In the beginning faith was easy. Having been born into it, we trudged along to Bible Class, Crusaders, Koranic school, or perhaps to the family shrine and performed religious rituals. By the time we made it to youth group we had probably heard that the neighbors had a different way of worshipping but they were wrong and we were right. The seeds of doubt started sprouting during science class when the crazy professor taught evolution and we couldn't reconcile the story of Adam and Eve with the theory of evolving from ape to man. By the time we were adults we could not fathom whether we would be going to heaven as soon as we died or whether we would remain buried in the ground until the 'last day.' But we put aside these lingering issues as we went about the important duty of imparting our faith to the next generation. Eventually these questions were abandoned altogether because the closer we get to the grave the greater the need to believe in the hereafter. I find reprieve from the confusion in the difference between religion (a man made institution organized around rituals) and spirituality (an innate consciousness that is developed by an individual.)
At 50 I know that religion was forced on me but I fully own up to my spirituality because although planted in me by religion, I have chosen it and nurtured it myself and will continue to develop it until it finally all makes sense during eternity.
feeling perplexed.
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