Different Worlds Of Faith

Christian religion Vs Christian faith, what is the difference??

2019-09-22T16:41:00.000-05:00

Is the Christian Religion the Same Thing as the Christian Faith?

Human beings are a complicated mix. For example, we are quite social and operate in groups ... yet, we are also unique, individual units. Some activities are correctly pursued in group, but some pursuits must be solo. As Christians, we become part of the body of Christ - yet, we remain an individual. God says it this way: "You are Christ's body, and individually members of it." Furthermore, He distributes spiritual gifts "to each one individually just as He wills" and places "the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desire(s)" (1Cor 12:11,18 and 27). Those in this group actually have their individuality enhanced - by imparted gifts. But, ... let's move back a step.

The most important, the most crucial, indeed the most non-negotiable of all solo actions, centers on the salvation issue. This matter begins and ends with the individual and the Creator. There is no activity more solo. And it puts us in the weakest of positions because "all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do" (Heb 4:13). It's no wonder we hide "in the trees" like Adam - looking for cover (Gen 3:8). It is ironic that the shield of choice is often ... religion.

The only religion I am interested in discussing here is the Christian religion.

The Christian Religion

In my mind, the Christian religion and the Christian faith are two different things. It is not imperative that you adopt my demarcation between the two, but if you think (for this moment) in the framework I am presenting, the following discussion will make more sense. When I think of religion, I think; "ceremony, ritual, dogma - and formulas for these things." When I think of faith, I think; "inquiry, study, knowledge - and persuasion of what is true."

Using this definition, the Christian religion ... is easy. Formulas are presented that lead one to salvation, then directives are clearly defined for "good" Christian living. Altar calls, confirmations, or baptisms are soon followed by church membership, tithing, and the church calendar.

It is a natural weakness for man to fall into religion. The reason is really quite simple. Religion tells the follower everything he/she must do. The directives are not to be questioned - just obeyed - and everything will be fine. Many people feel like they have actually accomplished something by following religious orders. This has great appeal for the participant - and often provides great comfort. But, this comfort does not end in life.

The Christian religion rests on two primary pillars. First, those in the pew are sheep who must be led. And the second pillar is (you guessed it) - the leaders. They are to be obeyed. Two huge blunders are created by this model. For starters, Christians - as sheep - is a "figure of speech" (Jn 10:6). Sheep are depicted as naive, defenseless and quite dumb (However, they only answer to the trustworthy voice of their master ... and ignore a stranger's voice [Jn 10: 1-5,16,27]. People would do well to imitate this. They often follow "strange voices" ... who lead them into death). But, where does Ezekiel's verse fit in the "dumb sheep" analogy? "'As for you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, you are men, and I am your God,' declares the Lord" (Ezek 34:31). This is consistent with Paul's admonition to the wayward Corinthians: "in your thinking be mature ... Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong" (1Cor 14:20 and 16:13). Where is it that God calls His children - to be stupid sheep?

Secondly, the leaders of the Christian religion are exempted from this "figure of speech". They are over the dumb sheep. But, they themselves ... are not dumb sheep. One of the most oft quoted passages supporting this position comes from Hebrews: "Obey your leaders and submit to them; for they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you" (Heb 13:17). At first glance, it does appear the religion model is accurate - sheep are supposed to obey leaders. But, a simple language lesson will demand a closer scrutiny.

This English translation (from Koine Greek) contains at least three problems.

First, in the English translation: "Obey" is a verb in the active voice. But in Koine Greek, this is a verb in the passive voice. The passive voice means the subject is acted upon - not doing the action. The actual word translated, "obey" (peitho) has several potential meanings (just as English words do). The root meaning of "peitho" is "persuasion." Blind obedience is outside the circle.

Second, in the English translation: "leaders" is a noun. But, this is a participle in the Greek - not a noun. A participle is a verbal adjective. There is a huge difference between "the leading ones" and "leaders." In this instance, "the leading ones" refers to the more mature Christians "of you all" (a plural genitive). They seek to persuade the less mature by instruction and example - and call for imitation. "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1Cor 11:1 - and this is the Apostle Paul ... to the Corinthians!).

Third, in the English translation: "to them" is a prepositional phrase. This is not in the Greek at all and should just be forgotten.

Hebrews 13:17 should be translated more like this: "You must allow yourselves to be persuaded by the leading ones of you all ... and yield." The less mature are commanded to allow themselves to be persuaded (passive) by the more mature among them - and then yield to accurate handling of the word of God (doctrine and lifestyle) - not to them. This is totally consistent with all the other foundational Biblical injunctions of the Christian faith. "Examine everything; adhere to that which is good" (1Thes 5:21). The Bereans "were more noble minded than those in Thessolonica ... examining the Scriptures daily" to see if Paul's assertions were correct (Acts 17:11). "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" (2Cor 13:5).

Those who are leading must account for how they led. But, they are not responsible for wrong choices by their listeners (assuming they had led correctly). Paul was not guilty before God for the errant choices of the wayward Corinthians or the bewitched Galatians. Their choices did bring him grief ... but not guilt.

I cannot explain why translators have so fouled this passage from Hebrews. If you can find a Greek scholar who can explain this - let me know ("Peithesthe" is not a middle deponent verb to be translated active either). By the way, Jesus did talk about leaders one time. "Do not be called leaders; for One is your leader - Christ" (Mt 23:10). Does He need to repeat Himself?

The Christian Faith

This arises when individual circumstances converge on a person - forcing an intense search ... for the Creator. While God may use people, or even some of the structures of religion as cited above, these things are secondary (at best). The Christian faith is the search for God. "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God - for the living God" (Ps 42:1,2). Furthermore, He tells us, "You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer 29:13). This is hard. In fact, I don't think we can really know when we have truly sought Him with all of our heart. Duplicities, known and unknown, infest us.

God calls people to the Christian faith. He calls them ... one by one. No one can get into heaven on the coattails of another. Adhering to the greatest of preachers ... will not work. Supporting, or participating in, the most fruitful Christian church ... will not move God to accept that one. Even following hard on the heels of the most devout of mothers ... will not usher one into glory. There is but One Advocate before God the Father who can make a successful case for one's inclusion into His favor (1Jn 2:1). And one must deal with Him solo. Nothing we will ever undertake is more solo - and absolutely necessary.

The extreme emergencies of life ... are faced alone. The only One who can help us - is God. When Stephen was being stoned to death, he needed Christian faith - not some version of Christian religion (Acts 6 and 7). Our situation will be different, but the reality of need will be the same. The Christian faith is spiritual independence from man ... and total spiritual dependence upon Jesus Christ.

Spirituality in psychology.

2013-11-08T14:07:00.001-06:00

The Place Of Spirituality In Psychology

The field of psychology encompasses many aspects that must be dealt with on a daily basis. Psychologists and others working in the field are often faced with moral dilemmas that may cause them to question the place of morals and spirituality in psychology. Those who practice some form of religion may use their specific values and morals when it comes to finding resolutions in these situations. There still lies the question of whether religion has a place in the day-to-day practice of psychology and if so, where to draw the line.

