Cheryl Petersen




Organized religion and the hard sciences add to our stash of knowledge. Unfortunately, part of this knowledge is only religious fervor or junk science; in other words, human knowledge-information twisted by politics, personal ideologies, or money. Basically, human information is not scientific; therefore, humanity can get bogged down by the fervor and junk until we realize truth is not defined by human knowledge. By it’s own authority, scientific knowledge reveals itself.

When human knowledge is passed off as scientific knowledge, we cram our heads full of data without coming to a practical truth. We search out specialists who have few answers. Or, we prime experts whose expertise is obsolete within days, or centuries. However, in the middle of all this questionable fuss, scientific knowledge surfaces and becomes undeniable, because it is self-revealed. Take the example of progress.

Many of us have figured out that real progress is not measured by material assets, worldly power, or status. Although we sometimes are reluctant to admit it, a powerful knowledgeable human being is not progress, but is an exclusive, unsatisfied, and sometimes disastrous mortal life experience. It becomes apparent that progress is greater than something measurable-greater than human knowledge. So, we get the courage to develop and practice the immeasurable traits of honesty, wisdom, fairness, industriousness, etc., and scientific progress is felt. Substantially. We will not trade holistic health, or a peace of mind, for a new faster car.

A theologian or a scientist recognizes scientific knowledge by means of practice, not because of religions or the hard sciences. Therefore, it is unnecessary to have the divide and conquer attitude which pits religion and science against each other. Demonstration excels above words, no matter who is demonstrating. One methodology is not better than the other as a source of information. Jeffery Kluger wrote in Time magazine article The Biology of Belief, “It’s the result, not the source, that counts the most.” (2/23/09 edition)

If we boil religions and sciences down to the sludge, we find they both are looking for a scientific cause. Call the cause, God, or call it a physical law, however, neither cause is understood scientifically by human beings. So, neither have a right to proclaim to be an authority on the Science of Truth.

We still need answers, and we need dynamic answers. Modern religion and science can aid in discovering answers. However, if they dig in their heels and insist that human knowledge is scientific truth: then one answer is exchanged for 3 more questions; accusations of damnation get thrown around; divisive fear is instigated; and an association between religion and science is regarded as dangerous.

The only danger is going along with the hype. The egocentric human mind wastes colossal time and effort believing the unbelievable; theorizing; being pious; performing intellectual studies or ceremonies; and accumulating a bulk of statistics. Has all this human knowledge brought heaven on earth? Not really. Do human facts offer proof that life or nature is really understood? Not really.

So, the pursuit for more knowledge continues.

It has been accepted by some people that religion and science can work together in this pursuit of better knowledge. This is fine as long as both systems aim to move forward in logical and inspired thought, instead of amassing all their human convictions and information as though now the human knowledge will be scientific. Scientific knowledge can’t be stuffed into human knowledge, no matter how large the stash of information. Human knowledge never has been and never will be scientific. However, through reason and insight, human knowledge, put to the test, expands out of itself and we glimpse scientific knowing. This advancement in true knowledge can be accomplished in religion and the hard sciences.

The western scientific method is a useful technique, developed by the hard sciences. Dr. Richard Sloan, Ph.D. describes science in his book, Blind Faith: The Unholy Alliance of Religion and Medicine, “Simply put, science is an organized, systematic approach to acquiring knowledge about natural phenomena.” Well, religion can also be an organized, systematic approach to acquiring knowledge about the natural phenomena of existence. Basically, the hard sciences have no monopoly on the use of a logical scientific method. Consequently, religion has no monopoly on the use of insight or inspiration. The problem is when we start acquiring knowledge about unnatural phenomena.

The way I see it is: religion has been so closely identified with endorsing human ethics to be truth that it can hardly sense its practical scientific potential. And, the hard sciences have been so repeatedly identified with variable physical laws that it can scarcely receive constantly self-revealing truth.

Truth is not confined to religious beliefs. Scientific knowledge isn’t defined by physical facts. Textbook, 21st Century Science and Health, originally written by religious leader, and scientist of truth, Mary Baker Eddy, in the 19th century, says, “For centuries-yes, always-natural science has not really been considered a part of any religion, Christianity not an exception. Even now many people consider science to have no proper connection with faith and spirituality. However, mystery does not insulate Christ’s teachings. Truth’s instructions are not theoretical and fragmentary, but are predisposed to the scientific method, are practical, and complete; and being practical and complete, they are not deprived of their essential vitality.”

Human knowledge is useful only when it is allowed to expand out of itself through demonstration. Religions and the hard sciences, in a reasonable and perceptive fashion, can participate in demonstration, because scientific truth is self-revealed to the logical and open minded theologian and scientist. And, since scientific knowledge can’t be monopolized, it is also revealed to the child care provider, child, ditch digger, garbage collector, clown, technician, roof repairer, weatherperson, counselor, hiker, etc.

James Slobodzien




Karl Marx was once quoted as saying that religion…is the opium of the people (Marx, K., 1843-4). Considering the extremely fanatical and persistent religious views of most individuals identified with terrorism in the world today (e.g., Middle East, Afghanistan, & Iraqi – Muslim extremist “suicide bombers,” and past Irish – Catholic & Protestant wars, and U.S. abortion clinic bombers, etc.), one might reach the same conclusion – that these individuals must be addicted to something that has abnormally taken control of their minds.

Surveys show however, that despite the few religious extremists mentioned above, religion and spirituality play a central healthy and stabilizing role in the lives of 80% of the world’s population (more than 5 Billion people) in human experience today. The religious and spiritual dimensions of culture are repeatedly found to be among the most important factors that structure human experience, beliefs, values, behavior, and illness (Browning et al., 1990; James, 1961; Krippner and Welch, 1992).

