RELIGION

 

Through all my doubts and questioning of religion, particularly Christianity, one thing has remained constant, my belief in spirituality. After reading a rather refreshing and liberal book, surprisingly written in collaboration with a very devout Bhuddist, the Dalai Lama, I realised that no religion like I have come to accept and assert is supreme. The saying all things are equal comes to mind here and usually it is restricted or made in reference to people but it really should extent to all things  because being born different it is only natural that we would believe different. What should remain important is the freedom to choose our own spiritual paths. The book talks rightfully I believe about the concept of equality basing it on the fact that everybody has the right to be happy and that if that happiness is derived from a particular religious tradition different from the norm, then that right ought to be respected. After all the goal at least I suppose is not world religious domination but righteousness and righteousness can be derived from a lot of influences as various famous personalities have come to prove. Being religious I think more than anything should be stemmed in tolerance and love and acceptance not an insistence in having things done the way we believe is best; after all, all we do have is a belief and beliefs are a result of a choice to commit to a set of principles and living by them ( and undoubtedly other social, economic, cultural… influences). As much as each of us has a different favourite colour and choose to love different things and or people in different ways then we should be able to realise that in all things we derive happiness from different things and therefore our beliefs cannot possibly all be the same. I believe the antidote to all these wars caused by the quest to assert one religion as superior to all others can be quelled by teaching respect and tolerance other than hate and judgement. We need to realise that nothing about any individual gives them the right to judge others and demean what they believe in. Religion should never be about taking control over other peoples beliefs but tolerating and understanding and living together in harmony and embracing our differences. The ultimate goal in life is apparently being happy and therefore in our selflessness which is spread by most religions if not all, let's let each other live and in turn live ourselves. One definition of confidence is being able to stand up for yourself without necessarily trampling or stepping on other people's toe's or beliefs and each and every religious person and non-religious person equally, needs this trait in order for there to be peace and tranquillity.