I also do not want those that have differnt faiths other than the Christian God to think that I was yet another agent seeking to convert, diminish or destroy those people and thier faiths. Let me be clear about that. I would never attempt to do so, because of my personal definition of the application of faith.
The other reason is that, in my view, some peoples relationship with thier religion has created a stronger bond to them than the actual desire to have a relationship with thier God and to become an agent of that God.
At the end of the day, I am someone that believes in a single God, and like other monotheists, I have my own idea of who that God is as a person or being, and that my view is the most correct. Although, I think I am inherrently given some extra merrit, because I am aware of it.
I believe that God is very much the example of the perfect parent. He created this universe, the world and all the truths that lie within them as the system that exemplifies Him and teaches the lessons to us that He would want us to learn. What I believe He wants from us is to have a relationship with Him (what parent would want to be shunned by their children?), He wants us to stop our self destructiveness (what parent would want to watch thier children hurt themselves?), and, most of all, He wants us to focus our goodwill and positive efforts toward the benefit of others. Imagine a world where we as a people would actually try and build people up rather than tear them down. However simple that sounds, it is so hard to practice in a world of fear and anger. I am no exception to this. I try very hard, but I too succumb to the edicts of fear and anger and lose sight of the real truth, the only truth that can ultimately set us all free.
I also believe in faith. To me, faith means that if the ideas and beliefs that I believe in are so right and true, I don't need to try and force feed them to anyone. I can display them. I can talk about them. And I can offer advice or counsel if I am asked or prompted to. But, in my view, those that try and legistrate personal choice or morality and those that concern themselves in the decisions of others that have no direct impact upon them, are weak in faith. If any ideal is an actual universal truth, designed by God, then the consequences of breaching that truth or the rewards of adhering to it, will play themselves out naturally, without the help of any instiution, foundation, association or committee of man.
I wonder if those people that grapple with control of our lives actually believe at all. If so, why wouldn't they see that they interferr with God's ability to honestly deal with us. Put it to you this way, what is the value of a "good" judgement if it was never really yours to make because of the systems of control layed upon us by others?
We also have to make our own mistakes as individual people and learn our own lessons from those mistakes. Without the benefit of personal and intimate experience and knowledge driven from the rewards and consequences of making our own way in the world, we would truely be a more ignorant people.
Over everything else, I belive that God gave us all free agency, and only those who believe thier judgements to be better than God, or those that believe themselves to be God, would dare attempt to usurp the authroity of God.
For myself, I believe that I can serve God by being an agent of peace and freedom. By offering help and kindness to all others, regaurdless of any of the items of separation and difference that we allow into our hearts as righteous and justified. And I do not believe in bad people, just bad behaviours.
No comments:
Post a Comment