In part, psychology is considered a science. Though it is not exact in all situations, it does carry with it various similarities to science where theories and decision making are concerned. Ethics play a big role in psychology for both the roles of the psychologist or psychological professional conducting evaluations and providing treatment and the client or patient receiving the services or treatment. The code of ethics was put into place to protect both parties involved. Ethics is based on right and wrong and, can therefore be closely related to morality in many instances. Because of this, it can be argued that religion plays a role in the ethical decisions that are made everyday. Though the code of ethics does not specifically site religion as a part of what is contained there in, various aspects of morality and common values are found.

Spirituality as a whole has become even more prevalent in the field of psychology over the past several years as evidenced by the number of Christian counseling centers that have opened around the country. The professionals working in these settings offer what some say is the perfect combination of treatment, psychology based on Christian values and beliefs. Here the psychological principles and ethics are used with various aspects of religious values and beliefs interwoven into the treatment plans. Patients are often counseled on how spirituality can help them through their difficult situations. In these settings, professionals strive to find a balance between psychology and religion, a challenging task at times. Psychology is based on various principles, theories and ethics while religion is based mostly on faith. Psychological issues are proven in a scientific way while a good part of religion is based on belief in the unseen. While many people don't question their faith, it can be difficult to intermingle what can be physically seen with what cannot. This causes many people to question the place of spirituality in psychology.

Because faith is often questioned, it has become necessary to receive proof. This proof often comes in the form of answers that are a direct result of the testing of ideas. When ideas are tested and found to be correct, faith is easier to maintain; however, then they do not survive the test, faith can become a very shaky prospect. When this principle is applied to psychology, the outcome can change on a regular basis. Different situations call for different ideas which may or may not prove to work. Also, what works in one situation may prove impossible in another. The key to understanding where spirituality fits in is knowing how to apply it to each individual situation and idea and make determinations and assessments based on the information that is gathered and the particular values that are relevant to the end result.

To better understand where religion fits into the psychological realm, let's take a closer look at the human attributes that make up each. Where religion is concerned there is the theological wisdom. This deals with the acceptance of divine love in order to enable individuals to accept themselves. Psychological wisdom, however, deals with self-esteem, optimism and personal control. The ability to use the two together to make important decisions will provide the freedom to use what we know, admit what we don't and search for the answers. Because we are both the creatures and creators of our own social world, people and situations matter. While ultimate control lies beyond us, we carry responsibility for making important decisions that have a lasting effect on us as well as others.

Psychologists face these dilemmas everyday. They must make important decisions that will directly effect their patients. Each decision is made on an individual basis and is dependent on each specific situation and its own set of circumstances. Each decision will carry with it a separate set of ethical issues and dilemmas and the solution will remain unique to each. Religion is said to heal people while medicine was designed to do the same. The two often work in different contexts, but it can be argued that medicine was discovered because of ideas and values based on religious beliefs. Because of this, it is believed in many situations the two are used together to come up with treatment plans that will be both effective and long lasting.

In many ways, people who have great faith have found the insights and critical analyses of psychology to be supportive of the understanding they possess of human nature. Their assumption that religion is conducive to happiness and good health is also attributed in great part to psychology. The science of psychology offers principles that can be applied to the construction of messages that will prove both memorable and persuasive. Here the tasks of peacemaking and reconciliation are promoted in a way that offers solutions that will provide the means by which others can achieve happiness by establishing healthy relationships. While the science may challenge our way of thinking, the same can be said of religion. Faith is often questioned in an effort to find answers. This has proven to be helpful in many situations where the answer wasn't clearly defined. Here, the science of psychology is used along with the religious beliefs to find solutions to problems that seemingly have no immediate or clear resolution. Still, faith is not always a negative aspect of psychology.

A strong value and belief system can help a psychologist working as a professional in the field deal with situations where the traditional psychological theories aren't showing a definite answer. Here the process is reversed because religion is used to clarify a particular set of circumstances based on the lack of information that can be gathered at a given time. There are also times where one can support the other. Religious beliefs are often used to support the reasoning behind many ethical situations whereas psychology is often used to prove various religion based ideas. This is where the two can be used in tandem to come up with a truly unique solution that will work.

It has also been argued that faith plays an important role in a psychologist's ability to use the information found in the code of ethics and psychological practices that are present everyday. This is based on the belief that people who possess strong faith are better able to understand the science of psychology because they can use the two together to come up with answers that are suited to each new set of circumstances. Here psychologists are not heavily relying on either faith or science, but instead are using them both to gain a better understanding of the situation as a whole. Those who believe in the contents of the code of ethics understand its importance and why it must play a role in psychology on a daily basis. Those who possess strong religious beliefs usually strive to use them everyday when making ethical decisions and are often working toward an outcome built on both science and faith. Still there is a very important line between when to use the science of psychology and when to rely on the beliefs and values that often assist many in making daily life decisions.

When it comes to the co-mingling of psychology and spirituality, each has its own place. The scientific aspects of psychology are necessary in order to solve a wide range of problems and provide successful treatment to those in need. Still, spirituality can play a very important role in the rehabilitation of patients by making it easier to understand the psychological ramifications and why they exist. Spirituality and science can be used both during and after treatment. During treatment, religious beliefs may guide both the psychologist and patient toward making the right decisions and understanding difficult situations along the way. After treatment, religion can continue to help the patient as he or she moves onward through life while the scientific aspect may still remain present in the form of ongoing counseling or use of medication.

Psychologists can use both in their profession to make difficult decisions and deal with hard to solve problems. Aspects of each can be relied upon to provide the means by which to draw important conclusions that may help throughout the entire treatment process. Evidence has also shown that psychologists who know their profession but also possess strong religious beliefs are able to help their patients throughout treatment by passing on various virtues that promote positive thinking.

The end results of melding together both science and spirituality have been studied for a number of years. Some argue psychology should remain only a science while others feel the intertwining of science with religion can only serve to improve the overall outcome of treatment situations. The argument is also made that science as a whole has strong ties to religion and the two often give cause for the questioning of each other. Science can often prove what religion cannot and religion was the basis for the need to know, thus people began studying the how and why of scientific matters.

Some have explained the boundaries between psychology and religion by bringing up a few points that express how one relates to the other. One point is the correlation of scientific ideas presented in everyday human nature to religion and being able to site the information to show how it is all related. Another important point is the link between religion, prejudice, altruism and overall well-being.

When dealing with various psychological situations, it is just as important to realize the importance of the science as it is the religion. This is often difficult to do because of the differing beliefs and values possessed by each professional working in the field. Because of this, it is necessary for each to make decisions based on the psychological code of ethics along with the specific circumstances of each given situation. For those who are religious, spirituality will most likely play a role in the decision making process in a professional setting because it very likely does in any other. Those who utilize spirituality in day-to-day situations often rely on it to guide them in their professions. Though the psychological code of ethics may not have been created based specifically around the religious beliefs and values directly associated with spirituality, there are many similarities between ethical dilemmas and resolutions and those of a moral nature.

Correlations have also been reported between faith and subjective well-being. One example of this can be found in a National Opinion Research Center survey of 42,00 Americans that was conducted after 1972. Here 26 percent who never attended religious services reported being very happy while 47 percent of those participating in spiritual services on a regular basis, sometimes more than weekly reported also being very happy. Though this does not sho3w a direct link between religion and well-being, it does indicate that many people seek spirituality in various aspects of their lives. Whether the science of psychology and spirituality should be co-mingled in a professional setting can be a bit subjective as it is dependent upon the differing situations and those directly involved in the treatment processes. While there are correlations between the ethical code used by psychological professionals everywhere and the morality associated with religion, the two remain separate and can be called upon in any given situation where they may be deemed necessary or important. The code of ethics is used every day in the psychological setting, but whether or not spirituality is involved may be up to each professional working in the field.

