There is No Grey in Good...

Hello Readers and welcome back! Life is so busy isn’t it? I know it has been for me... I took a 2 week stay-cation and am already nearing the end of it already. The last 2 days I actually was able to relax a bit, even reflect. I hope I get a few more days like these within the last 5 days of vacation...

This has been the first Christmas where I was no longer part of the Judeo-Christian faith and without the mental baggage that comes with that. That took longer to get rid of than other things that come with going through some type of “enlightenment” in your religious thinking. I might not be a Christian anymore but I do hold Yeshua (Jesus in his native tongue (Hebrew)) in high regard. He has the most followers out of any religion... ever. Most Christians seem to be actually paying attention to “The Good Book” realizing his birthday was really in the Fall, most likely in late October, not on 12/25/0000, unlike what I have noticed in past years upon reflection. His birth year being anywhere from 2 BC and 7 CE..., but I digress, that is a entirely different topic and direction. I think the majority of Americans (even the devout Christians) just looked at it for what it really is... a time for family getting together and spending time together... Yes, there is commercialism and it gets worse every year, but that will always remain, even in a Recession or otherwise, but it seemed like the gifts were just a bonus to an already great moment this year...

2 years ago I would have been thinking “what a pagan holiday” due to the holiday placement (12/25) given that I was subscribing to the Messianic Judaism faith (which they do not celebrate his birth, per se, they just know it is somewhere around the Festival of Sukkoth, as most devotees already know). That is just a morsel of stupidity that specific religion can cause. Either you are a Christian or Jew, period. There can be some grey but there is a requirement for the largest parallels of these faiths to remain parallel. Anyway, there are a lot of ancient pagan holidays or pagan holy days that are on or are around 12/25 on the Gregorian Calendar (which is what the majority of the world uses), and a lot of the Messianic Jews point this out as a pagan holiday due to them coinciding with each other. When I was “enlightened” (Keep in mind I am a Buddhist and no I do not mean I have reached Buddhahood or anything like that I am speaking in a completely secular tone) back in middle to late 2010 I started to “lose” this pagan idea, actually completely discarding it, but now it is completely gone and it feels so much better to view Christmas how it should be... a good gathering of loving family members that truly care about one another... instead of this pagan holiday that the Romans created after Christianity was made the Roman empire’s Official Religion with Emperor Constantine on the throne (which is inaccurate, just coincidental). 

Keep in mind this thread is not to make people look down on Messianic Jews (both of Jewish and Gentile bloodlines (who actually are the majority in this 70 year or so long movement)). It was what I heard at the local congregation and from its leaders (I am using that term loosely as I think he is a highway to a lower plane, and Karma will make sure they gets theirs) when I attended there with my mother. That is another topic too... the fact that they have brainwashed my mother by twisting the information she has mentioned to them to make her see their way. She was a powerful Christian woman before that and I have seen that Messianic Congregation tear people away from real truth from their good Christian selfs because they were looking for a deeper truth... I have a distaste for them, and I know Karma will give them what they deserve. What I cannot believe is why they cannot figure out why neither the Jews or Christian will claim the movement... hhhmmmm... I wonder why??? 

Both Judaism and Christianity are both good religions if applied CORRECTLY, which they usually aren’t but more and more are finally starting to realize you just need to be good to yourself and others, and that is enough, and if it isn’t and Buddhism is a false religion and either 2 are right I guess I will burn. However, I will gladly burn if being a good person to yourself and others is not enough because I will not serve a hypocrite. They is NO grey in good.

Throughout my Blog since its inception you have noticed me slam Christianity and the other 2 Abrahamic faiths hypocrisies but always holding the people practicing the faiths correctly in high regard. Know why? Let me tell you... I have noticed one thing specifically that I really do not like within the Abrahamic faiths. That being that the main institutions of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity since their inception is about one thing... absolute control of everything you, and the world, does. How long did the Pope rule Europe and most of the world??? Yeah, that is what I thought... Anyway, people who apply the religion correctly are good people as the holy scriptures state you must hold yourself responsible for all actions and that there are consequences, creating high moral values... This holds true no matter what faith you subscribe to (at least for the larger ones)...

I respect all major Prophets that came from the “God” (I used quotes around God because I am a Buddhist and do not believe in a “Creator God”) of Abraham. I do not want anyone thinking I am disrespecting your faith because I am not... I hold your religion in as high regard as I do my own, and who knows we may both be right? My best friend(s) are Christians, so that should tell you something. I guess time will tell who is correct... What if we are both wrong?... That would make a whole lot pointless wouldn’t it?... for those who worry about caring. If you are acting as you should be in order to be a good person you should have no worries correct? Yeah, that is what I thought.   

So I hope I got your brain churning productively in some way. Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it, Happy Kwanza to those who celebrate it, and a Happy Gregorian New Year to all!!!!

Santi,

-automachi

Thee Logical Spiritualist

Got Rapture?... Me Neither

Hello Readers and welcome back... I am using Pages 09 for my processor before post for the first time... and I am excited about it... yeah... This is one of those impulsive post topics, but some of those are the best... I hope you enjoy as much reading it as I will writing it... This ended up being a 2 day post because I fell asleep writing it early this morning... 3 AM maybe... I never read what I write again after the final proof which I did accomplish last night so we will see if this even gets to the Blog... 

One of the first teachings as a Christian back at the age of... well... a few seconds around my birth. Really, I was “Spirit Filled” at the age of 5, and was a fond moment until I realized Truth, I cannot explain that in any other way. Anyway, back to the early Christian teaching I received. This involved the idea of The Rapture... This event right before the world turns to 7 years of bad luck (peace for 3.5 and hell on earth the last 3.5, see the last book of the Christian Bible for more info (Reevaluation))... Tribulation... yeah that thing. Where all the good Christian get beamed to Heaven and well... there you are in Eternal Bliss, forever. As an early Christian... probably until I was 10-12 years old I thought this to be a fact. There are hundreds of millions of people that believe this event is going to take place still, to this day. 

