Re: Religion - a different perspective

[Guest guest]

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