What We Talk About When We Talk About God-Rob Bell

This is a great book.  I like the style of Rob Bell, it's as if he is talking to you.  After reading this book I felt re-connected to my family, neighbors, strangers, and even people I'm not so fond of.  It's so true that there is energy that connects us all and I feel it.  I can always tell how a party or holiday with family is going to be as soon as I walk in the room, even if everyone is trying to hide the tension and uneasy feelings, it's there.  If my husband or one of my kids or even myself are having a bad day, it's contagious to the rest of the family and we all end up having a bad day together.  (Though, sometimes a beautiful laugh from one of my kids will knock the energy back to positive!) And it is of course vice versa, good days are just as contagious!

We are all our unique essence, we are not just our skin and bones or our house or material things nor our we the one religion.  If all of those things were taken away, our essence would still be there.  The energy that makes us who we are and how we connect to others and find other essence and energy we can bond with.

Bell gave me Grenzbegrifflich and it is my new favorite word.  A German word that says it all when you can't see it or describe it yourself.  Its beyond description, something so powerful that you wouldn't even know its there if you hadn't felt it yourself.  This is love.  I feel it when I look at my children or my husband.  I can't describe how this intense feeling overcomes me and consumes my own essence and energy.  Bell uses the word to describe God.  And love and God are the same and not easily described.

Bell also talks about how we can be many things at once, we don't have to choose or stay the same.  We evolve and change.  Omnism is possible.  We should be able to believe in many things at the same time and across a wide variety of fields and not be stuck or have to choose one path.  We can make our own path by intertwining the many paths of religions.

Baha'i Faith

 

 

The Baha'i Faith coincides directly with Omnism because one of their core beliefs is "unity of religion". Which is exactly what I'm trying to achieve here!

The Baha'i believe in one God and the spiritual unity of all humans.  They have three primary beliefs. 

• The unity of God, and that there is only one God.
• The unity of religion, and religions have the same spiritual source and come from the same God.
• The unity of humans, and all humans are created equal and diverse cultures and people are one.

Baha'i is a relatively new religion that currently has around four million followers.  It began in the 19th century in Iran.  Baha'u'llah began the religious teachings until he was imprisoned in the Ottoman Empire and then his son Abdu'l-Baha continued the teachings with it spreading to Europe and America.

 

The Baha'i teachings focus on prayer and serving others to get closer to God.  They believe that messengers, such as Abraham, Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha, as well as Bha'u'llah came to give God to the people in a way that they needed at that time in history.  So, all these religions are connected.

 

Also, as with all religions, the Baha'i faith has faced much persecution for their beliefs.  Muslims, Iran especially, have targeted Baha'is because they are considered apostates for leaving Islam. Many Baha'is are imprisoned and harassed. 

 

Honestly, I don't understand this need to persecute someone because they are different.  A religion that talks only of love and unity should be revered, not criticized.  People wanting only peace are sought after and killed in the name of God.  Well, the God that I know speaks only of love and forgiveness and being kind, even to your enemy.  It's distressing how words can be twisted to suit hatred.

 



Scientology

 

Scientology began in the 1950's by fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard.  It is a new religion that seems to focus on facts and knowledge rather than emotions or faith.  It goes hand in hand with Dianetics, which their website, http://www.scientology.org/, states is a methodology which can help alleviate unwanted sensations and emotions, irrational fears and psychosomatic illnesses (illnesses caused or aggravated by mental stress).

 

This religion has grown and it seems it is now around 10 million.  Celebrities like Tom Cruise have brought the religion to the spot light with many people wondering exactly what kind of religion it is.

 

It is a religion dedicated to improving life with scientific facts and using a scientific method that frees the mind of pain, fear and hate and anything that inhibits a person from being happy.  There is no faith, there is only what is proven to work and see it for yourself to believe it.  The focus is on the mind, body, and spirit and survival in the universe.  A person can free their minds with Auditors, or Counselors that help Scientologists reach hidden abilities they don't know they have.

