After reading these things about forgiveness in a religious way,
what is a religion exactly?
What makes one TRUE, from an other? What makes us have the desire, to have A religion?
Why are there Crusades, Jihad´s, and other, religious "fights" which grow into nationwide wars?
When I read, superficially, anything about a holy manuscript, trying to filter what for me is surreal or unbelievable, I come down to the point that every book has a life lesson, a way of living, maybe even the same one.
Left handed path religions, who believe in inner strength
right handed path religions,who believe in a superb being, governing the world,
all these religions end up enlightening yourself and others, with peace of mind, awareness and well being..
I talked to a friend of mine once, who is a heavy christian believer;
We talked about why he believed so much, which he shortly replied on: it made himself stronger, a reason to believe and raise his self-esteem, having the feeling of uppermost trust by a superb being. (Summed up from a 5 hour during midnight conversation).
I wondered with him, if, what he calls God, and others in their respective name of dïeties, why can´t it be the same for people believing in theirselves? People believing in a rabbit paw, a horse shoe, so to say.
Juliet, in Shakespeare´s Romeo & Juliet says;
What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
it´s not the name that matters, it´s the object, which obtains the name.
As the rose could be called tulip, it would still smell like a rose.
My friend called his power, God, I call my power, compassion, awareness, and maybe even self-esteem to a respective level.
His sentence which followed is one, which has touched me, and still does. ( The conversation took place 3 years ago. )
Dolan, I think God has big plans with you.
I have been in curches, for good and bad reasons, I´ve been in mosques, I´ve been in synagogues with school trips, I have never bonded with a feeling of a superior being, but if a person, alive and well, and who witnessed things most people don´t dare to see or talk about claims the above, it moves you.
I admit, I don´t pray when the sun is out, but I might pray when it rains. This is a opportunistic way and helpless way of trying to get the things I need to move on.
I also admit, looking for religion.
My believe is, IF there is a diety and afterlife in combination as explained as heaven and hell, heaven welcoming to the pure or believing,
that diety, will "love" his followers, but I also think, as the goat from the flock, the shepperd still likes the ones looking around, obtaining information, and not follow the sheep.
And he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right, but the goats on his left.— Matthew 25: 32-33
Now, this being from the bible, I will try and continue as deeply as possible in that context.
As I know, "The devil", Lucifer, or how you want to name him, is pictured often as a goat.
Though the Knights Templar used Baphomet, which is imaged with a goat head.
So I don´t know if the goat is considered a bad thing, as the devil is nothing but the celestial prosecutor, working under permission of God.
According to the article on 'Satan' in the Jewish Encyclopedia, Satan's role as the accuser is found:
in the prologue to the Book of Job, where Satan appears, together with other celestial beings before the Deity, replying to the inquiry of God as to whence he had come, with the words: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.' (Job 1:7) Both question and answer, as well as the dialogue which follows, characterize Satan as having the evil purpose of searching out men's sins and appearing as their accuser. He is, therefore, the celestial prosecutor, who sees only iniquity; for he persists in his evil opinion of Job even after the man of Uz has passed successfully through his first trial by surrendering to the will of God, whereupon Satan demands another test through physical suffering. (ib. ii. 3-5.)
Yet it is also evident from the prologue that Satan has no power of independent action, but requires the permission of God, which he may not transgress. He cannot be regarded, therefore, as an opponent of the Deity; and the doctrine of monotheism is disturbed by his existence no more than by the presence of other beings before the face of God. This view is also retained in Zech. 3:1-2, where Satan is described as the adversary of the high priest Joshua, and of the people of God whose representative the hierarch is; and he there opposes the 'angel of the Lord' who bids him be silent in the name of God.
(Both taken from Wikipedia)
So what would it take, to prove a person their religion being true, and which others being false?
I see, hear, read, witness these religious claims, quotations, writings etc. and feel not fazed to fully endulge me into one of the many possibilities, what I do is, I obtain these wisdoms, and make them mine.
I take bits here, bits there, and they make me a better person.
I dont believe, Mozes splitted the red sea, or that Jesus arised from death.
I can not have faith in this, for it sounds unreal for me.
Yes, I am 100% sure Jesus lived, but not as the son of God.
I´ve read The Da Vinci code, and also read the book of origin for The Da Vinci code; Holy Blood, Holy Grail. I have had a 3 week holiday in the region which claims to have the church where the grail was found. I have been in the church etc. etc. I have been up and close to a templar mass grave, the house of a priest who was in that time, a wealthy man constructing the first aquaduct there. All this struck me breathless. I had what still feels like a ghost appearance from a priest, in front of my face in a monastery not far away from the church.
I am amazed by these facts, not being able to place them anywhere in my understanding.
Maybe it was the work of God, maybeit was the work of my fantasy full brain, I will never know.
All I know is,
IT, is somewhere, it is there person who places it in a specific place in their lives, who makes that his religion.
Where Mike Bibby uses his nail clippers, Kevin Rhomberg plays tag with whoever tags him, Jason Terry wears 5 pairs of knee-highs and John Henderson wants the assistant team trainer to slap him in the face at full force,
where Muslims pray to Mecca and Buddhists meditate,
here I stand, observing all this, making my religion,
my life.