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Alcohol, faith and recovery

2013-11-08T14:03:00.000-06:00

Alcohol Recovery and Faith

Because there are many types of alcoholics with a wide range of varying needs, there are also many types of alcohol recovery options to choose from. Many people find success through the traditional route—medical intervention combined with addiction therapy and support group meetings—but others find conventional rehab lacking in one way or another. For people of faith, for example, standard treatment programs may seem to lack a crucial spiritual element.

For a recovering alcoholic who sees faith as integral to getting sober, there are numerous options. Most major metropolitan areas have multiple quality rehab programs that are backed by or closely associated with churches and other houses of worship. Meanwhile, if you call around and speak to the best alcohol recovery facilities in your area, you may find that some have procedures for patients who want faith to be part of the process. If there are no in-house religious officials on hand, there may be regular services at the facility for people of faith.

No matter what route you take, it is important to remember that while spiritual support can be helpful during recovery, it is no substitute for medical care. Severe, long-term alcoholics in particular need medical supervision through detox and the early stages of alcohol recovery. Alcohol detox is a medical treatment which involves the cessation of alcohol intake while introducing other drugs into the body which produce the same effect; this prevents the body from suffering withdrawal symptoms. With the help of medical professionals, the patient's body is gently weaned off of alcohol dependence.

Meanwhile, many recovering alcoholics need psychological treatment for co-morbid conditions. Spirituality can help with these issues, but trained medical professionals have areas of expertise that will be useful in the rough early going. If you are a person of faith, then spiritual engagement will undoubtedly be a source of strength over the years of sobriety. But do not let your faith discourage you from entering a mainstream, reputable alcohol recovery program. In fact, spiritual beliefs work well in combination with the Twelve Steps and other major recovery philosophies. And in the short term, you are going to need the aid of medical experts to get you through the detox and stabilization stages.

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The Struggle: right minded men and women.

2011-11-07T12:27:00.000-06:00

The Struggle to be a Spiritually Minded Man or Woman

Every person that has ever contemplated the subject of life and death, the meaning of life, and eternal destiny and has chosen faith in Christ as the route he/she desires to walk has found him/herself in a constant struggle. On the one hand there is the deep desire to do what is right according to the will of God as we read it in the Bible and on the other hand there is that desire within us that wants to do what we want to do which often means violating God's will. We have two states of mind it seems living within us. The one is the mind of the flesh, we might say of the natural man as he exists without God in his life, while the other is that of the spiritually minded individual to whom God deeply matters.

Which mind set shall prevail? Does it matter? The Bible teaches it is a matter of life and death. Hear Paul, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." (Rom. 8:5-9 ESV)

To set the mind on the flesh (the things of this life and of the fleshly body) we are told is death. Now why is that so? Because, Paul says, such a minded person does not submit to God's law. But, we might ask do we not live in a fleshly body? Yes, we do, but God our creator put us here for a purpose and that purpose was not to live like the rest of the dumb animals of creation who live by instinct. We were created with a nobler purpose in mind and with the idea of living eternally with God and not just for living a brief span of years on earth like a dog. We are better than that.

When God created man he said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness." (Gen. 1:26 NKJV) Only man was created in the image of God. Jesus said of man in John 10:34, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods.' ' " (NKJV) I am not going to try and tell you what Jesus meant by that statement other than to say it indicates we are not to live like animals. We are to be better than that. Then Paul says, speaking to Christians, "we shall judge angels." (1 Cor. 6:3 NKJV) That is a pretty high standing.

We were put here to glorify God. "Everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for my glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him." (Isa. 43:7 NKJV) The sin of the world after God made man could be summed up by saying, "although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Rom. 1:21 NKJV) This led to all types of specific sins a result of the state of their minds and hearts.

Jesus said in his prayer to the Father, "I have glorified you on the earth." (John 17:4 NKJV) That is our job as well. The only way God can be given glory by man is by obedience. That would include thanksgiving, worship, praise, teaching, giving to the needy, etc. but it can all be summed up in one word – obedience. Disobedience to God does not bring God glory but dishonors him as God and as the ruler of humanity. Disobedience is sin.

We might ask why God gave us fleshly bodies that desire the things of the flesh rather than spiritual things. That seems to me to be a fairly easy question to answer. Our bodies give us free will. Created as say a robot versus as a man how could God receive glory from an object that had no free will, no feelings, and no ability to think, reason, or choose? I don't think you are going to go trade your wife or husband off on a robot and say you can find the same kind of love and happiness with it as you do with your spouse. We love our spouse in part because they had free will in choosing us as a life partner. They did not have to do that. So, I think, it is with God. When we choose God it means something to him and he does care about us.

Where does the mind of the flesh lead a man if a man is fleshly minded? Paul gives a list of things that flow from such a state of mind in Gal. 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." (ESV) Another list is given in 1 Cor. 6:9-10, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (ESV) Actually, any and every sin would fit into the category of being a work of the flesh for what would the alternative be as far as giving it a classification? We could not say it is a spiritually minded work.

But, the point I want to make is that every one of us is tempted by sin. "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (James 1:14-15 NKJV) Paul says, "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." (Gal. 5:17 NAS) Again he writes, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man." (1 Cor. 10:13 NKJV) So, that is the fix we find ourselves in even after becoming Christians. We begin the Christian life spiritually minded enough or else we could not have become a Christian but unless we die almost immediately thereafter here comes temptation for that is the nature of this world. How do we remain spiritually minded in order that we might have life and peace as taught in Rom. 8:6?

Before answering that I think we need to realize that we will never succeed 100 percent. John says, speaking to Christians, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9 NKJV) Remember when Peter and Barnabas refused to eat with the Gentiles in Gal. 2:11-13 thus sinning? Always remember why much of the New Testament was written – to straighten out sin in the lives of Christians (1 Corinthians being the best example).

I have brought these things up for one reason – to warn us all not to despair and be overcome by discouragement in our life when we sin or fall. A Christian, by the grace of God, may have to get up and dust himself off more than once or twice in his/her life. One Christian writer I admire a great deal from the late 1800's through the early 1900's made the comment that he doubted any Christian ever lived a single day without committing a sin. Whether that is true or not I cannot know (for me I pretty much think the brother got it right but for you I cannot say) but it is certainly closer to the truth than is the idea we seldom or never sin. I remind the reader Jesus taught that even evil thoughts are sin – Matt. 15:19-20. Have you had any of those lately?

Nevertheless, always remember what Jesus told Peter when Peter asked how many times he should forgive his brother if his brother sinned against him. Peter I suspect thought he was being generous by saying 7 times but what did Jesus say in response? "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:22 NKJV) Jesus was thus saying there is really no end to forgiving and was certainly implying God would likewise forgive us no matter how many times we need forgiveness just as long as we repent, confess our sins to him, and are willing to give it another full faith effort. So, never ever give up in despair. Never!

