My life, from birth to 18 years old, revolved around Southern Baptist Theology. After 18, which was a time when I felt like I finally had the right to chose and think for my self - spiritually speaking - I began to walk a different path with God. It has been a struggle (which I still deal with), as I continuously discover that the religious foundations that were so diligently taught to me are, well.. not true. Trying to tear down the wall of blame I have built up around those in my life that tried to force religion on me has been a hurtful, revealing, yet healing journey. When describing these times, my experience, and the teachings still being employed within those dark places, I often use the term Terrorist for Jesus. With the frequency that I use this term, I feel it deserves a proper introduction and explanation.. Most religions claim to be the ONE truth, therefore all others must be false. The goal of these religions are to convert and convince new believers of their authority on the ONE truth, and the falsehood of all others. Most religions' claim to the ONE truth, is supported by a collection of antique writings, records, & accounts of a sort of founder of the religion, who taught and lived an example of the ONE truth. Most religions consist of 'characters'. There is God (obviously), then there is some sort of good guy, and naturally there has to be some kind of bad guy. ( and other minor characters in between). Because most religions posses the knowledge of the ONE truth, anyone who disagrees must obviously be wrong. If you are in possession of the ONE truth, but someone else who disagrees with you is persistently trying to convince people that they are in fact the possessors of the ONE truth, and you are wrong.. this is bad. They naturally must be working with / for the bad guy - sense this is the goal of all bad guys, to confuse and disarm the goals of the good guy. ALL religions have a goal destination, a place (literal or metaphorical) that is the focus of the followers. Heaven, Summer Land, Enlightenment, Nirvana, and so on... Let's say: You work for a good guy, who owns the best company. Your company has a rival who is a bad guy, who runs a dirty, no good company. Your main goal in your company is to gain favor of the boss, and receive a promotion. Obviously (it's human nature), you would see the "taking out" of the bad guy to be a good thing, that would gain praise from your boss. Because, let's face it, if the rival company succeeds your company is failing. Whether your boss tells you to specifically do this is or not, you feel it is the "right" thing to do.. he is a bad guy, running a dirty company after all. Armed with the truth of knowing the bad guy is bad, and your good guy boss (and you) are good.. you can rationalize that the eliminating of the bad guy is a good and beneficial thing.
Religions are a way to explain the existence of God and define your relationship with God. Naturally there are different religions, because there are different societies, and cultural beliefs around the world.. and one explanation and relationship with God cannot vibe with all people.. that just isn't possible, because we differ so much. All religions praise The Creator. Religion is a pathway to a relationship with the spiritual being of Spirit, God, Allah, etc. We may be on different paths, but the destination is the same. God (or whatever name / term you use to describe the divine) is LOVE. This is a truth. You cannot display love, share love, convince people of love.. while acting in fear, competition, & personal motives - also truth. It is not our jobs to eliminate "the competition", to convince people of a ONE truth, to claim ONE truth. It is our jobs to live the way we feel is personally correct. This may be different and look different for different people. But that is not our concern. In America, one thing that unites us (sadly) is the shared dislike (hatred) for people who are against us. Terrorists being some of those people. Some terrorists have a spiritual agenda, which they believe to be fueled by the ONE truth they possess. They, as individuals, cannot accept or be blamed for doing something they truly believe (and have been taught their whole lives) to be the ONE truth. The same goes for Christians in America who speak outrageous hatred for, and are strongly against those who believe and participate in abortions, war, & same sex marriage. They are dangerously passionate about disarming those who display those behaviors because in the Christians' eyes, they have been taught the ONE truth. A "truth" that has no room for difference, or disagreement. The ONE truth thought pattern is dangerous and destructive. It is human nature to believe that your views are the correct views, however this becomes poisonous when you adopt the belief that your views are the ONE ultimate truth. This carves the way for and allows permission to justify acts of TERROR. We, the World - as a whole - have to stop being Spiritual Terrorists. Stop putting all our effort into proving others wrong, and just live the right you, yourself know to be true. Love through acceptance - and - personal faith, are not mutually exclusive. It is very possible and real to be able to believe and practice what you know to be right, while still maintaining a loving, and accepting relationship with those who disagree with you. It is easy, in America, to sit back and point fingers to other countries with different religious beliefs than our own while they are physically attacking us. But what about what we are doing to ourselves?
STOP BEING A TERRORIST FOR JESUS you can't shower someone with hate while maintaining that all you do is based on love..that is ludicrous and a lie. "It is the mark on an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it " - Aristotle Check yourself before you wreck yourself..
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Mama BeeA solitary and experienced Hedge Witch currently residing in Southern Virginia. Do you feel like you have an interesting addition for the MamaBee blog?
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