Holy War

On September 11, 2001 at 5:30 a.m., (Hawaii- time), I was abruptly woken by an excited radio announcer frantically stating that two airplanes had just attacked the Twin Towers in New York City. Still half asleep, and not sure if this was some kind of sick joke or not, I decided to get up and turn on the TV, instead of hitting my snooze alarm button. After seeing the smoke pouring out of the severely damaged buildings on every major television channel, I was still in shock and disbelief. My wife and I had just a year ago taken a tour in the magnificent twin tours and had walked on the rooftop that I was now watching collapse to the ground in seconds.

Most of us tend to associate the term, “Holy War,” with the Muslim religion because of 911. The media has made us aware that Muslims have a religious duty called “Jihad” that requires that their men go to war to defend or spread Islam if the situation warrants it and if they are killed they are guaranteed eternal life in Paradise. Jews, Christians, and many other religious groups have also historically gone to war over religious ideals or as the situation warranted. Religious/ ethnic cleansing “holy wars,” or crusades can be read about in Jewish history in the Old Testament, and Christian history (Roman Catholicism), along with Islam’s history recorded in the Quran. Mohammad, like King David and many of the Roman Catholic popes were not only the most powerful religious leaders in their cultures, but they were also the military leaders of their religious armies. For example, the Crusades were a group of Holy Wars between Muslims and Christians that was believed by some to be started by Pope Urban in 1905, to recapture Jerusalem from the Muslim Turks.

Our present day global war on terrorism however is not a war against those whose faith is in the common Muslim religion. The individuals that have been thus far identified with the terrorist acts of 911 and throughout the world have all been associated with an extremely rigid, intolerant and militant religious fanatical sect of Islam with similarities to the “Christian” cults started by David Koresh and Jim Jones.

In spite of the fact that we commonly hear the old phrase, “All roads lead to Rome,” or all religions lead to God, when some folks attempt to briefly discuss spirituality and religion, it’s hard to imagine why we would have six-thousand years of religious wars if it was possible to reconcile the vast complex differences of our world’s religions. The one common denominator and maybe the only unifying factor among all of the world’s religions is their unanimous view on mankind’s fallen condition – that man has not, is not, and will not live in harmony with his God or Gods, unless he is saved from his present (e.g., sinful, ignorant, and/ or unenlightened etc.) condition by either working towards salvation or is saved by some other means of grace or enlightenment. At the great risk of starting another Holy War (just kidding) by attempting to summarize my limited knowledge of all “Spiritual Truth” and simplify a very complex topic for those who can’t seem to find the time, energy, or motivation to seek out this knowledge for themselves, I would like to put this comprehensive topic on the shelf for a moment to first address those individuals who are struggling with a much more basic question: Am I presently a believer in anything spiritual/ religious?

Spirituality & Religion (Definitions)

Most individuals have difficulty with defining the meanings and differences of the words – Spirituality and Religion. Walsh, F. (1998), defined spirituality as an overarching construct that involves personal beliefs or values that provide a sense of meaning and unity with nature and the universe. He reported that it often includes a supreme being or force that unifies and guides the universe and that it may be experienced within or outside formal religion. Carlos, P.G., (2002), states that spirituality refers to the unique and intense experience of a reality greater than oneself or an experience of connection with the totality of things and that religion is an organized social structure in which spiritual experiences are shared, ritualized, and passed on to future generations. You don’t need to have a spiritual experience to be religious. Likewise, you don’t need to be religious to have a spiritual experience and spiritual growth is not dependent upon being a member in a religious organization.

The term “spirituality” has been defined by some authors as that which gives meaning and transcendence to one’s life and it often includes many different expressions to include prayer, worship, meditation, interactions with others or nature, and relationship with a higher power or God. Spirituality comes from the root word “spirit,” or in Latin – spiritus. The Bible in Genesis chapter 2, verse 7, reports that, “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” The word “spirit” is defined the same in every culture as “breath of life or life giving energy.” Spirituality is primarily concerned with whom or what ever is the energy or center of our lives. It is closely related to our values, beliefs, priorities, preoccupations, and goals that give meaning to our existence (Why do we wake up each morning and decide to continue to live on? What lights up our life or what are the “loves” of our life? What are we enthusiastic about?). Strategies must be used to first assist individuals to discover and evaluate their present values and beliefs to determine if their behavior has been in conflict with their spiritual focuses (Where is there spirit focused?), and if not, how well have their spiritual focuses helped them to meet their needs. Spirituality implies a connectedness to humanity and deity through an unconditional love of self and others that ultimately brings peace, wellness, and resiliency in crisis situations. Spirituality deals with the innermost relationships we have with ourselves, others, and God.

When considering a change in our spiritual focuses the existence of a power greater than our selves or “God” must also be contemplated (Who or what is sitting on the throne of your heart and influencing and determining your ultimate decisions in life?). C.S. Lewis – one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century once stated:

“If man is not allowed to worship a king, he will kneel before movie stars, athletes, and even ***********. For spiritual nature, like bodily nature will not be denied. Deny it sustenance and it will gobble down poison.”

Renewed spirituality provides a new foundation for all of our decisions and relationships that will necessarily help us to develop a new lifestyle, simply because what is most important to us has changed. Kurtz, E. (1992), reports that the benefits of spirituality or spiritual health include humility, inner strength, sense of meaning and purpose in life, acceptance of self and others, sense of harmony and serenity, gratitude, and forgiveness.

