Thanks to my friend, Jason and his wife Rachel for letting me use this picture of their adorable son Lukas. When I look at Lukas in the leaves I see the pretty ideal of happiness and joy with a bit of giggle around the corners of the mouth. Continuing my redux of Religious Paradigms, I'd love to think that this is what I can look like when seen by my Creator or by my fellow people of Faith - smiling, ready, willing, calm, unafraid.
In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not trying to change anyone's existing Religious Faith. In fact, I suggest that any of the Cornerstones or Behaviors that I have suggested can be performed by anyone of any Faith without being in conflict wih their core beliefs.
Civility, Decency, Tolerance, Respect, Compassion, Willingness - though lacking in current Fundamentalist micro-sects of Islam, Christianity, Judaism - allowing them to Hate - are not part of the greater and more moderate Faiths from which they spring.
Extremist, Fundamentalist, Purist versions of all religions find their genesis in FEAR and the INSECURITY that grows into an ARROGANCE that THEY and ONLY THEY know the way to Paradise. A shaking clenched fist can hold no love.
DOGMA is no product of FAITH. DOGMA is the product of DOUBT. True FAITH is alive, plastic and FEARS no CHANGE.
Our relationship to our Creator has no place for Fear or Isolation. It is our duty to reach out accross lines of Faith, our simple Cornerstone Beliefs giving us "cover" and loveingly help to heal our shared Insecurities. Challenge yourself to allow your Faith beyond the box. God didn't shape your box, you did out of tradition, insecurity and Fear.
3 comments:
Please help me to live!
https://www.fundable.org/groupactions/klajdi2/groupaction_view
Yes ,this is what I wish to send out to the universe,(DANG!)I just keep wanting to call that creator Jesus ,and yet is hard for me to seperate the "cheerleaders" of the Christian faith with the man himself,I even read up on Buddha ,but those folks ask us to suspend our disbelief even more(atleast his peeps aren't as seemingly closed -minded). I participated in a fund raiaser last Jan.,and chose and sang Judas' Heaven on their minds(from JC superstar),it was an extraordinary exploration for me. If you have not heard that song as of late ,give it a listen.
PS,precious baby!
I have read very little here. I happened upon your blog as I was changing some things at one of
mine, "went to the next blog" and here I am. My friend said to me last evening ... It is like I keep hearing God say to me ... Get me out of the box, let me out of the box. Jesus is my veil (covering) to enter the fullness pure and Holy. Hopefully I can read more to get and Idea of how your faith is encouraged. I suspect a gift from the Holy Spirit, if so, PTL!
Zoe
http://unamentebelle.blogspot.com
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