by rowanf

It is, perhaps, the most difficult subject to speak about for the mere fact that it has been covered more than any other subject. As far as we know it is as old as man and I dare say it is the most controversial subject of them all. Most people avoid any discussion on the subject of religion due the fact that upset is quickly caused and agreement seldom achieved. It just doesn’t seem worth the hassle.

However, there are some amongst us who feel they are more right than others and will insist to show to the rest of us that they are right, more right than us. It is to those this article is addressed.

The problem of the subject, “religion,” is interesting to say the least. There is no subject known to man where there are more opinions and experts’ advice fly about and there are virtually no experts. In particular, it is difficult to prove that anything as true or false and hence, anything goes. An expert who talks complete utter rubbish is likely to get away with it as long as it was eloquently presented. A simple and accurate assessment on the subject of religion presented slightly incoherent will almost certainly invalidate or negate the truth in it. We should not exclude the atheists, or lesser form of agnostics, who deny the existence of God, which is certainly their right, even so a pointless one at that.

The reason is simple, religion, the subject of spirits, souls, heaven and hell, creation and God and much more is all about quality and lacks quantity. In fact, we could, for simplicity, describe it the subject: anything-deprived-of-any-quantitative-size. How do you measure God? – Six foot tall, footballer, married, earns £50k a match, you get my drift.

The above will suffice to highlight why so much rubbish and truth is mixed up and eloquent-icity is, seemingly, the primary tool in measuring truth or validity of statements and opinion. If I just sound confident and fluent enough people will buy any rubbish.

Let’s look then at the subject of religion from an angle that removes eloquence for factualism.

To do this I have amended an old proverb to bring across the primary factor required to evaluate truth from falsehood: “If you haven’t done the walk, you can’t talk!” – This maxim, some will say, is a mis-wording of the well-known proverb: Talk the talk, walk the walk, which it isn’t.

George Bernhard Shaw once wrote “He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.” While I could have used George’s statement it doesn’t go far enough. It can’t be taught because the lesson is doing the walk; the emphasis is on doing, doing, doing.

The difference is simple, you may do the talk and then go on to show in action that you live up to your talk however, in a subject like religion where measurable quantities are non-existent and subjective, you must do the experiencing first to have any understanding at all. It is interesting to note that experiencing, changes ones view of everything significantly. You could read a 100 books and talk to a 1000 parents on what father or motherhood is like and you still could not grasp what it is likely to be if you are not a parent. It is the same with religion and its many facets or expressions, you could read all the books on the subject of religion or spirituality and talk to 1000s of believers and not believers and still you would not have come any closer to the truth. I StressFreeFast.com” rel=”StressFreeFast.com”>stress that I am introducing here the word “believer”, a person who has experienced is not any longer a believer, he knows and no uncertainty or hope or faith is part of his understanding. He is as clear on this as you might say you are clear that the sun will rise or that you are reading these lines right here and now. This clarity does show itself in a non-judgemental and non-fanatical way, simply because when you have done the walk you are very clear that you thought you had known all about it all along, to find out, your own ignorance was a clue to your talk being cheap; humble-ness.

This is slightly complicated by the fact that some or many people will have joined or are part of some religion without ever having experienced religion. To chant a mantra, kneel on a prayer mat or sit on a pew hoping it will happen is often inducing sleep and passivity. Nevertheless it is and can be a way to find your answers and it is not meant to sound disparaging.

Another added complication is that far too often fancy words and the verbatim quoting of writings do impress us and elegantly puts a veneer over a (“black”) hole, lacking all or any substance.

In light of the above I can only recommend that any opinion or “expert” advice is treated as an opinion of a believer simply because religion is not about the written words that he “must” share with the rest of the world but about experiencing truth. It is the simplest truth of all and yet virtually everyone struggles with it, religion is about experiencing or facing life.

It is confronting life, yourself and everything. It is a no-excuse viewpoint of living, do it, don’t pretend by living someone else’s life or expectation to name a just two excuses. It is a gradient scale and you should not invalidate yourself for not being able to confront the whole universe, start with a butterfly or your belly button, just don’t try the empty void of nothingness.

I could now begin to write books upon books and create yet another religion but it will be pointless. The one lesson, as mentioned above, that you need to learn can’t be taught, it can only be lived. Walk the Walk.

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