This goes beyond a God-fearing stance and any concretely conceptual belief. FYI, I am not an adherent to any denomination on the planet nor the universe. Nevertheless, I ‘feel religious’ \u2015 the religion of Compassion itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please read Compassion, basically<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The importance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The difference between religion of anxiety vs. Compassion is crucial. Yet, it may need to be put starkly in the foreground for the sake of how religion motivates people to, for instance, vote in a political election \u2015 even in secular countries such as Brazil or the US. Clearly, many do not realize the difference well enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People may be innerly drawn toward religion of Compassion<\/em> and, for that sake, adhere to someone who pushes them toward religion of anxiety<\/em> \u2015 politically or otherwise in a sociocultural context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example: Abrahamic religions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Old Testament speaks of an eye for an eye. The New Testament speaks of the ultimate sacrifice out of Love and Compassion. The Qur\u2019an starts with an invocation of God, the Merciful and Compassionate. Are these merely details, or are they crucial for understanding the whole endeavor? Of course, in these three religions, we find much anxiety and Compassion, intermingled in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s tear them apart for the sake of argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Religion of anxiety<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, the anxiety to go to Hell, or to not go to Heaven. For instance, the anxiety to be excommunicated in the present life. For instance, the anxiety to have to deal with existential problems without easy answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is a contradiction from start to end. How could anxiety bring anyone \u2013 as a total person \u2013 closer to God? At most, it can prevent ego from running away from an idea-of-God. I don\u2019t believe that it makes the ego readily run toward God. Anxiety closes all doors except some made of matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moreover, anxiety straightforwardly leads to aggression \u2015 the defense against quickly found enemies. Actually, looking at it more closely, the defense is frequently oriented against the enemy inside, the total self, in a state of inner dissociation<\/a>. Eventually, this can be a defense against God since it is the same direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, the reverse of what religion is supposed to be \u2015 certainly in my view. Namely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Religion of Compassion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This may be a part of the action inside any person who deems himself religious \u2015 even the most anxious ones. Every religious person should strive to recognize it inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This, dear reader-believer, is what your religion is eventually about, not that, nor anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you cultivate Compassion, God knows you and is near you. In that case, a specific tradition may support you in opening your doors to Him. He\u2019s patiently waiting at the other side. If you let Him in, please be hospitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any tradition can be beautiful and interesting and helpful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And it\u2019s OK to live within a specific poem. But to the core, it doesn\u2019t really matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What matters is your response to the knocking on the door.<\/p>\n