April 17, 2006
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I have friends that are struggling with their faith. They are uncomfortable calling themselves Christians or Buddhists. For Christian’s friends, they believe in the teachings of Jesus, but they don’t believe in the concepts of sins and the virgin birth. For Buddhist friends, they believe in other valuable teachings but they don’t believe in the actual reincarnation and a few minor rules. As a result, my friends have difficult time fitting in any churches or temples. My experiences conclude that most traditional churches and temples do not tolerate diversity well. Because of this, they lose members who are exploring their spirituality in an authentic way.
We assumed that we go to church or temple to be with people who believe the same thing we do. If this is true, then churches and temples simply legitimize narrow-mindedness and prejudice. Anyone can find someone who agrees with his beliefs. Anyone can create a religion for insiders and exclude those who would challenge his beliefs. This has nothing to do with spirituality. It has more to do with the insecurities of the individual and his tendency to capitulate to the tyranny of the group mind.
Only by honoring the unique spiritual experiences of their membership, while emphasizing the commonality, can churches and temples speak to the deeper spiritual needs of their member. Dogma and religious hierarchies no longer make people feel safe and secure. Face to face interactions, simple participatory rituals of singing and dancing that help people open their hearts to each other are what establish the emotional bonds of community. Mutual respect and tolerance for differences are essential to creation of a safe and loving space. It is not necessary for people to have the same beliefs to experience spiritual communion with one another. Communion happens in spite of the mind, not because of it. Communion happens through the extension of love and non-judgment. It can happen anywhere, with any group of people, if they are committed to inclusive, unconditional love.
The time has come for us to redefine our churches and temples. Do we want our churches and temples to remain places where mind clings to linear beliefs in fearful agreement? Or do we want our churches and temples to become places of self-exploration, where differences are welcome? Love, not agreement, must become the bond that holds the community together.
Comments (15)
Then there is the question of why we must associate with groups – doesn’t our desire to belong only reinforce our sense of self?
Maybe you can start a new church that only excepts those who are open to diversity. Ha. Just kidding.
Why don’t you have a get together instead of going to church and that way, everyone can speak of their opinions and beliefs without going to church. Or temple.
An Idealist, ah I can’t remember anymore. But when I have time, I will look for that sheet. I still have it somewhere.
Individual belief is as unique as the individual, so I think that there is no place outside of yourself can you find it, or worship it. Until we can respect the differences between ourselves and others can we come together. I agree that we should redefine our churches and temples.
churches and mass religion scares me.
It is also time that we discover the universal values like love that is within all religions and that we have a code of seeking spirituality that is based on those universal values.
Very nicely put-together entry, Anh. I think those who struggle with their faith do not have a full or complete understanding of their faith. Check out infinatewisdom on Religion and the Spiritual Quest. She summarized it very well.
Through out history people have sought for what makes them feel spiritual. Faith is a gift,if you have it no explanation is nesarry if not, none will be accepted! Look around you at all the so called different churches all searching as you suggest for exceptance.
That seems to be an issue with primarliy large-scale institutions.
But interesting entry.
I think you are right churches loss people because we are all learning more about God all the time and need room to explore our beliefs, Hope you and Ron and the children had a wonderful holiday, Judi
I agree wit you that “Communion happens in spite of the mind, not because of it. Communion happens through the extension of love and non-judgment. It can happen anywhere, with any group of people,” However, I will give it a thought about “if they are committed to inclusive, unconditional love.” How do you define inclusive, and unconditional love? Is it a visible or invisible to our conscious mind? Religion happens because there is an innate need of human being to be belong to a larger self, it is like what Ron said “to belong” and “to reinforce the sense of self.” We all each must come to our own way to find God and our relationship with It. There is no set way of practice spirituality, either it appears to be spiritual or not. Hence, we are all in the right place at the right time. Many are One and One is many. It is not how we seek spirituality inside of outside the religion groups. It is the understanding that no matter what we choose to walk our life, either inclusive or not, we will all converge to ONE.
“We assumed that we go to church or temple to be with people who believe the same thing we do. If this is true, then churches and temples simply legitimize narrow-mindedness and prejudice.”
If this is true, churches would be dead–full of zombies. I think if we all believed EXACTLY the same thing, the churches wouldn’t be living faith, right? It’s important for us to continually grow in our faith–and as a church–because we can never FULLY know who God is. It’s about questioning, updating, and growing.
Great post here.
This post is me. I disagree with Beth here because I think most religions by definitions teach you how and what to believe, the excpetions are rare.
After reading a post like this it begs the question, Did Ron post on the wrong site?
Lenn