The other day...
(side note: for a mom "The other day" can mean anywhere from two days ago to two years ago..)
I was saying.. the other day I was talking with my friend C. and somehow we got to a point in the conversation in which we were talking about religion (go figure!) She said something to the effect of, "I guess in a way I am still religious. I still want what religion is looking for: peace, love, acceptance, unity"
To that, my immediate thought and answer was, "Isn't it interesting how the very things that religion seeks become unattainable inside of it?"
Let me expand just a bit.
Like I've said before here, I've shed many things from my "previous life", and I've found a peace I didn't have then.
Peace and religion have become and are mutually exclusive.
The search for Truth and the experiencing of Peace cannot coexist.
Actually it's not the search for Truth as much as the perceived notion to have found it.
At least in christian circles, having found (absolute) Truth, means having found what God wants, what pleases him. Therefore anything outside of that is automatically "wrong", and you either correct wrong or you avoid it.
Division ensues.
We see it all the time.
In the christian Macroworld we see it in all the various denominations that exist. Or in church splits inside a denomination/congregation. All because someone thinks they have a better truth.
In its Microworld, we see it in how people treat each other (I bet you all had some example of this pop into your mind as soon as I wrote this) and we see it in all the guilt that constantly accompanies most Christians, some more evident than others (think of all those who re-commit their lives to Christ, over and over and over again)
And Truth, instead of setting people free, imprisons. And where there is a prison, there is a wall separating.
Truth in this case tramples Love.
Even telling truth often in Christianity is thought of as more important than Love, in every case.
You don't think so?
Let's use an example. Hypothetical, but not so much.
Years ago I was attending a conference and the topic did revolve around the topic of lying as being a sin. Always.
Someone asked a hypothetical question that sounded something like this:
"World War II, you're hiding some Jews in your basement. Nazis knock on your door and ask you if there are any Jews in your home. What do you do? do you tell the truth?"
The speaker's answer (a prominent Christian in our community),
"God will not put me in that situation".
Seriously?
There hasn't been such a situation ever? Or is that a situation reserved for non-believers? Otherwise a Christian would have to tell the truth, right..?
And again, truth tramples love and respect for life. Whether it's big T truth or small t truth, it doesn't really matter, in the end.
(I hate to admit that at the time I believed that answer)
Well, maybe this truth thing, as important as it may be, is overrated.
I'm starting to believe that *my* truth is love.
And I'm ok if you disagree. I can live with that.
Can you?