It’s taken me quite some time to ponder a conclusion to this piece of literature in effort to put my best foot forward in hopes that it is emphatically understood that I’m here to simply guide and answer a question that was brought forth to me. With that in mind, I’ve catered this article to be as legible and digestible as possible for everyone involved with the utmost respect for their beliefs and the current situation at hand within the given time constraints. After this, I’ll be returning to my regular crafted content as I have no interest in escalating or adding to conflicts and refutation with those who refuse to open their minds in relation to the primary ideology that we all share this earth, and we must learn to cohabitate it together to the best of our abilities. Thank you in advance.
Transitions are a part of our everyday lives. In every instance and every possible event that takes place, we must adjust with the knowledge we are presented with in correlation with the notion that when we begin to move forward, it’s being done so with our best interest in mind. This is the case with everything, regardless of the amount of people involved within that given circumstance (you, your family, your community, your country, so on and so forth.). Little things such as a flat tire on our way to work to bigger things such as a medical treatment in which action must be taken in a timely fashion to prevent further bodily harm or deterioration - these are examples that everyone can relate to in some way or another – if not exactly, you’re able to manipulate those statements in a way you can better resonate with. There are usually two outcomes that can surmount from these transitions. Forward progression, or regression. Now, external circumstances and I say it this way because I’m classifying anything out of your direct control to be external, may have their own indication and influence on the progress in which you would receive in correlation to forward movement. You cannot do anything about this. Again, here you will be faced with two outcomes based on the information you receive, another attempt at forward progression, or regression. I’ve mentioned the alternative to this before in other articles and I will touch base on it again, internal circumstances, the ones in particular that I’m touching base on here are the ones within our given control – these can result in yet the same two aforementioned outcomes.
The difference at this given time is that we are removing one type of the two circumstances from the equation entirely. There are no external circumstances. Everything is internal. The onus is entirely on us. We as a whole, can choose to move forward towards guided growth, encompassing the true embodiment of the cold hard fact that we are students and nothing more in this ever evolving journey that we’ve come to know as “life”, or we can stay put, rigid and reluctant to accept the knowledge and truth that we simply do not know everything there is to know and the current state of the world depicts this precisely. I’ll add to that with something we can all agree on and for those who still choose not to, that is your choice, and I pray that your ignorance gives you the bliss you so desperately seek. Onwards and definitively, it’s become quite evident that we don’t need a magnifying glass or a fine toothcomb to filter through the news and see that the direction we’ve been moving towards is causing more harm than good on a collective scale. Although, there are some who choose to live their lives within the light, the darkness that embodies others isn’t just apparent, it’s running rampant. We live in a world where nothing is necessarily private anymore – what was often and at one point easily overlooked, simply cannot be anymore.
Regardless of the religion or belief set one may possess, there are a few solidified truths that I would stand firmly in defense of amongst all. For starters, we all have visions and hopes of living prosperous lives. The idea of a world filled with communities in which everyone cooperates, is honest, has faith in God - that we all understand that there is only one of, and lastly, the idea that love is something obtainable and should be available for all. This is true in every religion from what I’ve come across and in specific, listing Catholicism, Sikhism, Judaism and Islam, just to touch base on a few. Each one of these, although there are more, share a common underlying belief. Yes, there are different teachers, but the truth of the matter is that to some extent, everyone believes that there is one God, and we’d like to live our lives in the fullest extent in regard to happiness and enlightenment. That alone, lets me know that as a collective, we are willing to move forward – together. It may not be in the same house, it may not be in the same neighborhood, but we are moving in the same direction.
To further add to this understanding that I have, over time a realization was made that many of the religions above share the same belief in servicing others, helping those in need and having compassion for those we interact with on a day-to-day basis through a means of understanding and empathy. The cultures are different and you’d have to expect this given the way everyone is placed across the world, but that universal language of love and awareness seems more than constant. It appears as if it’s a basis for all of humanity – treat others in a way in which you would hope and anticipate you are to be treated. As humans, we have that need for connection, for cooperation, for consideration in every area of our lives. We have this universal ability to feel the same as others do, regardless of the pigmentation of our skin, languages that we are fortunate enough to be able to speak, the clothes that we choose to wear or can simply afford to wear given our current circumstances, the car that we drive or the shoes we have to walk in – mind you, some of us aren’t even lucky enough to have that privilege and lastly, no matter how different our lives leading up to today have been because no one has the ability to walk the same path as their neighbor; we all have our own stories to tell. Even with all these variables at hand, we can still confidently say that in some way, we want the same as what everyone else wants, we deserve to have the opportunity to obtain the same as what everyone else has, so naturally, we should do what we can to ensure that for those who do walk in faith and integrity, that regardless of what path they’ve taken to ensure that in the Divine above, that they believe – they have this solace available to them. Peace, love and harmony isn’t a pipedream for humanity, it’s a goal to strive for and you don’t have to investigate deeply into today’s current affairs to conclude that it’s what’s needed more than ever at this time.
