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I grew up Catholic and I have
distanced myself from the church as I feel overwhelmed
and guilty about personal choices I have made in my
life and the judgmental views of the church. So, what
I am asking is how do I regain the faith or sense of
religion I've lost? I guess Iím kind of bitter or
disillusioned.
A good question that can be addressed in many ways.
Religion, in and of itself, is a means to an end. By
saying this I say to you that it is an approach to
finding your pathway or connection to a concept of God
or Cosmic Consciousness. There are many religions and
paths to this process of discovery. Most indoctrinate or
train their congregations in a methodology or approach
which is structured to reflect a certain perspective,
reinforcing the belief system of that certain
religion. There is no right or wrong in this approach.
There is no one religion which more right, more
connected, more suitable than another. What this
comes down to is a level of personal comfort.
We cannot explain the specific reasons or examples
which you would give or use to explain your currant
position and feelings regarding religion. What I will
say is that whatever these reasons may be, they have
presented you with a wonderful opportunity to learn,
to move forward and explore newer options. Again,
whatever these reasons are, they must be valid as you
are experiencing them and again, because you have
asked this, speaks to your willingness to release them
and move forward.
As you get older loss becomes the norm. Family and
friends pass-over, children get older and you come to a
point of self-comfort and rediscovery. Learning to
love life and yourself is the gift of age. It is good
that you ask this.
This is how I would answer your question and It is
with hope that you find comfort within it. The concept
of divinity is found within all things and within
yourself. Nothing but this sense of perfection and
natural occurrence exists. It is the concept of
knowing, which is a safer concept of faith, that found
within yourself there is a natural knowing or
intuition or you would not have brought this question
forward, and this sense causes all things to be. It is
existence. There is nothing other than the concept of
knowing, faith and intuition. Therefore, we would
say to you that God is found in a stone. Pick up a
stone and you find the face of God. All that is began
in the beginning at the point of emanation.
Nothing is
devoid of divinity and all comes from it. Where it
becomes confused is when mankind or an individual
interprets and gives their explanation of it. These
are men and women who have had a 'calling' if you
will, based on their life-experience and need to
become whole and to seek out what we would call the 'healing
professions'. Through this they can hide, as you will,
behind a structure greater themselves which offers
them sanctuary, protection and a cloistered world that
reflects their intense interest in being sheltered.
You must not confuse these things. Man cannot tell
another man what to believe. Only the individual alone can
determine what is right for them. We would say to
you that your history is laced with examples of this.
Even your recent history within your church is
pervasive with individuals who act out in a selfish
manner to demonstrate their power over those who are
weaker and less aware.
When you contemplate the Creator you establish a
symbiotic relationship with the perfection of
universal creation and cosmic cosmic consciousness.
You began to expand your awareness which leads you
to the realization that this process extends beyond
the individual and any one individual's perspective.
Your imagination is a powerful tool tied to the
concept of God and the divine. The greatest
accomplishments have begun with a thought, a dream, an
image held within the imagination where the potency of the
'creational aspect' of self is found within the individual.
Think of a vast ocean. When you remove a cup of it, or
a single drop it comes from the same source. This
ocean water can be moved, dried or reconstituted, and
still it remains the same as it was with its origin.
You, the individual, come from the same source, the same
ocean or reserve. Your life vitality emanates from
the source as does all of humanity. This is a
greater concept of God Consciousness, or Cosmic
Consciousness. Within each person, man or woman, there is a Universal Soul, as God
Consciousness, or Cosmic Consciousness. We have used a
variance of terms to show you that these terms are
verbages, or 'tools' which will lead to the same
place.
