Chapter 25 - Why a Church, Temple or Mosque

 

© 1996 by Oliver H. Jobson, CHy From His Book

Expanding The Boundaries Of Self Beyond The Limit Of Traditional Thought

Discovering The Magic Within.

Temples are erected to remind men about God, but the Divine dwells in the heart and should be sought there. Men go through any amount of difficulties; hardships, trials and tribulations in life, but few try to understand their essential divinity which should be the primary aim of life. Men devote considerable care and attention to the preservation of the body which is perishable. But they do not cultivate good thoughts and do good deeds through which they can attain enduring bliss. Temples serve to provide the company of the good and the godly and should be used for cultivating such company and acquiring mental peace. It is not enough merely to go to temples as a mechanical ritual. You must cultivate good thoughts in tune with the sacred atmosphere of the temple. —SSSB

Not too long in the distant past, one can clearly remember families and individuals mobilizing themselves on a Sunday morning to go to their respective religious services. It was the main event of the week, when one donned one’s “Sunday best” outfit for a chance to offer one’s soul to the Lord, seeking forgiveness for the previous week’s indiscretions. It was also a time when people connected with their friends or made new ones. In addition to a religious practice, attending service was an important social event.

As time passed and the twenty-first century approached, a different generation of individuals came into being. Communications improved with the fax, then the computer and cellular phones, revolutionizing life. Science grew, logic set in and consciousness expanded as the world shrank into a small, multicultural community.

Each generation became more educated and intelligent than the previous one, and they questioned the validity and necessity for a number of traditional practices. The new generation needed to have some logical reasons. They wanted answers they felt were not enshrined in superstition.

They inquired in vain—with no answers forthcoming. They wondered, if there was one God, why there were so many off-shoots of Christianity. If there is one God, why are there so many faiths and formalized religions?

Welcome all faiths and religions as kith and kin; all faiths are but attempts to train men along the Path; all aspire to win the same illumination through the cleansing of the mind by means of good works. The seeds of all religions are in the Eternal Truths of the Vedanta. That Truth examines all possible approaches to the Divine, and arranges them in the order in which they may be utilized by the aspirant, according to their level of equipment and attainment. —SSSB

With this new generation, the tradition of parents’ exposing children to religious and/or spiritual teachings, ethics, morals, discipline and human values declined; parents neglected exposing their offspring to the holy books. As the passage of time revealed a changing—and what appeared to be a progressive and advancing—world, the message emanating from religious leaders remained in the dark ages. They continued to teach the historical stories of the Old Testament and extolled the life story of Jesus rather than elaborate on the spiritual messages He tried to convey.

These messages were enshrined in his parables and life. They are hidden in allegory, and it is meant for the theologians to decipher these lessons and pass them on to us in a practical and applicable manner. This is their job, and the sincere and genuine ones will eventually do it.

 Instead, the clergy teaches fear, sin, wrath, hell and damnation. They teach that we are not worthy to be called sons of God because we were born in sin. They have failed to modify their message to positive words of encouragement, affirming spiritual principles. Misunderstanding why they failed, they have tried to gain the attention and respect of the youth by adding music with a popular beat to religious songs and hymns. They thought this would be the trick, but they lost recruits instead. In its place New Age took a popular slant.

I must admit a religious service brings new meaning to the purpose of life as the congregation sings the hymns, prays and listens to the sermon. Music is always a joy to the soul, and the sermon invariably guides one to introspection. Prayer provides a moment to tune into the soul or heart where God resides. The positive effect of contemplating and concentrating on the thought of God creates a dynamic shift from the daily drudgery of mundane things.

Participating in and listening to the singing of hymns automatically increases the vibration of participants, tranquilizing aggression, softening the heart, opening the emotions, arousing a compassionate feeling of unity and lifting one’s Spirits.

There are valid reasons for congregating in a house of worship, whether it is a church, temple or mosque. There are profound reasons for gathering under one roof. This divinity that we worship is an intelligent, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, cosmic creative power that energizes the life force that permeates every...

 

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© 1996 by Oliver H. Jobson, CHy

From His Book

Expanding The Boundaries Of Self Beyond The Limit Of Traditional Thought Discovering The Magic Within This thought provoking book is appealing to the religious, agnostic and atheist. Published June 2005.