Are We Truly Enlightened? Religion or Not?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 08:39:46 -0400

I look at my fellow man and wonder what the big deal is. Whether there is a God or not, what is the problem with being a person of faith? To dismiss God out of hand is troubling on its own merits. Because it seems improbable in some ways and even fanciful, but is it? For all that we know is not learned, until a certain moment where all of us find our nest, so-to-speak and we reside there. Old age.
Talking to classmates (1974), we have all aged and some people that I thought never would be Christians now are. The other thing is that even the most beautiful have acquiesced to time and perhaps time is the true fraud, because nascent beauty has been replaced by an AARP membership card, scads of gray hair or the lack thereof.
Talking to a friend, I commented that the playing field has been leveled and those once more highly regarded are now, like us. Average people finding solace and a spiritual reincarnation.
I think the thing that bothered me about church is the need for recitations and hymns that we hard to sing for a person who could not (sing). They seemed to me dry acerbations of belief, much like a ‘form letter of faith’ and that did not square with me. Instead I sought out the seasons of faith, whereby we take into account our own mortality and find comfort in the masses.
I have no problem now with much of this, even though I still detest rote words. Maybe I do not like words over their substance and the notion that individuality is sublimated to preposterous suppositions. In the future we will find certain things to be antiquated and that may include certain notions that we embrace. Until then, it is what it is and outside of beating others into submission (religiously or not) let us be kinder, gentler and more acquiescent.
Can I get an “amen”? wink!

https://youtu.be/cTBx-hHf4BE

One Tin Soldier - The Original Caste [Original]

A video of one tin soldier by its original singers, the original caste. I think they sang it the best. I took the music from the original caste, and synced i...

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Oct 3 at 2015 11:27 AM

MSgt Curtis Ellis — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 11:27:20 -0400

Are We Truly Enlightened? I believe your following statement holds this answer: "For all that we know is not learned, until a certain moment where all of us find our nest, so-to-speak and we reside there. Old age..." And it is there, where time either makes wise men, or fools, of us all! But I think, as we get close to the end, most, if not all, become enlightened though a great many of us find this earlier in life. Amen to kinder, gentler acceptance of behavior from all, and my prayer? That it doesn't come to us beating it into anyone, even though the end result IS what we want!!! LOL!!! Definitely a lot of work ahead! Good post! Be well, and stay blessed! :)

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Oct 3 at 2015 2:04 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:04:24 -0400

Amen SSgt Private RallyPoint Member. I too graduated from high school in 1974. I joined the military soon afterwards. I loved history and science and liked to explore. I grew up without a personal relationship with God but a hunger to know the truth. I tried many paths of knowledge and experience but all were fruitless until I recognized that I needed a personal savior. I had rejected God for the first 30 years of my life while He patiently and lovingly allowed to go through the results of good and bad decisions while He protected me fro m myself in many of them. In 1987 I recognized my need for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and accepted what He had done for me. It has been a wild ride since but I am forever grateful for God and what He has done and is doing in my life.

Response by SSG Stephan Pendarvis made Jul 1 at 2016 2:46 PM

SSG Stephan Pendarvis — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 14:46:31 -0400

I like your post. It is for similar reasons that I have be searching and I personally have found a resting place. I don't like terms or putting things into boxes but I am now what I call a Christian Buddhist. I have found a way to fuse the 2 ideas together....and it works for me.