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All religions and belief systems that
I know of are good to a point. All that I know of are
also corrupted/adulterated to some extent by humans. In
itself, this is totally understandable and even
beneficial in some cases. For example, the Muslim
beliefs have helped numerous people, but have also been
corrupted to serve individual interests out of fear. We
are, after all, human and on this planet to learn and
grow in love. How better to do this than by trying different
things, like religions and belief systems. The problem
comes in when fear enters in, usually in one of it’s
many disguises (false pride, being right, spiritual
pride, comparison, judgment, anger, exclusion, competition,
etc.), and we attempt to impose our beliefs on another.
Sometimes this provides some sort of helpful guidance to
the recipient, at other times the result is that we
impede their spiritual/emotional growth, frequently in
the guise of helping them, but really just satisfying
our own egos. I have certainly been guilty of this.
Christianity is a good example of the
drawbacks I outline in the previous paragraph. There are
many good things about Christianity and it has certainly
helped a large number of people. By following
Christianity many people have found the characteristics
of love, acceptance, inclusiveness, etc. Many
individuals have been led to these characteristics
directly through the bible, the saints or modeling
themselves after Christ or the Virgin Mary. Some have
also been led to these things indirectly after an
excursion into one of the more negative paths (see
section on “Sin and Evil” for a more thorough
explanation) and overcoming it. Either is a fine example
of growth.
However, most sects are patriarchal and very judgmental
toward those who deviate from their beliefs. This
attitude is understandable since there is a certain
exhilaration and often a feeling of justification that
comes with the domination of another individual,
especially if we convince ourselves that it is for their
own good. The exhilaration and the illusion of power
entices many individuals, such as myself, for a time.
Ultimately, this attitude leaves a hollow feeling and it
inhibits the growth of the recipient of the attitude. In
addition, this does not fit with forgiveness,
inclusiveness, love and acceptance. It is certainly
possible to maintain the appearance of being loving and
accepting while following a path of the illusion of
power and dominating others through fear, but the
feelings I describe as a clear mountain stream are
missing. The feeling is one of turbidity, and of being
twisted.
Males that insist on obedience and
use tools such as fear, guilt and shame (e.g. the threat
of hell) can be very harmful toward themselves, other
men and women. People cannot blossom as complete,
fulfilled and godly individuals in the face of guilt and
shame, though they can be obedient out of fear. On the
other hand, when approached with love and encouragement
the same people could blossom. All of these people could
become complete and fulfilled. The possibility of
blossoming certainly includes the homeless, homosexuals,
members of different sects or religions and other
disenfranchised groups. In order to blossom as a human
being, each individual involved would have to work
through their own fear, guilt and shame. Isn’t that what
living is all about?
In my personal experience with
myself and with others, guilt, shame and fear do not
really help a person grow. However, love, support, guidance and
encouragement do. When I was young, fear of being
punished certainly modified my behavior and, in a few
cases, a change that was important for my survival. For
the most part, that fear led to resentment, anger and
rebellion rather than growth. Since then I have
experienced things like love support and guidance (the
only type of things that exist in the God place) and I
have gone through growth as a result. I cannot blossom
as a person in an atmosphere of guilt, shame and fear. I
can in an atmosphere of love, support and guidance.
Judgment, guilt, fear and shame
have no place in a God conscious world.
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