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Subject: A guiding direction to ponder upon...


Author:
Alvin
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Date Posted: 10:44:19 01/04/05 Tue
In reply to: Denise 's message, "thanks Alvin..." on 08:59:30 01/04/05 Tue
 Dear Denise,
Here is a reply I wrote to someone else in a forum group which I had joined. She was struggling with being true to her native tradition and her religion (not differentiating being spiritual and being religious).

I hope this reply help you too. I have replaced her name with "XXX" in respect for confidentiality.

:)
Alvin
-------------------------------------------------------
XXX,
There is a difference between being religious and being spiritual. And the two can cause much struggle if we lump them together.

I am brought up as a Buddhist. Strictly speaking, Buddhism does not recognise any Creator entity. We believed that we are our own creators... meaning to say that what we are now are a result of our own mental volitions. Hence, we place a lot of attention to eliminating "karma", so that we will not create endless rounds of re-births and deaths (eventually reaching a birthless and deathless state known as "nirvana"). We do not believe in a eternal soul ("anata", the concept of no-soul)

However, part of my also felt the presence of a Universal Force (you may refer this as God if you wish). This Force is the energy of Love, which has us learn and evolve, also to share the same Force with others. Because of this Force, which I know is omnipresent in all beings and even in non-living phenomena, I became aware of our interconnectedness and I respect Nature for what it is. We are one, thus we cannot simply seek our own nirvana... we must reach out to share that Love with others. There is evolution towards being a soul with unconditional love.

Thus, you can see that my religion has some "conflict" with what I felt. One is rather impersonal, while the other is full of awareness. One is eliminating interaction, the other wants to reach out with Love and be with fellow souls.

I would say that while I still follow the teachings of my religion, I have learn to recognise the spirituality that I am aware of. This is how I became more and more open towards other beliefs... for we are unity in diversity. Despite the different religions we are brought up with, the pure spirituality that lies within is the same.

Struggle no more, XXX. Be spiritual while learning from the teachings of your religious group. I guess that's what is meant by having a personal relationship with God. The Divine Dance is within you.

: )
Alvin
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Replies:
Subject Author Date
Re: A guiding direction to ponder upon...Denise16:43:20 01/04/05 Tue
Re: A guiding direction to ponder upon...Theresa18:19:01 01/07/05 Fri

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