I love religion.
I love the holy texts, the rituals, the art, the histories, the practices, the mystical teachings and the sacred spaces. I love religion, while very aware of its obvious dangers and limitations, because for the last 15 years religion has provided insight, intellectual growth, friendships and inspiration that continue to transform my life for the better.
We all know that religion can be harsh and divisive, and these destructive qualities need to be brought in the light and confronted. I often wish, though, that those who have been hurt by, or are unshakably critical of, religion could see and feel my experience. This wish is not based on any desire to convince or convert, but to present another possibility that may expand the conversation.
Although I grew up in a Conservative Jewish home with parents who encouraged us in Judaism, until the age of 37, I wanted little to do with religion. Religion seemed to be no more than a crutch for those who are too afraid to face life directly, or a backwards tradition that had nothing to do with modern life. And I could not imagine how any intelligent adult could possibly believe in some kind of super-being who created everything, gave us texts, and cares about us in some way. I firmly believed that if only humanity could get past these ridiculous superstitions the world would be a much better place.
All this changed in a moment when suddenly, unexpectedly, and from a normal state of awareness, my defenses were stripped away and I was given a glimpse of the spiritual realm. Such moments are very difficult to describe, and always lose their reality to the limitation of language -- like reading about sex compared to having (great) sex. I can say, though, that what I experienced was beyond anything I could have conceived. In that moment I saw with microscopic clarity of vision, felt an unrestricted connection to others, and was surrounded by a loving embrace. And in that moment I received a message from a "voice" that spoke with endless compassion and wisdom. It said simply, "I love you, and you must change." I cried for the first time that I could remember, and audibly answered, "yes".
I now know this moment as grace -- the spontaneous, unwarranted, self-revelation of spirit: God's wake-up call.
No one could have been more shocked than I, and as much as I wondered if this was just a neurological malfunction or delusion, the experience started a process that changed me for the better. I began to see other people with more kindness and empathy, and for the first time felt that life has a purpose. And for this I was very grateful. It was no longer a question of whether God exists -- because I now saw that God is more than an invention to settle our fears and explain natural phenomena -- but an exploration of the nature of God as I experienced It; as something that is not in conflict with reason and science, but that actually enhances and clarifies existence.
In order to help understand this I started reading all kinds of spiritual books -- mostly non-religious -- and began to discover that my experience was by no means unique. Others had described similar encounters, and their description aligned almost exactly with mine, as though we were tourists who had visited the same lands. And I continued to have spontaneous mystical experiences, which encouraged me to continue my search.
I read holy books from many religions, and soon found wonderful writers who came from various traditions: Pierre Tielhard de Chardin, Thomas Merton, Adin Steinsaltz, Elie Wiesel, Chasidic Masters, the Dalai Lama, Rumi, and commentators on the Mahabharata and Upanishads, to name a few. These writers presented spiritual practices and teachings that were nothing like the simple image that I had carried about religion. These were not about dogma and claims of exclusive truth, but something much richer and more complex. These authors searched and struggled to understand the mystery of creation, to celebrate the beauty of life in all its pain, and to tell us of our obligations to others.
I began to explore religion in a new light, and went to Buddhist meditation retreats, Catholic Masses, Evangelical healings, various yogas, and Jewish prayer services. These all expanded my sense of what religion is and what it can be. Judaism called to me most strongly, not because I found it "better" or "truer", but because it is the tradition in to which I was born, and it felt deeply familiar, even though I had never really known it.
I gradually discovered that religion is, in its essence, a compilation of experiences and teaching from those who have glimpsed the spiritual realm, have known of its transformative power, and have tried to communicate this to others so that we may be more fully alive. Religion is to the spirit what a gymnasium is to the body, and a school is to the mind. This does not mean that one needs religion to be spiritual -- just as one does not need to go to a gym to be physically fit -- and much of my spiritual practice is not specifically religious. But at its best religion sets out in a systematic way to help us nurture spirit and care for each other.
Of course religion has been hijacked for a variety of destructive reasons, and as I wrote earlier, this must be addressed directly. But much of the criticism of religion is simply not true. While religion is often pointed to as the cause of most wars, this is not statistically accurate. Greed and power are the cause of most wars. The vast majority of wars have not been overtly religious -- unless one claims that Nationalism, Communism or Nazism are religions, in which case the definition of "religion" becomes so distorted as to be meaningless. And, statistically, most religious people are not fundamentalists, and most recognize the validity of other traditions. I encourage those who are totally opposed to religion to look at it realistically and with an open mind.
The need to praise and to give thanks to something greater than our selves is a basic human impulse, and when done with clear intention and with a supportive community elevates us and makes our lives happier and more effective. Without this we can descend in to lives devoted only to filling personal desires. Religion proclaims that there is more to reality that our normal perceptions can recognize, that life is sacred, that we must love each others, and that gratitude is the highest state of being. For this reason it deserves my love.
Rabbi Avi Weiss: Offering Thanks: Reflections on 25 Years of a Gift of Life
Religious views on love - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Love as religion—"I'm truly blessed for everything you give me ...
I Love GOD - Sacred texts (holy books) of various world religions
Why Do Religions Teach Love and Yet Cause So Much War? by ...
Hallucination is a more appropriate description than “neurological malfunction or delusion” and I’m surely glad that I don’t need them to feel empathy or purpose.
“The need to praise and to give thanks to something greater than our selves is a basic human impulse . . . Without this we can descend in to lives devoted only to filling personal desires.”
I don’t have that impulse.
It seems pretty obvious that, even with that impulse, some lives are devoted only to filling personal desires (like the personal desire to legislate Something Greater’s rules).
