Who is really more arrogant – the believer who is oblivious to science or the atheist cynical of faith? It’s undoubtedly a tie.
Many spiritual leaders and likely an equal number of scientists look forward to the day when science and religion will meet and achieve consensus. Although I would welcome that possibility, the likelihood appears elusive, at least for now. Religion seems to require too much dogma and blind obedience to appeal a rational, scientific mind. And science seems to be too quick to discount that spiritual things must be discerned on the spiritual level.
Note: Forgive the self-plagiarism here, but I’m going to lift a section from my book Radical Rebirth book here, to set the stage from the discussion that follows.
I get asked frequently why I’m so hard on organized religion. Most who ask the question believe I’m on a crusade to convert the world to atheism. In actuality, that’s the last thing I want to do. There are many people whose faith nourishes their lives and souls in wondrous ways, and that’s a beautiful thing to behold. Years ago, I was attending a Christmas Eve service at the Unity on the Bay church in Miami. The lights were off, with the only illumination provided by the candles 800 of us were holding while singing “Silent Night.” I remember thinking at that moment that if religion was just some crazy shit made up by humans – it’s was some pretty good shit.
I don’t have the slightest idea whether god exists. No one does. It's an issue I think about a lot because it meets some of my criteria for favorite questions:
- It questions a premise.
- You can’t readily deduce the answer.
- It makes my brain hurt.
- The question itself leads to a never-ending series of additional questions.
So, I have zero issues whether you believe in a supernatural entity or don’t. The rational, logical, analytical, compulsive, addictive, controlling aspects of me rebel against the idea of giving away my power. I fiercely protect and defend the power to choose my thoughts and create my future. But truth is, there are moments for each of us when we desperately need to give away our power. Many former addicts point to the moment they recognized a power greater than themselves as the turning point in their recovery. At some point, all of us need to choose powerlessness – to voluntarily surrender our power and break down sobbing in the arms of another, allowing them to be powerful for us. For many people religion provides this outlet.
My fight is not with god but organized religion. The fight is driven by my desire to combat the two most destructive and dangerous beliefs religions propagate:
- That you are not worthy to be healthy, happy, and prosperous.
- That your real life hasn’t begun yet, and if you patiently slog your way through the warm-up, you’ll be rewarded with your true life (and happiness) later.
It’s like your mom promising if you eat your broccoli, you’ll get ice cream, so you choke down the green stuff only to discover there is no Ben & Jerry’s. Millions of people are unconsciously rushing through what they believe is a prologue to their life but is actually a prologue to their death. And there aren’t many situations more tragic than a life not lived.
If you have a faith that enhances and enriches your life, you are most certainly blessed. But if your faith causes you to hold back, limit yourself, or shower judgement upon others, it isn’t serving you.
A belief that views humankind as poor, weak, and afraid is a negative belief. A belief that the person you can become has already been predetermined is a toxic belief. A belief that you have a creator that created you in bondage to remain there, is an extremely destructive belief. Beliefs like these come from a combination of brainwashing, lazy thinking, and low self-esteem. They are born from blind obedience to doctrines and dogma.
Doctrines and dogma should never be worshiped but meticulously, thoroughly, and methodically questioned.
What kind of god would create humankind in a predetermined bondage and for what purpose? If you believe in that type of god, you forsake the greatest gift humanity has been blessed with. The human right (whether god-given or inherent) to learn and grow; to discover oneself. One of the religious parables which has survived for 2,000 years is that of the prodigal son. And what is the lesson of that, if not that we must make our own discoveries?
Please. Take responsibility for your own life. And live it with the prosperity that is your birthright.
Peace,
- RG
Previous post: Bend the Universe to Your Will
Prosperity TV
Dearest Narco..."a shrinking cock, droopy boobs and the barcode" LET me explain... yes any parent would agree, a shrinking cock due to lack of sex, droopy boobs after years of feeding.. but hey, what is the bigger picture at play here, to procreate (barcoded sunshine) and for LGBT a level of service to our fellow humans (sorry , barcoded) we are all on a default programme to serve humanity.. and who is behind all of this, yep the spirit, universal intelligence, god, call it what you want... now if by chance you were bored to death at a pigoen race in bali,yep. my balinese surfing instructor took me to such thing (calm down randy, i never got the six pack and always fell off the board).. but what fascinated me was how the pigeons would fly in a straight line.. because their female counterpart was being held at the end of the race track.. now you would think, hell these pigeons look all the same.. obviously not to the pigeon (barcoded by the pigeon spirits to procreate)... yes, yes yes i agree stop being a sheep and develop a personal relationship with spirit itself.. once developed you are fairly fucked because there is no going back... i have a new girlfriend.. florence scovel shinn, i keep her book by my pillow, so when i wake up around 5, i would read just a couple of lines and let them penetrate into my old fashioned brain....anyway it is mother's day here and since we are not being too gender specific, i wish you happy mother's day.... LOVE G UK
hi randy, well you will see about spirit the goal post always changes, just when you think you have cracked it a new idea appears... ... i will give you a warning , this a true story, as all my stories are...lets go back to auyounang. .., thailand, see i saw the pink laced pants, , beautiful as they were , this was not my laundry... but in that second i was taught to say the hail mary, i always knew the hail mary... ... but now i was told to really use the hail mary....... so two weeks later i was visited by what, call it the devil. call it the human ignorance.. so it was like a claw going through you to rip out every part of you(not funny).. the hail mary stopped it.. the point is when you set up in such a spirituall adventure...You may get broken and put apart..... so when you ask the question of spirit you will know the answer... gage you are a part of it.. LOVE G
Quite frankly the world's mainstreams religions don't even read and teach form the very bibles anymore. Look at Matthew 15:7-8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. The very sad thing is they are steeped in apostasy and Babylonian teachings going way back to Nimrod. Who did Nimrod worship? The SUN God, not the God of the Holy inspired Bible.