From International Viewpoints (IVy) Issue 13 - August 1993
See Home Page at http://www.ivymag.org

Thoughts on Religion (the 8th Dynamic)

by Britta Burtles, England

A lot of destruction has been perpetrated in the name of religion,
but to make religion responsible for it is a well-camouflaged
red herring, a cleverly hidden trap and a blatant apparency.

Religion is a generality. Organised religions are groups (and, as
such, generalities) and most people in them are constructive and sane.
Yet, in religious groups, as in other types of organisations, 2% of
the people are antisocial.

These are terrified, tortured souls who are mentally and/or
spiritually
sick - the insane. Not easy to detect, they attract hangers-on,
and their main intention is to defame and weaken something as strong,
positive and vital to Mankind as religion.

They are trying to give religion a bad name, and wish to make people
believe 'Religion is responsible for lots of violence in the world'.
This insane minority endeavours to divert people's attention from
themselves as creators of violence and wars.

For them, religion and religions are convenient hooks to hang blame
on. They wish to divert people's attention from the fact that religion
(which to me is synonymous with the 8th Dynamic) is the connection,
the binding force in Man's endeavour to work out his salvation.

A blind spot

The responsibility for violence in the world is borne by a small
percentage
of sick people -always individuals! Because of our
lack of perceptiveness and knowledge, they can make us attack the
wrong target. These antisocial people get us to make fools of
ourselves,
and prevent us from 'flowing power to a power'. Instead of
contributing to the important work religions do, we put brakes on
their work, which slows our spiritual progress.

Some people - on hearing crowds yell 'religion' as they
wage war - think it is all because of religion. They are neither
able nor willing to see the actuality behind the apparency. Religion
is the most vulnerable and undefending concept there is, at the same
time being the most peace-loving, charitable, constructive, helpful
urge.

Due to this urge, religion is formed into groups and organisations
for dissemination, protection, management and growth. Religious
people help their fellow human beings without fuss, noise and big
announcements. But religion as a positive, supportive force gets
overlooked:
Mankind has developed a blind spot about its advantages.

Games we play

All we do on Earth is play games. Many people consider the more
negative,
shocking, terrifying and sensational an event, the more of a game
they have (especially if they are onlookers). So they put a lot of
attention on violent events.

Through the media, we are almost forced to put a lot of attention
on the violent side of life: that is what sells newspapers, gets
viewers
for television, attracts cinemagoers, and so on. And anything negative
or violent where the word 'religion' appears is spread ferociously
by the media and picked up greedily by the public. Result: people
think religion equals violence and wars.

Some of the best-loved games are about getting more money and
power. People are not always ethical in their dealings to attain these
commodities, but happily hide behind the cloak of respectability of
religion. Their victims use religion as a ready and patient scapegoat.

With all these negative elements working against it, religion has
little chance to get a good reputation and be taken seriously. Mostly,
this occurs through either complacent thinking or ignorance of what
lies behind the apparency.

Spiritual roots

When considering religions, we have to go back to source and examine
the founders' intentions. If we look at Jesus Christ, Buddha and
Mohammed,
for example, we find that their messages were similar in approach,
content and purpose. Their goal was not only to help us to cope better

with the vicissitudes of life but also to remind us of our spiritual
roots. And that is what religion is all about.

According to the dictionary, religion means 'binding back, binding
together'. Religions attempt to bind us together in help, comfort,
reassurance, support and hope in this physical universe where we are
all lumbered with frail bodies and dependent largely on the laws of
Nature and force.

A percentage of people are lazy and complacent. To them, the uphill
struggle towards enlightenment is too much effort. They happily accept
the saying 'religion is responsible for violence and war'
as justification for their unwillingness to progress spiritually.

Being religious, living on the 8th Dynamic, means to strive for the
ability to exercise again the perfection we inherently own - to
be what each of us originally and basically is: the Supreme Being,
God.

In organised religions, we form groups in which we are reminded of
our common spiritual roots. We are invited to return to those roots
by progressively breaking the hold this universe has on us and by
increasing our attention on a more advanced universe that, knowingly
or unknowingly, we are trying to attain.

The enlightened beings who founded religions were just some of those
who find it easier to tap into knowledge relating to spirituality.
They communicate this knowledge to the rest of Mankind.

Unfortunately, there are also people who are not yet skillful in
passing
on this message. But I consider that it is thanks mainly to work in
and through organised religion that Mankind has not yet blown itself
up. Religion helps Man to survive despite himself.

Instrument for good

Organised religions help many millions of people to cope with their
circumstances - not only through spiritual help, guidance, comfort,
reassurance and by instilling hope but also through material help
via churches and charities. The mentally/spiritually sick, the
ignoramuses
and those with evil intentions have been able to make some of us
disregard
religion as (mostly) a powerful instrument for good by pronouncing
it 'responsible for violence and wars'.

Of course, some people do not need an organised religion for their
spiritual progress, but I believe the majority of Mankind does.

I further believe religion is the biggest source and activator of
positive thinking on this planet. Through it, Mankind will, however
gradually, climb to higher levels of awareness. Religion is the best
vehicle for spirituality on Earth, and is our bridge to a more
advanced
universe.



Britta Burtles, 53 Wymering Road,
Maida Vale, London W9 2ND - 071 286 6665





Mon Jul 17 18:30:32 EDT 2006