In my comments in discussion groups and in my responses in my blog, I have hurt some people’s feelings. I see myself as trying to be sensitive but now I wonder from some of the comments I have received if I really am.
For example, in a discussion group, someone responded that his/her answer was Jesus. I sort of snapped at the person and told him/her in what I thought was a nice way that his/her way was not for everyone. The person responded that this was not his/her message. I apologized for my snap reaction. I have a good friend who is a born again Christian and tries to tell me that there is only one way to God — through Jesus.
This is not what the person in the discussion was talking about. My personal prejudice towards my friend’s attitude I placed on the other person’s comments. Which was not what the person was trying to communicate. The person was talking about a legitimate religious experience he/she had when he/she gave his/her heart to Jesus.
I have tried to have as a theme for this blog to write about my true experiences. I felt badly when I misinterpreted someone’s true experience as preaching about one way of approaching God.
I got blasted by someone else who suggested that I read an Indian guru’s writing. I shared with this person what I had found out about this guru — that he slept around with other friends’ wives. How can he be “spiritual” when acting “non spiritual?” The woman blasted me about my expectations being too high and putting people on pedestals. She thought I was one of these people who look for dirt on others, and that I would never be happy unless I accepted people as both good and bad.
While I acknowledged that such a supposed spiritual person could help others by their writings, I believe that it is important to look into the backgrounds of gurus and others we would follow. I was not sharing the negative about this guru to find dirt but to warn her and others that to be careful who you follow.
I do put spiritual gurus on a pedestal. I do expect them to be better than me. I could not write books or preach or guide others unless I believed in my whole heart that what I am doing is following Spirit/God. Is it possible for those who are not living their lives up to Spirit/God’s standards to write spiritual books? I believe God has used others who did Evil things, such as David and Paul, and turned their lives around for Good.
Another comment that gets me in hot water is that I do not believe disease is always caused by the way we think. I think sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes saintly people get cancer. I have been taken to task by saying things like this. That I am not really in touch with my feelings — if I were, I would see that we create the universe we live in.
I have been so rude as to suggest that if you get cancer all you need to do is have surgery to cut it out and then undergo chemotherapy. Hopefully, this will be enough to get rid of your cancer. This has horrified some who say that everything happens for a reason; and if I were more spiritual, I would see this.
I do try to be spiritual as much as I can. I do pray. I do say affirmations everyday:
Let me be happy.
Let me be healthy.
Let me be open to God and Spirit
Let my work be spiritual
Etc.
I am constantly reading spiritual books. I subscribe to spiritual magazines. At the same time, I recognize when all told I am not in charge of my life — God is. I take responsibility for raising my children right, for being a good and faithful husband, for being a hard worker, and for helping those who need help.
At the same time, as we have seen, positive thinking did not save those who worked in Oklahoma City or the World Trade Center, did not help those who have died in hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, or car and plane crashes.
I believe that to be spiritual is to believe strongly in God/Spirit despite bad things happening around you and bad things that may happen to you. If I develop cancer, I will not judge myself as causing it, but consider it as another way to grow in my spirit. I believe God/Spirit is always with us, in good times and bad times. I will continue to believe in God/Spirit, despite the bad thing happening to me. Until the day when I am reunited with God/Spirit.
One last thing that may upset people. In some of my comments, I seem to attract opposites. I receive comments from those who believe that Jesus is the only way for everyone. I also receive comments from others, promoting Spiritualism as being the answer.
