Spirituality and Religion

It has been said—undoubtedly by the not-religious—that religion is for those who are afraid of going to hell and that spirituality is for those that have been there.  It has to be nice to have a strong positive sense of community within your church.  I have too many issues with authority that always blocked religion from working for me when I tried going to church.

Michelle, Lea and I have been doing a morning meditation with readings from various sources.  I like 12-step literature and meditation  readings on mindfulness and loving kindness.  They have been reading from a “Christian” book that I can’t listen to any more.  The book slut-shames women for having an abortion or other poor mothering choices without ever acknowledging male malfeasance.  I pointed out it is sexist class warfare on poor women.  They see it differently.  It is bizarre to me that they enjoy reading literature which attacks poor less-educated women like themselves without even being able to acknowledge it as sexist or income-based.  It is not my job to prove discrimination to them or educate them on what constitutes oppression.

We have gone our separate ways on meditation readings.  It would be impossible for me to hear white males espousing hatred slut-shaming poor women as a way to start my day on an even keel of love, tolerance, kindness and generousity.  We obviously have a vastly different comprehension of the same words.

I am working my way through a Dalai Lama book on compassion and empathy, along with another book on loving kindness for a morning reading.

I am doing much better at having different world view from others while still loving them for who they are.  In the past, this sort of thing would be cause of fight, flight or shutdown.  Today is just reading different things in different rooms.

I am grateful to be much more tolerant and accepting of others perceptions today without having to force my perception on them while still being engaged in a meaningful supportive relationship.