• Thank you to Carol and Steve Bowman, the forum owners, for our new upgrade!

The importance of actions.

Totoro

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
I was ruminating the other night on the link between religious observances and practices and reincarnation. What happens when you change religions or more importantly, how do you separate between culture, cultural practices and the truth of religion?

Ive been mulling this over lately and thought i would ask for some help and sleep on it. The answer i got was "its important not to misrepresent yourself through your actions".

I think the most important thing to remember is that God is not a Christian. Jew, Muslim or any other religion. Anything that we may do here on earth is simply for our own comfort or enjoyment. All God really cares about is how we treat other people and how we use each life that we have been given.

We must realize that taking part in religious or cultural practices is not the same thing as taking the opportunity, when we see it, to help others and to spread kindness. We can partake in those things if it brings us comfort or connection to others, but to God, what we do with what we have been given matters most.
 
Yes. Totoro. I agree with this.

We must realize that taking part in religious or cultural practices is not the same thing as taking the opportunity, when we see it, to help others and to spread kindness. We can partake in those things if it brings us comfort or connection to others, but to god, what we do with what we have been given matters most.
I remember taking part in all different flavors of religious practices from the year dot in India, China, Rome, the Americas, Europe, ancient times, whatever ... It's all the same thing.


As long as people are feeling good about what they're doing, coming together as a community, feeling a touch of the 'divine' and not hurting anyone, it's fine with me. I don't care what they do, or what they think they're doing or why and I'll happily join in if they're doing something interesting and joyful and spiritual. The more the better I say.


I don't think God (however you conceive Her) minds one way or the other as long as people are happy and feeling the 'love'. I would only think Her brow would become slightly furrowed by people arguing about it.
 
I never applied the appellation "Christian" to myself, Totoro, even before I realized what a pagan I was. So few people actually deserve to wear Christ's name, and I'm sure that applies to other great religions as well. I sensed it would be an offense to God to misrepresent myself, as you stated in your post. I think that the dominant religion of a culture does become woven into the fabric of the society. Following one "master" represents our feeble efforts to grasp the Divine, and hopefully, the Divine understands, and tolerates the efforts that we make with a good heart.
 
What happens in other lives when we switch religions... interesting totoro and something I've thought a lot about. It seems religion and faith have always been a major part of the lives I remember. And perhaps the greatest... no, I should write GREATEST, lesson I've learned in this life is that it is all the same thing! I don't want to go on a long dissertation here (cows & critters to feed:rolleyes:) but the Great Spirit, Creator, God, Allah, (however you conceive Her... thanks Tang) has revealed or not revealed exactly what Creation needs. So when I went from ancient holyman/healer/pagan... to Monk/priest/Christian... to Shaman/medicine-man... to French Cathar... to Buddhist-Christian, I am very comfortable in saying, in my opinion;) it is ALL the same thing.


I was elated to read that Pope Francis made some compassionate ecumenical statements this past week.


I believe that the critical aspect of talking about religion is to put aside the hate and condemnation and the high altar of self righteousness. We simply cannot continue to debase each other over God. Richard Rohr a current-time Christian mystic, has been writing and preaching this theme for years. He says that instead of looking at another's belief with contempt and condemnation we look at them with the eye of genuine wonder and compassion. How we see our own spirituality is rooted (in my opinion) in the identity of our soul. As we reincarnate into new lives the soul knows truth. Yet as a part of our soul's process of discovery we seek to experience the Creator in every form, from Athiesm, to Christianity, to Buddhism, Taoism, Paganism. The sad part is that the mortal ego wants to define everything in human terms... and we can see how that works.


So in a nut shell as I run out the door.... BE COMPASSIONATE in word and deed when talking about another persons faith. Their soul is on the same journey, perhaps they have something to teach us. Compassionate discourse will heal the world a lot faster than bitter and judgmental words.


“People who’ve had any genuine spiritual experience always know that they don’t know. They are utterly humbled before mystery. They are in awe before the abyss of it all, in wonder at eternity and depth, and a Love, which is incomprehensible to the mind.” ~Richard Rohr


Have a great day!


Tman
 
Tinkerman said:
What happens in other lives when we switch religions... interesting totoro and something I've thought a lot about. It seems religion and faith have always been a major part of the lives I remember. And perhaps the greatest... no, I should write GREATEST, lesson I've learned in this life is that it is all the same thing! I don't want to go on a long dissertation here (cows & critters to feed:rolleyes:) but the Great Spirit, Creator, God, Allah, (however you conceive Her... thanks Tang) has revealed or not revealed exactly what Creation needs. So when I went from ancient holyman/healer/pagan... to Monk/priest/Christian... to Shaman/medicine-man... to French Cathar... to Buddhist-Christian, I am very comfortable in saying, in my opinion;) it is ALL the same thing.
I was elated to read that Pope Francis made some compassionate ecumenical statements this past week.


I believe that the critical aspect of talking about religion is to put aside the hate and condemnation and the high altar of self righteousness. We simply cannot continue to debase each other over God. Richard Rohr a current-time Christian mystic, has been writing and preaching this theme for years. He says that instead of looking at another's belief with contempt and condemnation we look at them with the eye of genuine wonder and compassion. How we see our own spirituality is rooted (in my opinion) in the identity of our soul. As we reincarnate into new lives the soul knows truth. Yet as a part of our soul's process of discovery we seek to experience the Creator in every form, from Athiesm, to Christianity, to Buddhism, Taoism, Paganism. The sad part is that the mortal ego wants to define everything in human terms... and we can see how that works.


So in a nut shell as I run out the door.... BE COMPASSIONATE in word and deed when talking about another persons faith. Their soul is on the same journey, perhaps they have something to teach us. Compassionate discourse will heal the world a lot faster than bitter and judgmental words.


“People who’ve had any genuine spiritual experience always know that they don’t know. They are utterly humbled before mystery. They are in awe before the abyss of it all, in wonder at eternity and depth, and a Love, which is incomprehensible to the mind.” ~Richard Rohr


Have a great day!


Tman
I felt same about god and religion and actions in his name


rather self centered since time bible was written.


As far as switching religions at least two lives


i didn't believe in religion or god.
 
Totoro and T-man, wonderful thoughts wonderfully stated...I'd add something but I believe you've both said it all.
 
Back
Top