There are two conversations I love to have with people, one on politics and the other on religion. There’s something to be said for those uncomfortable moments in life where you’re not quite sure if you’re going to tear someone’s head off for feeling differently or give someone a hug because you’ve found common ground.
Spirituality is my focus today, inspired by a Catholic believer by the name of Logtar. He posts about his search for truth and how he has landed in Catholicism, a religion he grew up believing. Not surprisingly, religion is intricately tied to where you live. For instance, if you grew up in America, it’s quite likely you were baptised Christian. In India, it’s quite likely that you are Hindu, Thailand, a Buddhist, and so on. So one can surmise that our search for truth is typically one of convenience or comfort. And one can further surmise that our search for truth is dependent upon what our parents told us.
I have come to understand that our times of greatest clarity and understanding comes right after we’ve been challenged. If sprituality is the fire of our lives, than those uncomfortable challenging moments are the gasoline. And rather than avoid those moments and take comfort in just what we know, why not dive head first into the unknown, all the while knowing that you will emerge different and more evolved on the other side?
Being an Athiest, a Catholic, Presbyterian or Hindu is not the pinnacle of enlightenment. It is merely a stepping stone to the truth that is inevitably out there waiting to be discovered. And isn’t discovery exciting? It’s the same reason we stay to the end of a movie when we know the ending ahead of time (Titanic anyone?). It’s discovering “how” it ends that makes all the difference.
Life is more than a movie (even Star Wars, peeps). And its exponentially more exciting discovering the answers for yourself, especially when you contribute to the end of the story with each passing day.
May 5th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
I agree that spirituality is a search for a larger truth (or “meaning” as I think Logtar put it). But I would submit that the actual discovery of truth/meaning is not as important as the search for same.
In fact, I’m not so sure that the discovery of the ultimate truth is even possible. It is the search, however, that leads to the kind of evolution you mention.
It is when we give up searching and trying that we are in danger of becoming nihilistic or falling into a kind of spiritual entropy.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:43 am
Logtar approves of emawkc’s message!
As for Banky… BLASPHEMY! StarWars is the end all path to the FORCE!
You are right Banky, it has a lot to do with were you grew up. My spiritual journey has actually been traveled and I actually came back to Catholicism because it feels not only familiar but part of who I am and became. That is not to say that I do not respect atheism, or any other choice… I can be as cynical about religion as the next guy, but I chose to once in a while try to bring a message of hope and love.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Atheists can bring the same message of hope and love. The Dalai Lama is a wonderful example of that. I base much of my spirituality on the fact that we are all connected. I can respect that you work on the assumption that God may be the glue that binds us. For me God just doesn’t fit into the equation.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
The search is important, and amazing. I was raised in the (rather narrow-minded) Church of Christ. No pianos, no instruments when we sang, and everybody else was going to hell. I was agnostic for awhile. Then amazingly became Pentecostal.
Now I attend various churches sporadically, but can’t really tell you WHAT kind of Christian I am. I’ve learned to love the rosary. I’ve also found that in my old age, I love some things about my previously abandoned Church of Christ.
Go figure.
May 7th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Equation? When was it you came to point in your life that you didn’t believe in god? Was it a slow progression, media, friends, family or was it an instance? Did you ever believe in a god?
May 7th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I let go of a belief in God a couple of years ago. I became serious about my spiritual path about 4 years ago and it was a fairly slow progression if you look at slow being a year or two. I just realized I didnt need God to explain the mysteries of life anymore and that its more important for religion to preach its centuries old dogma than to encourage its followers to continue along with a crooked, long and winding spiritual path.
Question whatever you’ve been taught and take delight in the different answers that await you.