My view on The Rapture were changed even before I found Truth while I was a “Spirit Filled Judeo-Christian”. I took it as a misleading and exploited verse(s) in The Bible that Protestant Preachers learned would keep their followers, make them do their bidding of sorts, and hopefully get more follows... This went on for hundreds of years people!!! Google it... This was, and is, a great form of control and tool for manipulation. I think it was in my late teens, maybe I was even 20 when that fact become known to me, personally... I think the fact that there were so many failed prophecies popping up, like Y2K, that ended up being a 4 month project for a lot of people in my business field (IT) and that was it? This generation will not pass? You Diehard Christians know what I am referring to... I was made to think the world was going to end the year I was going to graduate High School, Y2K (2000)... How crappy would have that been??? Yeah, I know right??? No you don’t! Not unless you lived it. I lived my life up until I was 18 years old thinking that due to being influenced by a family member, one I had to listen to until that very age at least to a degree... I took it as Gospel... Now it is 2011 and I got 3 degrees finishing with an MBA in Project Management in 2008... However, it still took me until about a year ago to officially walk away from a faith I held especially dear for 23 years... Why because of the Truth I mention all over this Blog and post. This Truth that I got that seemed like a wake up.

 
Now lets back up a second, the family member I mentioned above was just following what The Bible said to do, spread it teaching and raise children according. All she was doing was following her Faith. I cannot fault her for that but now I would think the Truth would be showing itself to her in some manner. I hate that she lacks religious tolerance and is extremely close minded, it really killed our relationship and put some real dings into besides that even. In hindsight... it saddens me 

Anyway, I hope that Christians will accept The Rapture is not going to happen in any way, no matter what perspective you have on it... pretribultation, midtribultation, etc... Take it from the Catholics and Orthodox for once it is not going to happen Christians. I really do not think it will, but you can believe anything you want, I want you to, it is your right. Seriously...

                                                                                                               I was planning on writing more on this topic but after the paragraph before the previous has killed my desire to write at the moment... Just promise that you will do two things for yourselves... Make sure you are following the Faith that is right for you, not anyone else, and that you challenge your teachers if you feel the need to, no matter if you are a Buddhist or a Muslim...

This is now the second day of writing this post... as mentioned in the Reader Preface (italicized part at the start)...

I think this is one of the few post that I have saved and after I have revisited it will still see the light of day.

Don't be a follower, be a leader that challenges his teacher, no matter who they might be.

-automachi

A Jewel in The Backyard

Hello Readers and welcome back! Did that sound enthusiastic? Be careful answering that because people will think you are crazy... This is an impulse post so hopefully it will be a good one. Enjoy!

You know I can say now I am a truly open-minded person, and even though I have a belief structure that is unique to some to say the least, I still think that there is wisdom in things that are ancient. True... superstitions can live for very long... well really until science can prove it wrong right? However, some things are just right or seem right. This line of thinking made me go to a place called The Mountaintop. It is a store that offers spiritual aids (Books, statues (of all kinds of faiths), all types of items) to everyone and does not tell you that you beliefs are garbage and that they understanding of the spiritual aspect in our universe. Plus they hold events all the time in things that I did not know existed… and some things that I did... We need more places like this in this country. I am shocked that it is in Clayton, OH of all places. 

I only stumbled upon them because I was looking for local bookstore to possibly get a good book on GWT (Google it, that's ironic, wanna find out why? Google it, seriously) and realized that the likelihood of finding one around me was going to be impossible so I found a decent one I could rip from the net for free, well sort of decent, anyway I noticed that there was a bookstore that was located off of Salem Ave (SR 49) which is relatively close and that I have passed hundreds of times, maybe thousands now that I really think about it… Anyway my curiosity lead me to go check this place out… Now it gets to the cool part... I think...

I get to the bookstore except it was a parking lot attached to a house, however I could tell that the house was in the equation somehow… so I walk this sidewalk up to a porch and see an "Open" sign and I walk in and say "Hello... Hello..." , I felt like I was walking into a person's house because well that is what it was at a time, it was built for such… and then I was greeted by what I would guess was an 70ish year old lady comes around the corner and greets me. She was so nice. We talked back and forth for probably 15-20 minutes at most as I was headed to class in Downtown Dayton at Sinclair and felt like death. She was thee most open-minded 70ish woman I had ever met, seen, read about, heard about, whatever she believed a lot in what I had to say and vice versa. I was presently surprised as this was a brand new experience to me. most 70ish women I have met were either super Catholic, Christian, or Jewish, so this was super new.

I walked the store while talking with this lady and she has a lot of cool items, there was beautiful Buddha and Ganesh statues, great stuff on Chakras too. She even had some books on UFOs, but I was looking for something specific… I have been itching for a new set of male beads (108) and she did have a Red Lapis mala bracelet, which surprised me once in the store as it was not too big, but had tons of stuff. If you like just gemstones go there. AND! she did have 2 sets of male beads (108) but they were Sandalwood and I have one of those already as well as bone, but that is neither here nor there. That was my official store plug, if your open-minded spirituality go to The Mountainview in Clayton, OH, if you live close, or just swinging through.