Are we really to think that Alan Lurie was some monster with zero compassion and empathy for others, never doing a selfless thing that wasn't somehow advancing his base desires, and couldn't find something meaningful worth to devote time to until finally at age 37, he FINALLY head a voice in his head telling him to try to be a semi-decent human being? Really?! Is this story even remotely the truth?
In spite of my resolve not to respond to ad hominem comments, I have to ask; is part of your "kindness and empathy" accusing others of lying? What I wrote is factually true.
Also, I never claimed that one needs to believe in God to be kind, and that atheists could not be kind (I was actually a very kind atheist who raised two wonderful children and volunteered at hospitals. I'm not sure where you concluded that I was "some kind of monster").
And, out of curiosity, what do you "selflessly do for others?
- G. K. Chesterton
Unfortunately, the human mind is usually unprepared and, once the experience is past, applies it's own particular spin and interpretation to it, reaching often unwarranted conclusions and working to fit it into some pre-existing framework--usually that of the religion of one's culture--in order to deal with it in this world. If Alan had been a Hindu, the experience would probably have led him to interpret it in Hindu terms.
The fact of the experience, though, is the significant thing, not the subsequent interpretation or framing, nor anything the experiencer says about what everyone else should do or think.
I too rejected religion for many years. I had to become a Yogi to become a Christian, Buddhist, Krishna, Moses and Mohhamad. Who taught to each person to expand their awareness that they are not just the World and waking state consciousness, but the Universe itself
My study and experience taught me the original teachings were to each person to transcend their Ego Self of the me, I and my desires/wants, emotions and sense pleasures; to a higher self that did not just belong to to earth and physical material but the Cosmos. Events beyond personal experience far far away in Galaxies within the stars were my experience too as were the subatomic universe within a living cell
This transcendence did not disinigrate the physical material and Carnal world waking state, it expanded it and gave it real purpose and meaning that transcended we are all ONE. No personal GOD, but GOD Consciousness itself within, without our nature. The spirit of the Universe
but I don't worship the Brothers Grimm...
Reading can neither produce nor lead to revelatory or higher consciousness.
Hence Lao Tzu's:"The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao."
Hence the fact that figureheads of major religions ( if they existed) never wrote anything down themselves.
More reality can be experienced by 30 minutes of deep contemplation than reading a 1000 books.
But as you say how does one know his true nature if he cannot deny his bodies desires/wants, emotions and sense pleasures. Eventually the Knowing is not subject to denial, it is pure knowing
"If your awareness is strong enough to move the Mountain, you are aware the Mountain is their for a purpose beyond your own" -Parmahansa Yogananda
If reality is not duality, then what some call miracles is simply subatomic or Cosmic nature, yet unknown to science
I have searched the New Testament, Bagavad Gita, Writing of Buddha and cannot find where Christ, Buddha, Krishna or Science said the earth was created in 7 days. I only find Atheist lying about it. Claiming these great Sages were the source of those lies. No they taught each person to seek the Truth of their own Nature within Nature. Without influence of Dogma, Worshipping Idols, Personal GOD or Carnal World limited knowledge of Man' experience.
Trust me your nature is not a Career, your Nation State, a centruy you lived or those who shared the earth with you at this moment of time. You nature is alive and living much more than yesterday or tomorrow. It is NOW and uninfluinced by delusion or imagination. Not that imagination or affirmation cannot lead to an expantion of you NOW
The 6 days mentioned in Genesis are not 24 hours they are thousands of years in length. Ay Psalm 95v11 we read "Concerning whom I swore in my anger: They shall not enter into my resting-place.
This was written 2500 years after God said on the 7th days he rested. At this point the 7th day was already 2500 years old. At Hebrews Chap4 Paul also alludes to the 7th day showing that it was still continuing in his day. (4000 years old.) All the previous 6 days ended but the 7th day did not end infact it is still going on today. Some 6000 years old at this time.
The Hebrew word yohm: ‘A day; a long time; the time covering an extraordinary event.’—Old Testament Word Studies, page 109.
In Genesis 1v1 we read In The beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The bible does not give a date for this so it could easily be millions if not billions of years ago. The bible and science are not in conflict. The problem lies with the creationists whos interpretation is clearly at odds with the bible.
What you call Religion I would call CHURCHiantiy and not the teachings of Christ, Buddha or Krisha
Who taught each person to transcend their own EGO Self to a higher self awareness of a Cosmic Energy and Light of enlightenment.
Unfortunately, many get lost in Church and not the direction of personal expansion of the great Sages. Many get lost in Attacking the Church for Man's own actions or the Churches involvement in waking state activity.
But the truth is available to all from within and without, with a teacher who points the way or from self actualization and transcendence. No one transcends his EGO from a group activity of worship or thinking as far as I know
And that cannot be denied. I would call that Existence truth. Yet some only call truth only what man's limited knowledge knows with science.
That I would call lack of knowledge or ignorance
It takes away the reality that might be too painful to accept. If you ever hear someone say, "I love smoking Pot". It is probably that they love the escape it provides, the numbness that takes away all the pain and worry of everyday life. The intense appreciation they get from music or conversation while smoking pot etc. All of this is no different that Alan Lurie's appreciation of Religion.
It makes him feel good, and in life if we find something that makes us feel good, then we should embrace it and enjoy it. But this rarely happens with the religious. Even if they have a personal relationship with a personal God, who answers prayers, speaks to them, and comforts them they will never be happy (You would think they would). They will never be truly happy until you believe it too......
Becoming aware does take denial of human body wants/desires, emotions and sense pleasures. Rather than simply reaction to waking state activity. But once one sees the Light and is beyond the Carnal World and body it does not make any difference what he puts into his mouth.
But he must cross the threshold of dope not to be a dope. Then dope if you want just don't be a dope by being STUCK ON DOPE