Religion on the other hand can be defined as any system of belief that submits itself to one Supreme Being or many deities with adhered to practices (e.g. prayer, meditation, fasting, etc.) typically documented in Holy Scriptures or texts (e.g. Bible, Koran, Torah, etc.) Religion is merely giving worth to what we value the most in life or worth ship or worshiping – typically with others through a more structured organization to express our individual beliefs with actions and others. Religions are organized systems of worship and faith. The fact that religious organizations and institutions have arisen throughout history to meet spiritual needs is evidence that humans have a spiritual dimension that thirst to be filled. Simply put, religion is mans’ attempt to reach God through organizations that practice ritualistic codes of worship.

Following are some characteristics that distinguish spirituality from religion:

Spirituality:

1. Individualistic, 2. Subjective, 3. Informal, 4. Emotional, 5. Inward directed, 6. Unaccountable,
7. Spontaneous

Religion:

1. Community Focused, 2. Objective, 3. Systematic, 4. Behavioral, 5. Outward Directed,
6. Authoritarian, 7. Doctrine Oriented

Spirituality and Religious Backgrounds

Sometimes it is helpful to assess where we are spiritually by taking a look at our religious backgrounds. A mature Army Chaplain once told me that part of his work involved assisting soldiers’ in making religious/ spiritual assessments. He told me that spiritual fitness is vitally important to soldiers’ effectively functioning and sustaining their performance in times of stress, hardship, and tragedy. He stated that spiritual growth develops the personal qualities that form the basis for decision-making, integrity, and character. He reported that most soldiers have religious histories that fall into one of the following three religious background categories:

1. No Religious Preference – These individuals may have had no religious training or exposure to formal religion. Some have never seen the inside of a church, but may have some limited family history of religion. Others may have had some religious teaching as a child, but they do not identify with any religious group or organization at this present time.

2. Positive Religious Background – These individuals’ past experiences with spirituality and religion may have left a positive lasting impact upon their lives. They may have spiritually strong parents or parental figures in their lives that have continued as supportive role models. They may have either drifted from their faith as children or have had an adult conversion experience exhibiting real personal faith at present.

3. Negative Religious Background – These individuals may have “spiritually shutdown” as children because of various incidents in which there families forced a rigid, legalistic, and/ or spiritually abusive religion upon them. They may have been physically, sexually, or emotionally abused by members of their church’s leadership staff or have known others that were. They may have observed religious groups fighting and have a mindset that all religious people are hypocrites and are poor examples of what they preach. They may feel that God has let them or someone they loved down by not answering their prayers in a time of real need.

This chaplains’ primary role was to provide pastoral care to soldiers’ and their family members. Part of his work involved helping soldiers’ look at religious stumbling blocks to understanding spirituality as a new concept in their life. The category that you find yourself in can give you some guidance as to whether you need to:

1. Start seeing life as three-dimensional: physical, emotional, and spiritual, and develop spirituality as a new concept;

2. Start reinforcing your prior spiritually healthy religious background experiences; and/ or

3. Start reframing your previous spiritually abusive or unhealthy religious background experiences by seeking pastoral counseling and therapy.

This next section is for those that may be seeking out their spiritual dimension for the first time and are curious about how 80% of the world’s population practices their religion. Keep in mind that this is a very brief summary of the world’s religions and that it is by no means all- inclusive.

Spirituality and Religions of the World

According to David Barrett et al, editors of the “World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions – AD 30 to 2200,” there are 19 major world religions. In the year 2000, eight of these major religions had approximately 80% of the world’s population adhering to their beliefs. Agnostics and atheists account for approximately 19% of the world’s population and the rest of the world’s religions including Judaism make up the last 1%.

Christianity – 33%

Islam – 20%

Hinduism – 13%

Buddhism – 6%

Chinese Folk Religion – 4%

New Asian Religion – 2%

Animism – 2%

Agnostics/ No religion – 15%

Atheists – 4%

The Baha’i Faith, Confucianism, Jainism, Judaism, Shaminists, Shinto, Sikhism, Spiritism, Taoism, Wicca, and Zoroastrianism religions make up less than 1% of the world’s religious population. There are many, many other significant spiritual/ religious organizations with much fewer members in the world, that could also be included in the last 1%, but they are too numerous to mention in this short summary.

Most of the worlds’ religions do not fit neatly into little boxes, however (not counting the atheist and agnostic groups) they can be theoretically divided into six categories:

1. Monotheistic Religions – The doctrine or belief that there is only one God:
(Example: Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc.)

2. Polytheistic Religions – The worship of or belief in many Gods or Goddesses: (Example: Hinduism, Shintoism, etc.)

3. Non-theistic Religions – The belief or faith not in God or Gods, but in supreme enlightenment: (Example: Buddhism)

4. Pantheistic Religions – The belief that God and nature are one: (Example: Taoism, Animism, etc.)

5. Dualistic Religions - The belief that there are only two opposing Gods or two interacting forces: (Example: Zoroastrianism/ Taoism Yin/ Yang etc.)

6. Polyreligiousity – Having beliefs in multiple religion simultaneously (Example: Chinese Folk Religion/ New Asian Religions that combine Confucianism/ Buddhism/ Shintoism)

Spiritual/ Religious – Assessment

The need for the evaluation and assessment of our spiritual concerns has been well documented and recognized by many authors (Conrad 1985, Moberg 1982, Byrne 1979, Gartner 1991, Larson 1991, Moberg 1965, Poloma 1991). Despite documented history of research devoted to the psychology of religion, it should be noted that it took the American Psychiatric Association Committee approximately 42-years to recognize spirituality as a human dimension to be assessed for religious / spiritual problems. It wasn’t until 1994, that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals’ Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), included an entry entitled “Religious or Spiritual Problem” (Steinfels, 1994), intended to encourage mental health professionals to view patients’ religious experience more seriously. This diagnostic category was proposed for the DSM-IV as “Psycho-religious Problems Not Attributable to Mental Disorder,” to delineate those distressing experiences of a religious or spiritual nature that are the focus of psychiatric diagnosis or treatment, but are not attributable to a mental disorder (Lukoff, Lu, & Turner, 1992, p. 677). In the DSM-IV-TR (2000), this entry is listed on page 741, as V62.89, in the chapter entitled, “Other Conditions That May Be a Focus of Clinical Attention.” It states, “This category can be used when the focus of clinical attention is a religious or spiritual problem. Examples include distressing experiences that involve loss or questioning of faith, problems associated with conversion to a new faith, or questioning of spiritual values that may not necessarily be related to an organized church or religious institution.”