Adding to that cool part, at the very last part of my conversation with the 70ish lady that I think is at least co-owner, if not the owner of The Mountaintop. She said "can I ask you when your birthday is?" I said, "December 10th" and before I could say "Sagittarius if you are looking for my sign." she stated, "Oh, a Sag are you, okay…" and proceeded to tell me everything I do, strive for, what I hold dear, etc. Just based on our earlier conversation and my sign. I found that pretty amazing... This was not something you would never read in a newspaper horoscope or a book on the same topic, I mean she read me, entirely. I was stunned and replied as I always do, "I might see you soon". In hindsight I think the might may become a will. Some of there events are a little out there for even me but who cares, I think I will go to one and see what happens, maybe I will learn something… I might run like hell because they are a cult (KIDDING!). Whichever I am sure I will walk away learning something. Right? Plus there are some that are my speed...

Religious tolerance is so important to human kind and more people need to realize it, if they do not harm themselves or someone else let them be...

I found a jewel in my backyard.

-automachi

The Be Better Thought...

Hello Readers, welcome to another post. I have thought of numerous topics to write about since my last post but something always prevented that from happening… sometimes it was just that I was to tired… but in hindsight I wish I would have wrote because now I feel like I have a writer's block of sorts… So this could really be a piece of sure genius or something else that starts with an s.

I have had the mindset as an adult of always believing you can be better at whatever you are doing, even if you are the best… there is still some room for improvement. 

This is a "thought" that most religions drive home with different scenarios within their sacred texts. In the Bible… weird… I have been away from my former faith too long to quote scriptures, good, but anyway, I do remembering hear countless preachers say, "You can do anything through him [Jesus Christ]. There are other passages that drive this home with passages, again that I cannot quote, planting the thought "You can do anything if you put your mind to it." In the Christian scenario Christ is your motivation...

Buddhism entire theology is center around self improvement and personal evolution, per se. Always striving to be better in one form or another (samsara). Most, if not all, Indian born theology/religions drive the thought that we can always be better at whatever we do, no matter how amazing it may be.

Islam I cannot say for sure as I have only reads pieces and skimmed most of the Qur'an (however, I do own one), but I am sure given that it is an Abrahamic Faith there are passages that drive the "Be Better" thought into your mind… and yes there is a possibility that this thought comes into play with suicide bombers, do not think like that as I am not including the radical portions of any religions and am only pointing this out because in truth Islam can be good for some, they just need to be more open-minded, even more so than other very large religions. There radicals in all religions that is just a matter of fact.

I could point out something in every religion that drive home the "Be Better" thought as all do in some manner, but I think you get the idea. 

So the above proves the "Be Better" thought is ingrained into most of us through the religions we follow. Then again, there are some Atheist that are pretty good at a lot of things requiring said thought ("Be Better"). So how did they get that thought ingrained in them? Our education institutions teach this as well… that's how.

So when you think you cannot do something call on the "Be Better" thought and do it. This worlds needs more people that are passionate about being better, won't you join us?

It could have been better, and it will be if you want it to...

-automachi

My Afterlife as I See it Today... Could be Different Tomorrow...

Hello readers, since we have a long weekend w/ Labor Day I figured I could get a post in... hopefully one that is good... and I think this just may fit the bill. Lets take the journey and see how it goes. Enjoy...

I have a unique outlook on the afterlife since I switched from a Judeo-Christian religion(s) of 23 years to an Indian (w/ a lot of Buddhist Thought) Philosophy/Religion, but I do not subscribe directly to those afterlife scenarios of the "religion(s)" I follow. I believe in a combination of the Hindu/Buddhists afterlife(s).

The older I get and the more I study, both religion and other unrelated subjects, I have arrived at a place where science and religion cannot contradict each other for me believe in it wholeheartedly. Western religion as it has been taught cannot meets that criteria, meaning science has disproved major components of creation for starters... the only ones that I personally think can coexist in both science and religion is Eastern religions, the one I believe fits in science (as it cannot be disproved, and some of it is proven through science) and religion matrix the best is Buddhism which is my Foundation Faith (see the Foundation Faith post for more details). This is the main reason I subscribe to it, but I do believe aspects of Hinduism as well, and I do believe that most moral religions will take to you to a different "better" place... just in my mind I do not believe it will be quite what your expecting but you will not know it at that time.

The Afterlife as I see it through my eyes today goes like this, if you are a good person and have been good to others and lived a true good life, in every aspect you can control you are going to a better place... a different plain with less suffering than that of the human condition. At that time you will be born, or enter a new realm... that realm depending on your level of "enlightenment" achieved in the life you just had as well as Karma being a factor.

When you die in the "human" realm you energy and mindstream leave when your brain dies and you then hit that bright light, where it goes from there until you become "conscious" in another real I do not know yet... or how long it takes before you enter that new realm or become "conscious", as mentioned in the previous sentence, in "our time" (i.e. seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years), as time could be in those different realms. Once this quasi state just mentioned is over you enter this new "consciousness"on this new realm. Do you remember the past life being on a higher plain, I think you might be able to depending on how "high" your new realm is. I think the samsara nature is not completely know but I think there is something to say about the 31 plains of existence, it may be spot on, it may not be, but I do think there is something there, something accurate. Google that if you like to learn more... So that is if you were "good".

Now, if you were a piece of garbage in the "human" plain you do not go to a better place at the end of that quasi state mentioned above... You go to one of the less desirable plains, one may call them Hell. Your level of suffering increases rather than decreasing. This is not what you want to happen... Do you?

However, all these plains are in constant flux, including the "human" realm, but not including a plain called Nirvana (We will get to that in a minute). So you always will get the chance to go up and down on this plain "ladder", depending on your Enlightenment and Karma, being "born" into new or realms you have already been in many times, however, suffering will follow you no matter what realm you are on, but will lessen when getting to higher realms, until reaching that plain called Nirvana, which some may call Heaven.

Nirvana is a place you enter when you have eradicated all suffering and attachment giving pure bliss and a good "emptiness".

