Strange beginnings.

This is a bit of a strange time for me to start this blogg, especially given its title. I am more confused about my faith than I have ever been before. I still believe in God or the Divine, but I am not sure if it is as simple as integrating yourself to the beliefs of the Catholic Church or indeed if Catholicism is the fullest expression of God and truth, which it claims to be.

It’s fairly obvious – at least from my British, western perspective - that the major faith traditions are not addressing the needs of the world. Churches are empty and the numbers of vocations across all Christian denominations are dwindling. I would argue that the majority of people in the UK view religions with disinterest and a significant minority as a product of the past. In my view religion is a very simple thing, it is people that make it complicated. One quote form Leo Tolstoy sums it up beautifully:

The principles are very simple, comprehensible and uncomplicated. They are as follows: that there is a God who is the origin of everything; that there is an element of this divine origin in every person, which he can diminish or increase through his way of living; that in order for someone to increase this source he must suppress his passions and increase the love within himself; that the practical means of achieving this consist in doing to others as you would wish then to do to you. All these principles are common to Brahmanism(Hinduism), Hebraism(Judaism), Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Mohammedanism(Islam) and Sikhism. (If Buddhism does not provide a definition of God, it nevertheless recognises that with which man unites and merges as he reaches Nirvana. And that something is the same origin which the other religions recognise as God.)Leo Tolstoy 1879.

Put in this way religion and spirituality should inform how you live your life and treat others, ultimately making us less egotistical. The rituals and doctrines should surely be of secondary importance. I am convinced that there is a great deal of unnecessary dogma and doctrine within every religion. If I could sum up in one word what each religion should teach us it would be compassion. The nature of reality, God and the universe and ultimate questions like these can take care of themselves.

The Buddha always refused to talk about Nirvana and simply said, “Will the knowledge of Nirvana make you a better person?” In fact he saw it as a danger in that it would inflate the ego and form in the disciple an unhealthy state of mind and desire (doing good deeds for rewards and not because they are good in themselves). Could religion practiced incorrectly actually inflate the ego and create self righteous people? That was definitely the case in September 11th.