The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has also set regulatory requirements for the routine assessment of spiritual needs of all patients (2001). Spiritual concepts, ideas, and relationships are integral to all levels of care, and to a certain degree, even transcend each level of care; nonetheless, they are difficult to define acceptably in objective, behavioral, and measurable terms. Spirituality is implied in all dimensions and is in all levels of care, and certainly is inherent in the Twelve Step philosophy. Likewise, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (ASAM), “Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 3rd Edition, 2003,” spirituality is absolutely inherent in the comprehensive bio-psychosocial multidimensional assessment, treatment, and continuity of care for substance-related disorders. ASAM’s 3rd Edition has set the standard in the field of addiction treatment for recognizing the totality of the individual in his or her life situation. This includes the internal interconnection of multiple dimensions from biomedical to spiritual, as well as external relationships of the individual to the family and larger social groups.

In order to assess the spiritual dimension of man, it is helpful to understand some of the causes of spiritual/ religious problems. Some individuals are just plain confused about what they believe the “truth ” to be for them. For others, their spiritual and religious values may be conflicting with their personal goals for success and personal satisfaction. Some struggle with making personal commitments to their beliefs, while others have turned their backs on what they know is true and may feel guilty over their actions. Still others feel deeply committed to their beliefs, but their words and actions are not congruent with their beliefs in that they realize that they do not express a loving attitude toward others. Many believers feel defeated by their inability to change their behaviors due to their internal conflicts and the stressors of everyday life. Some get frustrated because their spiritual growth seems so slow and others are concerned that their prayer and worship activities are performed more out of habit instead of the joy that once motivated them. Many feel that their prayers have gone unanswered because they continue to suffer from chronic sickness, disease, poverty and/ or trauma or have raised their children in the faith only to watch them develop alternative lifestyles.

Spirituality is also one of the key concerns of dying patients that needs to be assessed. It was cited as integral to the dying person’s achievement of the developmental task of transcendence and important for health care providers to recognize and foster (Highfield. Mudd, Millson 1992): “The physician will do better to be close by to tune in carefully on what may be transpiring spiritually, both in order to comfort the dying to broaden his or her own understanding of life at its ending”(Leighton 1996). Some spiritual identifiers that one could assess in patients in the last month of life are: 1) is there purpose to their life as they suffer, 2) are they able to transcend their suffering and see something or someone beyond that, 3) are they at peace, 4) are they hopeful or do they despair, 5) what nourishes that sense of value of themselves: prayer, religious commitment, personal faith, relationship with others, 6) do their beliefs help them cope with their anxiety about death, with their pain, and with achieving peace. Finally, one needs to assess how well the patient’s spiritual needs are being met: 1) do the health care providers listen to their beliefs, faith, pain, hope or despair, 2) are they able to express or develop their spirituality through prayer, art, writing, reflections, guided imagery, religious or spiritual readings, ritual, or connection to others and God.

So how can we assess the spiritual dimension of man? What resources are available for mental health clinicians? Although there is increasing recognition for the vital role of spirituality in the lives of many clients, there are relatively few quantitative assessment instruments that have been developed.

It appears that the study of spirituality and religion in mental health will continue to blossom in the future as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in 2005, has set regulatory requirements for the routine assessment of spiritual needs of all patients. JCAHO is the feared civilian and military hospital accrediting agency that inspects hospitals and carries the ultimate threat of shutting down hospitals that do not comply with their standards. Per the recent 2005, PC.2.20, EP 4 standards and elements of performance (EPs) found in the “Provision of Care, Treatment, and Services” (PC) chapter in the accreditation manuals, JCAHO requires organizations to include a spiritual assessment as part of the overall assessment of a patient to determine how the patient’s spiritual outlook can affect his or her care, treatment, and services, and/ or whether more in-depth assessments are necessary.

Since the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has set regulatory requirements for the routine assessment of spiritual needs of all patients (2001), I would also like to propose the following spiritual/ religious screening instrument:

BMIS

This spiritual/ religious screen is a brief set of questions for healthcare providers, clinicians, and those interested in self-help to ask. For quick and easy remembrance, this practical spiritual assessment is based on the acronym – BMIS (referring to Body Mass Index screening – that most primary care physicians are already accustomed to when evaluating overweight and obesity in their patients).

B – Background: What is your spiritual/ religious “background”? Have you had a positive or negative experience with religion? Do you have a spiritual/ religious preference now?

M – Meaning: What gives you the most “meaning” or purpose to your life at this time? (e.g., career, family, school, God, etc.)

I – Importance: How “important” is spirituality and/ or religion to your successful recovery and treatment plan? (e.g., extremely – very – not very – not important at all, etc.)

S – Stress: Are spiritual and/ or religious issues a cause of “stress” and conflict or a “source” of comfort for you? Would you like to talk to a religious counselor and/ or spiritual advisor (e.g., pastor, priest, rabbi, imam, etc.), about these issues?