That is a short summary of what I think the afterlife is, more lives just in a different sense, and sometimes not. You may agree you may not, it makes no difference to me in any way, as long as I made you think...

It is mathematically probably that there are alternative universes, it this those other plains?... Sometimes I often think so... but who knows I could be full of it and so may be everyone else... Either way you have to decide, not someone else...

-automachi

Religious Labels and Rants... or something...

Hello Readers and welcome... I hope all is well with you. I truly hope so... I hope you enjoy this post, I hope to get a few extra posts in while I have a 2 week break from classes I am taking, time will have to be the judge of that. Enjoy...

I used to identify well with labels of people in regard to spiritual beliefs and that you had to fall into 1 of those "categories". If you didn't you did not have a true belief structure because it had not already been introduced by someone else, I guess was my think at the time... and... Well... not so much anymore and am so happy to follow a faith that YOU get to design. I stick to Indian Philosophy and have my own personal (some may think wacky) beliefs, and then being newer to anything other than a Judeo-Christian path and strict beliefs structures I stuck a label to it. HA! A little ironic at this point with annoyance of labels regarding spirituality.

However, this (logical spirituality), my, Faith is defined by those who chose to identify with or not. A little like Buddhism, but even there there are different traditions and schools they are just peaceful about it, but there is still a degree of labels. So... I think that makes it a little less annoying that I had to label it but then again you have to call something something right?... I think I just went cross-eyed.

Anyway, why label what you are regarding your spiritual status? I used to understand it or thought I did but in hindsight I cannot figure out why or how I ever accepted being labeled... then it hit me,,, it was cause by what a lot of faiths call a sin or misconduct and that is PRIDE. When you have no issue with spiritual labels you are proud to be what that label is associated with (i.e. Cross to Christ). Pride is a bad thing I do not care how you try to justify it or an instance of it. Sorry just does not work for me and shouldn't for anyone else, take achievement in your work or life not pride, if you do not get it you should probably do some soul searching (that statement is very ironic if Buddhist).

Just disregard the labels... wait... a lot of religious constructs cannot be supported without this "labelism" If you are not Catholic anymore and just a follower of Christ who do you tithe to?... What happens to the Pope. Oh my God(s)! Are we starting to realize why Atheists know the most about religion? That 4th branching of the Abrahamic Faiths better happen soon with the amount of people saying "I cannot stand organized religion", but you know some of those people are still going, you naughty hypocrites you, By the way... you are sinning... =) and the fact that these labels cannot be remove cause yet another hypocrisy with some Faiths =(

So by my own brilliant deduction above I now have proof that I will have to continue to be annoyed by spiritual labels because they are not going anywhere soon... they might transform in some way at best, at the very best, but organized religion would fall, just over labels too, sad... So I guess this post served reason for me... one less annoyance... dissolve the dislike or the notation of spiritual labels within myself... problem solved. See what following a Faith that works for you does? It make good solution for you or others in some way... As I have said many times before... You pick the Faith that is right of you and not the faith that you have been told was right for you by anyone.

Hopefully my next post will be of more substance and not just a realization that spiritual labels will live just short of roaches...

til the next time...

-automachi

The Way I Seen Things Going, My Prediction...

Hello Readers and welcome back... This is one of the posts that I am doing because I think I need to just write. It is something I have to do, I do not know why, but I feel it to be a necessity, my outlet... Lets see how this one turns out...


Karen Armstrong is a great religious author from Britain and one book she penned was The History of God and she wrote on sentence that struck me, and I will never forget it... She stated that a religion must evolve to continue to exist. Like I said she wrote the book The History of God which traces the Abrahamic God from inception to current day from a subjective perspective and at a detailed level with comparison, great book, but I digress, but think of God in society today with that sentence I mentioned in perspective...

Something has to give right? My nephew told me yesterday that he did not believe in God, and I told him you just need to believe what you need to in order to be the best human being you can. I gave examples of helping people whenever you can and just being a "good person", if God is not in that equation then so be it. I also mentioned that He can be a part of his life if he wants him to be and he had no confusion on his face, he knew exactly what I was saying... it made sense to him. The funny part is that children can take that logic but adults can't. This proves that children, not just your own, can teach you things... big things like the realization that conversation had on me.

So that comes back to my sentence I mentioned early that hit me like a brick. The Abrahamic religion, especially forms of Christianity in the West, are not evolving anymore. Really after Y2K and thousands upon thousands of preachers/pastors were wrong and the world did not end I think is when society's subconscious saying wait what happened??...

So what about 2012 huh? Yeah I know took a dramatic turn but I will tie it together... really, I promise... Anyone on this planet has to wonder why so many oracle/prophecies all over the world point to one date. The Mayans, The I-Ching, Merlin (the real one), Nostradamus, and many more.

Is there correlation around the current unstable conditions of the Abrahamic Faiths related to this date because of the lack of evolution? Our society has evolved so much over the last 20-30 years that a religious revolution of sorts must happen again or the God of Abraham will lose followers of all 3 branches, and maybe 2012 is the time of the branch? So technically the world would cease to be as we know it today... Is that the end of the world all these oracle/prophecies mean? Maybe... I do not know... just throwing ideas out there to make you think...

Last time that the Abrahamic Faiths faced this issue a very influential Prophet showed up, maybe you have heard of him?? Mohammad right a bell?? That was the last branch of the Abrahamic Faith, Islam. I am not Muslim but I hold all the Prophets of all faiths in high regard for the good they have done for humanity, with no intention of religion being the number one killer of civilized humans, if they would have seen that I doubt they would have ever spoke, but that is another topic.

Personally, I hope I am in this birth to see the fourth branch of the Abrahamic Faith because I think it will be even more dramatic than comparing Christian to Muslim eschatology, and it will be interesting to see where humanity will be in the end... Things will change, a lot, and the sad thing is... it is completely irreverent... and I am sure blood will be spilled like all branching has causes in the faith, which will not be good, and will be pointless too. Are we starting to get it?...