Let us give you yet another example. When you have a
home and it's wired, the input or electrical current
comes from one source. This source of electricity is
the same yet it is connected from outlet to outlet
throughout your home providing ceiling lights and
appliances and all the outlets with power. The
soul you carry, the identity that is you emanates from
the same source and is manifested in the vibrancy that
is you, the individual. The 'soul personality' is the
self you allow yourself to become. The natural you
questions and naturally attempts to manifest the
divine nature of universal perfection and this is why
you struggle so as it is in conflict with the actions
and teachings that men and women who are the clerics and
clergy of 'the church' that reflect that individuals
perspective. This analogy is reinforced by the
different type of 'sermons' that they deliver from
their pulpits, while in their personal life they may
manifest traits that are human and individualized. You
see and know this and this is in conflict with your
higher self or soul personality. When you are younger
you do not question as you have been conditioned to
respond to authority with submission. As you grow
older you question the 'rightfulness' of actions. Your
God-ness, or Soul Personality becomes a manifestation
and extension of your response to these actions and
hence becomes tainted, if you will, as if a drop of
black ink has been placed in clear water.
Questioning begins to return yourself to your wholeness
and natural expression. The nature of mankind is
reflected in his Soul Personality which is the essence
of Cosmic Consciousness and Universal Perfection. This
perfection extends and flows through all of humanity.
Therefore, we say verily unto you that your growth is
a natural process of evolution and individualized
growth.
The conflict you ask us about speaks to the that which
is outside of God and 'religion'. For God and
'religion' are not found in structures built to
reinforce conceptually structured belief systems.
Rather, it is found within the temple of the individual's
body and within nature.
You are asking us more about the process of worship
and individuals who come together to worship, to gather
in like kind to reflect similar beliefs,
reinforcing fears and weaknesses rather than strengths
and wisdom. Most religions will tell you what you are
not to do and the 'punishments' that come from being
human and the contrition you need
to perform to become one again with God.
Knowledge is an accumulated sense of understandings or
concepts. As you question and experience you learn
that groups usually reinforce a sense of fear of that
which is different. You are seeing that play out now,
within your last year's history. It is a very simple
process of gathering, reinforcing, and sublimating
yourselves to structures which, over time, have been
interpreted by men and individuals to suit their
collective agendas rather than serving the sameness of
all of humanity which reflects the image and
perfection of the concept of God and Universal
Perfection.
Then, when these established protocols are breached as
recently noted by the conflict within your church and
the actions of some priests with inappropriate
behaviors, the chosen and knowingly commuted against
innocent parishioners that looked to them for solace,
protection and comfort, are denied such by that very church, which hides
behind laws and refuses to take responsibility for
their collective actions. This is not religion. This is
not of God and this does not reflect divinity or
universal perfection. What it does speak to is power
and how absolute power corrupts the individual and the
subsequent structure.
It is normal and expectable to become bitter, angry
and disillusioned as all children experience these
growing pains when they realize that perfection is not
manifested by those that they have given their
personal power to. It is up to you to know that you,
yes,YOU, the individual already are a direct line and
connection to God, Universal Perfection and Cosmic
Consciousness. You need no interpreter, intermediary
or representative to lead you to God, for you are the
living face and embodiment of God. And within yourself
you know this. The smallest seed which allows you to
bring life forth brought you forth, as it did all of
humanity. This spark of life is the aspect of God that
reinforces to you that there is God and Universal plan
of perfection. This ongoing line of continuity
gives you the knowledge that you are part of the
process of learning and discovery and each action you
manifest during that process of discovery is
worshiping and honoring God who brought forth your
life and all life.
Spirit is the golden cord that connects all living
things and all experiences. Look into yourself and
hear the inner voice of peace and calm. Look into the
eyes of others for gentleness and love for in this
there is wisdom and strength. Gather and celebrate the
joy of life and the pleasures of experiencing wondrous
learning experiences. Gather with those who reflect
joyous expressions while celebrating the differences
and uniqueness of others. In so doing you will
find peace within yourself and you not be threatened by
that which is outside yourself, for you know you carry
the essence of all time and all of creation within
you.
Gather and find camaraderie with those who reflect the
standards of ethics you would like to stand within.
There was a time when individuals would choose the man
or woman who reflected the morality, ethics and
standards of behavior that was naturally occurring to
them and shown the light upon the path they wished to
journey. These leaders, teachers and healers passed on, by
virtue and example, the behaviors of ethics to all
those around them, and though this they held the
respect of their communities. Lead by ethical behavior.
Advise by allowing tolerance for personal choice and
love unconditionally while tending to these processes
with prudent care.
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THE CHURCH 
