I was thinking about religion today after writing about paranormal investigations yesterday. Most western religions have this idea that the person has to live a good life so that they will be rewarded in the afterlife. The simplest way to put it is follow the church rules and when you die, you’ll be rewarded by going to Heaven. I remember being taught that lesson from a very early age myself, except now that I am older it doesn’t seem to work for me anymore.
No one knows what will happen when I die. Even if I did know what happens when I die, living my life for a reward at the end isn’t the point of life. The meaning of life isn’t the end. The meaning of life is in the very living of life itself. It is the struggle that I go through every day. It is the love I create and my relationship with God right now. My life has meaning because I believe it does in this moment.
Once I realized that idea, I was astounded by how many Christians and faithful are missing the point. They live their lives trying to gain favor with God so that they can gain entrance into Heaven and they judge others telling them they will go to hell because they don’t live the correct way. It’s no wonder that a long time ago, I stopped subscribing to any particular form of religion. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to live good lives and there aren’t consequences; I believe there are very dire consequences. However, I am saying that my relationship with God is an organic living thing that is important in this moment not something that all hinges on a reward or punishment that comes at the moment of my death. Love is a living thing and a choice that I make every day of my life not something like a prize that I get at the end of a carnival ride.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