Thought of the day:
Make your own decisions on what you believe religiously and do not be afraid to go against the grain if you feel led to. If it does not harm you or anyone else there is nothing wrong with it and they can just deal.

-automachi

Got Hell?... What About the Fear of it?...

Hello Readers, sorry it has been so long since the last post but I have been busy... Went back to school, who would have thought after a Masters, but it is for my career and even enjoyable... at times, but does definitely eat of time in general... Cannot always do what you want,   right?... maybe that will make my writing better? Bigger gaps but content?... We will see...

(Wikipedia) Hell: is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict Hell as endless.


Hell (by whatever name) is feared by billions of followers of all Abrahamic Religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism), and rightfully so as it is horrifically described within their sacred texts and canons. Especially Christian Medieval artwork, wow there was some frightful stuff....

One thing I find interesting is that the earliest of the sacred texts of these religions do not make strong mention of it until later after more writings and as time pasted. Then was really driven to the forefront by the rise of Christianity. So do you believe in Hell? I know I did for 22 years.... but no longer... even with the inability to total shake Western religious baggage... yet...

I would suppose a better question would be... Does the fear of Hell keep you at your local place of worship and/or practice? If you are a Christian and you say no, you are a liar and committing a sin... Shame on you!... haha... sorry could not resist... Back to my point, this is a fraction of what keeps you where you go and what you practice. Now, I must say I cannot speak too much to the Islamic Sector of the Abrahamic Religions just because I have never been to a congregation (but do have a Koran and read it from time to time). Now with Judaism it is a smaller fraction than that of Christianity but is still present, and I am sure their are some that could answer the question with a No and not be a liar, but I think you would be surprised by how few there would be... I know right? How can that be since Christians cannot say no and it be not be truthful but a Jew can? I think it is the follower's of Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew, Hebrew root meaning... Salvation... some trivia for you) use of this idea so heavy because they saw what the power of this idea had, and you still see it to this day.

An even better question for you... Why does it matter if Hell does exist? If you do all you can to uphold a high degree of morals and values (common between all of the Abrahamic Religions) you should not find yourself ending there upon your demise... correct? If you disagree that is fine with me, that is your right and I respect it, but I think that would not be justified by a just God as described by it's canon and every version of the Bible or Tanakh...

My point is, and the thought that came to me to inspire this writing, was how extreme the idea of Hell is, the power of the fear that this idea causes, and how I truly view the idea of Hell (See Author's Perspective Section)... I personally think it is stronger than any fear driven by any secular means... the only close comparison is the fear of death (for those who have it) on a secular (non-religious) level.

I personally know the have felt the power and feeling of believing in Hell, as I was a follower of 2 Abrahamic Faiths in a span of 22 years, and feel for you if you have this fear... and if you are a Westerner Christian (e.g. US Christian Faiths) there is only one way that I found to eliminate this fear, and it just happened, I had a "Religious Wake Up Call", or climbed a couple rungs of the Enlightenment ladder in my book, and that is to seek pure religious truth and do not be afraid to go where the path may lead... and the truth will vary from person to person even if they are both following the same exact Faith identically but neither are wrong... In fact it is the complete opposite... they are both correct. Same goes if there religions are completely different, such as a Muslim and a Jew, in my eyes, can you disprove either (entirely, even though some of the Bible or Koran can be disproved)... No. In my opinion, there are many paths to the same destination (of sorts) no matter the religion, and I am not speaking of Hell, if I were I would be a big hypocrite at this point, I speak of living your life in such a way that upon your passing "you" will find yourself in a better place (depending on religion that "better place" can vary highly between every religion).

I remember a conversation with someone explaining my beliefs, one being that Hell as it is known in West and really most of the word does not exist... The immediate content of the person's reply to this belief was, "Then where is Hitler, since he did not go to Hell"? I found this interesting as a snap response... My answer... "To an existence not desired by anything alive". However, this answer was not fitting to the person and the conversation switched topics... purposely and by my doing, as I could see the person could not look at religion objectively, which most Westerners cannot, I know it took me 22 years, as previously mentioned to be able to look at any religion objectively.

There is something to be learned by this post, that being... If you have the fear of going to Hell, get rid of it. This can be accomplished different ways depending on the person and Faith, if there is an easiest way to rid this fear you must dig within your mind, body, and soul, which obviously isn't easy but the alternatives are not suggested as they are much more radical.


(This is a new section to my writings (posts). It is a short snippet of how I really about the subject. I know I always put in my two cents in the body but I want to be able to expand my feelings and give the audience my outlook, and one that will make many mad, so in the future remember this.)
Author's Perspective:

Hell existed in canon of almost all Abrahamic religions in one manner or another since their respective inceptions but not until they learned the true power the idea of a place of utter and pure suffering would have on it's followers. Then, upon this discovery it has been extorted in many ways due to this idea and what you "have" to do to avoid this place. Religion has molded our world around us that we see today. We are just now seeing more tolerance of other Faiths between Religions, which is good. bottom line the idea of Hell is an amazing mechanism for control period.


(Another new section, hopefully this will not make anyone mad as this is not me expressing views, perspectives, etc., but a way to give you a thought to ponder upon, enjoy)
Thought 4 Thought:
If Hell did not exist in these religions how many more, or less, followers would they have?...

Until next time,

-automachi

That Western Mindset is Plaguing Me, Still...

