Re: Re: Religion - a different perspective

[Guest guest]

Andie,

Well done. I share the same thoughts but could never really put it to words. Thank you.

Dawn T.

[Guest guest]

Perfectly said, Andie.

"Find and "be okay" with your own spoke!"

It really is simple. Just treat others kindly and with respect.

Robin

From: andie <andie6294@...>Subject: ( ) Re: Religion - a different perspective Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 12:23 AM

I hope none of this will offend anyone! I apologize sincerely if it does... Please read this with an open mind - maybe by using this way of thinking you could better explain some things to your kids about why faith is important... regardless of religion. Might even change your perspective. Religion is man-made - spirituality is of God. The Bible may have been the word of God, but it was through man's hand and interpretation that the words were written. The Bible is a compilation of stories brought together by men who were on a higher spiritual level than the common man. It is full of metaphors which can be interpreted any number of ways, but quite honestly, not literally in many instances. Perhaps explaining to your kids who challenge the stories of the Bible that it is God's word, but has been passed down through man - kind of like the telephone game - and it is human nature to make adjustments when it seems fitting. The Bible is about the

interactions those people had with God. Although God may have been communicating with them, who's to say they didn't make a mistake or two along the way? After all, they were only human!A person's (especially a child's) spirituality needs to be awakened. Religions are only a pathway to the Creator. Think of God as the center of a wheel, and the different religions as the spokes. Regardless of which spoke you travel down, you will end up at the same point as all the others. Religion is a way for MAN to make something tangible out of something incomprehensible to the human being. I guess what I'm trying to say is that our relationship with God should be an individual journey. I do understand the need to spark our children's spirituality - but as long as the values are there, does it really matter if they practice the rituals?Andie

[Guest guest]

Amen !

> From: andie <andie6294@...>

> Subject: ( ) Re: Religion - a different perspective

>

> Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 12:23 AM

> I hope none of this will offend

> anyone!  I apologize sincerely if it does... Please

> read this with an open mind - maybe by using this way of

> thinking you could better explain some things to your kids

> about why faith is important... regardless of religion.

> Might even change your perspective. 

>

> Religion is man-made - spirituality is of God. The Bible

> may have been the word of God, but it was through man's hand

> and interpretation that the words were written. The Bible is

> a compilation of stories brought together by men who were on

> a higher spiritual level than the common man. It is full of

> metaphors which can be interpreted any number of ways, but

> quite honestly, not literally in many instances. Perhaps

> explaining to your kids who challenge the stories of the

> Bible that it is God's word, but has been passed down

> through man - kind of like the telephone game - and it is

> human nature to make adjustments when it seems fitting. The

> Bible is about the interactions those people had with God.

> Although God may have been communicating with them, who's to

> say they didn't make a mistake or two along the way? After

> all, they were only human!

>

> A person's (especially a child's) spirituality needs to be

> awakened.  Religions are only a pathway to the Creator.

> Think of God as the center of a wheel, and the different

> religions as the spokes. Regardless of which spoke you

> travel down, you will end up at the same point as all the

> others. Religion is a way for MAN to make something tangible

> out of something incomprehensible to the human being. I

> guess what I'm trying to say is that our relationship with

> God should be an individual journey. I do understand the

> need to spark our children's spirituality - but as long as

> the values are there, does it really matter if they practice

> the rituals?

>

> Andie

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree with so much of what you said. I think my only pause would be teaching the "spirit" part on my own. There's a feeling you get when you're in a good church and to me, that would be hard to replicate at home. Maybe it's so many people "tuning in" to God at the same time? I'm not sure. I'm glad my parents made me go to Sunday School and church every Sunday because it laid such a good foundation for me. I was lucky to grow up in a small town Methodist Church that had a older congregation so I basically had about 15 extra sets of grandparents =)

"Over-optimism is waiting for you ship to come in when you haven't sent one out."

From: andie <andie6294@...> Sent: Tue, March 16, 2010 12:23:25 AMSubject: ( ) Re: Religion - a different perspective

I hope none of this will offend anyone! I apologize sincerely if it does... Please read this with an open mind - maybe by using this way of thinking you could better explain some things to your kids about why faith is important... regardless of religion. Might even change your perspective. Religion is man-made - spirituality is of God. The Bible may have been the word of God, but it was through man's hand and interpretation that the words were written. The Bible is a compilation of stories brought together by men who were on a higher spiritual level than the common man. It is full of metaphors which can be interpreted any number of ways, but quite honestly, not literally in many instances. Perhaps explaining to your kids who challenge the stories of the Bible that it is God's word, but has been passed down through man - kind of like the telephone game - and it is human nature to make adjustments when it seems fitting. The Bible is about the

interactions those people had with God. Although God may have been communicating with them, who's to say they didn't make a mistake or two along the way? After all, they were only human!A person's (especially a child's) spirituality needs to be awakened. Religions are only a pathway to the Creator. Think of God as the center of a wheel, and the different religions as the spokes. Regardless of which spoke you travel down, you will end up at the same point as all the others. Religion is a way for MAN to make something tangible out of something incomprehensible to the human being. I guess what I'm trying to say is that our relationship with God should be an individual journey. I do understand the need to spark our children's spirituality - but as long as the values are there, does it really matter if they practice the rituals?Andie