Whether it’s Yahweh, Allah or Buddha, God only has a single message for all of us; to love one another. So whatever religion we may belong, we should follow His way. For war and terrorism is not his way, envy and selfishness is not what he intends for us to spread and hate and discrimination are things that He will never lead us to. These are the fundamental things that every person should know regardless of how frail or strong his faith on God is. But as we go on with our religious lives of coming to Sunday to hear different preaches, reading verses on Bible and Koran and praying on closed doors, we sometimes forget them.

It’s ironic and highly observable that sometimes, as a person becomes more attached with his spirituality, the more indifferent and judgemental he becomes. Even in history, people who were considered closest to God sent Inquisitors to excommunicate nations and imprison, hang and burn the people they branded as heretics. The infamous ”Bloody Mary” of England, a devout Catholic, even made sure that her name will forever be immortalized by killing hundreds of protestants who, as she said, refuse to follow the “true faith”. Various Crusades and Jihad were luanched that hazed numerous cities and killed innocents, turned countries against one another and brought fear to people on the very reason that their religious belief is different to that of their enemies.

Many would think that with the advances that mankind had made, we would have gotten over on what we wish is just a phase in our society. We hope that our spiritual beliefs will not get in the way of relating to others by not allowing their religious inclinations and beliefs to hinder us from loving them. We wish that a person’s religious beliefs, or lack of, will not prevent us from creating a society that is mutually beneficial not only to the majority, but to everybody.  But with the turn of the new millenium comes a new image of this ancient problem.

People we call “fanatics” started a dangerous fight with the start of the 9/11 bombing. We stand witness as they bomb various cities and killed hostages while shouting praises for their God.

Even in our society, some people and their acts serve as a microrepresentation of this feud. A specific religion has it in their university catalog that states they indeed discriminate on the basis of religion by not hiring individuals not belonging to the same religious group. One even close it’s church doors to people who have a “different” sexual orientation on the grounds that somewhere in Leviticus, his likes are forbidden. Just recently, people deprived gay couples of their rights to marry by voting for a specific proposition mainly because it’s against their religious beliefs.

With all the positivity that man’s spiritual aspect can bring, must it narrow down to this? Is this what being closer to God means, following laws without looking at ourselves and dare to ask the question why?

As a person of a rather different religious belief, I think that we should tackle God’s most special gift, our rationality. We are neither machines fueled to follow a specific code or animals meant to live on a specific routine.

We are humans given the freedom and the capability to take full reins of our lives. True that in our everyday struggles we meet various philosophies and learnings that are seemingly good, but that doesn’t mean that we should take them in without asking ourselves with various questions. Is it fair? Does it allow us to look at others with sympathy, love and compassion and not with prejudice, hate and indifference? Does it promote our most basic image of God, a loving and forgiving figure? And does it not hinder us from making or own turns and judgements in life?

These and many other questions only remain in the depths of beings of many of us. These questions that are suppose to make us more rational and stronger are left unasked, for the reason that bringing them up means challenging our faith in God.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

I don’t think that the same God who endowed us with the ability to think would want us to abandon its use. It would be a complete tragedy for our race if we will live according to what is written while our inner sense of being is yearning to not to. I would like to think that the God who sent us here didn’t do so so that He’ll see His scripts come to life. I would like to think that He sent us here so that He’ll see our triumph as rational and moral beings. That’s the image of God that I seek, one that lead us to be good-natured and all the while allowing us to make reasonable steps in life.

I invite comments, suggestions and refutations.

From the Author: This article was not made to challenge, but rather stimulate others’ religious belief. This post also does not challenge the existence of God, for the author himself is a strong believer.

 

June 17th, 2009 by Dame Jerome Your truth is as good as my truth.