Hello Readers, since the inception of this Blog I have tried to think of Posts, typically for days prior to beginning to write them, but some of the most impulsive Posts tend to be the best written and drives the best point home, at least from your author see it... So lets hope impulsive writing proves to be good once more... ;)

So today I was working with this nagging feeling over me, bring down my mood (I have been smoke free for nearly 3 weeks, I should be happy, right?, not so much) down. I struggled through like normal and just let myself drown in my own random thoughts (typically religious, and grand in nature... not sure why... <snicker>). Well that made me think that maybe I should dive head first into Hinduism just to see what our world's oldest [still practiced] religion is all about. Now keep in mind I know a little more than your Average Joe just because of my subjective religious studies, but not a whole lot more than that.

Sooo that is exactly what I did, went reading online and checked out some of the deeper ideas, beliefs, and belief constructs of Hinduism... Interestingly enough about an hour into reading... it was like I was watching myself {third party style} go in a direction I have went before... Looking for comfortable surroundings of sorts... Looking towards a celestial (of sorts) structure of some type(s) of a God system within a religion. It is this thought that draws me into religion... However, I believe the Buddhist's belief of it not mattering at all... why does it matter... should you act any differently due to that reason... no, you should be a good person no matter what... period!

Sooo, with that in mind, why does it matter? Who cares? People who are scared about afterlife possibilities, that's who!...  assuming that this is the 1 and only round, which I personally do not, but that is your opinion and your have the right to have one (at least for the, moment). However, that is neither here nor there, just do not hate on people for believing in something that has absolutely no affect on you in any way... please?

Got a little off track there, my apologies... The reason why the thought came into my mind to look into Hinduism at that point in time was because of their God structure(s), and there is not much, if any really, mention of a Creator God by Buddha, actually he points out how irrelevant the thought is. So given that I was born in the West (the U.S. especially) I have a mindset that I cannot imagine a world without God. Our capitol has the word God mentioned on monuments and in the public over 200+ times and our originally "founding" of this country has deep religions ties to God (Protestant Reformation), so that is hard to shake the importance of  God within my faith...

Luckily that is an advantage to not following a rigid religious structure, or doing what I did and invent your own (Logical Spiritualism (which I am still defining, and may never be fully defined)). So I can cherry pick to a degree, with Buddhism being its foundation (the only religion that science has yet to disprove any aspect of, at least that I can dig up)... Even with this in mind I still have inner conflict about not worshiping a God in the at the of the day... however, I use Buddha's answer to the question about it... Does it really matter? [sum up of what he said, not verbatim] and that helps the conflict while I "sort things out".

So, do I believe in God? Yes, I do. However, that is the end of my answer to that question... 2 years ago, that would have been a long answer and I would probably try to convert you... but not anymore. What changed? Maybe I achieved a greater degree of semi-enlightenment? That I cannot say for sure but I have a completely different outlook and even personality... and personally I think it was for the better... For me and everyone that comes in contact with me...

Making things less complicated sometimes the correct answer comes to the surface...

Till next time,

-automachi

Church of England to the Bible then to a Western Mindset that is hard to Shake...

Well, readers, sorry for the long gap as I have been extremely busy with all kinds of stuff and that has really put a hurting on my writing, so... I am making time even though exhausted... 


Life always seems to come in cycles and come in like a lion but out like a lamb, per se... I have been adjusting to moving, going back to taking class (even though I have a Masters) but love to learn, and working on high profile IT projects... However, you must observe what you believe in and that is bringing Logical Spiritualism to the masses... or something to that affect... I apologize for beings really bouncy on topics but I have had little time to focus on my spirituality this month, a bad thing by all religious standards, ooooopppss, glad I am Logical Spiritualist, so I set the rules and logically I was too busy. ;)

Since we last spoke an event occurred, that event being the Royal Wedding of  Prince William and Princess Katherine. I love the Royal traditions that occur in all areas of the United Kingdom since there inceptions. However, it actually sparked my spiritualist nature... You are probably asking how and what am I talking about?

That would be the Church of England. Their faith, Angelica, is a unique take on Christianity and made me look back to the Protestant Reformation and really the Church of England was one of the first, biggest, and well known splits of Christianity (split from Catholicism), there are numerous reasons why people say they split so pick, I will allow you to draw you own conclusions but I digress. The Church of England seems so close to its Rome counterpart but with less guilt, Haha! Learn to laugh its fun!!!

Lets try to get back on topic, whatever it is... Oh, yeah the Church of England, it is a unique perspective on the Christian faith, as many have said throughout time, the Church of England is a "Middle Ground" between Catholicism and Protestantism. All religions have splinter sects that either take up a majority of the religion like Catholicism to Christianity, or Orthodox Judaism to Judaism, but Christianity "takes the cake" as far as how many splits there have been, or that has the most sects out of any of the major and minor faiths... Why is this a fact? Oh, and yeah... this is a fact.

Personally I think it is due to 2 things, one being that the Bible is written very cryptically and can betaken literally or metaphorically, and two, due to reason one, there are a lot of people that disagree for a plethora of different reasons...

I told myself that I would probably never pick up a Bible and read any of it's contents ever again, now I reconsider my previous statement. I think there is a lot of good things there and Christianity I hold I higher regard now than what I had. Jesus Christ was a great man, a bodhisattva in the least, but I find that the esoteric thing (Creator God, and how it all went down) to get in the way of good (as a whole).

What I mean is that we know that all the mainstream religions promote good values, morals, and standards (or at least if you follow them correctly). So why does where we come from really matter? If we strive to be better people than we will go to a better place, or plain in the end in my eyes. Besides, science has already figured out where we came from. Sorry everyone proof is in the pudding.

So lets try just to follow the rules of goodness of our respective religions and stop telling everyone else they are wrong... It is senseless, if you are a good person and follow a faith not harming yourself or anyone else in anyway than so be it, and you are doing just fine in my book and any other logical persons'.

