There is a call on the life or heart of every man woman and child to do the right thing, to view their life as something that matters. We all have an innate desire to make the world a better place because we were in it, and to somehow make our lives more than just a waste of dirt and flesh. How then do we choose to go about this endeavor? What makes us feel that we need to fulfill this “Greater Calling” what is the name and face we give to this nameless, faceless tug deep within our souls? Many would call this “religion”, the path that we choose to follow to benefit the world around us, the personal drive to make ourselves better and to improve our standing in this life and the one to come.
History has given us a rare glimpse into the lives of countless thousands of predecessors who have put before them the goal of self and world betterment, the altruistic view that we have something bigger than ourselves to look forward to. We can see though history how people have gone about attempting to make this goal a reality from the sacrifices of primal tribes to gods in the sky, sea, or land. To individuals who sacrifice themselves to build a greener and better planet in which we live today. One of the key similarities of all of these religious viewpoints is the attitudes of Sacrifice. Either of self or others, there is a feeling of enduring the loss of a loved one for the greater good or the work of ourselves to further the cause that draws us on each day(some greater than others). There are those in this world who have chosen the path for others by setting up for themselves the guidelines in which to live love and exist. For others however we choose to blaze our own trail or road less traveled; in all, the journey of a lifetime starts with that first step of sacrifice toward the greater idea of good. For some there is the view of sacrificing a Sunday a week or even once a major holiday to spend time in a Holy building with others singing hymns or praise to God in fellowship. Others it is a trek up the side of a mountain to a hidden monastery or shrine where men or woman have given themselves to pious solitude. And still others who find themselves in the middle of a great urban center passing out fliers or tracts or booklets on end times or healthy eating and hairstyle.
Regardless of your personal views on this matter we all have something that we are sacrificing our time, money, and selves to. There are even those who do so to a job or event like football or humanitarian effort with no spiritual forethought whatsoever. Whatever, whoever, wherever, and whenever you sacrifice yourself it is in the name of religion, call it what you will Faith, Hope, Love or Money; Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster, Baha'ullah, Mohamed, or Oprah; Vishnu, Hubbard, or even Gouda. At some point in time you will bow the knee and declare there is a God.
History has given us a rare glimpse into the lives of countless thousands of predecessors who have put before them the goal of self and world betterment, the altruistic view that we have something bigger than ourselves to look forward to. We can see though history how people have gone about attempting to make this goal a reality from the sacrifices of primal tribes to gods in the sky, sea, or land. To individuals who sacrifice themselves to build a greener and better planet in which we live today. One of the key similarities of all of these religious viewpoints is the attitudes of Sacrifice. Either of self or others, there is a feeling of enduring the loss of a loved one for the greater good or the work of ourselves to further the cause that draws us on each day(some greater than others). There are those in this world who have chosen the path for others by setting up for themselves the guidelines in which to live love and exist. For others however we choose to blaze our own trail or road less traveled; in all, the journey of a lifetime starts with that first step of sacrifice toward the greater idea of good. For some there is the view of sacrificing a Sunday a week or even once a major holiday to spend time in a Holy building with others singing hymns or praise to God in fellowship. Others it is a trek up the side of a mountain to a hidden monastery or shrine where men or woman have given themselves to pious solitude. And still others who find themselves in the middle of a great urban center passing out fliers or tracts or booklets on end times or healthy eating and hairstyle.
Regardless of your personal views on this matter we all have something that we are sacrificing our time, money, and selves to. There are even those who do so to a job or event like football or humanitarian effort with no spiritual forethought whatsoever. Whatever, whoever, wherever, and whenever you sacrifice yourself it is in the name of religion, call it what you will Faith, Hope, Love or Money; Jesus, Buddha, Zoroaster, Baha'ullah, Mohamed, or Oprah; Vishnu, Hubbard, or even Gouda. At some point in time you will bow the knee and declare there is a God.
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