How does one maintain as state of spiritual mindedness? One Old Testament character that stands out as being deeply spiritual minded was Daniel. One of the first statements you will read about Daniel with respect to his godly character as you start the book of Daniel is found in chapter 1 verse 8 where it says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies." (Dan. 1:8 NKJV) The only aspect of this verse that concerns us is the phrase that "Daniel purposed in his heart." If one is going to pursue any course in life with success he/she has to first purpose in his/her heart that that is the way it is going to be. Purposing in your heart gives you direction and motivation. There is no point in starting a diet or exercise program, enrolling in college or a training program, or doing anything else unless you have first firmly purposed in heart to see the thing through.

As this relates to becoming spiritually minded on a daily basis this means you have to determine in your heart that that is the way it is going to be. Things do not happen by accident. If you want to be a spiritually minded person you must prepare to be one and work toward that end. Unfortunately, many Christians never develop spiritually beyond what they were on the day of their conversion. They were as spiritually minded as they would ever become on that day. They gradually grow lukewarm and indifferent. What happened?

One likely thing was that they died or became stunted due to spiritual starvation. Peter says of a new born Christian, "desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby." (1 Peter 2:2 NKJV) It is impossible to maintain spiritual mindedness in the absence of spiritual food. Tuck your Bible away for 6 months (an arbitrary number to make a point) and do not use it and I promise you spiritual mindedness will be fleeing away from you. You can forget spiritual growth. Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." (John 6:63 NKJV) The words of God are spirit. Paul said, "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches." (1 Cor. 2:13 NKJV)

Spiritual mindedness does not come in the work place, the fitness club, the golf course, in attendance at school activities, on family outings, etc. It comes with reading and studying and contemplating on the words of the Spirit – the words of the Bible with the thoughts developed therein.

This takes us back to the first point made – you have to purpose in your heart you are going to be faithful in reading the word of God and not just do it in the spare moments you have. Just as in exercise or fitness training there is no such thing as reaching your goal without a commitment to do it so it is with becoming a regular reader and student of God's word. A growing knowledge and understanding of God's word is essential to a growing spiritual mindedness in our lives.

But, back to Daniel a spiritually minded man. The Bible teaches that Daniel was a praying man. "And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days." (Dan. 6:10 NKJV) It is impossible to be a spiritually minded person if one does not have a prayer life. Quit praying or only give it a few seconds to a very few minutes a day and again you are destroying spiritual mindedness rather than building it. One cannot pray to God without thinking about God (spiritual mindedness).

Daniel kept good company. The apostle Paul said, "Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." (1 Cor. 15:33 ESV) The Good New Bible puts it this way, "Do not be fooled. "Bad companions ruin good character." (GNB) Daniel had 3 good friends – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego – who like Daniel were godly men. These men refused to worship the golden image set up by Nebuchadnezzar and as a consequence were cast into the furnace of fire from which God miraculously rescued them (Dan. 3). If one desires to be a godly person and develop spiritual mindedness in his/her life he or she needs the companionship of like minded people. "Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." (Heb. 10:24-25 NKJV)

There is an old saying to the affect that we ought to choose our friends wisely and there is much truth in that adage. Become close friends with the wrong kind of people and you will destroy spiritual mindedness. Parents are always concerned about their children's friends – having the right kind of friends. We ought to be as concerned as adults about who we choose as close friends.

These are just some of the things that have come to mind as I have thought on this subject for some time. I am sure you could probably add to this short list I have given in the last few paragraphs. But I want to make a very important point in closing – actually the reason for writing the article itself. It scares me to death to see so many Christians just taking spiritual growth and spiritual mindedness for granted.

Many it seems take spiritual growth and the development of spiritual mindedness like they do physical growth and development. Physical growth and development will occur whether you do anything or not but it is not that way in the spiritual realm of life. You have to make a commitment and an ongoing effort or else you will do nothing more than grow old and die like the rest of mankind who live for the flesh, for the things of this life and this physical body. How will you differ from the mass of humanity unless you commit to the development of the spiritual side of your life? Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:2 NKJV)

It is certain the development of spiritual mindedness is not like turning on a light. You cannot just flip a switch. So many think they can turn everything around in their life in a moment of time, just as soon as they will to do so. The trouble is finding "the will to do so." That will is no light switch and is far harder to turn on. Live with a fleshly mind long enough and you may find it personally impossible to turn your life around lacking the will to do it.

"To be spiritually minded is life and peace." (Rom. 8:6 NKJV) "To set the mind on the flesh is death." (Rom. 8:6 ESV) I think we all know whether or not we are spiritually minded. It is not a hard thing to know. Do thoughts of God and his word enter your mind frequently or not? Do you have a strong desire to know and do God's will? Spiritual mindedness is a pretty easy thing for the individual to measure within himself. The free will God has given us means we can become the kind of man or woman we desire to be. I hope we will all strive for spiritual mindedness. It really is a matter of pure choice.

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Worldly Science Vs Spiritual Science.

2011-11-07T12:22:00.001-06:00

Worldly Science versus Spiritual Science

The today's world is primarily dominated by communities with people of high IQ. Things should be taken into account is the capability of people to entirely understand a concept which is based on logic scientific proof. An individual without these things is more likely to disregard a theory and confute its validness. And once an individual can prove a concept using scientific experimentation and methods he can ultimately say it is actually a reality. But with a method like this, it completely makes people difficult to entirely comprehend and believe in spiritual science.

The Importance of a Thing Called Faith

Back to centuries ago, people believed that men's achievements are in reality due to the force we can obtain through a thing called faith; and our faith can without doubt encompass any worldly concept we ever heard. Faith is basically what keeps an individual glorious and strong in the end. However, with proof and logic which limit our mind, it now becomes more and more challenging for us to believe generally in faith. With all the principles guiding worldly science, it makes it difficult for us to put our trust on a thing we cannot prove to be true scientifically. In addition, since our mind is hindered by what is visible, we cannot realize the existence of spiritual science.

The Undeniable Value of Worldly Science in Our Daily Life

In the world today, the value of worldly science can be undeniable. Many nations and communities are dependent on worldly science to bring their nations and communities into a developed state. Our lives, with rapidly growing technological inventions and breakthroughs, are becoming easier and easier. In addition to that, these latest discoveries and inventions have disproved old traditions and beliefs which people have had for thousands of years including spiritual science.

What Makes Spiritual Science Matter Rather than Worldly Science

Definitely spiritual science is infinite and much greater than worldly science. For sure, worldly science can be very helpful in people's daily life and in make it general simpler for them; bur when a man passes away, that puts an end to all. Moreover, if there is something failing in the worldly science system, also it suggests the ending if it is not being repaired or replaced swiftly. However, not only does spiritual science govern people as they are still alive but also as they die. With a notion called "soul" which belongs to each individual on earth, spiritual science for sure does exist as well. And if a man becomes more blinded and obsessed with worldly science, from spiritual science he will estrange himself more.

In fact, what spiritual science has done to us is that it fundamentally inspires us into obtaining better things in our daily life; indoctrinating us into the development not only as a nation or community but also a world full of faith and humanity. With faith as the ground of human beings, human beings are then surely guided into the path of supremacy and righteousness.

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Trust and Faith: what we want out of our life.