Sorry for the ramblings, my next post will be of my continued walk in what I find to be right, and suggest you do the same.

Until next time...,

-automachi

General Religious Extremism... Why Do You Try Too Hard?...

Hello Readers and welcome back to The Logical Spiritualist to hear another rambling of mine. I hope that you enjoy....

I cannot understand why Extremism in any religious sect exists.Why do you have to try and make everyone believe the way you do? I know there are a lot of answers for this, but really think about it before answering.... It is actually for their benefit only... So the ones that are supposed to be selfless are actually selfish? Yes it is true in some situations (typically in the monotheistic realm in particular). They want their God to know they did everything they could to convert people to his or their Truth.

Now we have to take in to consideration that misunderstanding can play a huge role into this, especially if you are preaching to a congregation of people. Yeah, this trend has started in ancient times and has plagued it through it's (religion in general) entire life time. What I mean by this is people come to a misunderstanding of religious doctrine for two reasons, more often than not, at least in my experiences. The first being told by someone else that you look as a teacher misinformation. That teacher preaching their misguided and poor or lack of interpretation, or something to that affect. How many different religious have spawned out of the same book but think everyone else is wrong?... Yeah, hundreds for all the "Big Books" (Tanakh, Bible, Koran) have created 100s of different branches within themselves. But I digress, the second reason of misunderstanding religious doctrine is over analyzing and making things out of stuff that makes no difference. I will give you an example, people thinking eating Kosher also means you should not use anything that may have animal fat in it like fabric softeners and other crap like that... Come on really!?!... That is over interpretation from someone that needs strict guidance by a good teacher, which most that fall under this group have a cult leader, not a teacher. Take the word from the Logical Spiritualist, having a family member that thinks that they are right and everyone else wrong can destroy the strongest of family relationships to the point where they can never be fixed... again take my Word for it...

Why does everyone get so caught up in the esoteric aspects of religion? Other than the obvious answer that we had to come from somewhere other than an evolving life form that has taken millions of years to get where we are now. This is irrelevant.... Yes it is! Don't argue with me... Sorry about that.... What people need to do is take the book as it is.... Those fables (or truths, whatever) hold the truth to having good moral value and just being a "good person". Do not dig any deeper than you need to in order to be that good person... because when you do dig too deep you will likely fall into one of the two categories I have mentioned above, misguided by someone, or yourself. Wow that would have been a lot easier just to say that, than the paragraph above! <sigh> we live and we learn.... at least some of us do...

I do not care if you are a Muslim, Buddhist, or if you a door knocker (Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, etc.) they all have extremists, some more obvious and in the news than other but they are still there. I never made my local news but I was a Christian Extremist and Messianic Judaism extremist at a time too, at least by my definition. I never killed anybody or anything but in my eyes I was just as bad... The always say hindsight is 20/20...

The bad thing is I can not offer any suggestions as to how to fix this problem, as it has plagued family members of mine for my entire life and still see no solution. Sometimes religion can bring such a darkness upon someone that not even the light of loving-compassion cannot shed light on. Truly sad... again take my Word. 

My advice to this is this and only this... If you are feeling deceived by yourself or someone else in regard to religion back up and take a minute to look logically at the situation and make the right decision, if not you could end up on the path to extremism.

Hoping to inspire thought in a seemingly thoughtless world, your friend. -automachi.

A Foundation Faith?... The First Building Block of Complex Religious Perspective...

Hi there readers, if there are any of you out there, either way this serves a purpose. Anyway,... I have been away for so long because I was unusually freaking busy for 3 weeks, it seemed, but as hindsight is always 20/20 I do not necessarily think my lack of Blogging was due to busyness alone. Really I have not had anything to complain about in some religious sect that I could rant about.

This Blog is about my own spiritual development and intense displacement of Western thinking in the regard to religion and the path to find what I believe to be the divine truth. I need to take perspective and do what needs to be done. A further and more objective analysis of religion is required to find what I hold to be truth, truth rooted in logic, as all absolute truths must be.

As I look back at the Blog Archive of Blog Posts I think, "well, it was written pretty well but... in some degree I have been judgmental". Which was one my main reason I believe for my religious "awakening" occurring. I never want to be judgmental, even of the religions, or of the followers of said religions, that are really frickin out there, and maybe even written by L. Ron Hubbard =}. Really though I think even if you believe in aliens under the earth that makes everything happen (because people do) you should be able to believe in it and practice their religion accordingly (as long as it does not harm others, of course).

But I digress....and do have an announcement to make. I do have a Foundation Faith to what I coin Logical Spiritualism. Everyone is probably wondering what a Foundation Faith is, well... that is because I just made it up. However, it is relevant and will make sense... in a moment. 

A Foundation Faith to me is the basis of my belief in my religion, Logical Spiritualism, there is that word again. The Foundation Faith is the first building block in my religious construct. So what is my Foundation Faith?... Buddhism!... Yes, I am serious... Jeesshh... If any one reading this knows me and has for years we will give you a moment to pick your jaw up... Okay... Can we move on... Okay...

I find that the all teachings of Gautama Buddha to not be dismissive by science, which all other mainstream religions are,... except maybe the far fetched ones that I must disqualify based on general logic and reason. I love the fact that Creation, or a God(s), is not the purpose of the religion, or a main thought, it really holds no place in the basis of Buddhism. It is all about reducing suffering in all sentient beings, or at least that is the best one-liner describer I can think of.

