What Sense Can I Make Out of the Word Religion?

Gail Anselm 11.23.04

Fr. Cassidy

What sense can I make out of the word religion?

Life has a purpose; its intent is to lead a religious life. One can ask the question" how can we lead a religious life" Ever since antiquity many philosophers have expressed their views on the issues on leading a good life. After being exposed to these different thoughts I came up with the conclusion that leading a religious life revolves around the idea of loving God and everything He loves. Following is an illustration of the coloration of loving God between the purpose of our existence and religion. The purpose of our existence, we are here to serve God. First we must look at this as we would a circle or cycle. God created Adam and Eve; he gave them free will to do as they please. Due to faults of their free will we must in a sense "suffer" for their mistakes. The cycle goes as is we are born, we die there are two doors heaven and hell. Based on our conscious doing here on earth, it is determined whether we enter the gates of heaven or in the fiery bushes of hell.

Often times one may ask "if God loves the world why does he allow bad things to happen?" my answer to this question is quite simple if he were to intervene and prevent bad thing from happening to one person, for example he stopped a child from getting hit by a car while crossing the street; then he would have to intervene for everyone. What would our world be without any bad? We must go through trials and tribulations.

In order to make sense out of the word religion, one must first understand the meaning of religion. Religion is a basic teaching " like the central wooden floor of a house" Religion is practical, basic and it is the central teaching. God therefore become the foundation of the house; God if subsequently removed the entire Universe collapse. Just as is you took the foundation out from the house, the house would fall. Most people often only call onto God for help and guidance when they feel that their world is not going as they would ike. Religion is a major influence in our life and covers almost every aspect of our being.

For a long while I have been disconcerted over the problematic meaning of religion. I on a quest to find life in religion and give meaning for me and all the other lost souls out there who are still searching for that "meaning." Though previously mentioned that evil, being as old as prostitution, will exist, still I have the desire to make the world beautiful and free from stress. Many have cherished righteous thoughts, and out of these a few have indeed excelled in achieving the goal of offering equal opportunities for every human being to express himself fully.

Inestimable, are the fields in which persons of different race and culture, aptitude and talents can find their fulfillment. A folk dance perfection, a piece of wood or stone sculpted in its most beautiful form and intrigue, a musical instrument touched with deft fingers of an artist to express sweetest melodies of joy, a research worker in a physical laboratory glued to his microscope or telescope in search of the truths hidden in an atom or cosmos, a poet in his restless attempt to arrange the words in exquisite bouquet of fragrant beauty, all such human endeavors still remain to be accomplished during our sojourn on this planet.

Furthermore , giving meaning to religion is as hard as giving meaning to faith or life. More and more we see many individuals returning to religion myself included. One may as why is that. The previous skeptic, instead of believing , as I once did, that religions is becoming outmoded, is now distinctly hopeful of it. More than that I feel I need it. Life without religion has become too much for him. Everything is so disappointing and discerning still I have made no sense out of this "religion." I believe in the super power, higher being, I belie that we must love him if we believe and if we believe then we love him. Yet, is that enough.

In trying to make sense out of the word religion I find myself drifting in the direction of faith and love. The thought of Jesus comes into mind he love us and therefore made sacrifices right. Is that what religion is? What religion can be called a true religion? First, it is the religion which monopolizes God's love. Then the one who is the subject of that religion and who should be able to monopolize God's love, what kind of being is the being who can monopolize God's love? A man loves his creative work. Then if there is a person who likes and loves that work, the creator will also like and love that person.

In the same way, if there is a person who loves God's creation even more than God Himself, God will love that person most, and He will want to bequeath totally to him His fortune, His authority and even His love. But the only being who could love and cherish all of God's things more than God would be God's son. Therefore the being whom God loves most is His son who loves Him as His father. That son is the being who can monopolize God's love.

The son who monopolizes God's love has the same subjective authority as God. In that way we can understand that in the Garden of Eden, Adam, the being who was to become the true father of humankind, was the real body of God who had equal authority with God. The religion of this son, who can monopolize the love of God, is the true religion.

Second, the religion which is seeking the masterpiece of God's creation which is monopolizing His love is the true religion. That is to say, the religion which is seeking God's son and seeking to establish a relationship with him is the true religion. In order to establish this new relationship, the religion which centers on the spirit and denies the body, and centering on the new relationship denies the old relationships, centering on the new family, tribe, nation and world while denying this world, that religion is a true religion.

Third, the religion which reveals God's love is a true religion. The religion which reveals God's love as parental love, which reveals God's love as conjugal love, and which reveals God's love as children's love is a true religion.

Religion often appears to be a simple idea on the surface, but in reality it is a very complex system. No doubt religion means much or little according to the stage of development that has been reached, but, in its earliest