Each and every one of these religions, and again – there are more, believe heavily in the idea of monotheism. What is exactly is this? To sum this up simply for everyone, it’s that there is one God, there is one Earth. We here, together, are all students of life and masters of absolutely nothing. Collectively, we are thirsting for more knowledge, bettering ourselves and mankind along with that premise. With the way the times change, as do the problems and complexities that conjure them – things that were not accepted before, now are, whereas the opposite is also inevitably true. Why would we not evolve and ensure that we are able to combat these challenges? The beliefs across the board profess the same unwavering devotion to this ideology. Where exactly have we gone wrong? The whole purpose of having channels and pathways to enlightenment was to ensure that in some way or another, that we all get there. Some at their own pace, some on their own accord, but surely, we’ll make it. Although, I am a strong advocate of staying true to principles, having respect for heritage and a deep understanding of origins, I’m not willing to overlook the benefits that would arise from adjusting and becoming more accepting of new ideologies and levels of understanding in hopes of moving towards a stronger bond with peace for all along with unity in the division amongst the globe that is very present and pronounced. Growth doesn’t happen overnight, nor does change in most situations and particularly this one at hand. The kettle with water doesn’t suddenly boil, it builds. The balloon filling with air doesn’t just pop, it expands until it cannot. A song isn’t just created, it's put together, piece by piece. Acceptance and understanding don’t just happen, it’s a concept that’s proven and taught. Guided growth offers that promise of understanding and change. To clarify further, mistakes are bound to be made, no man (or woman) is perfect. Corrections are a must, we must right our wrongs – stagnation is poison. Communication is dire, without it – we have nothing and that is regardless of how meaningful or valuable what we harbour within us may be.
If stagnation in my books is considered poison, then I raise the notion that it would be a fitting term to categorize where we currently stand today as a society - a slow drip death. Conflicts are arising at an alarming rate even amongst the breakthroughs we are generating with the talents, skills and guidance we currently possess in the fields of science and technology to arts and health (there’s more). Why might that be the case?Families are constantly divided; divorce and dramas fill the homes of many and I’ll refrain from touching base on relationships amongst friends, as that’s family in the eyes of more than just my own. Tension is at an all-time high and even with the simple frivolities we use to help us escape for periods of time, it seemingly isn’t enough. With the faith we have and possess – the things we know to be true and hold much weight within our hearts, how is it that so many of us are not able to converge and help tackle the current state of the world? How is it that by staying complacent, a decision on its own, which is not only pushing us to move backwards, but the cherry on top also seems to be that we’re consciously, emotionally and deliberately aware we are doing this and still can’t find a way or the courage to resolve this never-ending cycle? The answer to me, is very simple.
Power and politics have seemingly found their way into the heart of what religion once embodied. Mankind has successfully bastardized something once held with such astute praise and respect, which in result has turned it into a scheme and overall control mechanism for reasons beyond comprehension for most. Truthfully, and I say this with a heavy heart, we are more than able to decode and hypothesize why this is the case but that’s merely surface level - an attempt, a scratch, a peek through the curtains that have been shrouding the underlying glory that everyone who walks this earth is inherently entitled to. Modern religion has separated so far from the meaning of God, that simply making the correlation to what religion now is versus what it begun as is not only a mockery to those who worked so devoutly to ensure that future generations were able to benefit and move forward as one – but it is downright blasphemous. What was once seemingly available to all is now enforced and solicited as a membership or worse, a tool to instill fear, disapproval and segregation amongst the masses. We’ve falsely idolized individuals and raised people into the belief that whatever path they take to enlightenment isn’t sufficient if it doesn’t coincide with those who are bolstered into the spotlight and crowned as the “only way” to achieving peace and harmony. Do you have any idea how many souls have been lost with this false narrative that’s been in play for so long? There are people that won’t utter the idea of God because of the lack of acceptance they currently feel in their given external environments, in which they have absolutely zero control over. This is a failure on a systemic level which must include ALL religions to be held accountable. The purpose of church, the purpose of God, the purpose of religion was to bring us all together. Not tear us apart and create a monopoly as result in which those who choose to manipulate it reap benefits while pretending to be devoted to doctrines in which in the dark, they clearly are not. (I will be leaving the examples out – but this relates to business, media, politics and the like.)
