Religion is another popular topic now in social media. Does seem that those of the atheist bent are now definitely running the show.
In my personal experience, I was raised by a very strict NE Christian mother. As a young child, I really believed that there was some guy with a beard in the sky that was watching everything I did, and even knew my every thought. I got dunked in the Machias River when I was nine, after memorizing all the books of the old and new testaments, having to recite them out loud before the dunking.
Truth be told, I was way too young to understand much of anything that I was forced to read in the Bible, and I haven't read a Bible again in literally decades. But, that said, even though it took me to my 30's to get over the myths of a wrathful God, I did take many of the early edicts of the ten commandments with me, to this day. It wasn't all bad. In fact, those commandments have greatly influenced my life.
When I was 42, first time in a church in over 20 years, I attended a service at Glide Memorial, in the Tenderloin district of SF, and Cecil Williams said, a truly spiritual person has no fear of hell, they have already been there and back. That deeply resonated with me! Then his amazing choir and band started rocking the joint, and I found myself on my feet, dancing and even crying!
There is a place for religious community. Cecil's Glide was all inclusive and it was a really raucous place to feel the spirit! It was a time that I decided to no longer throw away God, but to just remember that I am a spiritual being, beholden to no man nor to any God, because a truly loving God would not want us to be beholden. No cult there, just true sharing of love, hope and connection.
That's religion to me. We are each spirit beings. Don't let the Money Masters convince you to forget that?