A curious thing about Scientology ais that it believes in reincarnation like Hinduism.  Its the only religion it seems to have anything in common with.

Last time I spoke of forgiveness.  Well, forgiveness in Scientology does not exist.  Hubbard says, "If there is any saintly quality, it is not to forgive. “Forgiveness” accepts the badness of the act. There is no reason to accept it. Further, one has to label the act as bad to forgive it. “Forgiveness” is a much lower-level action and is rather censorious."  I'm not sure about this.  I think forgiveness frees the mind and there are acts that we consider bad and affect us emotionally and we need to free the mind of this emotion to move forward.  Forgiveness does this for us.

Scientology is an interesting and complicated religion.  There are many facets to it that are difficult to understand when I read about it.  But the concept of believing in what is in front of you and what is proven is a good one.  I believe in that but I also believe in what isn't proven and I think there is so much more than what is in front of us.  And like Scientologists, every religion has the goal of freeing the mind so we can survive. Scientologists do that themselves, other religions free the mind by releasing it to God.  Ultimately the goal is to be happy and live a happy life.  There are just many ways to go about doing that.

 

 

Forgiveness in All Religions

Forgiveness is an action that is deeply personal to all of us.  Regardless of our religion.  The primary benefit of forgiving is the person who forgives, by letting go of the stress of holding hate and revenge in the mind and body, they are releasing the negative energy and anxiety keeping their life angry so that after, they will be able to live a fuller, happier life.  However, forgiveness can also benefit the person who is being forgiven.  Perhaps shame and regret hold this person down and distraught and unable to move or love or be happy.  If they are forgiven it could relieve stress and a huge weight off of their shoulders so they too can move on to a fuller, happier life.

Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism have festivals or holy days to remind us to forgive.  Judaism has Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement.  This is the day where Jews forgive those who have done them wrong so that they too can be forgiven for their sins.  Islam also teaches forgiveness and says that Allah will reward those that forgive others.  For Eid-al-Adha, the custom is for Muslims to go ask others for their forgiveness and any sins or wrongs that they might have committed against them during the year.  On this day, forgiveness must be granted and friends and family reconciled.  For Hinduism, forgiveness is for oneself.  They, too have a festival to mark a day of forgiveness.  Its called Holi, festival of colors.  Its in the spring and a day to forgive and reconnect with broken relationships.

In Christianity, forgiveness is essential and mandated by God and Jesus.  If we want to be forgiven, then we must forgive others. 

Buddhism has a different take on forgiveness.  Its not something that is mandated by God or Allah.  Its for your own well being.  Hate hinders the mind so one must free the mind by forgiving.

We are all sinners, none of us are perfect and all of us have wronged someone in some way, even if by accident.  So why wouldn't we forgive someone else for their mistakes when we ourselves have made so many mistakes.  I know its difficult and there are things that will take longer to forgive but each day is new day and a step toward forgiveness. 

Forgiveness is so common in religions that I wonder why then is there so much hate and unforgiving between religions... With Omnism there is no need to be unforgiving of another religion because acceptance is forgiveness. 









 

Asatru Movement

The Asatru Movement is an old pagan religion from the Viking Age that was renewed in Iceland in the 1970s.  There are around 2,000 followers that believe in the Norse gods such as Thor, Odin, and Frigg.  Of which so many movies are made from these days and my kids love those stories and the possibility they may be true.

Most pagans today believe the old tales of the gods as metaphors, not necessarily literal.  As with some Christians using the messages of Jesus and the Bible as metaphors, not literally.  Pagans are basing their beliefs on history lessons and even folk tales.  Christianity bases their beliefs on the same thing, stories written down from people's point of views, which could also be classified as folk tales. 

Religions, like Christianity, have said Pagans are devil worshipers or godless creatures, because they're polytheistic rather than monotheistic.  I don't agree with that.

Pagan ethics believe in honor, courage, integrity, hard work, and loyalty.  All of which I would not say are evil.  Also, Christianity chose their holidays to coincide with pagan holidays so it would be easier to convert them.  So, who's to say who is right and wrong. 