Qualifying Note: This article was not written and should not be viewed or considered to be a formal theological treatise on spirituality and religion. It is merely a simplistic introduction to these topics to reveal how critical they are to the addiction recovery process with the hope of assisting individuals to reassess their values, and reexamine their priorities to redefine what is really important in their lives. My intent is not to persuade, influence, convince, or convert anyone to my personal beliefs. My goal is to help others to clarify and identify where they presently stand at this point in time, so that they can consider charting a course to get from where they are to where they desire to be someday. After all, you cannot make flight reservations if you don’t know what airport you will be departing from.

For further information:

http://www.universal-publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581122101

[http://www.booklocker.com/books/1966.html]

http://www.universal-publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581125399

References: Aday, R. “Belief in Afterlife and Death Anxiety: Correlates and Comparisons,” Omega, 1984 18:67-75 Allport, GW and Ross, MJ “Personal Religious Orientation and Prejudice,” J of Personality and Social Psych 1967, 5(4):432-443 Batson, CD and Schoenrade, PA. “Measuring Religion as Quest: 1) Validity Concerns,” J for The Sci Study of Religion, 1991 30(4):416-429 Batson, CD and Schoenrade, PA “Measuring Religion as Quest: 2) Reliability Concerns,” J for The Sci Study of Religion, 1991, 30(4):430-447 Belcher, AR et. al. “Spirituality and Sense of Well-Being in Persons With AIDS,” Holistic Nurs. Pract. 1989, 3(4):16-25 Bergin, A. and Jensen, J “Religiousity of Psychotherapists: A National Survey,” Psychotherapy, 27:3-7 Burkhardt, M. “Spirituality: An Analysis of The Concept,” Holistic Nursing Practice, May 1989 :60-77 Byock IR. Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index (version 25S). VITAS Healthcare Corp, 1995. Byrne, JT and Price, JH “In Sickness and In Health: The Effects of Religion,” Health Education 1979, 10:6-10. Chambers, LW et. al. “The McMaster Health Index Questionnaire,” J Rheumatology 1982, 9:780-784 Clinch, JJ and Schipper, H. “Quality of Life Assessment in Palliative Care,” The Challenge of Palliative Med, p. 61-70.

John Penberthy




Most people, even if they’re not Christians, acknowledge that an exceptional spiritual master named Jesus lived and died 2,000 years ago. The story of his life and teachings are chronicled in the four gospels of the New Testament and they have captivated and inspired the Western world ever since. But how do we know what Jesus actually said? There was no stenographer or tape recorder present and the first gospel to be recorded, Mark, wasn’t written until 30 years after Jesus’ death. How much do you remember of any conversation you witnessed 30 years ago?

From the time Jesus spoke until the time his words and actions were eventually recorded on paper there were many opportunities for mistakes, misinterpretations and mistranslations. Jesus was a mystic and often spoke in parables and metaphors. Those who were present interpreted his teachings and their meanings through the filters of their own limited spiritual understanding. These impressions and memories were substantially diluted and distorted with the passing of over 30 years’ time between their occurrence and their recording.

The gospels we have today were based on documents copied and recopied by scribes for 400 years after Jesus died (the original writings were lost to history). Scribes, being human, sometimes made mistakes and sometimes changed things to fit their preconceived notions or agendas. Each new generation of copied gospels compounded the errors of all previous scribes.

Additionally, Jesus spoke in Aramaic. The first gospels were written in Greek, which was eventually translated into Old English and then to modern English. Each of these translations provides opportunity for lost meaning. Finally, the Council of Nicea, convened by the Emperor Constantine in 325 AD after declaring Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, discarded parts of the gospels which were inconsistent or contradictory in an attempt to make them more cohesive and consistent. For example, all references to reincarnation were stricken. Sadly, many of Jesus’ teachings were lost forever because they did not square with the spiritual views of the Council.

What exactly did Jesus say? No one really knows. Those who interpret the Bible literally and hang on every word are missing the point. Countless controversies, conflicts, condemnations and ill judgments have resulted from (often petty) differing literal interpretations of Biblical scriptures. This has created fertile ground for ego gratification and the rise of fundamentalism. Ironically, judgment and condemnation seem to increasingly have trumped Jesus’ core message of love and forgiveness.

Given that Jesus’ exact words were lost to the wind 2,000 years ago, the best we can do is to search out themes found in the gospels that appear time and again. In this way the essence of Jesus’ teachings comes through loud and clear, over and over, to those who take the time to distill his wisdom from the gospels. It is simply: open heart, open mind-love and forgiveness. Do not judge. Tolerance. Or to sum it all up into one sentence: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

The Prince of Peace told us that the kingdom of heaven was at hand and that the way to experience it was by following his teachings. At hand means here, now, in this life. What are you waiting for?

Jesus Smith




I have taken a lot of time to analyze religion and influences on both the secular and sacred worlds on one another. My overall view of religion has not changed how I feel about my decision not to join an organized church. If anything, I feel that I have gained a more solid view about religion and grounds for my beliefs. I feel that people that do not grow up in the church only join when they feel they are missing something in there lives. Usually, it is either a means to correct a behavior or to fill a void. I almost look at religion as “rehab.” You often hear about people joining a church after going through something tragic in their life, usually addiction or the loss of a loved one. I feel that religion is something that people turn to when they don’t trust themselves enough to make the right decisions throughout their life. I think that this contributes to the fact that in the United States, our culture has become exponentially more religious in just the past century.

I have always had some disagreements with certain beliefs that I felt were universal among religions. When I learned that within the Christian religion, there are more than 30,000 denominations, I began to wonder if there was a denomination that I could agree with one hundred percent. The problem with any religion for me is if I do not agree one hundred percent with the churches beliefs, I will not accept the religion even one percent. It’s an all or nothing deal with me. This is based on the idea that if I disagree with even one belief of the church, than I would not allow myself to trust any other belief that I had previously agreed on as it would require me to question every thought, every idea, and every motive.

