persecution against the Jews. Finally, in the 1930's and early 40's they either condoned or kept silent while six million Jews and others were tortured and killed in concentration camps. Those camps stand as silent testimony to the inhumanity of man to man. In the name of God and because of differing religious views of worship people continue to kill each other.
Is it any wonder that the soul killing philosophy of communism spread through Europe. The law of cause and effect is called Karma. Karma is not just a new age word; it is cosmic law. The Cosmic Court of Justice is never closed. Its judge, the principle of justice, never sleeps. As Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." For surely it will be done unto you-that is cosmic justice.
I saw in the beautiful city of Prague a magnificent palace where interrogations, torture and the killing of twenty thousand Czech citizens took place under communism. This happened across much of Europe. The malicious action of misused intelligence underscores the need for open minds and enlightenment.
The gentle teacher and great master Jesus would not condone killing in His name; for He is the symbol of loving peace. In the Temple of Universality we often speak of God as the Creator God or Creative Source. These titles seem to allow for less cause for separation and more easily accommodate God names like Jehovah, Allah, Brahma, etc. All the names of God are sacred; they represent the "ALL IN ALL", The One in whom we live, and move and have our being.
Let us celebrate our own religion and enjoy its rituals and dogma; but let's not cripple the spirit nor kill the bodies of those who worship differently. For according to, Genesis I :26, Mankind is made in the image and likeness of God. Let's deny neither our divinity nor, the divinity of all others.
NAMASTE A Hindu greeting: The God in me greets the God in You.