The current state of disillusion is nothing more than a consequence from these repetitive and cancerous mistakes. The ripple effect through generations has been bubbling and has now surmounted to a beyond cautionary boiling point that’s been building up slowly since the moment they were manifested. This is where we currently stand. The younger generations are losing touch with what so little of us today currently understand and deeply believe. They don’t even know what faith is. The percentage is shrinking by the minute and no, just because you say you believe in God and follow a certain religion on a piece of paper doesn’t make it true – I’m afraid you don’t count, for I could equally do the same in a realm of other contexts such as tell someone that I’m a billionaire when my bank account clearly knows that I’m not – you’re not fooling the creator, you’re fooling yourself. The rigid reluctance to accept what is in the humblest of efforts to rebuild and reassimilate the true meaning of God by cutting off the rotting limbs of the body in relation to what religion has become is truly disheartening. We are hurting future generations by misguiding them into believing one way, one ideology, one method of teaching is superior to others and by utilizing that same message afterwards as a weapon against anyone who opposes or believes differently – no matter how peaceful or purposefully they may or may not live their lives parallel to the proposed perspective.
The solutions to these persistent problems are not as peculiar as one would believe at first glance. It’s a simple change that starts today as opposed to not at all. Incrementally, we can choose to go inwards in efforts to help everyone achieve the enlightenment needed to move forward and upward. The key lies in acknowledgement, acceptance and ascension through means of meditation, prayer and cooperation. We’re all neighbors – we share this planet, we share these resources, we share the same common goals. I believe it’s imperative that we consciously make the effort that reflects this in how we live our lives. Just because someone follows their own respective path to enlightenment does not take from yours. It’s an individual journey – it always has been, and it always will be. Even though this goal can be achieved in groups, because we all know – there is strength in numbers, it’s on the individual to accept the path paved ahead of them to begin with.
It doesn’t matter where you are, what you look like, what you have or how you speak – it’s just that you believe in the same way in the dark as you would if the light was shining upon you. To walk in integrity with your beliefs and then live with the teachings you’ve been taught to be a better person for yourself and everyone else was the real purpose of religion. That’s what I wholeheartedly believe God wanted. The person praying at dawn from their knees, is not your enemy. The person praying from a wooden bench on Sunday, is not your enemy. The athlete praying underneath his breath before the big game starts, is not your enemy. The homeless man sleeping on the cardboard in the alleyway who refuses to beg but prays instead, is not your enemy. The child dying of terminal cancer praying for a chance to live the one life they’ve been given, is notyour enemy – no matter what religion they have chosen to follow may be, especially when done from a place of peace and love. We are all brothers and sisters. Yes – we fight, we disagree, we have our own opinions and tastes but in order to move forward as a collective in this one, monumental life-changing manner, that is enlightenment - we must remove our egos, blinders and suffocating thirst for power and falsified praise. The guided growth we can experience as a whole through acceptance alone is worth every amount of effort and courage to stand up to those who oppose the notion that love, and God is for all, equally.
The title should go to the one who wants it the absolute least out of the candidates at hand. That man is as far removed from the self-serving agenda and motives of what possess modern men to rise on such an occasion as can possibly be. A man of the people in today’s society, that is for the people and the betterment of all.
17/01/55.
With Love,
Al
P.S. – Now that I have answered your question, I have something I’d like you to do for me, which in conclusion would help you reflect and understand without a doubt that you are indeed making the right decision and moving in the right direction.
Please reflect on these passages as students. Fresh eyes and souls. These passages are not what you think, know or believe currently – it’s as if you’ve seen it for the first time and know nothing:
- John 7:46
- Psalm 133:1
- Colossians 3:14
- Ephesians 4:3
- Matthew 5:17
- Matthew 11:28
- John 13:35
- Galatians 3:28
- Proverbs 11:29
Now, please go find a sick (terminal if possible) child with little to no knowledge of religion, God or Jesus Christ himself and, who in no way, shape or form has any benefit from this entire situation and ask them what you think each passage means to them. Children are innocent, they always have been, and they see life with no prejudice – Adult men and women, on the other hand, have been grossly misguided, influenced and conditioned through more channels of deceit than I care to list.
I trust that with this newfound knowledge and perspective, you too will know you’re making the right choice. And please remember that I am not telling you anything you don’t already know, I’m simply here to reaffirm and support you through this tough transitionary phase.
My deepest and sincerest condolences for your loss. With childlike innocence and eyes, I’ll be watching and continuing to support you from the outside looking in. Thank you for your time and consideration, gentlemen. Godspeed.