Another thing that made me think was the immense volume, 30,000 denominations! If there are 30,000 denominations out there just under the Christian “umbrella” and there is only one truth, either 29,999 denominations are wrong or all 30,000 are wrong. I believe that everyone has their own truth, but religion is looking for God’s truth. With all of these different interpretations, it is logically impossible to find a religion that carries God’s truth. I have however learned to pay attention more to the world around me. I have always been the analytical type, and I feel that I read people rather well. I have found that there is a major hidden player in the secular world that I had never analyzed, religion. Because I had never been trained to look at the world through my “religious binoculars,” I never noticed the significant religious contributions within the secular world. I have begun to watch closely for religious themes, symbols, or meanings in everyday objects and events. I do not have a religious background therefore I find religious themes a lot more disguised than someone who might have a Masters in Theology. I can look at an advertisement with people posing as if they were a part of the Last Supper and not immediately recognize the symbolism or resemblance.

The crossover between secular and sacred occurs in all different aspects in the American culture. Even as our country is built on the freedom of religion, America is clearly a Christian country. I believe that our current president, as well as every other president in United States history has believed in God. They have all been Christian. The United States currency reads “In God We Trust,” and our Pledge of Allegiance says, “one Nation under God.” We have secular songs with references to God and television shows that are based around the church. We even have national holidays that are Christian based.

One of our nation’s largest holidays is based on a religious event, the birth of Christ. This holiday is so widely celebrated that it is expected that most businesses across the United States will be closed. This holiday affects more than just the Christians in America as this holiday has an impact on every person living in America. I work with several people from India, their religion is Hinduism, but on Christmas, they take off work just as the rest of America as the Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. For a country that does not have a set religion, it’s quite odd to have religious events marked as national holidays.

Not only is God apart of the secular world, but the secular world plays a part in the religious world as well. With Christian music evolving into all different genres, the musical sound of Christian music has become more secular while remaining faith-based lyrically. Other secular aspects have also entered the sacred arena as megachurches are developed and have begun to make profit on their services.

The megachurch purchases their service materials, plays Christian rock music with expensive sound equipment, and has built-in cafeterias/restaurants, as well as other Christian stores. The megachurch has become more of an event than a church. The megachurch has moved away from the traditional church setting with pews that everyone is accustomed to and toward theater like seating for their mass audiences. The megachurch has taken mega-steps in providing religious services to a secular world. I don’t feel that a church of any kind should be made to operate like a business. I feel that the megachurch is exploiting the sacred, and by removing the tradition from church, I think it is also manipulating religion into something they believe the secular world wants to hear and be a part of.

I have respect for individuals that have a strong faith and strive to become better under the direction of God. Personally, I have not found myself traveling the religious path at this time in my life and I don’t know that I ever will. I do believe in God, but I cannot accept religion.

My personal faith, beliefs and experiences help me to continue forward and make, what I believe to be, the right decisions for myself. I continue to have an open mind about religion but I don’t feel an overpowering need to “belong” to something, or retain direction from what other’s believe to be of the “higher up”.

At this point, my view of religion is all speculation. The bible is something that is translated in many different ways and by many different groups of individuals. None of these people or translations can be certain of their theories. I just want to live my life as a caring, loving, courageous, faithful, trustworthy, giving, and humble human being. My truth is that a good person encompasses these characteristics as well as many others. I have vowed to myself the things that I will and will not do. My being is dictated by my truth alone and no one else’s.

Abhinn Gupta




Hinduism is vaguely termed as the oldest living religion in the world. Holding a unique distension of being the third most followed religion after Christianity and Islam, this religion has close to a billion followers worldwide. Predominantly, this religion is followed in the Indian subcontinent and parts of south-east Asia. Nepal is the only country in the world, which has declared Hinduism as the official religion of the country. The followers of Hinduism are called Hindu. Hindi language is derived from this term only, and the name Hindustan (India) is the logical fallout of Hinduism.

The history of Hinduism is so ancient, that there exists no record of its origin. In some contexts, scholars believe that Hinduism existed even before humans learned to live in a civilized society. Historically, Hinduism can be traced back to Vedic roots of ancient Indian civilization, with no single founder as such. Many traditions and cultures embedded into this religion, to give shape to the modern day religion with such a mass following.

The scriptures of Hinduism are vastly distributed among its followers, and have a very strict relevance to the daily activities. The two most common forms of scriptures are Sruti (the revealed) and Smriti (the remembered) texts. The basic fundamentals of these scriptures are Sociology, Mythology, Philosophy and Theology. All these scriptures are in fact a guide to the attainment of the Dharma or the rightful living. The Vedas and the Upanishads are the most important of scriptures of Hinduism. Ramayana and Mahabharata are the grand epics which forms the base of this religion. Every member of the Hindu household remembers these epics by heart, and the values of these are deep inside the core of a true Hindu. And, last but not the least; the Bhagvata Geeta is the scripture, which truly defines the actual essence of Hinduism. It is said that Krishna, a Hindu God, himself narrated Geeta for the benefit of all Hindus.

One of the main beliefs of Hinduism is the Reincarnation and Karma theory, which has its believers worldwide. Even scientists and philosophers have agreed on this principle. According to this, the Human body is nothing but a collection of five elements: earth, water, fire, sky and land. The core of the human being is the soul, which can not be destroyed. The five elements which form the body eventually get dissolved, leaving the soul to attach with other elements to form another body. This, reincarnation says that until and unless the karma, or the deeds are purified, the human body will keep on resurfacing to face the ordeal of the world.

