'Tis the Season?

“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flocks, the work of Christmas begins:  To find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among the people, to make music in the heart.”

-- Howard Thurman (1899-1981), philosopher, theologian, educator

Lenny Bruce once said, "People are leaving the church and going back to God."  This is no reflection on Jesus Christ, but it is a reflection of our attitudes toward organized religion which has been festering for many years.  It was evident in another quote by Matthew Arnold in the mid-nineteenth century, "Protestantism has the method of Jesus with His secret too much left out of mind: Catholicism has His secret with His method too much left out of mind; neither has His unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness. But both have hold of a great truth, and get from it a great power."

This is the season, from Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year, to celebrate our faith and to give thanks for what we have.  We all need to remember that "faith" is a belief in something for which there is little or no evidence.  You may not recognize the little you have as making you wealthy, or the abundance you have as a reason to give thanks and to those less fortunate, and you may not believe in Jesus Christ or God.  These can all be a matter of faith.  If all you have is life then let life itself be a celebration each and every morning.  Once we embrace the gift of our life we can begin to enjoy the fullness of it, and once we understand this fullness we will "have hold of a great truth, and get from it a great power."  

When I minister to folks, especially in groups, I want them to first understand that I am not trying to convert them to some organized religious belief.  My intent is to have them consider faith, their faith in themselves.  You must be able to have faith in yourself before you can truly have faith in anything else.  I would rather you not leave the church and abandon all faith.  God is not responsible for the actions of man and, therefore, God is not responsible for the actions of a church which deigns it proper to speak on God's behalf, to explain what an omnipotent God really means to say, as if God requires human interpretation of those ten very easy commandments instructing us in what to do, or do not.  I can make it easy for those who have trouble understanding God.  Just do the right thing.  It was never intended to be difficult, which is why God made it so simple.

This is the season to treat each other better, to treat each other right, to show an unerring balance intuition, and sweet reasonableness, even if you don't wish to attribute these to a rabbi, teacher, prophet, or God.  It is an annual season to remind us that exercising these attributes is how we should treat each other each and every day of the year, a season which should be in our hearts 24/7/365.

Like many people, I also have issues with organized religion.  What I found by leaving the church, however, was the gift of a personal relationship with my God which requires only this: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  

I think it's better to give to the poor and the needy, to those who cannot do for themselves, than to build multi-million dollar cathedrals which were never required.  As for gathering in fellowship, this can be enjoyed in a park, at the beach, a barbeque, or at someone's house.  If it was good enough for Jesus, why isn't it good enough for the rest of us?  Simply put, if you wish to partake of a "House of God," open your front door, have an "Aha!" moment, and understand that you're already there.

This, the Covenant between man and God, was never meant to be rocket science.  God wanted all people to understand.  We are the ones who complicated it, instead of adding nothing to what God has commanded us: "You must not add to or subtract from what I command you, so that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God I am giving you."   Interpretation opens wide the door to adding, subtracting, and misunderstanding.

Even if you are not "religious" it does not prevent you from being a person of faith.  It is the season to find that faith, to celebrate it, and to consider the real need for carrying that faith with you throughout the year.

As for me, well, may God bless you all and may each of you find your path, a little peace, and some balance, intuition and sweet reasonableness for the coming year.  Discover your personal faith, make it good, and embrace it.

“If you can't find the spirit of the holidays in your heart, you'll never find it under a tree.”

-- Michael Holbrook, author

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.