Hypocrisy
A christian friend of mine wrote to me the other night that he was afraid that God had abandoned him because he was not living his life in accordance with God's plan and was afrid that he has lost his salvation and was going to burn in hell. When I asked him what he thought he was doing wrong, he said he had become a hypocrit and was no longer living close to God. I was rather taken aback by his frank response.
This is my reply to him with all my typoses hopefully edited out. As I read over it, there are a couplke of things I'd like to tweak, but this is the response I gave him.
EVERYONE on this planet is a hypocrit on one level or another. It is human nature to say or believe something that you believe is the right thing, but then don't act in accordance with for any of a number of reasons at any given moment. This is ESPECIALLY true of things that we don't REALLY understand or that we inherently diasagree with, but don't wish to offend others with either. At its most technical syntax level, EVERYONE, me included, is a hypocrit. But it is ALSO the inherent nature of the truly spiritual person to be aware of who and what they are and where they are going... and how to live their lives with such knowledge. I have known someone that was so averse to the act of killing that she was actually afraid of accidentally stepping on ants. I'm not joking. But she had NO problem sending a dog to the pound.
You ARE a good person, XXXXX. And that IS important. A NICE person is not necessarily a GOOD person. And just because an individual follows the rules of a given game does NOT mean that he deserves to win. What does winning matter when you have no one to share it with and no one wants you to share it with them? It means NOTHING.
N O T H I N G
EVERY PERSON on this planet is responsible for how they behave and interact with others. If you are behaving like a good person because you know you are supposed to, are you really a good person or just a charlatan? An act of kindness and mercy is still an act of kindness and mercy. The act is, in and of itself, a blessing regardless of who does it or why. I think many hope, as individuals, that their acts will bring them rewards... and their are countless billions of them out there. But it is the ones do kind and great things because they enjoy it and what it brings to others. THAT is the mark of a truly divine spirit at work. And those that would seek to force or harness such actions from others for their personal benefit are the greatest sinners of all.
Either you do something because you come about it genuinely, or you do it because of some fear or outside coersion. Above all things, love is the law. Either you love your fellow humanity, or you don't. This will override any petty personal issues you may have with an individual. And just because you don't like someone does not mean that you cannot, or do not, cherish their life. How we treat each other is one thing. How we feel about them is a personal issue only.
Love or hate.
Accept or tolerate.
Embrace or integrate.
All things are a matter of perspective AND perception. It is up to you to decide if you follow them, feel them, are simply are them. Whatever one you determine yourself to be, be it. You will find yourself surrounded by MUCH happier people and you will BE a much happier person.
And that is the truth.
This is my reply to him with all my typoses hopefully edited out. As I read over it, there are a couplke of things I'd like to tweak, but this is the response I gave him.
EVERYONE on this planet is a hypocrit on one level or another. It is human nature to say or believe something that you believe is the right thing, but then don't act in accordance with for any of a number of reasons at any given moment. This is ESPECIALLY true of things that we don't REALLY understand or that we inherently diasagree with, but don't wish to offend others with either. At its most technical syntax level, EVERYONE, me included, is a hypocrit. But it is ALSO the inherent nature of the truly spiritual person to be aware of who and what they are and where they are going... and how to live their lives with such knowledge. I have known someone that was so averse to the act of killing that she was actually afraid of accidentally stepping on ants. I'm not joking. But she had NO problem sending a dog to the pound.
You ARE a good person, XXXXX. And that IS important. A NICE person is not necessarily a GOOD person. And just because an individual follows the rules of a given game does NOT mean that he deserves to win. What does winning matter when you have no one to share it with and no one wants you to share it with them? It means NOTHING.
N O T H I N G
EVERY PERSON on this planet is responsible for how they behave and interact with others. If you are behaving like a good person because you know you are supposed to, are you really a good person or just a charlatan? An act of kindness and mercy is still an act of kindness and mercy. The act is, in and of itself, a blessing regardless of who does it or why. I think many hope, as individuals, that their acts will bring them rewards... and their are countless billions of them out there. But it is the ones do kind and great things because they enjoy it and what it brings to others. THAT is the mark of a truly divine spirit at work. And those that would seek to force or harness such actions from others for their personal benefit are the greatest sinners of all.
Either you do something because you come about it genuinely, or you do it because of some fear or outside coersion. Above all things, love is the law. Either you love your fellow humanity, or you don't. This will override any petty personal issues you may have with an individual. And just because you don't like someone does not mean that you cannot, or do not, cherish their life. How we treat each other is one thing. How we feel about them is a personal issue only.
Love or hate.
Accept or tolerate.
Embrace or integrate.
All things are a matter of perspective AND perception. It is up to you to decide if you follow them, feel them, are simply are them. Whatever one you determine yourself to be, be it. You will find yourself surrounded by MUCH happier people and you will BE a much happier person.
And that is the truth.