The Case for and against Religion

In reading Paul Murchison’s book “Who is God?” I felt that some comments should be made. These views and points that I make are purely my own.

Firstly, Religion is the greatest sin of all – Secondly, it is the greatest gift to mankind

Mankind throughout the ages and even today uses and has used religion to and for his own ends. You have only to pick up a newspaper, or turn on the TV where one is likely to read about a suicide bomber, who blows themselves up in his belief of a better life.  Or in the Gaza strip, where there is fighting over the lands which God has reputedly given to a race of people.

The Catholic Church for over 600 years has preached the benefits of the inquisition, especially the Spanish Inquisition. They, even during the Second World War, the Pope of the day, supported Hitler and the concentration camps for the extermination of the so called non Christians. Even today, the Pope declares that mankind can not do this, or that. It was only a few years past when you must only eat fish on a Friday.  There have been so many wars which have been in the name of religion, where the underlying factor has been or had a greed factor.

Today, I believe that there are over 22,000 new religions each year being formed. Why? We hear of Television presentations, crusading all in the name God and preaching religion, where vast sums of money are raised or given, but to go no where.  Today, attend an Anglican Church service with the Green Prayer book in the service you will start at page 119 and the service will then proceed to page 145 week in, week out, no variety, no mind challenges, an hour spent reciting, with nothing really gained, and yet the Church leaders wonder why there are so few attending the weekly church services.

Being heavily involved in the Anglican Church, I was able to witness back stabbing, cruelty in jokes on fellow Ministers, innuendos, non truth statements, and even a Minister not able to forgive a stupid mistake which I personally made and apologized for not once but twice. Yes it is possible that those who claim to work in the faith or name of religion, are in many cases the ones who commit the crimes against the innocent for what seems to be their own personal satisfaction and desires.

When one studies a religion it is usually claimed that their religion is the one which is God’s own, or you will not be chosen after death to be invited into heaven. In one way or another they all claim the same thing but will not realize nor accept that it is surely “all roads go to heaven”

On the other hand if you pick up the largest book on Yoga the very first lines read “No matter what religion or faith one holds, it is important to attend your Church and give an hour once a week to God”

No matter what historical book is available, being the Bible, or other religious books, you will find it is full of advice on how one should live one’s life.  The stories and examples are there to show and help people understand what to do. When it comes to a disaster, be it a bush fire such as last summer or some other catastrophe, it is the religious armies that are at the forefront to assist those who have suffered and find themselves bereft of all.

It is to a church that people will turn when desperate or suddenly finding themselves in need or fear. In 1804 Christmas day, St Paul’s London had four people in attendance. In contrast in the 1950s when America was in fear of an Atomic war that the Churches were overflowing and every seat taken. Standing room was at a premium

With an introduction such as I have made, I have yet to address “Who is God?”

Firstly I would like to make the statement “We all have a spirit within us – A spirit that is neither born nor dies”. Nor is that spirit only in mankind.

Whoever was the person to name an animal a dog, must have been dyslectic, because when you are close to a dog, the dog will behave as you expect God would to you.  A dog will smile, he will protect you, he will welcome you, and he knows you are coming long before anyone else

It is through this spirit within us that God can communicate with us, that he can guide us. It is in our aura where the spirit is part of us.  Surely acknowledging and respecting that aura, enables us to radiate that warmth.  The easiest way to describe this is perhaps when a person has a feeling of being downcast, in a bad mood, or grumpy – and then someone unknown smiles at you……    We all have been there.

The best example I found for ‘what is God’ is in the book “The Celestine Prophesy” which was the Book of the Year for 1993-4-5-6. This story began life when no one wished to produce it, believing it would go no where. The book started life being distributed from the boot of a car by the author. For this book to rise and become a bestseller with a message so simply written is a modern way of explaining all about the path of life and finding God. The story travels that path through the nine stages of life – the nine stages of a person’s life. Really when you meditate on the story, it explains what your spirit is, and in the end how one really finds God. .

Every one of us comes into this world, where we have those first experiences, which are so vital in preparing us for that unique journey down our own path of life. In my own personal experience I was a first born child; a golden haired blue eyed wonderment of a boy, spoilt at every turn, and dressed in a sailor’s suit – the works. Three years later my next brother came into the world and suddenly I was left ignored in the corner.  At three years of age I now needed ways to find attention towards myself.  After all having being made a fuss of for so long for the first three years of my life I was not one to go and sulk, I therefore found it to be beneficial to stand out, which eventually led me to become within myself a leader, an experimenter, a person who needed to find out the answers, and to understand what ever it was which confronted me.

On the other hand my brother had to share his life with my behaviour, when suddenly he was also left out in the cold, baby three arrived, which was another boy.  My second brother grew up in my shadow and resented my achievements to the point of hate – in the end while at University, he claimed that there was no God; His claim which still stands today. “You are born, you die – end of story”.  His life has been spent hoarding assets a process which has unfortunately led him to lead an extremely mean life, even towards his own children.  Today although married, he is a lonely multi-millionaire, his God is money or assets.  So from one family two boys have taken two paths of life, one with fullness but without assets, the other with assets but unfortunately never stopping to take in the view of what life really has to offer.  In contrast, his eldest daughter, who is a doctor with four children, has become an ardent Catholic where the family all attend(s) Church every Sunday. They are the nicest, warmest, friendliest people one could come across.

Yes! God works in mysterious ways, and there is no better saying than; “Love thy neighbour as thy self”. Because through our spirits and aura, God is with us every second of the day, when we accept, listen, and understand this fact then surely the word or feeling of fear is defeated before it starts.