Jon Straumfjord




Copyright (c) 2007 Jon Straumfjord

Not only is faith a characteristic of God Himself, it is also a characteristic of Jesus Christ, which He demonstrated when He lived as a man. First of all, it was a supreme act of faith on Jesus’ part simply to live as a man. Jesus, as God, had lived forever, and, along with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Seven Spirits of God, had always been a part of God. In becoming a man, Jesus willfully chose to live as a man, without any of the benefits of the power of God. In fact, if Jesus had at any time decided to use his Godly abilities and powers, He would no longer be able to represent mankind and become the propitiation for our sins. The entire plan of salvation would become null and void.

Consider the temptation of Christ:

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:1-4, NKJV)

Satan was not a fool, the whole point of the first temptation was to encourage Jesus to act as God. If Jesus had chosen to act as God and turned the stones to bread, which as God was certainly His right, He would no longer be living as a man and would no longer be qualified to become the sacrifice for mankind. Now admittedly He could have acted as a man and commanded the stones to become bread by the power of the Holy Spirit, but then He would be submitting both Himself and the Holy Spirit to the will of Satan rather than to the will of the Father. It must be understood that Jesus never acted as God when He came to live as a man. All the power and authority that He exercised as a man, He obtained and wielded through the Holy Spirit, even as we have available to us today.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11, NKJV)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. (John 5:19-21, NKJV)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:12-14, NKJV)

Notice that Jesus said that we would not only do the very same things that He did when He lived as a man, but we would do even greater things. This can only be true if Jesus lived His life completely as a man. If at any time He had ever succumbed to the temptation to exert His own power and authority, we would never be able to do the things Jesus did since they would only be available to God Himself.

Praise the Lord, Jesus completely laid aside His deity, not only for the sake of our salvation, but also for the sake of our empowerment as His representatives on earth. Let us strive to apprehend the power Jesus has made available to us!

Yvonne Perry




You may have been taught in school that America was founded upon Christianity, but proof of such is not reflected in the writings of our founding fathers. In fact, the first six American presidents were actually opposed to the doctrine and dogma of Christianity.

Would you refer to prejudice and premeditated murder as Christian traits? One of our forefathers was so prejudiced against the American Natives that he once described them as “having nothing human except the shape” and as “a beast of prey.” Known as the “Father of our Country”, President George Washington was known as “The Town Destroyer,” and “The Killer of Women and Children” among the Onadaga Indian People whom he and his militia killed in cold blood. Did good ol’ George (who couldn’t tell a lie) believe this country was founded upon Christian fundamentals? Washington is quoted as saying, “The United States is in no sense founded upon Christian Doctrine.”

John Adams, the second President of the United States, had little use for religion when he said, “The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity. Nowhere in the Gospels do we find a precept for Creeds, Confessions, Oaths, Doctrines, and whole carloads of other foolish trumpery that we find in Christianity.”

Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence “found not one redeeming feature in orthodox Christianity” and added:

Christianity——the most ********* system that ever shone on man. ——Rogueries, absurdities and untruths were perpetrated upon the teachings of Jesus by a large band of dupes and imposters led by Paul, the first great corrupter of the teaching of Jesus. The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as his Father, in the womb of a virgin, will be classified with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and the freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated Reformer of human errors.

Jefferson also called for limitation on the power of the Government, and was an advocate for the separation of Church and State.

James Madison, fourth president of the United States, thought no better of religion when he said: During almost fifteen centuries the legal establishment known as Christianity has been on trial, and what have been the fruits, more or less, in all places? These are the fruits: pride, indolence, ignorance, and arrogance in the clergy. Ignorance, arrogance, and servility in the laity, and in both clergy and laity, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.

Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, was no doubt a religious man who is remembered as a Christian President; however, some say Lincoln was a skeptic of Christianity. He is quoted as saying, “The Bible is not my Book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma.” His views did not change during his political career. He was later noted to say, “My earlier views of the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of salvation and the human origin of the scriptures, have become clearer and stronger with advancing years and I see no reason for thinking I shall ever change them.”

After Lincoln’s assassination an American author and the editor of Scribner’s Monthly named Dr. Josiah G. Holland wrote about Lincoln’s religious views:

“——He believed in God, and ——believed himself to be under his control and guidance. ——This unwavering faith in a Divine Providence began at his mother’s knee, and ran like a thread of gold through all the experiences of his life. His constant sense of human duty was one of the forms by which his faith manifested itself. ——He recognized an immediate relation between God and himself, in all the actions and passions of his life. He was not professedly a Christian-that is, he subscribed to no creed-joined no organization of Christian disciples. He spoke little——of his religious belief and experiences; but that he had a deep religious life, sometimes imbued with superstition——.”

Perhaps Lincoln recognized the difference in spirituality which is our connection and relationship to our Creator, and religion which is the very thing that attempts to separate us from one another and our Creator.

Aside from presidents, other founding fathers of notoriety agree that Christianity has little merit when it comes to governing a nation of people. When Benjamin Franklin was asked about his religion, he said:

As to Jesus of Nazareth, I think the system of Morals and his Religion, as he left them to us, the best the World ever saw or is likely to see; but I apprehend it has received various corrupting Changes, and I have, with the most of the present Dissenters in England, some doubts to his divinity. —— I do not perceive that the Supreme takes it amiss, by distinguishing the unbelievers in his government of the world with any peculiar marks of his displeasure.

Deism is a seventeenth- and eighteenth-century religious philosophy and movement prominent in England and the United States. Deists normally reject supernatural events and divine revelation common to organized religion. Disregarding holy books and religions that affirm the existence of such things, deists support religious beliefs must be founded on human reason observation of the natural world which reveal the existence of a supreme being. Deist Thomas Paine had a strong opinion about religion:

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish Church, by the Roman Church, by the Greek Church, by the Turkish Church, by the Protestant Church, nor by any Church that I know of. My own mind is my own Church. ——Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst.