2011-11-07T12:19:00.000-06:00

Self Esteem: On Matters Of Trust And Faith In Creating What We Want Out Of Life

With this inaugural blog I am mindful of running the risk of opening a cosmic can of spiritual worms. So, I will stubbornly stay above the fray and opt out on debating the righteousness of any one set of spiritual beliefs versus another. I write this article hopeful it may engage your curiosity about the essence of creativity and its relationship to the mystical realm no matter where you fall on the "faith continuum." I have no doubt that my experiences inside of as well as outside of traditional and non traditional houses of worship have influenced my spiritual beliefs. Moreover, this blog in large measure represents the fruits of my evolving artistic sensibilities inside and outside the treatment room. It is an outgrowth of my own search for truths about human nature, the universe, and what it means to apply these truths in the service of living well.

My working hypothesis is that mystical transformational processes are at the heart of the value of "being" and indispensable to the regulation of self esteem in a world rife with injustice and loss. Furthermore, it's my contention that our purpose for "being" in the present, which I will term the only possible moment of creative possibilities, is to become enlightened as to our reasons "for being" or to say it a different way, our purpose for living. Finally, I contend that this process of self discovery or self creation requires trust in one's self to process wisdom the universe gifts us, and faith in forces that operate inside and outside of us to render the unintelligible, intelligible.

It is as obvious as the noses on our own faces absent some sort of reflecting pools that we need selves to have self esteem. In truth many of us may have never even considered that we exhibit many different self states on any given day. Furthermore, many of these self expressions were conditioned earlier in life and unaltered by time and circumstances. This is due to real and/or imagined recollections of the threats to our physical safety and emotional security posed by questioning the validity and reliability of how our caregivers saw us and wished us to seem them. So when I use the concept of self I am thinking about nurtured autonomous capacities of self observation and self reflection in the service of processing, integrating and using in a coordinated fashion, what our senses receive. Without space these developmental milestones will not take place.

Like a good wide receiver in football who must create space and separate himself from the defensive player covering him so he can catch a pass, we must develop separation and space from how our caregivers wished for us to experience them and how they wished for us to experience ourselves and the world in order to create new and more flexible mindsets. It is imperative that we do so because otherwise, we will suffer painful consequences by not respectfully and considerately relating and responding to those in our immediate presence by virtue of being wedded to expectations shaped by a world of blacks and whites with very few shades of gray. Such idealized and simplistic notions degrade our capacities to enrich each other's lives as if our individual limitations and flaws were antithetical to the concept of having and regulating self esteem. Furthermore, if we have learned that the creation of and use of space to sense and evaluate the world beyond the limits of the wisdom imparted to us by our role models could result in a loss of their love, hurtful judgments, or physical and/or emotional abandonment, then this process of self creation may to varying degrees be stunted. This is not a knock on anyone's parents. It's the respectful acknowledgement that we are all human, imperfect, limited and flawed. Thus, no one should be revered in such a manner.

The bottom line is that we need the freedom and operating space

to practice being, trusting and valuing our selves. To use an analogy this might be equivalent to trying to make sense of the world with our eyes if our faces are pushed up to a pane of glass. This is a gross form of blindness or loss of perspective. Or imagine being packed into a subway car like sardines during rush hour. You would lack the operating space to protect and promote your self interest should there be a sudden jolt or a boundary violation of some kind.

For example, I imagine that very few of us who do not possess the mentalities of a stunt man or woman would attempt to learn to fly an airplane as an unseasoned student if we feared that such mistake-laden learning the ropes might result in our instructors getting angry, disgusted and perhaps, parachuting out of the plane leaving us all alone and terrified with the overwhelming responsibility to fly and land the aircraft. These analogies are meant to drive home the point that the development of selves and self esteem does not happen in a vacuum and must take place within the context of supportive and trusted relationships.

I often liken psychotherapy to be a holding environment or to use a construction metaphor; the scaffolding while the patient's personality is renovated. No matter how painful, self defeating and even self destructive can be the ways we live our lives they are the weight supporting beams or infrastructures for our personalities. We will not risk deconstructing our ways of being so that we can reconstruct how we experience and use these experiences to guide our actions without the security of knowing that these structures will not collapse. The trusted and valued psychotherapist is that scaffolding or weight bearing beams while we renovate the way history has shaped the unfolding of our stories. If there is one truth I hold very dear to my heart as a result of working in the field of helping others develop selves is that anxieties over non existence or the collapse of ones' personality will most often supersede fears of death due to illness, injury or other accident of fate.

As much as the development of trust in our selves is critical to the growth of self esteem, since how this comes about remains much a mystery, we are forced to venture into unchartered waters on faith. I think about the mystical forces of creation as functioning like coalescing glue. Imagine for a moment wind borne asymmetrical scraps of paper lifted out of unrelated containers of some distance from each other somehow coming together to form coherent and cohesive documents of exact rectangular dimensions. This metaphor captures my utter amazement at the incomprehensible intelligence of the universe as it works through normal folks like you and me.

I still scratch my head at a loss to explain the mechanisms by which I intuit ideas that seemingly rise to the level of thought out of thin air. I am a very, small fish in a very big pond of artists of one sort or another who have described the creative process as "taking on a life of its own." As a sports fan I often hear world class athletes speak about "being in the zone." They often describe having a sixth sense of the events to unfold as if some inexplicable force outside themselves guide the outcome of events. It is not an original idea by no means that imagination is the soil within which new realities germinate. When I begin to reflect on these mysteries I recognize how dynamic are the boundaries between my self and others, the past and the present and even between parts of my self. These boundaries can be fluid and permeable and so fuzzy at times so as to temporarily disappear.

My perspective is that one degree of separation between our observing and experiencing selves, and between our selves and others makes a world of difference. It's the difference between overcoming our inner resistances to adapting constructively to an ever changing universe and unhealthily tying up our creative energies in the service of resistance to living life on life's terms. As you will readily see as I develop my thesis, suffering and loss are constant and often unpredictable companions no matter how well you learn to play this game of life by its natural laws. Still, those of us who grow in self esteem over the course of our lives do not forsake rich and meaningful attachments out of fear and anxiety even though our losses are inevitable, often irreparable, and unavoidable signposts that no matter what roads we travel will lead us to the end of our lives as we know it.

The good news is that what doesn't kill us literally or figuratively makes us stronger. We become more resilient in our transcendent natures or to be put another way our abilities to experience ourselves as much more than any ephemeral attachment no matter how much we cherish our attachments. Thus we can grow to fear less, potential threats to our identities and are better able to fully engage our loved ones, vocations and hobbies. This is because "I" increasingly becomes one with the light of re inventive consciousness and it is this light that unmasks our illusions that our weaknesses, vulnerabilities and flaws are anything more than artificial and transient constructs parading in and out of our fields of vision. They are only as powerful as our investments in them as obstructions to our paths toward enlightenment. No matter how senseless, cruel, inexplicable, unjust, unpredictable and earth shaking are our personal tragedies necessity being the mother of invention, we can find in trust and faith in our selves movement towards an expansive sense of ourselves; a oneness with the infinitely creative, uncontrollable, uncontainable, ineffable and indescribable universe. This process improves our abilities to take what feels like a fatal shot to the heart and live to see and enjoy another sunrise.

