Mother Nature is my Religion

Mother Nature is my Religion. A great friend of mine told me once while kayaking.

I nodded to indicate that I agree, but I also started to reflect what he said as I’m paddling, what do you mean this is your church? Do you mean your divine belief lies in Mother Nature?

Me, Bible Study?

I was invited to attend a bible study at a local Presbyterian Church in Canton, New York, a church where I regularly attend Sunday service.

I must confess that I hesitate to go but I ended up to go. I expect the Bible study would be set up in a traditional way where you have someone lecturing, you about how to read a bible, and so on.

Surprisingly, that was not the case, contrary to that this bible study way more open to debate, which means everyone would share their thoughts to the discussion over the bible.

Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally.

On day one of the bible studies, the moderator presented two books and the group elected among the two, a book called  Reading the Bible for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally by Marcus J. Borg.

Among the many chapters I read, I was stroked in a positive way when we were having discussing on chapter 8 – Reading the Gospels Again and the moderator said in one passage, which I quote “today’s certain congregation preaches in a way as if they own the truth and not respecting other religions.”

She added, these are the pitfalls we have been taught since child wherever religion our parents attend is the religion that has the truth other than that shouldn’t question it.

As the discussion was taking place, I thought in my mind,  how can we teach, pursue if that’s the right way to put those who don’t believe in God or not sure which congregation, they feel that they should attend, including the coming generation?

Belief or NonBelief

Carlo Maria Martini and Umberto Eco. The book discusses religiosity, ethics, faith, and science. Martini, who is Cardinal of Milan, asks Eco, an Italian agnostic philosopher, what is the reason that someone who does not believe in a transcendent principle would have to be a good person, not ignoring that some nonbelievers are good people but what is the justification. And Eco, in one of his many responses he said, “People that believe in God are also capable of committing atrocities.

We all believe in something divine, I call God, and some people call something else but and I don’t think you would give your life for someone if you don’t believe in anything beyond to this reality.

So, all religion believes in the same God that we all assume to know,  what differs is how we worship, and no one has the legitimacy to claim that they know the truth that no else knows.

What is your religion?