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is part of the Bill of Rights which prevents legislature that establishes a national religion by Congress or that prefers or supports one religion over another. The First Amendment reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This part of the First Amendment is sometimes referred to as “the separation of church and state” which means that the state or national government should be kept separate from religious institutions.

I doubt the Ten Commandments were posted in courthouses during the early days of U.S. history. Our founding fathers proposed the First Amendment and rejected Christianity as a ruling factor in government and political issues. After being ruled by a government which tried to synchronize the beliefs of the entire population, they were fed up with being told what to do and what to believe. They wanted religious freedom. Today, we as citizens still want religious freedom, but there can be no religious freedom when one religion controls the masses through government. Yet, this is exactly what has occurred in our nation. Religious groups attempt to control the government by imposing laws that decide what a marriage is, what can be grown in our backyard and what medical research can be federally funded.

Every time a law is passed that gives jurisdiction over what happens in a person’s home, marriage, healthcare or religion, we lose another personal right that was assured in the laws used to found our country. It’s time to stand up and vote against bills and amendments that take away the one thing our founding fathers did have in common-freedom from religion.

Works Cited:

The Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1968, p. 420

[http://www.theramp.net/kohr4/HEROES.html]

http://afgen.com/church2a.html

[http://www.biosfear.com/archives/000165.html]

http://www.discord.org/~lippard/state-press-19860429.html

http://thewaronfaith.com/ff_franklin.htm

[http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/workbook/ralprs24b.htm]

Paul Davis




For 20 years I attended church with my grandparents and parents. Both attended a different denomination. Honestly all I recall mostly is struggling to stay awake during the services. The only great thing about my grandparents church was that it was next to a McDonalds. Secondly there was an elderly lady who passed out candies to the children after church. Thirdly my best friend David went there, but it’s not like we had a lot of time to play together.

My parents church at least had breakfast or pastries and juice in the morning before church. So I was able to get something to eat. Beyond those refreshments, I did not find the services to be overly refreshing or invigorating.

I was an acolyte at my parent’s church. Of course not by choice. My dad made me do it. I had to wear this long white robe (as if it isn’t hot enough already in Florida). Before church I had to light the candles while the organ played some very still sober funeral music. Then during the service before communion, I had to walk up to the altar and pour oil and wine for the priests. The wierdest part was one instruction I was given to pour a bit of wine on the priest’s hands during his cleansing. It seems to me that would make your hands sticky. Lastly at the end of the ceremony I was to extinguish the candles. Believe me, by the end of the service, I felt both extinguished and exhausted. Nothing said or done during the services necessarily added to me but primarily seemingly subtracted from me.

It was always good to leave church because the services always seemed to drain my energy. I felt diminished and contained the whole time in church. It was like walking around in a straight jacket being told what to do. I never saw anyone real exhuberance, expression or supernatural breakthroughs.

The big breakthrough came when I experienced a supernatural touch from God in my bedroom. It was then that I myself began to read the Bible and feel the Holy Spirit. How amazing was that! The Holy Spirit’s touch and Presence were electrifying. It was like hot oil rushing up and down my inner being, glory filling my soul and fire flowing on and all around me.

Indeed there was a vast difference between God and religion. Thankfully I made this discovery. Sadly however I was bound in dead religion for twenty years, which I fruitlessly wasted while thinking I was pleasing God. The Creator is never pleased when you are diminished and dwarfed by religion.
Religion is a work of man to contain and control humanity. God however wants to liberate mankind and fill them to overflowing with His divine love and life.

So I left the dead dumb churches that I was brought up in to seek a spiritual house where God’s Spirit was present and flowed in power. I came upon what some would call a charismatic church, led by Pastor Benny Hinn, which was like going to a big party every service. The atmosphere was celebratory and dynamic. People who came experienced and testified of miracles in their lives. They were really turned on and on fire for God. This was way different than the religious funeral services I had attended for twenty years with my family.

Of course when my family saw me escape their dead dumb church they began to criticize and mock me. Yet I gladly endured their stupidity and remained in life giving spirituality. I realize the people attending those churches with my family are sincere and truly desirious of God. Nevertheless that does not change the condition of the churches. Perhaps the sermons at my parents church might have helped some adults, but I never sensed a spirit of faith or inspiration flowing from the pulpit myself. As a youth I was bored to tears there.

Orlando Christian Center on the other hand had exhuberant praise and worship, people dancing and shouting for joy, fiery sermons, altar calls where people received prayer, and best of all divine manifestations of the power of God. I saw many people healed of ailments and diseases. Not to mention I also saw people demon possessed people set free. Watching such occurrences live was way better than going to the movies. I saw excorcisms in church. That is how it was in the days of Jesus. That is how it should be today!

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever! We should never think to reduce God to our liturgical ways, denominational rigidity, cultural stupidity or fearful conformity. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of liberty. Love, life and liberty are what God is all about. Fear, conformity, stupidity and containment is the hallmark of religion.

Another thing I noticed once I escaped the prison with stained glass windows and began attending my new church was people weren’t overly caught up in what everyone wore. It was very liberating to be loved and accepted without the religious uncomfortable attire. Besides nowhere in the Bible does it say Jesus ever wore a suit and tie. I’m not a suit and tie kind of guy.

I am a God kind of guy now thanks to my marvelous discovery of the Holy Spirit and the Bible. The dead churches my family attended were without Bibles. The only person who ever seemed to have a Bible was the priest. Not so at my new church where everyone brought their Bibles and vigorously followed along during Pastor Benny’s sermons.

Again there is a vast difference between religion and God. I pray that you escape the confines and tentacles of religion to discover the true and living God who loves and is crazy about you!