For example, between one and two years ago I ended a relationship with a woman I had been dating for 3 ½ years whom I planned to marry. For 4-5 straight weeks I channeled my anger into fully engaging my grief. I was immersed in an ocean of tears. The water conditions ranged from choppy to hurricane-like. Sometimes I was able to keep my head above water and observe that despite my pain, anger, rage sadness, etc., I was fine. The world had not split off its axis and the warmth of romantic love would in all likelihood grace my life again. There were other moments I seemed to be drowning in the collective tears of so incompletely mourned losses. It seemed for the first time in my life I could comfort myself and crying lost its lost its lethal symbolic meaning that I had lost something so priceless as to not be able to recover and move on.

I cried before I saw patients at the start of the day, between patients and after my sessions ended. The energies liberated from the breaking of this attachment were awesomely powerful, primitively terrifying, and hard to contain, observe and make sense of. With great trepidation and fear of drowning I dipped my cup in this ocean of cryptic wavelengths on faith that something much greater than my self would put me back together and leave me more resilient, flexible, more tolerant of distressing experiences, less identified with what is ephemeral and more identified with what is infinite. Such was the case. After 5 weeks the storms subsided and I was free to pursue love more courageously than ever. At the writing of this blog about 15 months later I am soon to be married.

Now, I would have survived this experience one way or another Still, to give credit where credit is due I would not have survived as a wiser, more resilient, more grateful and more loving person if it had not been for the "otherness" of my analyst one degree removed from my self and one degree removed from what our resonating beings stirred up inside of her. Dr. L. offered me a container to help hold and process that which at times was too chaotic, confusing, distressing and crazy making to tolerate. Yes, I did say crazy making. This grieving experience riddled me with self doubts as I struggled at times to observe my self and process and reconcile feelings of helplessness, uselessness and worthlessness with my identity as a psychotherapist. My self doubts became occasions to anxiously regress back in time to derive a false sense of safety and security in identification with how my idealized parents of childhood viewed and treated me. To experience my self as weak, vulnerable and dependent rendered me temporarily incapable to trust, value and mobilize my self in the service of comforting my self and keeping perspective on my loss. In truth I was functioning rather well despite my emotional crisis; tears or no tears.

Dr. L. was my unsinkable buoy, my life jacket that anchored me in the present and reminded me that the hurricane-like state in side of me was not reflective of a life having been reduced to rubble by primitive and malevolent forces. Dr. L. was able to identify with my experiences without being drowned by them. She maintained the degrees of separation necessary to be able to contain, help me process that which was too distressing for me to contain, make sense of and deliver back to me in a more logical and manageable form that which helped me to reconstruct a wiser, better integrated, more grounded and secure sense of self. With Dr. L as my extended container, I took sensory snapshots of my experiences, observed them when possible, tolerated the frustration of not knowing, and patiently on faith let these snapshots develop in the dark room of "nothingness" until these energies coalesced into something and rose to the level of thought. Dr. L. nurtured me to grow and in opening her self up to what was revealed and was likewise, changed by the experience. My point here is that personal growth and change is a collaborative and inter subjective experience.

There is great wisdom in the old adage that people either move forward and expand their subjectivities or their relationship to space contracts and they move backwards. For those of us in varying states of contraction or to say it differently habitually engaged in learned acts that are self defeating and self destructive we may find life to be largely traumatizing, trust eroding and faith destroying. We may find ourselves becoming progressively amnesic about our connection to the mystical until we reach a point of no return. It has been my experience that when we forget our connections to the mystical we grow weary and restless over being trapped in our artificially claustrophobic containers. Suicide of many varieties are not conscious and deliberate or completed in a flash and yet, full proof in their lethality over time.

No matter how much we evolve in our wisdom about our selves and the workings of the universe it is my educated guess that the leading edge of uncertainties and unknowns will always outstrip our evolving efforts to make logical sense of these matters. So as much as the final frontier beckons us with promises of knowledge to help us master our fears and anxieties this may be the ultimate cosmic tease. What I am putting forth here is that somewhere over the rainbow of the most cataclysmic and sublime events are answers that explain how we fit into a logical and symmetrical universal order. An order that perfectly marries form with function.

I am thinking specifically about the spiritual conversions of quantum physicists who having chronicled their observations of the properties of subatomic particles. Many speak reverently of a natural order previously relegated to the realm of the supernatural. When bonds are broken and energies are released what is observed may be a function of one's limited understanding of the dimensions of time and space as they relate to identifying the container or crucible of creation and what is or not is contained and transformed. Given that there are no clearly defined limits on our potential to grow in our trust and faith in our selves as architects and instruments of creation then our existential angst is a direct outgrowth of what will and will not unfold in the dark emptiness. This suffering can be attenuated but can never be eradicated. So, our existential angst of not knowing what will become of us during our lives and after we cease to exist in our skins is the suffering that both propels us forward towards a relationship with the mystical and pulls us backward in futile, self defeating and sometimes self destructive efforts to re-live the illusory safety and security of childhood. The times of our lives when we were deluded with notions of divine grandeur are not so easily relinquished.

Best case, acts of creation have never to my mind been better described than it was by one of the most widely acclaimed writers of the 20th century, Franz Kafka: "It is not necessary that you leave the house. Remain at your table and listen. Do not even listen, only wait. Do not even wait, be wholly still and alone. The world will present itself to you for its unmasking, it can do no other, in ecstasy it will writhe at your feet." Worst case when dealing with the energies of traumatic recollections these same energies can feel like being enveloped by a Tsunami while not being the merciful recipient of a swift loss of consciousness. Having processed my experiences as a writer, psychotherapist and former athlete I have reached the conclusion that these processes are fraught with blood, sweat and tears. They can take us in equal measure to ephemeral breathtaking heights of exhilaration and ephemeral depths of despair. What strikes me as irrefutable that with each successive generation there are individuals and groups that make quantum leaps in our understanding of our complex relationships to each other on ever level of organization. It's a way of saying how Leonardo Da Vinci, Sigmund Freud or even Bill Gates were way ahead of their times.

Before I end this article I'd like to thank the like minded folks who have been my guides on this spiritual journey. I have embraced the teachings of several Relational psychoanalysts who have integrated Buddhist principles in developing their theoretical orientation and practice techniques. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank them by name because without them this blog might not have been written. The first is Wilfrid Bion whom I consider to be "The father of spiritually based psychoanalytic practice. Bion has written that being with the creative process is the "closest we will ever get to God." The second is Dr. Mark Epstein, whose writings ushered into the mainstream of psychoanalytic thought Buddhist psychological traditions, and the third is Seth Warren Ph.D, a colleague and former instructor who introduced me to Wifrid Bion's writings. The thread that binds these three men together is the notion that trust in one's self and faith in forces at work inside and outside of us are not mutually exclusive and indispensable to acquiring wisdom abut each other and the universe. This "giving birth" of new ideas cannot take place without the interdependence of two individuals mutually influenced by their unique perspectives or to use the analytic term, "inter subjectivities.

I invite my readers to enter into a dialogue with myself that will hopefully extend the limits of our understanding of and nurture the growth of our collective self esteem within the context of learning about our selves, each other and the universe at large. Where do you see yourselves fitting into this celestial tapestry? What are your ideas on self esteem and how they are or not influenced by spiritual ideas?

