Saturday, February 21, 2009

Religious Ecstasy



by Andro Ramirez

Since youth, it was impressed upon me to ask questions on things I do not understand. And if an answer is given me, to not just accept the response as an absolute truth. I was always challenged to dig deeper and to learn how to discern for myself and relay my findings. I can't say if it was unfortunate for me that I didn't have the benefit of having constant contact with kids my age to interact with during my formative years, except maybe in the Catholic school my parents enrolled me in. I was always with adults 20 to 40 years my senior and I found that I could relay my thoughts with ease with my older relatives and teachers than my classmates. I can't remember how, but an aunt found, and she still insists to this day, that I learned to read even before I learned to speak fluently. She says, my favorite books then were bible stories. My five favorite words were what, why, where, when, and how. Words that have an entirely different meaning during my teenage years when I also learned what "party" means, in a time when I realized what I might have been missing. Well, it was not much, but it was and still is, fun.

Growing up in a military family, it was my constant question to my relatives in the service the morality and justification of having to kill, if need be, for love of God and country. But didn't God say: Thou shalt not kill? Around this time, I learned the bible in itself contained records of atrocities that man committed against man in an era long past. Which lead to more questions and a search for more answers.

For some, religion provides a moral compass. For others, it provides spiritual uplifting. Whatever the reason, religion has, in a way, distorted the perception of what it truly means to live for the glory of a God. This has been going on since time past. Religion per se, have been dividing the people for centuries. In this time of crisis, and because of the blind submission to religion by the majority, I wouldn't be surprised if attendance in services increases while collection boxes dwindle.

Am I Catholic? Well, I was baptized to be one. Do I believe in God? Certainly I do. But the belief I have of God now is not the cookie cutter mold set out by men in flowing robes during my youth. They imposed that I needed to follow certain protocols just to be pleasing in the eyes of my God. How can I not be pleasing in His eyes? Him, the one being that is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent made us, didn't He? Well technically by virtue of having human parents, like their parents before them, and so on and so forth.

Where do these religious fanatics get all these? And who hands it down to them? Oh and please, don't give me that "it's all in the bible" diversion. I've lived with that all my life, and I've read several versions of the bible. I have also read the Koran and several others on Taoism, Buddhism, and the like. Have any of you wondered where the bible came from? Yes that consistent bestselling book favored by many Christians. Why are there several versions? And for those not in the know, the bible we know of today is actually composed of several different books. It has been translated and edited several times over time from the originals where they came from. I don't know with you, but there has to be something lost in translation in the existing versions. And while we are on the subject, please, can some "expert theologian" clarify for me the necessity and significance of Vatican II. In addition, because of the present political, social, economic, and technological changes, will there be a need for a Vatican III?

Faith "IN" religion is the biggest malady present in every religious organization these days. We need only to open our eyes. Accept that the supposed "truth" most of us grew up with, is not absolute. Like processed food, religion has been infused with so much additives and preservatives to make it more appealing and palatable. Forgetting the fact that food is there to sustain life but with so much artificial and synthetic substances added, it has been poisoning us figuratively and literally the more we consume. Religion, in my point of view, has lost its purity of form and genuine intent.

Answer me these: All religions preaches love, peace, charity, etc., etc. Now why do we still have wars? Why do we still have hungry people? If one follows all the edicts of their religious affiliation, does that make them better persons? If you say, yes to the last question, how so? Who set the qualifications, why, and what for? Where will all these lead? Puzzling isn't it? And there are still more questions that one must learn to ask. And one must learn to ask the right ones.

In times of war, assuming both leagues of combatants pray to the same God, which side does He choose? Does He really choose a side or does he decide to decimate both sides. Well, assuredly, the latter is the result. But does He choose it to be so? I say not. How arrogant of us to say or even think for God. What of our prayers then? Are we praying to a non-existing entity and pinning our hopes and faith in a God who doesn't care? After all, based on their teachings, we are all His creations and can be disposed of as He pleases. I'm not deeply religious but I say nay both instances.

What any church is forgetting is that we all, have been bestowed the power of FREE WILL. The right to choose for ourselves. That follows for whatever religion, sect, cult and what have you. We have the power to choose whether we want to be in the side of light or dark. I am not deeply religious like I said before, but tell me who would you rather believe? A gift given to you by a Creator or a set of laws made by men whose covert aim is to control your growth as a human being, if, and only if. Think and search within you, the answer is there.

We all have FREE WILL.

If you choose to be with the light, then be good for all its worth and share it. If you chose to be in the dark. Then do so because you also have the right to it. But please, do not involve good people in your affairs regardless of religion; much more never involve the young to wallow in your enterprise. And please no pretensions. It will seep out like a cracked rotten egg no matter how hard one tries to conceal it. Always remember that once caught, you still have to contend with punitive measures and legal edicts set by man. So why make your life complicated?

Guilt and conscience are two effective tools any organized religion uses to make their devotees fall in line. Which makes one with a clear mind think especially in these uncertain times: Are we really following the edicts of God or that of fallible men? In times of war, the one who incited the conflict shoulders the greatest sin. Case in point, from Lucifer the Light Bringer, to Satan Prince of Darkness. No need to cite examples in modern day terms. They are all around us. From the echelons of society to the halls of government, and even in our places of worship.

Truth does hurt especially for some whose belief structure, indoctrinated in them all their lives, has been allayed. It is therefore hard to accept to be faced with the fact that the truth we know is not absolute. All organized religion has flaws. We must learn to accept that. Saying otherwise would be foolish. It doesn't matter what group you belong to and it definitely doesn't make one a better person just to be associated with one. Well, not unless you choose to be a better person than the rest of the flock. And that goes to your credit as an individual, not to the religious organization you belong to.

But why dwell on religion alone? For the most part, life in itself is already complex, and religion only complicates matters even further. The realization of dealing with our mortal birth, life, and eventual death is already quite an imposing venture. Death however does not discriminate. Religions do.

Let me just clarify that I am referring to RELIGION and not FAITH.

Do not be confused with one for the other. My view is that they are entirely different. And saying that one is synonymous with the other would be highly irregular. One can have religion but not faith, and vice versa. All religions, however, claim that we are the vanguards of the earth. Fine, let's do that. Why not heed this and preserve this planet of ours so that future generations can enjoy living here much as we do now? Whatever is left of it from our daily abuse.

Religion has always been a delicate subject in any discussion. But if one looks at it from a different perspective, we need not concern ourselves with what our religious leaders say and the consequences that comes if we do not heed their words. I say, those are their words. Not the words of your God. The God you should have genuine FAITH in. Assuming of course, you dear reader, believe in the existence of a God.