Tuesday, April 19, 2011

What I Believe

Someone recently asked me, in the context of religion, the essence and existence of Mankind..."what do you believe?"

Before I tell you what I believe, I will say this: I am not so pretentious as to present my thoughts as original or revolutionary. Or for that matter, as the "Ultimate Truth." It is just what I believe.

There are 2 major tenets to my belief:

1) Whatever it takes for you to treat people with kindness...with utmost respect...to never intentionally do any harm, either physically or mentally, to another person...to place the well-being of others above your own when necessary...that is what you should believe.

What do I mean by that, you ask? (I thought you never would!)

I mean this:

If it takes the threat of Eternal Damnation in all 9 circles of Hell for you to do all the things I enumerated in #1, then that is what you should believe.

If it takes the promise of an Eternal Paradise to do all the things I mentioned in #1, then that is what you should believe.

If it takes the certain knowledge that Karma will have its way with you if you do (or do not) follow the ways outlined in #1, then that is what you should believe.

If you believe that as highly evolved, higher thinking, higher functioning Beings that #1 is the only logical path to follow, then that is what you should believe.

2) In complete harmony with #1, you should never try to impose your beliefs on anyone else.