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Secularism Vs Spiritualism, What is the difference??

2011-11-07T12:14:00.000-06:00

SECULARISM AND SPIRITUALISM – AN INSIGHT

God is formless and omni-potent. God is adorable and thus sacred. It has been a debatable topic whether any one has seen God. While understanding the importance of Almighty in our earthly life, we encounter with two specific words, i.e. Secularism and Spiritualism. It has been a debatable topic regarding the charismatic effect of these both ‘ISM’ in our human life.

Secularism is defined as a doctrine which tells us about equal respect to all religions or religious faiths both theistic and atheistic. Secularism is linked with the notion of religion and religious phenomena. Spiritualism is also defined as a doctrine which tells us about the nature and content of the concept of ‘Spirit’ which is completely transcendental. It is neither theistic nor atheistic.

Metaphysical aspect of Secularism deals with a faith-oriented concept of God or a concept of human. And epistemological basis of Secularism is concerned with religious awareness earned by both religious means and humanistic means. On the other hand, metaphysical aspect of Spiritualism deals with something eternal and absolute, and epistemological aspect of it is concerned with the concept of self-knowledge which leads to self-realization.

Ethical concern of Secularism leads to domination of human existence and common values like compassion, tolerance, fellow-feeling, impartiality etc. Moral of humanity is central to secularism. Spiritualism speaks of a morality of higher order. This higher order situates all values in the light of trans-human facets which are generally not experienced by our senses. Intuition is the means to know these higher-order values. Truth is depicted as such a higher-order to Secularism.

While Secularism seems to be more humanistic and practical, spiritualism becomes more metaphysical and it often leads to mysticism. That is, in Secularism, there is no space for supra-sensuous elements, but in case of Spiritualism, the spiritual-masters claim for supra-sensuous elements in the practice of radical Spiritualism.

Methodologically, Secularism is rational and scientific but spiritualism has its method of speculation and sometimes, it claims support for establishing dogmatism or mysticism. Dogmatism results in mere faith on assumption of spirit of some non-natural entity in guise of the so called ‘Spirit’. Mysticism results in excessive supra-experiential adherence or support, i.e. ‘Tantra’ or Black Magic.

Secularism has always a social concern, but spiritualism may or may not have any social concern, The opposite of Secularism leads to religious fundamentalism whereas the opposite of Spiritualism leads to above materialism or physicalism.

The dualism between spirit and matter is lacking in Secularism, but in discourse of Spiritualism, the pre-supposition of such dualism is a necessary phenomenon. No one can ever say that there are theistic or religious secularism as well as atheistic or material Secularism. Secularism by its virtue has only the form and one dimension, i.e. religious tolerance. But there are different forms of spiritualism, i.e. idealistic spiritualism, humanistic spiritualism, cosmic spiritualism, etc.

The most fundamental difference between two lies in ‘end’ and ‘means’ distinction. Spiritualism appears as an ‘end’ itself but secularism acts as both ‘end’ and ‘means’. Secularism accepts the supremacy of human reason and Spiritualism emphasizes on the supremacy of faith.

Secular human may be a spiritualist but a spiritualist may necessarily not be a Secular. Religious affinity is neutral to Spiritualism.

Secularism is a doctrine of relativism whereas Spiritualism is a doctrine of absolutism. That is, Secularism may provide different world views with regards to conditions and factors availed in a context, but Spiritualism lacks these alternations. So, Secularism is oriental but Spiritualism is concrete one.

Both put different intellectual frame-works, but the centres of these frame-works are occupied by the sole concepts like religion and spirit. After all, both frame-works are directed to human who is considered as a free moral agent. As a free mortal agent human determines the true rational geography of these frame-works and stipulates principles or laws for its needful operation.

Deviation in Secularism is natural. But such deviations are not so easy in case of spiritual discourse. That is, a man of religion like Hindu or Muslim or Christian may give up his faith in a particular religion, may accept another or may totally discard. But in case of Spiritualism, there are no such possibilities. Once a man is ascribed as Spiritualist may be monist, dualist or qualified monist but he can never discard the spirit as the ultimate reality.

There is also a close affinity between secularism and spirituality in spite of a number of differences. This affinity can be disclosed in the process of our regards to universality of humanity, i.e. in light of ‘Spirit’, we all are equal and secular above all our attachments, attitudes, beliefs, and commitments. Glorification of spirit or any particular religion is redundant to that extent.

Secularism has its own rationality in morality as of a human institution. Humanization of Spiritualism often leads to that rationality in morality.

Human rights, social justice, gender equity, etc. are accentuated within the perspective of secularism. Spiritualism may or may not invite the issues related to such concepts.

Secularism paves the way for a most cultural and civilized way of living and it is also a vision or view of life for a better and harmonious living. This is its spiritual end. Spiritualism stands for a religious force in humans and cultivation of this force leads to a higher order of living.

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When your faith is tested.

2011-11-07T12:04:00.000-06:00

When Faith is Tested

This is a time of monumental transition for our world, and each of our lives is being affected by the larger planetary transformations that are happening. Many of us who are on a spiritual path and living a spiritual life feel dismayed by the great intensity that is manifesting in our lives, our relationships, and even our physical bodies. Our faith in God is tested, as we proceed through this time with little outer confirmation of what we are feeling in our hearts, and apparently little support around us for living a spiritual life, or for sharing the work we are called to offer to the world.

There are larger planetary forces at work right now which are creating a difficult atmosphere in which to navigate. God's light is growing stronger as a tangible physical presence on the Earth, which is creating massive change both to the Earth herself and to all those who live upon her. In response to this growing light, there is a heightened activity of negative energies which attempt to slow or halt the expansion of light.

For those who are walking the spiritual path, opening our hearts to God, seeking greater love, light and connection with the divine source within, these energies may create additional challenges by obscuring our experience of the light. The experience is similar to standing outside on a cloudy day. One minute you can see and feel the warmth of the sun, and the next minute, the sun is gone, the sky is gray and there is no more warmth. The sun remains, but is simply obscured. Our faith is tested, because we can no longer feel the spiritual nourishment that was sustaining us.

This phenomenon is difficult enough, but there is a much larger process happening, related to the purification process of the Earth. The increased activity of divine light is accelerating the vibrational frequency of physical matter, which is raising it to a new level of connection with the spiritual reality. The light creates a cleansing action that begins to separate out negative and lower vibrating energies, which rise to the surface and brought into consciousness for healing. This process of purification is happening on both an individual and a global level, both for the Earth and for all embodied souls.

When the process of purification is activated, the emotions, thoughts, memories and traumas of the past begin to rise into consciousness in order to be healed. Once these energies manifest in our awareness, they are already on the way out of our energy field, but it can feel as though we are regressing, that things are getting worse, or that we are sliding back into old patterns. If we are able to stay connected with the inner experience of God's love even when the purification process is very active, this smoothes the pathways for the maximum amount of old pain to leave us. Our body, mind and consciousness are all affected by this process, which eventually results in a new level of freedom, clarity, and connection with our divine source and purpose.

