Amy Butler wrote an eye-opening post on the Devil and being Spiritual. She is definitely on to something...Fear is truly the enemy. How often has fear been my "devil"?Thanks Amy you've given us much to talk and think about...
Thanks Amy for allowing me to pilfer your article
So.. although I would consider myself a very spiritual person… I’ve never been religious.
I was baptized in two different christian religions and made to attend church as a child - which was good. I learned the bible teachings, different religious philosophies, and the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ aspects of religion. (which is a whole other post)
In a nutshell, I think religion can be a ‘good’ thing offering people peace, fellowship, and purpose. But, for me, the ‘bad’ fear-based teachings that you must be ‘a good person’ or you will find yourself face to face with the DEVIL when you die was always a problem for me.
Even as a young child it seemed backwards to teach love and acceptance for fear of hell. Just never resonated with me.
So I chose as an adult to read about other religions and find what spirituality meant to me without participating in religion. I found that unconditional love, acceptance, and non-judgment were the basics that made the most sense. They feel good and right to me.
For me, I do believe that I have an obligation (mostly to myself and my evolvement) to strive to be a ‘good’ person.
Honesty, loyalty, unconditional acceptance, love, kindness, and giving are all words that I would hope one day would be words that those who knew me would use to describe who I was.
All of this I feel is important because of who I want to be not what I fear will happen to me if I do not.
I do not believe there is a separate entity named the ‘Devil’ although i do think the pain we may cause ourselves and others through unkind acts could be dark and painful, which could describe the despair we may feel.
I receive a daily email from Abraham-Hicks Publications. They are excerpts from their teachings. I was moved to share this as it seemed to sum up my underlying disbelief in a devil.
The “devil” is a fictional character made up (and perpetuated) by insecure humans who want to control other insecure humans. There’s a lot of power in fear, isn’t there? There shouldn’t be, because, really, what fear is, is power-less. If you understood Source, as we do, you would never fashion such fiction because there is only Well-Being that flows from that which is your Source.
Jerry and Esther
I found this very powerful.
I also was moved to look at fear as something that i do to myself to take my own power away.
Wow…. it takes one sentence to change a perspective. It can be said a hundred different ways but maybe only one really makes it clear. Writing is a beautiful thing.
Wishing you a wonderful day!
I was baptized in two different christian religions and made to attend church as a child - which was good. I learned the bible teachings, different religious philosophies, and the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ aspects of religion. (which is a whole other post)
In a nutshell, I think religion can be a ‘good’ thing offering people peace, fellowship, and purpose. But, for me, the ‘bad’ fear-based teachings that you must be ‘a good person’ or you will find yourself face to face with the DEVIL when you die was always a problem for me.
Even as a young child it seemed backwards to teach love and acceptance for fear of hell. Just never resonated with me.
So I chose as an adult to read about other religions and find what spirituality meant to me without participating in religion. I found that unconditional love, acceptance, and non-judgment were the basics that made the most sense. They feel good and right to me.
For me, I do believe that I have an obligation (mostly to myself and my evolvement) to strive to be a ‘good’ person.
Honesty, loyalty, unconditional acceptance, love, kindness, and giving are all words that I would hope one day would be words that those who knew me would use to describe who I was.
All of this I feel is important because of who I want to be not what I fear will happen to me if I do not.
I do not believe there is a separate entity named the ‘Devil’ although i do think the pain we may cause ourselves and others through unkind acts could be dark and painful, which could describe the despair we may feel.
I receive a daily email from Abraham-Hicks Publications. They are excerpts from their teachings. I was moved to share this as it seemed to sum up my underlying disbelief in a devil.
The “devil” is a fictional character made up (and perpetuated) by insecure humans who want to control other insecure humans. There’s a lot of power in fear, isn’t there? There shouldn’t be, because, really, what fear is, is power-less. If you understood Source, as we do, you would never fashion such fiction because there is only Well-Being that flows from that which is your Source.
Excerpted from the workshop in North Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, March 6th, 2004
Our Love,Jerry and Esther
I found this very powerful.
I also was moved to look at fear as something that i do to myself to take my own power away.
Wow…. it takes one sentence to change a perspective. It can be said a hundred different ways but maybe only one really makes it clear. Writing is a beautiful thing.
Wishing you a wonderful day!
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