I think perhaps Thor, Odin, and other remarkable people did exist.  And the word used to described them were gods.  Many of the wise tales and traditions we have are passed down from our ancestors and are incredible and hard to explain.  If we believe in the one God and the possibility of His existence, then the possibility of Norse gods is also believable.

Conclusion, the pagan religion is included in Omnism.

Atheist or Anti-Theist

 

I recognize Atheism as a religion.  But this is one I've been hesitant to write about.  Because I can't say as an Omnist and belief in all religions that I believe in Atheism, or that there is no God.  When I truly believe in the other religions.  The ones that state there is a God.  So, is Atheism a part of Omnism?  I don't know to be honest.  I do know that I respect the Atheist beliefs because everyone has a right to believe what they want to and you can't change the heart of a person.

However, after the recent shootings in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  The killer of three young Muslims was said to be an Atheist or an Anti-Theist, is the new term for him.  I have heard he hated all religions.  He didn't just not believe there was a God, but detested anyone that thought there was one.  I wonder if that is how Atheists behave.  Then I remember that every group has fundamentalists or extremists and this is an example of an Atheist terrorist.

Because there are Atheists that don't believe in God but still try to live a good, moral life.  Atheists around the world recently developed their own Ten Commandments.  Which include, commandments such as "Be open-minded", "Be mindful of the consequences of all your actions and recognize that you must take responsibility for them", "Treat others as you would want them to treat you", and "Leave the world a better place than you found it".   These are all things that I agree with and try to live by.  So, then again maybe I am a little bit Atheist.  Here's a great article where you can find all ten of the commandments.  http://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/atheism/atheists-write-10-commandments

Then there is the Pastor, Ryan Bell, that lived a year as an Atheist and in the end decided that there was no God and he is an Atheist.  He's not a bad person, just chose reality instead of God.  I can see the appeal and how much easier life could be without belief and faith.  Because those two things do take some effort.

But I know the feeling of not being sure of a supreme being or God or the universe being connected somehow.  A feeling of where there seems to be no hope or reason for what you're going through or experiencing in life.  This feeling is lost and sad and I didn't like it.  I choose to believe in God and that the universe is connected and my life has a purpose and the moments with my family matter and that faith holds me up and helps me to see the beauty of the world.  Believing makes my life, this life I am living, better.  When I have faith I'm connected to God, the energy inside of me feels charged and loving and excited.  I'm not saying that I don't have questions and criticisms for religions, but I believe that any religion that can't take a little criticism, isn't worth the effort of believing.  Even Omnism.


 

I Wish I Could Go To Church

I want to go to church, I want to bring my family to church.  I remember as a child going to Sunday School and to church with my brothers' family and I loved it.  People were nice and happy.  It was fun learning about the Bible and the stories in it.  I was taught a good and kind God that brought joy to the world.  I don't recall any negative feelings or judgments about others, including different people, or even mentions of other religions in a bad way.  My mom didn't go to church, she always said, "why should I go to church, then walk back out and sin."  At the church I knew, no one judged her, they still loved her and welcomed her at Easter when she did venture into the building. 

I think about the sermons that were preached.  Things like God forgiving us for our sins and following a righteous and moral path with God leading the way.  That God loves us.  I remember giving myself over to God so I could be happy and live a good life too.  All of those are memories of a child that loved church and God and the family it brought with it.  Those are the memories of the God that I know and love.

But when I speak about God these days to preachers and members of a church.  It seems full of judgments.  Rather than being welcomed and understood with open arms as my family being Muslim and Christian.  Islam is criticized and we are nudged, with a smile, to come to church and accept only Jesus as our Savior. 

I wish I could find an interfaith place to worship and find the love and family to openly and kindly discuss our beliefs with acceptance and compassion.  And perhaps in a bigger city, something like that exists.  But here in a small town, where there is a church on every corner, acceptance goes only as far as a polite smile when you say your Muslim and Christian.