During the process of purification, it is helpful to have in place spiritual supports in our life that can help us to navigate through the storms and remain anchored in the experience of God's love and light even when we feel deeply challenged. Spiritual support can be found in many places, such as a support group, a church, temple, mosque, a loving family, a visit to nature, artistic expression, or regular prayer and meditation practice. You will find that certain groups or places resonate with you deeply and bring a feeling of warm, light and love. Other groups or practices may not feel at all helpful to you. This is the miracle of vibrational resonance at work, which draws to us those of a similar vibration so we can join with those of like mind and like heart.

Maintaining our inner connection with God's love and light is so important, and helps us to get through the times of difficulty. Once the storms have passed, the clouds lift, and a new level of light emerges in our awareness. This is the blessing of the process of spiritual purification. Though our faith is tested, we emerge with greater strength and greater capacity to love.

None of us wants to experience difficult times, but challenges are abundant during this time because our entire planet has reached a critical turning point which requires truly significant change. God and the spiritual realms are sending love, light and support our way to assist us through this transition. As we learn more and more how to live a truly spiritual life, new paths and directions emerge for us and create a beacon of light within our hearts that can illuminate hope, strengthen faith and expand love for all those in our lives.

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Child development: spiritual.

2011-11-07T12:01:00.001-06:00

Spiritual Child Developent

Spiritual child development... Fess up Mom and Dad – don't these words give you a warm and fuzzy feeling and put a trace of a smile on your face? The term spiritual child development often conjures up images of angels watching over and guiding innocent children. But things get interesting when an adult is asked to define the term "spiritual child development." Ask 10 people for their definitions and you're likely to get nine different answers. The only reason you won't get 10 different definitions – the last guy cheated and mimicked what he heard someone else say! Seriously, the concept of child development is easy enough to understand. If you need any help, Wikipedia.com is just a few keystrokes away. Intellectual child development... emotional child development – the definitions are all there. But spiritual child development is nowhere to be found, and it's the "spiritual" part that makes us start to hem and haw when we try to define the term. Why should we even bother trying to nail down a definition for such an esoteric term? Well, according to the Center for Spiritual Development Center, there are at least 13 quantifiable reasons for wanting to support this initiative: Spiritual development lowers a person's risk for: Hypertension Depression Suicide Promiscuity Alcohol & drug use Delinquent behavior Physical injury (this is not a misprint) Spiritual development heightens the likelihood of: 1. Civic engagement 2. Well-being 3. Hope, purpose and meaning in life 4. Positive self-esteem 5. Educational attainment 6. Longevity SOURCE: Johnson, B. R. (2008). A tale of two religious effects: Evidence for the protective and prosocial impact of organic religion. In Kline, K. K. (Ed.), Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child. Most discussions on this topic will center on the child's faith. The degree of benefit derived (see above) will be directly related to the level of commitment a child has to his or her faith. But we at Little Lamb are taking a different approach. We propose that a high-level understanding of other faiths – or at the minimum an acknowledgement that other faiths do exist – is central to the healthy spiritual development of a child. Just as a child's mind can be poisoned by the hateful vitriol of a bigoted parent or pal, we believe it can be sculpted into a mind that's accepting of other people of other faiths and religions. Our spiritual child development mission is relatively simple in concept, yet at the same time, wonderful and powerful. If done properly, it promotes all the good things listed above. We want our children to develop strong spiritual roots. How about you? If spiritual respect and understanding are not taught at an early age, a complex of superiority (or inferiority) spawned by fear and ignorance can ensue, and we've all seen the negative – and sometimes horrific – consequences. Faith is an incredibly powerful force. Maybe even the strongest force of all. But it goes both ways. The best chance for healthy and blissful Spiritual Child Development starts at a very young age. Is your child ready for this life-changing message? Are you?

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What can we learn from the Story of Moses?

2011-11-07T11:43:00.000-06:00

What We Can Learn From Moses about Spirituality, Achievement and Faith

Recently I was thinking about Passover and ways to teach about this Jewish holiday so that people of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds would find the holiday interesting. Also, I'm always looking for people to talk about that can inspire me and others to greatness. I realized that in the story of the Israelites exodus from Egypt, Moses really serves as quite an inspirational Biblical character from whom we all can learn many lessons about spirituality, achievement and faith.

First of all, Moses teaches us to see miracles every day. What would have happened if Moses hadn't noticed the miracle of that burning bush? He might have walked right on by!

We all have miracles in our lives all the time, and we don't see them. There's a Yiddish word that has no meaning, but when it precedes a word it indicates that the word after it is, indeed, a miracle. The word is ta-keh. I like to explain how this word works by talking about how it can be used to replace the English word "just." For example, if Moses had seen that burning bush and said, "It's just a burning bush," then it would have been just a burning bush. But if moses had said, "That is, ta-keh, a burning bush!" he would have been saying, "Look at that miracle - a burning bush! " (Of course, Moses didn't know Yiddish, because it is a language that wasn't spoken in Biblical times.)

We have to stop looking at things in our life as "just this" or "just that." For instance, we have to stop saying, "Look at my paycheck; my pay was cut. It's just $500," and say instead, "look at that, ta-keh, pay check. It's, ta-keh, $500." At least you have a paycheck. Someone else doesn't.

Moses also can teach us about how to have a personal connection with God. When God spoke to Moses out of that burning bush, he didn't question whether or not it was God speaking, he just entered into conversation with the voice that emanated from the bush. He accepted that the voice he heard was God's voice, and he entered answered God.

He didn't just accept what he was told, however. He argued with God. He had a conversation. He said, "Why me? I lisp." But when God, said, "It must be you," he followed God's command.

Which brings us to the next lesson: We need to learn from Moses to listen to the voice of God when it speaks to us. And it doesn't always speak from a burning bush. Sometimes the voice is not loud...and sometimes it doesn't sound a lot different than our own voice, our own thoughts. And when we hear the voice, we need to respond by talking to God, with God, questioning God, and wrestling with God. And then we need to listen hard and long to the response that follows, and then do what we know we must do...and what we are urged and prodded and told to do.

From Moses we also learn that everyone has a destiny.Moses had a destiny just like Joseph had a destiny. We are in the right place at the right time even if it looks wrong. Joseph surely though that what his brothers did to him - selling him off and telling his father he was dead - wasn't right, but he ended up in a high position in Egypt, which helped him save his family and his people. Yes, his people became slaves, but because Moses was raised in the Pharaoh's palace and killed a man and went to Midian, he became the man that freed those slaves and took them into the desert where, he went to the top of Mt. Sinai to get the commandments so the Israelites could enter into a covenant with God.

Who are we to know why and how things are working out they way they are? We can't always know. We can only have faith and trust that there is a purpose and a plan. HIndsight is 20-20. We can hope that we will have such good vision when we look back over our lives to know why and how we ended where we did.

We can learn from Moses to be assertive and ask for what we want.This reminds me of Jack Canfield's book The Aladdin Factor, which is all about asking for what we want. God keeps telling Moses over and over again to go back to the Pharoah and to say, "Let my people go." And he did, and eventually he got what he asked for. You have to ask for what you want.

Lastly, Moses teaches us to have faith. He must have had a lot of faith in God to go to the Pharaoh 10 times, to take the Israelites through the desert for 40 years, to simply do what God commanded... Moses' faith teaches us to act when God whispers in our ear or talks to us from a burning bush.

So, along with the other people who inspire you to greatness and greater connection to God, add Moses to the list.

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