So I was listening to my choir songs because crazily the concert is only a week away and as usual I don’t know all of the songs yet. I joined my schools gospel choir a year and a half ago now because I love singing and wanted some way to remind myself to keep God in my life. Some days I feel like I fit right in but to be honest a lot of days I feel a bit out of place. Like I’m some sort of imposter for not believing everything to a T.
Problem is I don’t want to be a sheep. I don’t want to just blindly follow a specific religion’s rules when realistically this religion has been passed down and changed and branched into a bunch of different types throughout the centuries. I was raised Roman Catholic and realized a few years ago that I am kind of flexible on m religious beliefs and along with that my religion. I feel like every religion out there has good points on how to live and be a good person and I am willing to learn them all.
Problem is all religions out there also have bad points. I know there are just so many people who would lecture me to death just for saying that but it’s true. The number of times the bible talks about revenge for your enemies makes me sick and has been a big part of why I have trouble reading it.
But back to topic, one of my choir songs, “To Worship You” has one line that kinda peeved me off. It goes, “Our praises belong to you, and only you.” Now I know that doesn’t say much but it gets under my skin when I hear Catholics talk about how the only way to salvation is through our God. I’m sorry but I sincerely believe that’s a load of crap. Of course I don’t know how it all works but there are so many beautiful people from all different religions who deserve heaven more than some of the not so nice Christians out there.
It is not fair to think that it is just some sort of lottery where if you pick the right religion you win. In the end it’s about being a good person, or at least that’s what it should be about.
And if you think people don’t believe that everyone else is screwed well you haven’t talked to enough people. My own grandpa has practically disowned my uncle for becoming Jewish. He’s not the only one.
Reassuringly not all Catholics believe this. C.S. Lewis put it best in his book “The Last Battle”. I know it’s a long quote but hear me out. This is one of my favourites.
“Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome. But I said, Alas Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, though knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not have sought so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”
-C.S. Lewis
*As much as I want to end with that quote I just want to say that in no way do I consider any other’s religions God’s to be “Tash”. As long as your religion is striving for good, I know we are all talking about the same God no matter what we call him.
**Also, I’ve realized that “to you, and only you” could have been referring to worshipping God over money and technology and all those other things we spend way more time in our daily lives worshipping than God. I’d like to believe that is what it is referring to but who knows
***credit for the photo: https://www.pinterest.com/source/jefmurray.com/
half a purpose 