Dear friend,We were discussing (as much a discussion as you can have on chat) so me feelings on religion and spirituality. This being a natural topic so close to Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) but you and I often have discussions like these.
When I think of humankind's view of God, I think of a round circle with a smooth, curving slope and cracked surface in the other part of the picture. Many will look at it and think, "Looks like a glacier and mountain range." or "Topographical view" or "Something from Google Earth" but, in fact it is part of a toe and surrounding skin of an elephant. Humankind sees evidence of God is such a tiny, abstract way that there is no way someone could adequately describe God. To think of God in corporeal form (like the stereotypical old guy with long white beard and flowing white robes - Gandolf??) is unthinkable to me. So...by expressing this does it mean that I don't believe in God? No, far from it!! I swim in God. God contains me, I don't contain God. And, I pray to, discuss and argue with God. (and that's the elephant circle's view of my spirituality).
Religion? I choose Judaism. For one, Judaism has a way of relating God more to the above view than a confining view. For another, I do believe that all people have a religion - a somewhat orderly way of relating to God/the universe/life affecting forces. Humankind has found since Early Man that community and orderliness is necessary for existence. All humans seek some sort of order. So, religious order isn't such a bad thing.
I leave you with those snippets and next post will tell you why I pray the Modeh Ani everyday.