I still have trouble not thinking of a Creator God, and to be honest I cannot say there isn't one but I know that what I need to do now is reduce suffering, in myself, and everyone around me... and everyone I ever meet for the rest of this life and all others... A side note, I was an arrogant "spirit-filled" toxic Messianic Jew and prior to that an  arrogant "spirit-filled" toxic Christian. I told everyone about it too, for 24 years... I started at 5, preaching and speaking in tongues, as the Christian, and about 11 years ago flipped to Messianic Judaism as the person in my family that I followed the path of did the same. It seems I could not think for myself when it came to religion, this is my fault. I might have attained an enlighten state already if I would have took the path less traveled, thanks Robert Frost;)

Now everyone may need some time to pick there jaws up... Okay, lets struggle on. Why did this dramatic change happen? I do not known exactly and think it will be a number of years before I find out why. However, I know that it is was right because I am not a toxic person anymore. I am just a student of all religions following the main principles of Buddhism (I am not a Buddhist, I have not taken the oath, not sure it I every will) that is still finding truth using logic, science, and reason while studying, thereby being what I have coining a Logical Spiritualism.

So do you have a Foundation Faith?... Do you want one?... Better yet do you need one?... If you answered yes to any of those start to study, pick up a lot of books and define yourself,... let no one define you.

Final Thought: You need not find the right religion... You need to find the right religion for you...

Until we meet again.

-automachi

You're a Christian and You are Picketing a Funeral?

I must admit this Post is out of anger so it is going to be very brash, and I will attempt to be as subjective as possible and not biased in anyway...but this is a tough topic to do this on...and should be for every human being.

This carp, by "this crap" I mean these psycho religious nut bags that picket at U.S. Soldiers funerals, has needed to stop since it first got media coverage several years back. This absolutely infuriates me to an indescribable level.

One, you should never picket at a funeral for any reason. I do not care if they are an Islamic Suicide Bomber...and they killed a part of your family...you do not show ill regard towards the dead because the dead have family, show their family the respect they deserve, they did not do anything to you, even if their deceased did. If you have a bone to pick it should be done at a different time no matter the magnitude of possible contrast of any type of this situation.

Now, you can hate the until you forgive them, anywhere you want for as long as you see fit, but you do not show up at their funeral, that does not solve anything except make you look insane, or that you have no respect for anything...including the purpose you claim to be there in the first place.

Getting back to what this Post is all about. These freaking church goers picketing at soldier's funerals with signs saying "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" or "Thank God for IEDs" or something just as heinous. I did not capitalize church in the prior sentence because they do not deserve it, just in case you caught that... This horrific and terrible circus need to cease immediately!

How is this even rational?...I have read the Bible many time, read parts of the Koran, commentaries on the Zohar, Talmud, Tanakh, The Sutras of Buddhism, as well as Hindu Sanskrit (translated to English or course) and anyone having read any of these you know that doing this (picketing at a funeral) is wrong...period. So how is it possible to use any Faith as a backing to do this?... If you can answer this by all means let me know the answer as I have not clue.

You may dislike war, as most of us do, I know I do...however, these brave men and women put their lives on the line for us to be the country we are..if not for them you could not picket at their grave site...and we would not be the best peace keeper of all nations of the world, some may disagree with that...but if you do please tell me who is the world's peace keeper...or who even tries besides us...thought so...

So why would you go to one of our most honorable person funeral (him or her) who gave there lives for our freedoms and say they are going to burn in hell? There is no explanation for this, at least none that satisfies me...nor should it satisfy anyone else.

You picketers are blinded by arrogance and do not deserve to breath the same are as the honorably deceased. You should be in that casket you hypocritical heretic! If there would be more than one unforgivable sin in Christianity it should be picketing at a soldier's funeral...or any other person's for that matter...

Take this warning those who are guilty of this...pick the Book up you claim to hold so dear and actually read it, absorb it, and pray for the rest of your life for forgiveness for this terrible sin you have committed...and work the rest of your life striving to make up for your transgression from these actions...By His word...whoever He may be... (e.g. Bible, Lotus Sutra, Koran, etc.). Then you may have a chance.

Note: Sorry for the really negative theme but this makes me so mad and at the same time sad. I wish this kind of ignorance did not exist...but I suppose there will always be evil...somewhere.

-automachi  

The Pocket Dalai Lama

Yes folks, the exhausted Test Automation Engineer/Project Manager is posting this week even though with the hectic work schedule this week has seemed to be (different work from home days, a death in the family, and a funeral too).

Anyway...I went to Borders Books (1 of the 200 stores closing due to bankruptcy)  in Mason today due to sales and picked up a couple small books, one of which was The Pocket Dalai Lama by Shambhala Pocket Classics. This is a good little book...When they say "Pocket" they are not kidding. This little book with fit in about any shirt pocket or pants pocket...Anyway they have quotes and small speech exerts about a wide range of topics but one struck me as extremely interesting (I had heard this in summary along time ago but now finally I have confirmation it is true).

In a chapter of this little book called Religion, Religions, and No Religion the Dalai Lama is quoted as saying,

"I think it is quite possible that a person who is basically a Christian, who accepts the idea of a God, who believes in God, could at the same time incorporate certain Buddhist ideas and techniques into his/her practice. The teaching of love, compassion and kindness are present in Christianity and also in Buddhism...While remaining committed to Christianity it is quite conceivable that a person may choose to undergo training in meditation, concentration, and one-pointedness of mind, that, while remaining a Christian, one may choose to practice Buddhist ideas."

I find that ironic especially given the reversal perspective of that situation because I would think (just my opinion) that about 9,999 out of 10,000 Christians would disagree with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama (as Buddhists call him).

A big part of what I think pushed me to the breaking point of my old faith construct was that the religions I had chose (or had been chosen by parents) had made me toxic and I became aware of the situation and am now attempting to follow a path to truth via Logical Spirituality.

If you are the one who likes quote books about broad topics that are inspirational or just a Buddhist I would recommend the book.

My ending thought: The Dalai Lama has a better sense of humor than the Pope...tehe...

-automachi