Board:   [DoveNet] Religious Discussion/Debate/Evangelism
Subject: Spirituality
From:    Grasshopper
Date:    Tue Jun 30, 2020 02:00

@VIA: ONENESS
  Re: Spirituality
  By: Moondog to Grasshopper on Mon Jun 29 2020 09:31 am

Hello Moondog,

 > Could you please elaborate?  What have you witnessed to support this?  I'm
 > curious as to how you've reached this conclusion.

Let me try to answer you. I was a devout Catholic for many, many years. I listened with my heart at the teachings that were given to me in Catechism. I listened with my heart at what the Priest read for the gospel and then the homily. As I grew older I became disheartenedat what I saw in the majority of the people and yes, sometimes the Priest himself. I found that for most the words were hollow.Everyone listened but most did not do what was just spoken
in the gospel. I wanted to shout hypocrites during mass. I saw so many as just "whited sepluchers". I am not saying everyone in the church was like that but
it did seem to be almost all.  The getting angry because someone is driving too slow to get out of the church parking lot. Or purposefully cutting someone off in the church parking lot because someone's time is more valuable than someone elses. At one time, the Priest himself stated he would try to make the mass shorter so everyone can get home and watch the football game.  A "football
game" really? That is more important than hearing the word of God? I have seen these things play out in so many different ways through out my life that I finally decided it was enough.

I think the message Jesus gave was wonderful and a lot could be learned from
it. I just feel people havejust watered it down so much that it has been cheapened. I have nothing against people who go to church. I just hope they go for the right reasons.  I hope they 'open their ears and hear'. But, I feel
that doesn't happen for so many.  It is sad. The beautiful messages are right there and yet it might as well not be there for so many.  Many will come but
few will listen.

There is more but that may be more of a novel then. So, going to church is not
a bad thing. Being Catholic is not a bad thing. It is whatpeople do with it that makes it bad or good. And unfortunately I have seen more of the bad than good.
I was also of the generation where Priests taught 'fire and brim stone' which does not go over well. It is hard to think of a God who would be so spiteful because of not believing a certain way. Is it the believing or is the "good" a person does that makes the world a better place?

Hence, for me, it is more about spirituality. I now feel there are many paths
to God. Not just a single one. It is the "goodness" in oneself that leads one
to God. The willingness to help your fellow person. To think of others first, regardless of theirreligion. To respect others regardless. This is Jesus at
his essence. He didn't care about other's religion. He is love. And with love there can be no hate or discrimination.  How can anyone with love in their
heart be "bad" because they aren't of anotherreligion. Religion, in my eyes, has caused division. Love knows no religion.  I am talking about the "love"
like Jesus had for people. With that, sort of caring, there can be no bad deeds because that would contradict "Love".

I don't know if I conveyed the depths of what I am trying to say or why I made that statement but I hope I have made the start of an impression of that statement.

Peace and Love, Love and peace to all.

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 ■ Synchronet ■ The Meditative Mind - oneness-bbs.dragonflymoon.org
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