“Proverbs”

Here are some words of wisdom that I felt lead to share with those of a faith, and those without one, because information is never a bad thing regardless of where you stand on the matter.

“A few bad apples spoil the bunch”

Unfortunately there are people who claim to be a follower of one religion or another, who due to their actions and self-absorbed motives, end up ultimately tarnishing its name and leave outsiders looking in with total disdain and disgust.

We must do our best to be able to separate ourselves from these ”bad apples” and see the faith for what it truly is.

We should decide which works best for us and our personal needs and not concern ourselves with what others are doing.

“Freedom of choice”

The thing about religion is that for the most part it is not a choice; it is something that we are forced into at a young age, it is ingrained into our brains and becomes a part of who we are all thanks to our parents/guardians.

Whether or not that changes, all depends on the individual and their mindset when they reach the age of reason.

Now this is not a knock at the parents because obviously most of them do it out of love for their children, not some kind of pride and/or selfish motives.

We as individuals must understand this and when we are ready we must decide which direction to proceed, even if that means leaving all faiths behind.

 “Do we have to pray just to make it today?”

Whether prayer should or shouldn't be allowed in school is a hot button topic that is constantly being brought to the forefront of our society due to parent’s personal beliefs, or lack thereof, and unfortunate events that take place around in the world around us.

Honestly there is no simple way to answer this, because regardless of the answer one side or the other is going to feel as if they were wronged.

We should just allow the children ten minutes or so of quiet time to do with as they feel lead to, if that means praying then have at it, and if not then they can utilize that time as they feel fit.

If as a parent this is something you feel strongly about, then enroll your child in a school that caters to the particular religion you follow.

“Creationism vs. Evolution”

This is another hot button topic that can go either way, and as I said above in regard to prayer being allowed in school or not, there is no clear cut answer to this question that would leave everyone involved happy.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with believing that a divine entity created the world, especially if that helps your journey through it more tolerable, but you must also allow for scientific reasoning that shows that evolution is possible, and if fact has happened.

Believe it or not, it is entirely possible to believe both philosophies, and in some cases it even makes things a little easier to understand.

“Take me to church”

Is it completely necessary to attend church every chance one gets to be consider a true believer, a dedicated servant?

Some would have you believe it is, that if you decide not to attend that you are less of a follower, that you are not doing your Godly duty.

However, the reality of it all is that it is not a requirement to be considered a faithful follower, but rather a place to go to be around other like-minded individuals, kind of like belonging to a club.

Church is all around us, God is everywhere and not just confined to the walls of a church and/or any other religious structure.

“Holy War”

There is no such thing, war can’t be holy.

People use this term to justify their cause for going to war, for causing destruction and chaos throughout the world all in the name of their God.

God is love, forgiveness and acceptance, not violence, vengeance and hate.

Unfortunately it’s the corrupt individuals who are falsely waiving a religion’s banner that incorporate war into it to meet their own personal needs and agendas.  

I know that there are times where people have no other choice but to defend their stance, to rise up against the adversaries all with hopes of maintaining and/or achieving spiritual freedom, but for the most part this is not the case most of the time.

“Where do you go when you die?”

Whether or not someone goes to heaven (or spiritual equivalent depending of their faith) when they die is not a matter for the masses to decide, but rather a matter between them and their maker alone.

We have no right or authority to tell others where they will go when they crossover to the other side, regardless of how much we feel we do.

God knows our heart, He is aware of the steps we had to take and the adversities we faced on our journey, and according to some even orchestrates our every move along the way.

Since He started us on our way, and has been with us the whole time guiding us, I would say it’s only fitting that where the story ends is up to Him.

“Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs”

Too many of these so-called religious people holding up signs to get their points across.

Now I know some of you may wonder why this is a bad thing, and honestly if it’s done correctly it’s not, but when it’s done foolishly it ends up only hurting the faith/message more so than do it any good.

People need to remember to keep their own personal beliefs out of it, and when hate supersedes love the message is not worth broadcasting and better just kept to one’s self.  

(The End)

So there you have it my friends. I hope you enjoyed what I had to share, and please feel free to let me know your thoughts.

MJM