Garth Rattray | Don’t forget the take-home message

It’s that time of year again when Christianity takes centrestage. My views on religion are not typical of the average Christian. Many Christians appear to believe that saying that they are Christian, acknowledging the concepts and precepts of Christianity, associating with other believers, congregating, praying, fasting, and contributing to their religious institutions make them spiritual and likely to go to Heaven. However, I do not equate religion with spirituality, and I strongly believe that being spiritual is more important than being religious.

Despite all the depth, significance and solemnity attributed to religion, I do not see it as a goal. In my opinion, religion is the journey; and spirituality is the goal. I see religion as a map. It helps us find our spiritual path. It helps us get to the beginning of our spiritual journey. I do not believe that without religion we are lost souls. Some people have an innate, God-given spirituality. However, most people need the guidance, discipline, and support to find their spiritual self, the part of them that seeks salvation and oneness with our Heavenly Father.

Many people argue and quibble about who said what in the Holy Book. Some take every word within it literally. They seethe and explode if someone does not agree that the world was literally created in seven [earthly] days. To suggest that biblical ‘days’ probably spanned millions of years is blasphemy to them. They cling to the ‘instant miracle’ concept of creation without realising that time means nothing in the grand scheme of things and that a million years is like an instant to our Creator.

FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE

Some people find it impossible to consider that the physical form of man (mankind) was not literally created directly from the dust of Earth, but was created from the dust through a process, because, in fact, everything is from the dust of Earth, and evolution is a part of God’s plan. Such conceptualisation is heresy to them. I do not see the religious and scientific explanation for the creation of Earth and the creation of mankind as being mutually exclusive. I observe miracles manifest in the living science around me every second of my life. The fact that I exist is enough proof of God’s existence and magnificence.

Another contentious topic is the interpretation of some individual biblical words. If you referred to someone as being ‘gay’ several years ago, everyone would know that you meant happy and light-hearted. This is evident in the 1979 Dennis Brown song, Should I. The chorus begins with, “Am I to go on now, living this way? Acting like a child, so young and gay?” But nowadays ‘gay’ only means “homosexual”. And, once upon a time, a tablet was a small table, a flat slab of clay, stone, or wood on which something was written. Then the word came to mean a pill (medicine). Now it could mean a pill, or it could mean an electronic device.

It mesmerises me that people will argue vehemently over the ancient writings in an obsolete language, discovered aeons ago. Rather than seek out the message, the principles of the lessons, they fight over the meaning of every single word. Suppose the Red Sea parted because it was low tide, and not simply because Moses stretched out his hand? The lesson is that Moses was instructed by the Lord to stretch out his hand; he obeyed although he did not know before hand when the waters were going to part. The lesson is about faith in, and obedience to God. Otherwise, the Israelites would not have escaped bondage and slavery.

DEEP FAITH

And so we come to Jesus Christ. I have nothing but respect for all religions, but I have a deep faith in Christianity. From the outset, the life of Jesus was one of sacrifice. Sacrifice is part and parcel of the spiritual journey. One does not have to sacrifice earthly possessions to fulfil this spiritual requirement; simply giving someone your time, a listening ear, or needed guidance or advice is sacrifice. Some people believe that praying is everything; however, prayer prepares us to be attuned to the Holy Spirit. Some think that they can buy (donate) their way into Heaven; but it is not what you give, it is what you sacrifice.

Jesus Christ made it clear that He did not come to change the religious laws; he wanted to introduce a new level of spirituality. He respected and adhered to His Jewish faith, and He added that we should love God above all else and love one another as we love ourselves. His message seemed so simple that it belies the spiritual depth and significance.

Living an entire life with only one purpose, to obey God, His Father, is simply amazing. To live an entire life ministering to the sick, ministering to the lost in faith, teaching, healing, revealing the Power of God, and setting an example of everyone, is truly sacrificial. And, of course, the ultimate sacrifice was to allow Himself to be ridiculed, tried like a common criminal, wrongly convicted, tortured, and [very painfully] crucified, was astounding.

Instead of nitpicking over how the Bible is interpreted, meditate on how the life of Jesus Christ teaches us all about loving God, obedience to God, loving others and sacrifice for the sake of others.

Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com