What I don't know, part 2

Religion.

Rabbi Brian has an e-newsletter called ROTB - Religion Outside the Box. Sadly, there is a box...many, many different boxes. How are we as humans ever going to unite and help each other if there are all these boxes?

I am getting uncomfortable at my place of worship. Years ago I read a book by Tom Harpur called "For Christ's Sake". It didn't change my thinking - but it did validate the deep and unspoken doubts I had had all my life.

For a couple of years, I have said the Apostle's Creed with everyone else. This morning I didn't even say it. I always had omitted the word "virgin". It's a widely-known fact that the original Hebrew in the OT (Other Testament) actually translated as, "Behold, a young woman of marriageable age shall conceive, and bear a son." There are two distinct words here, one meaning "virgin", and that one was not used.

Even the Christian Church as such did not exist until some time after the death of Jesus. Virtually all of the dogma and liturgy has been created by men (maybe just a few women) over the centuries.

Gretta Vosper, in her book "With or Without God", maintains that if the church is to survive, it needs to divest itself of old stories that don't work in our age. Leave aside virgin births, the supposed facts of the life of Jesus - we need to save each other and the planet, and it's not only the so-called faithful that know right from wrong and are willing to work and help each other and the planet.

In other words, she says that what we do is far more important than what we believe.

Part of confessional prayer this morning starts out, "God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed by what we have done and by what we have left undone."

If God must be addressed, I feel it only right to change "you" to "each other". If one's eyes are focused on the sky, one need not see that the global garbage needs taking out.

I am halfway through Vosper's book, and am somewhat relieved. I go to my church because it IS a community of people that walk rather than talk. But the liturgy is starting to sicken me. It does not help the world. It does not help anyone.

I feel sick. Heartsick. I love my community and so many of the people there. I am part of the music team for the later service.

However, I am back to the Higher Power concept...the calling within, the higher self.

I believe that is the only truth we can ever really find and share with each other.