Relationships and Religion
If something doesn't make sense why do we keep trying to say that it does? Now I am about to take a journey here that is not going to set well with some yet it may be a bit of fresh air for others. Today I am going to share my thoughts on relationships and religion and why I think most do not work. Put your seat belts on this is going to be one ride you do not want to miss.
Math is an exact science which is why it fits some people's personality better than others. Regardless though at it's simplest level we know that 4 + 4 = 8, right? There is no way I could convince you that the answer is anything but 8. That is because our minds are formed with logic yet curiosity. Logic sets the answers in math and curiosity explores the possibilities of other things. Relationships and religion are no different. If we could take away all the books written about them both I am confident we could still be faithful people that understand the power of love. Once opinions, theory, legend, and tradition enter into the equation our God given knowledge of faith, love, and spirituality is greatly diminished. At that point it becomes man made not God made.
It is no secret that most long term relationships struggle or divide. Couples, families, and friends build bigger walls than they do bridges. Not because they never loved but because they learned to hate. Relationships are born out of love as is our spirituality. Why? Because it makes sense to us. When something feels good we are told that it must be bad. I am not talking about mind altering drugs here I am talking about relationships and religion. You have heard the old saying "If the shoe doesn't fit, then do not wear it", yet in relationships and religion we wear it beyond the point that it hurts, we wear until it rubs blisters, gets infected, and we get sick or die.
Let me ask you something and please be honest. Are you happy with your relationship with yourself and others? If the answer is no not really then look at what has made you feel the way you feel. Our moods and actions are learned behaviors. We know that if someone does this we should do that. It doesn't matter if THAT is wrong, it is what we were taught to do. That begs the point that very few traditional relationships work. Let's take this same view of religion for a moment. Do you have any idea how many people are leaving christian churches in America? They leave because the focus is on money, politics, conformity, and a belief system that lacks support. Don't jump on me just give it some thought.
I personally love my christian faith, but I do not like how it is being taught. I believe with all my heart that God never intended for it to be complicated to follow a core set of love beliefs. Now days it is like you have to have a degree or years of study for God to even make sense. That is not how we were created. God created us with love and out of that we are too love. Our hearts left to develop on their own would know that kindness, acceptance, love, peace, and forgiveness is the key to relationships. We learn over the years that those formulas for success do not create enough controversy for our world so we have to install control mechanisms that let the powerful teach you how to be miserable.
You may think I am talking in circles when in fact I am trying to be very direct. Love conquers all and where there is love there is peace. Love is not about controlling someone to the point they have to lie or cheat to have a life. Love is about giving people their life. Religion should not be about teaching us how to hate, it should be teaching us how to love. When there is genuine love there is genuine acceptance of our differences. If we all keep doing the same things in our relationships and religion we no doubt will keep living a life of misery. The why is simple, it does not make sense. Love makes sense, God makes sense, peace and forgiveness makes sense. All the other grudges and divisive behavior we are taught do not make sense.
If you want to have a great relationship with God then keep it simple. If you want to have a fun loving relationship with your significant other, family, or friend keep it fun and simple. Realize please that we are all sinners not because we are bad but because we are human. We were born with an inherent tendency to sin. ALL OF US, so please stop exploiting the sins of others while masquerading around as though you are perfect. We are all in this together and it takes us all to make a fun loving world. I say this often and it is worth repeating here, no person is a failure until they start blaming others. Stop the blame game, let go of the bitterness and anger, let go of age old traditions that do nothing but divide people. Start today allowing love to come back into your life and then find ways everyday to choose happiness.
When something in relationships and religion do not make sense ask yourself why you believe what you believe or do what you do. Simply being told to have faith is not a good answer. Remember God did not write the Bible, mortal man did. Had God of written it, there would not be thousands of translations, there would be one. Instead though every church, every faction, every religion has to put their little twist on it to further confuse what we try hard to believe. I am in no way saying do not believe or read the Bible, I personally love mine. I am saying that if something does not make sense, challenge it. God did not create us so that we have to be professors to understand who our creator is.
Also and this is important, never ever under any circumstance allow a church to make you feel as though you do not matter or worse that you do not fit in. Every single person fits into God's love for humanity. God loves you as you are so please do not try to be someone other than yourself. Originals are worth so much more than copies so be who you are knowing that you are loved for doing so. If you are lucky enough to be different DO NOT CHANGE. You are an integral part of God's kingdom whether you go to church or not. The key is to be kind to all people, love all people and promote peace to all people.
