my thoughts on spirituality and religion., page 1

Here are my thoughts on religion from a couple years ago.

What does it mean to be a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or any other religious affiliation? One way to ponder this question is to ask, “Who is the deliverer of the word?” Some people read and interpret the texts of their choice independently, while others simply listen to what the religious authority preaches to them, and some have no choice. Some are actively involved in one or more of the above behaviors. And then of course there are others, like Monks, who question their religion on a regular basis as a means to keep it as pure as possible. “Doing” religion is what really empowers people to survive comfortably in this world, as opposed to just affiliating themselves. It is important for a person to do things that connect him to the spoken word and text of his religious and ideological preference so he can synchronize and align with his family or group as a whole; thus creating the greatest possible outcome for new members of the family.

There is a hypothesis that religion serves as a survival mechanism and is part of evolution. Some will argue that “the Crusades and self -sacrificing by Monks” -- things that go against survival, proves this hypothesis wrong . The answer to this lies in the fact that these individuals (Crusaders, Monks) were and are doing these things for the benefit of their greater good, which, not for their own personal gain does increase their childrens’ chance of survival and quality of life in the long run.

The famous evolutionist Theodosius Dobzhanksy quotes Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "Evolution is a light which illuminates all facts, a trajectory which all lines of thought must follow." A Christian will quote the sayings of Jesus as quoted in John 8:12 (NIV): "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." “Lines of thought” can be interpreted as every individuals’ thought processes, and Jesus, the light of the world, his spoken word, keeps people on that trajectory when they are fully engaged believers and doers of that word. When biological relatives are not engaged in a similar belief and behavior system, it could be argued that the trajectory of their evolution as a species is changed. It is as if all of a person’s ancestors have left an imprint of their schema in his genetic material. As more people with the same core belief system reproduce and teach their young and repeat, the more that biologically related group will evolve towards the ideals of that belief system. As the group grows, they positively reinforce each other’s behavior and belief systems simply by example, and also by engaging with one another in the sacred.

For someone to name himself as affiliated with any such religion or ideology is one thing, but to actually produce fruit from their labor is another. The very nature of the fruit produced depends on the core beliefs of that person, their actions following, and how close their actions line up with what they believe or preach. Some will produce nothing, others will produce something malnourishing, others will produce enough to survive, and still others will produce an abundance that can be shared if they choose. If they choose not to share with the ones they love, it becomes an object of envy and greed to those with less or nothing or those unloved. All religions and ideologies exist to manifest something from the will of man. What is actually created can change depending on the individual’s own belief and behavior pattern.

With this being said, it can be difficult to tell which religion or ideology is the correct one. Differences in culture, along with different groups, families, races, ages, etc; make it hard for one to fit all, unless it is tailored to meet the needs of each group. A noticeable change in contemporary society’s religious preference can be seen by the increasing secularization of religion on all fronts. This secularization is occurring to meet the needs of specific groups of people. The problem with this is that, although each group exists to have people believe its message and create fruit from their actions; It is difficult for a person to truly take something to heart and do something about it if they don’t understand it the way it was when it was written. Families are smaller now in modern societies than ever, which create even more specific belief systems. This secularization occurs every time a new group forms that is cut off from its originator.

How can many people resonate with the same core beliefs across all boundaries? Does the answer lie in symbolic interaction? Internalized symbols and spoken words which we all identify each other and ourselves with? Who has the authority to say what should be taught? In times of dis-ease, people will take suggestions from just about anyone.