In my religion, there is little to no dissension, except on those days I make a mistake and hate myself. I have no worries about being labeled as a cult, nor do I have to tithe or pay dues. One disadvantage is that I cannot lie during confession (or at least, lie well...), and I have to be accountable for all my actions. That's right, because I'll know if I did something bad, it won't matter if I have the blessing of the priest, because he won't give it to me! What a bastard! Yes I am!
My goal in spirituality is:
Easier said than done. I often end up with:
But I'm working on it! I have a few rules in no particular order:
People always ask me, "Are you a Pagan?" Well, yes and no. I was raised in an atheist household, and found Buddhism on my own. From there, I discovered Wicaa and Paganism, but got kind of tired of all the flakes that associate with most organized religions. I stopped listening to the loud voices of people who associate religion with dominating power, and started listening to the soft whispers of those that have been there before me; the rocks, trees, Legos, -- sorry! My Legos never talk to me. Especially after when I was ten, and I smashed that really groovy castle.
What of Death? Do I fear death and the Afterlife? Do I even believe in an Afterlife? I can't say for sure, but I do believe that there is something after death. It's hard to say, but I can't just imagine our consciousness winks out like a flame after our body dies. I see the human body as a collection of cells that are born, live, and die. This happens all the time. Think about that. What was physically "you" last month is really no longer "you". Kind of like a ocean wave, the water does not travel with the wave, the wave is simply the physical manifestation of the energy that is in that part of the water at that moment. I think we're like that, a sort of organic wave that continues long after the body is gone. I have had a lot of friends die. Copper, Joanne, Tara, my mother, Mikey, and others have died in my life, and after a while, death is less a of a fear than it is an acceptance of natural processes. You mourn, but you go on. That's why suicide is kind of stupid. I used to be suicidal, but I truly wanted to die. I never played the "suicidal games" of threatening it, I simply attempted it, and told no one. My assumption was that no one would miss me, and I would be free from pain. I would have been right, but I never would have gotten married, had a wife and child, or met some of the really cool people I know now. When I see people threatening suicide, I wonder what they think of death as like. I truly believe they don't want to die, because if they did, they would simply do it. The fact is, I think they want someone to stop them. It's like they are holding themselves hostage for sheer attention. I keep wanting to say, "Look, if you die, people will be upset. But then they will go on, forget about you, and you'll be nothing more than an unpleasant memory that will surface in a bar somewhere by someone who used to give a damn about you. And if the afterlife sucks, well, you'll only have yourself to blame." If you want to a leave a legacy that people remember, do something nice for them, and leave your mark in society, not so much as a "martyr" figure, but all the subtle ways you can influence someone's life with a smile, a helping hand, and a little prayer.
I believe abortion is the mother's choice. I believe in capital punishment. I believe guns should be legal, but you should obtain a license for them, just like owning a car. I believe in freedom of religion and expression. I believe the Internet should never be censored. I am neither "liberal", nor "conservative", but share opinions from both sides. I believe in freedom of any sexual belief, as long as it doesn't hurt the other partner(s). I believe that the "Off" button on your TV set is more powerful than any "V-chip" would be. Nudity does not offend me, for we were born that way. I don't like pornography personally because it seems childish and tacky, but I would fully support someone's right to see whomever naked they wanted to see, as long as the people in the picture agreed to be seen in that manner. I believe a sense of humor is the most powerful survival tool that a free spirit can own. I believe in religious freedom, and that means all religions, even if we don't like them or think they are too preachy. You can learn from other beliefs.