Promote love and you promote peace. Once you learn to love peace will develop in your heart. You will lose the desire to magnify someone's sins, instead you will have a deep desire to forgive and accept. When this simple formula develops in your heart and soul hope and joy for life can and will last forever.
peace to you
Dale
Math is an exact science which is why it fits some people's personality better than others. Regardless though at it's simplest level we know that 4 + 4 = 8, right? There is no way I could convince you that the answer is anything but 8. That is because our minds are formed with logic yet curiosity. Logic sets the answers in math and curiosity explores the possibilities of other things. Relationships and religion are no different. If we could take away all the books written about them both I am confident we could still be faithful people that understand the power of love. Once opinions, theory, legend, and tradition enter into the equation our God given knowledge of faith, love, and spirituality is greatly diminished. At that point it becomes man made not God made.
It is no secret that most long term relationships struggle or divide. Couples, families, and friends build bigger walls than they do bridges. Not because they never loved but because they learned to hate. Relationships are born out of love as is our spirituality. Why? Because it makes sense to us. When something feels good we are told that it must be bad. I am not talking about mind altering drugs here I am talking about relationships and religion. You have heard the old saying "If the shoe doesn't fit, then do not wear it", yet in relationships and religion we wear it beyond the point that it hurts, we wear until it rubs blisters, gets infected, and we get sick or die.
Let me ask you something and please be honest. Are you happy with your relationship with yourself and others? If the answer is no not really then look at what has made you feel the way you feel. Our moods and actions are learned behaviors. We know that if someone does this we should do that. It doesn't matter if THAT is wrong, it is what we were taught to do. That begs the point that very few traditional relationships work. Let's take this same view of religion for a moment. Do you have any idea how many people are leaving christian churches in America? They leave because the focus is on money, politics, conformity, and a belief system that lacks support. Don't jump on me just give it some thought.
I personally love my christian faith, but I do not like how it is being taught. I believe with all my heart that God never intended for it to be complicated to follow a core set of love beliefs. Now days it is like you have to have a degree or years of study for God to even make sense. That is not how we were created. God created us with love and out of that we are too love. Our hearts left to develop on their own would know that kindness, acceptance, love, peace, and forgiveness is the key to relationships. We learn over the years that those formulas for success do not create enough controversy for our world so we have to install control mechanisms that let the powerful teach you how to be miserable.
You may think I am talking in circles when in fact I am trying to be very direct. Love conquers all and where there is love there is peace. Love is not about controlling someone to the point they have to lie or cheat to have a life. Love is about giving people their life. Religion should not be about teaching us how to hate, it should be teaching us how to love. When there is genuine love there is genuine acceptance of our differences. If we all keep doing the same things in our relationships and religion we no doubt will keep living a life of misery. The why is simple, it does not make sense. Love makes sense, God makes sense, peace and forgiveness makes sense. All the other grudges and divisive behavior we are taught do not make sense.
If you want to have a great relationship with God then keep it simple. If you want to have a fun loving relationship with your significant other, family, or friend keep it fun and simple. Realize please that we are all sinners not because we are bad but because we are human. We were born with an inherent tendency to sin. ALL OF US, so please stop exploiting the sins of others while masquerading around as though you are perfect. We are all in this together and it takes us all to make a fun loving world. I say this often and it is worth repeating here, no person is a failure until they start blaming others. Stop the blame game, let go of the bitterness and anger, let go of age old traditions that do nothing but divide people. Start today allowing love to come back into your life and then find ways everyday to choose happiness.
When something in relationships and religion do not make sense ask yourself why you believe what you believe or do what you do. Simply being told to have faith is not a good answer. Remember God did not write the Bible, mortal man did. Had God of written it, there would not be thousands of translations, there would be one. Instead though every church, every faction, every religion has to put their little twist on it to further confuse what we try hard to believe. I am in no way saying do not believe or read the Bible, I personally love mine. I am saying that if something does not make sense, challenge it. God did not create us so that we have to be professors to understand who our creator is.
Also and this is important, never ever under any circumstance allow a church to make you feel as though you do not matter or worse that you do not fit in. Every single person fits into God's love for humanity. God loves you as you are so please do not try to be someone other than yourself. Originals are worth so much more than copies so be who you are knowing that you are loved for doing so. If you are lucky enough to be different DO NOT CHANGE. You are an integral part of God's kingdom whether you go to church or not. The key is to be kind to all people, love all people and promote peace to all people.
Promote love and you promote peace. Once you learn to love peace will develop in your heart. You will lose the desire to magnify someone's sins, instead you will have a deep desire to forgive and accept. When this simple formula develops in your heart and soul hope and joy for life can and will last forever.
peace to you
Dale
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