I just want to first mention that I was born and raised a Lutheran Protestant up until I joined the military and where I am now at the academy. I had lost my faith due to the enormous amount of self-reflection I have done (boot camp can do that) and realized that I didn't fit into the traditional Christian scene.
For about a year now I have really fallen into Transcendentalist philosophy and I believe in it whole-heartedly. I believe that transcendentalism is a way of interpreting spirituality and can influence the beginning of a new realization in many religions. It is a conglomeration of similar, but diverse ideas about literature, religion, culture and philosophy. A system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material. Transcendentalists have their own self attained or learned knowledge or deep religious convictions on spirituality. It's a "rational" spirituality if you will, a relationship to God more appropriate for our time.
In this 21st Century, the Age of Technology, we are still plagued by religious beliefs that may be a contributing cause of terrorism, killings and wars between nations. Belief in a God who causes catastrophes, punishes people and who created the universe out of nothing as if by magic was brought about by hysteria and superstition. This thought process needs to be reassessed and brought up to date. Open-minded people must use common sense to determine whether this God was incorrectly perceived, misinterpreted and misunderstood by the masses of a bygone era.
There are numerous interpretations of the Scriptures, hence there are various sects who use the same source, the Bible or the Qur'an, but come to different conclusions. Religious differences are acceptable by the majority as long as fanaticism does not cause physical confrontations. The ironic fact is that the followers of these religions all claim to live by the Word of God. Many claim that God has personally talked to their messengers who have relayed these Words of God to others. Apparently the Words of God were either misinterpreted, God is contradicting himself, or we start all over again by each side claiming to live by and having heard the Word of God correctly.
The major distinction is religion. When peoples' concept of God is flawed, corrections, truth, logic and common sense thereof must eventually prevail. Human fallibility and misconceptions have labeled God for past millennia as one who interferes with the natural forces and free will of people by threatening punishment to those who disobey his bidding. The God of our ancestors had to be humanized in order to have the masses adapt the thought processes to that time period. God does not change with the times but our perception of who God is should change as societies eliminate their superstitious beliefs. God, the Ultimate Spirit consists of Supreme Purity, Pure Intelligence, Pure Logic, etc., and I believe is not encumbered by human attributes and has no needs, or a desire to be worshiped, prayed to, exalted, venerated, deified, or anything else that we have to offer.
Human characteristics are to exercise upon others: power, control, dominance, destruction, punishment, revenge, judgment. I belive that everyone is individually and personally totally responsible for his own soul's destiny. The destruction of civilizations, most sufferings and premature deaths are due to human frailties, stupidity or imperfections and are not God's doings. I can and do believe that God exists in a spiritual realm. God is interested in and is involved in humanity, but does not interfere in any way in our physical lives. God guides the development of the universe and everything thereon like a Master Planner. Our relationship and interaction of our spirit with the Spirit of God is for our, not God's benefit.
So do I believe in an Ultimate Spirit? A guiding force of the universe? Yes, I can say I do. But of course religion is all about interpretation isn't it? There are literally hundreds of denominations within Christianity all with their own unique interpretations, I am wondering if a transcendentalist perspective is just as valid given what I've stated? Wouldn't a transcendentalist perspective of any religion be a catalyst for religious tolerance and peace across the world? That when people eventually transcend their religious prejudices they will no longer say, I am a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian; then they will say I am a Jewish Transcendentalist, a Muslim Transcendentalist, a Christian Transcendentalist.
For about a year now I have really fallen into Transcendentalist philosophy and I believe in it whole-heartedly. I believe that transcendentalism is a way of interpreting spirituality and can influence the beginning of a new realization in many religions. It is a conglomeration of similar, but diverse ideas about literature, religion, culture and philosophy. A system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material. Transcendentalists have their own self attained or learned knowledge or deep religious convictions on spirituality. It's a "rational" spirituality if you will, a relationship to God more appropriate for our time.
In this 21st Century, the Age of Technology, we are still plagued by religious beliefs that may be a contributing cause of terrorism, killings and wars between nations. Belief in a God who causes catastrophes, punishes people and who created the universe out of nothing as if by magic was brought about by hysteria and superstition. This thought process needs to be reassessed and brought up to date. Open-minded people must use common sense to determine whether this God was incorrectly perceived, misinterpreted and misunderstood by the masses of a bygone era.
There are numerous interpretations of the Scriptures, hence there are various sects who use the same source, the Bible or the Qur'an, but come to different conclusions. Religious differences are acceptable by the majority as long as fanaticism does not cause physical confrontations. The ironic fact is that the followers of these religions all claim to live by the Word of God. Many claim that God has personally talked to their messengers who have relayed these Words of God to others. Apparently the Words of God were either misinterpreted, God is contradicting himself, or we start all over again by each side claiming to live by and having heard the Word of God correctly.
The major distinction is religion. When peoples' concept of God is flawed, corrections, truth, logic and common sense thereof must eventually prevail. Human fallibility and misconceptions have labeled God for past millennia as one who interferes with the natural forces and free will of people by threatening punishment to those who disobey his bidding. The God of our ancestors had to be humanized in order to have the masses adapt the thought processes to that time period. God does not change with the times but our perception of who God is should change as societies eliminate their superstitious beliefs. God, the Ultimate Spirit consists of Supreme Purity, Pure Intelligence, Pure Logic, etc., and I believe is not encumbered by human attributes and has no needs, or a desire to be worshiped, prayed to, exalted, venerated, deified, or anything else that we have to offer.
Human characteristics are to exercise upon others: power, control, dominance, destruction, punishment, revenge, judgment. I belive that everyone is individually and personally totally responsible for his own soul's destiny. The destruction of civilizations, most sufferings and premature deaths are due to human frailties, stupidity or imperfections and are not God's doings. I can and do believe that God exists in a spiritual realm. God is interested in and is involved in humanity, but does not interfere in any way in our physical lives. God guides the development of the universe and everything thereon like a Master Planner. Our relationship and interaction of our spirit with the Spirit of God is for our, not God's benefit.
So do I believe in an Ultimate Spirit? A guiding force of the universe? Yes, I can say I do. But of course religion is all about interpretation isn't it? There are literally hundreds of denominations within Christianity all with their own unique interpretations, I am wondering if a transcendentalist perspective is just as valid given what I've stated? Wouldn't a transcendentalist perspective of any religion be a catalyst for religious tolerance and peace across the world? That when people eventually transcend their religious prejudices they will no longer say, I am a Jew, a Muslim, a Christian; then they will say I am a Jewish Transcendentalist, a Muslim Transcendentalist, a Christian Transcendentalist.
