Putting down others with religion.

I saw a few examples of people putting down others this weekend, and it was on a blatant and disturbing scale. From a person who called a poorly dressed lady a "hooker" to a Bible thumper who's "holier than thou"  attitude, showed they didn't know word one about what the theme of the Bible was.

There is a lot that needs to be changed in our society, no doubt about it, however calling people names, isn't going to do the trick. On the religious end of things, those who are truly spiritual realize that you don't need organized religion to be "saved", only the Supreme Ultimate Being can "save" a person. Not a building, person, dogma, creed, belief. And by the way, "It" saves everyone. Yes everyone. Do some have to come back here for some more life lessons? Most assuredly, but that is between them and the SUB (aka Supreme Ultimate Being), not some human who puts themselves above others. Even a priest/pastor/minister cannot save you, they have not been given that right. The whole "save" thing is new, and another misinterpretation of the word.

There are a bunch of folks in my circle. They come from all different backgrounds. Some are older, some are younger. There are many belief systems between them, from Christian to Jew to Native American, to a belief in the Universe as a whole. Some attend church, some don't.None of them put themselves above (or below) anyone else because only their belief system is right. None of them look down on the others, not a one tells them they need to change, or rot in hell. They all get it.

My favorites are the ones who constantly quote the Bible. That action screams "I am insecure and cannot think for myself". Their interpretation of the word is usually opposite the original meaning. The Bible is a funny book, as in "strange". It was written by many hands, and it's purpose wasn't to save you, but to convince (or scare you)into joining the Church. Some of it was written to be taken literally, and much of it is not. The problem is there are a bunch of folks that try to take the whole thing as literal truth. In fact, the Gospel is not the Gospel. Scholars have proven that (and many of them worked for the Church), but people get stuck in their belief system and don't ever take a peek outside of it for pure fear. Fear that they may have been running headlong into a misinterpretation for decades.

My favorite example is when people say "judge not least you be judged", and say that means we should not judge people. Maybe they need to read (and understand), the whole "sermon". We have to judge. We judge whether a person is of good standing before doing business with them, dating them, loaning them money....and we should. What Jesus was trying to get across was "judge wisely and fairly without prejudice". What he really was saying, and got lost in the translation was "don't be prejudicial in making decisions about people". He wanted us to make SLOW, FAIR decisions, not jump to conclusions before knowing the whole story. He wanted us not to rush to crazy conclusions, and yet his sermon on the subject is many times misinterpreted and quoted by people who rush to prejudicial decisions. Aren't they  themselves judging the people they are quoting to? Of course they are, they are hypocrites, and not very bright ones at that!
Modern scholars and preachers have explained this many times, there are whole books on the subject, but those who really aren't as smart about the Bible as they think they are, still quote it in the wrong context.

There is no "one religion" or belief system. God, Creator, the Universe, Buddha, Allah, created all of it, every spec that exists .  Man molded it into his interpretation, but the root, is all from one source. Everything is from one source. "Bad" things are from that one source. Everything is a creation of the SUB. There is no "right" religion or "wrong" religion. There are a TON of people twisting and misusing the tenets of religion from Westboro, to Muslim Extremist, to those that hit that Bible and scream a quote at you (essentially saying , you are a heathen idiot and will rot in hell, while I get to be with God and you don't). Weed those people out of your life. Just because they tell you how religious they are, doesn't mean they even have a clue. When they tell you to do things that you know are wrong and hurtful, they are not speaking for the SUB. When they tell you someone will rot in hell, or their way is the only way, run like hell from them.

Being religious doesn't make people spiritual. Going to church every Sunday doesn't make them do the right things, and a person who never attends church doesn't necessarily do all the wrong things. I know people who have never stepped in a religious institution of any sort, who are better people than many of the others who live on this planet. God is looking for spiritual people, not religious people. When you go to church every Sunday and treat people like crap all week long, that little white building is not going to save your ass.

It is SOOOOOO easy. Just do the right things. My little "catchphrase" is "do the right thing FOR THE RIGHT REASONS", and beating someone down with your religion is never the right thing.

Coexist.

Peshaui Wequashimese



(C)2011 Dr. R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission