If the looks on our faces could talk, what would mine be saying right now?
Hopefully it would say that I have been in an extreme level of profound thought. I am prone to doing that quite often. I would never apologize for it because it's who I am—people either roll with it, or steer clear. You pick which one you'd rather be.
Another "hopefully".
Hopefully, I won't hurt anyone's feeling whilst expressing my feelings and opinions on my platform. But if I do ... I am not sorry. This is my page. Feel free to exit left. Thank you. Let us carry on, shall we? Wonderful.
It occurred to me yesterday as I was doing some things ....
The notion of "salvation being individual/independent" in terms of religion—in this case, specifically Christian—is a useful scare tactic for religious abusers.
When I say "religious abusers" I am not referring to the people who abuse the structure of religion to their benefit (although that too can be the case). What I am referring to are those people whom use religion as a veil to abuse others.
Let me explain what I mean by "salvation being individual/independent".
Christians are taught to perceive salvation through Jesus Christ as something to be obtained by their own means. They are solely responsible of accepting salvation and keeping it no matter what the cost, issue, challenge or event. It is their independent responsibility to hang on tight to salvation and they cannot blame anyone else for any short-comings, faltering, or laps in their faith. Period. No. Matter. What.
I am not here to argue the validity of that belief or statement. I'm not here to tell anyone how wrong they are for believing that, or how right they are, for that matter. I'm not here to debacle against anyone's faith. What I am here to do is bring to light how a religious abuser uses a faith based tool like that as a tool in their arsenal of torment against their victims.
I'll explain.
The notion of "salvation being individual/independent" fits the profile of the abuser's scare tactics; it assists them in absolving themselves of any wrong-doing or responsibility. It is a way of blaming the victim for their distrust in structured religion while further tormenting the victim with the idea that regardless of the torment the abuser imposes upon you, if you don't fend for your own salvation, you are going to go to Hell regardless.
The abuser loves this methodology. Why? Because it suits their narrative which goes a little something like this:
"Well, God says that you have to forgive and forget. So I am going to ensue hell upon you in whatever way I deem necessary and you HAVE to forgive me. Because if you don't you're going to hell. Why? Because salvation is independent."
The truly sadistic and narcissistic abuser will even go as far as to twist the truth even more. It would sound a little something like this.
"I mean, look at how I am forgiving you every single day for the bullshit you put me through. I can't stand you. As a matter of fact, I hate your guts. But because I love you and because God loves you, I forgive you. And I only punish you because I am trying to teach you something. I want you to get right with God so that you can stay saved. I am saved. I am saved because salvation is individual and I already forgave your stupidity."
Either way you cut it, the victims is to blame and the abuser is absolved of guilt and wrongdoings. Why? Because salvation is individual. So any brokenness they have thrust upon you—mentally, physically or otherwise—has been wiped clean by faith.
Hold tight, there's more.
This morning another thought came tumbling down my brain tube.
This one was coaxed by a conversation I had yesterday with the Bestie. It was a conversation around spirituality and religion; sort of on topic with what I have been covering until now.
It surrounded the excuses, perceptions, limitations and expectations people make regarding religion and their belief system.
Something that we hear often is "Only God can change me/someone." That statement is usually followed by a profession of expectation or absolution. They would sound something like this, "It would take a miracle to do so. I know God makes miracles," and/or, "And if He hasn't done it by now then he probably won't."
I find it very bizarre that the very people that have great enough faith to believe in a Higher Power, place expectations and/or limitations on that faith. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.
I tend to think that if you are openminded enough to believe in something, than shouldn't you also be open enough to the possibility that that something can do anything?
Thus, this morning a thought occurred to me, a very, very deep one. Dear reader, I need you to really look at and follow these words I am about to utter because they have to potential to be life-changing. Every bit of what is about to follow can be the catalyst to a brand new mental frame work for you, if you let it.
Here we go ....
There is infinite wisdom and there is finite wisdom. Then there is wisdom that is perceived as infinite but in actually finite.
Think of this equation. The math is simple if you can open your mind to it.
God created us in his image. The operatives words are "created" and "image".
If God (or whatever you call your Higher Power—I call mine Spirit) is Creation and we are made in his image, than that, by default implies that we too carry the ability to create. This is proven by the fact that throughout history we have created a great many things. Technological, architectural, scientific and even spiritual advances that no one could or would have expected were created by our imaginations.
What is imagination within the realm of creation?
It is the image-making power of the mind; the act of creating or reproducing ideally an object not previously perceived and the ability to create such images.
Think of this ...
If God gave us the ability to create and limitless imagination, shouldn't then we be able to imagine and create within ourselves the very undamaged and splendiferous human being we want to be?
All we have to do is be open to the possibility that the power was within us all along. We don't have to wait for a miracle. We ARE the miracle.
Here is the flip side of being that level of openminded.
What may seen like heresy to some, in their finite faith, is spiritual growth to the person who searches for infinite wisdom.
Thus, for those who are still expecting (within limits) their Higher Power to do something, it is blasphemy to say, "You have it within yourself to do just exactly what you are asking for."
Personally, I feel much closer to otherworldliness in my path through popularly perceived heresy.
The hodgepodge of mediocre spirituality is dark. It can estrange those who finally see the light, but follow your light always. It will never lead you stray.
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