This is how I begin each day ...
I got this book last year just after my little brush with death. I told myself why not ? It had been many years since I read the Holy Bible and a few pages a day could make my day. I don't want to make an issue against the non-believers. As for the atheist and the agnostics, we were all given a free will to believe whatever we want to believe in but surely I can tell you - having a God to pray to when you are about to be operated on helps a lot to calm your nerves.
This is only one them. I still read other books, watch movies and documentaries, as well as magazine
and newspapers. Occasionally, I have some chit chat with people who frequent the store. Surely you can learn a lot by listening. Knowledge is something that you already know and all you have to do is to pass it on. Being in the bookstore for at least 13 hours a day, I am able to watch and listen how politicians try to outshine each other in congressional and senate hearings, how resource speakers try to enlighten by explaining their field of expertise, and how the Media commentators point out the lapses in judgement and ethical standards of people who rule and the authorities that enfold our people. And also Men of different religion and political cause, and how they project themselves to be believed and appreciated, and achievers in sports and in different fields, they all make up a world of glory and chaos. We have but a little time ...we might as well enjoy the time we are given.
Sadly, men are divided by what they believe in. However, it is also that conflict that makes life exciting. I am not sure if it was Santayana who said that story-wise, the 700 years of European wars a blessing in disguise for in that span of centuries, the world had the Renaissance, the Tudors, Shakespeare and the like. On the otherhand, Switzerland had 700 year of peace and the only thing that could shine in their history was the invention of the cuckoo clock. The Chinese have also an interesting wish for each other - " May you live in interesting times. And may you get want you want and want what you get. "
Atheism is about belief, or specifically what you don't believe. An atheist doesn't believe in any gods. Agnosticism is about knowledge or, specifically, what you don't know. An agnostic doesn't know if any gods exist or not. Atheist doesn't want to believe, agnostics want to believe but can't, and those who are into religion will fight to death in defense of their faith. The faithful have a strong belief in God and doctrines of their religion, based on apprehension rather than proof. And then comes the fanatics who are filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, especially for an extreme religious cause. The God question have been debated on and fought for since the beginning of time, it has resulted in a lot of blood being spilled. It has remained unsettled to this day, and surely it will never be resolved in our lifetime. Ours is to find our way as we make the choice to make peace with our own God.
I was born a Catholic and what we have was Catechism which is the summary of principles of Christian religion in form of question and answers - a series of fixed questions, answers, or precepts - used for instructions for their congregations. From childhood to my early college years, I was a bit loyal to my Catholic doctrines and attended mass regularly. Then I started to dig deeper into history, made some studies about different religions and philosophy. I even attended indoctrination of different Christian sects. But then I experienced some God-defining moments... and I guess I found my peace.
5 days lying in a hospital bed ...you must have something to hold on to calm your fears. The hallway trip to the operating room fully conscious (local anaesthesia will be used), the anticipation of pain as you wait for the moment, and the worry about the cost of hospitalization will surely get into you unless you have something or Someone to pray to. No wonder Zen points the way from bondage to freedom and as defined - those who do not know cannot tell, and those who know cannot tell.
Zen or faith, I could tell you not. Allowing nature to take its own course or shall we say, placing your life on God's Hand will surely get the job done.
The danger of reading books contradicting your brand of faith is that they may suck you into it. Some people do get into some form of religion or philosophical doctrines and hang on to them even to the extent of getting themselves in conflict with their family members, relatives and friends. That's the reason why thousands of sects have broken away from the Catholic hierarchy, for the reading of the Holy Bible on their own volition. Without the dictations, as the guided Bible readings during masses, Bible readers will pose so many question that would run in conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church. The real problem though is that with so many are claiming that the truth could be found in their religious group, its hard to decide which is the right one to blend in to. However, exposing yourself into different world of philosophy and beliefs may help you formulate your own or even strengthen the faith you already have.
Each new day is a blessing ... and we'll never know when our time is up. We are all given the same amount of minutes in an hour, the same number of hours in a day, devoting a few minutes to try to resolve the God question won't hurt. If you feel that you are on the right track of faith, and it makes you feel light and blessed, stick with it - they say and I believe too - God sees what's in our heart.
** Jesus and His Religion :
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* Catholism have institutionalized "guilt" as a virtue
* 1611 - King James of England came up with an English translation of the Bible
* 100 A.D. - Closed the history of the Bible
* 382 A.D. - The Council of Rome 382 determined the canon or official list of sacred scriptures
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