"BEING SPIRITUAL, BEING RELIGIOUS"

BY AL KING

  With the dawn of every morning brings endless opportunities ……..each of us rise to the blessing of being granted another shot to better our yesterday. Yet, for so many of us our first thoughts are consumed with the foreseeable obstacles which we know will be faced throughout the extent of the day.  Quietly in thought—our heartbeat begins to pick up speed as we think about the things that are currently creating pressure in our lives. The truth is that we all privately struggle with these feelings day after day. Millions of us are beginning and ending our days the same way¸ stressed with concerns that have deprived us of both—our inner and outer peace. We fight to differ but are common in so many ways, to the point that some will create stigmas toward others in an effort to make a distinction by using prejudices. These biases are usually contingent on financial status, race, sexual preference, cultural background or even the address to one’s residence. Realistically, those that have been led to believe they were immune to disease, economical conditions, political agendas, environmental disasters, and all the inevitable worldly transgressions and events are forced to wake up. 

The lack of Money is its own hurdle and monster, it’s also the absence of power and options………..where one stands financially and also their credit will separate DESIRES from tangible POSSESSIONS—the Boys from the Girls. But not everyone is willing to accept not having “Purchasing Power”, possessing the ability to buy what they need or finance what they want. That’s something I’ve witnessed firsthand working with various clients as a Real Estate Broker, seeing many different faces during the process of looking to become a homeowner. After reviewing credentials and crunching numbers, it not only humbled them but devastated them to find out that they were not in a position to make the “American Dream” a reality. Understandably, Banks have been administered by the government to handle, monitor and disperse funds to qualified consumers BUT they have taken a stance as if the money is THEIR OWN. 

Spirituality and Religious………  the disparity of the two is often debated by those that fit into one or the other, each feeling their outlook on belief is better. Whenever the mention of religion is raised, whether in public or private discussion it is often met with heated input—I join in on the challenge of discussion respecting both sides.  While we’re all entitled to choosing our own methods of belief, it really doesn’t matter when we have to face our day of reckoning—leading to our own demise here on earth. That’s why our time here is truly about filling out our faith and ensuring that we do everything required to do just that. Whether you are ‘Real” or “Fraudulent”, someone is proclaiming to be either spiritual or religious, what has always taken me aback is how people don’t connect their beliefs with their actions. As we all know, there are many hypocrites that hide behind religion—thinking that talking the talk is enough without walking the walk. Truth be told, reciting scriptures because you know the BIBLE from front to back means absolutely nothing when you’re actions predicate something different. 

We have all seen many different variations of hypocrisy, connected to the many different denominations of belief. They use holy verbiage that constitutes a holy façade, an alleged connection with the MOST HIGH that hasn’t been made (at least as of yet).  They find solace in living a lie, walking in falsehood, doing everything in the dark as if the light of truth will never appear.
Some may think that they are exempt from karma because they are church-going or deeply spiritual, I must emphasize that we’re all in a position to make sense of ourselves with how we treat one another. For clarity, “doing bad things to bad people doesn’t make you a good person” and neither is malice and mayhem, acts of someone that’s in unison with the HEAVENLY FATHER. The thing is when you come into the presence of God’s children (which we all are) it is your responsibility to show a discernment for what may potentially transpire from making that connection.  With that encounter, it is then that you should embrace the heart and not just the shell of a person, by seeing their heart which is of more value than concentrating on any other component of the individual.  

We can only make a determination of where a person’s heart is based on the size of one’s heart—Regardless, of what we may perceive in others it’s always our responsibility as “people of authenticity” to do what’s humane and righteous. What most fail to comprehend is that CHURCH is in you and not where you select to fellowship, the misconception is that you have to be in church to be a representative of God. Going Monday through Saturday with Ungodly ways is not authentic and something that most feel they will repent just with their Sunday presence. The fact is we should all live within the confines and intentions of being righteous and not just right, every breathing opportunity we are granted. Unfortunately, that’s not the approach nor the mindset of us all because we live in constant judgment—stones are continuously thrown to intentionally destruct others when they should be used to create bridges of hope. 

Be who you should be, be genuine, be authentic whether you are spiritual or religious—What’s the point of “pretending” when you can actually be “doing”, if everything you do negates the purpose then there is no reason in doing it. Lastly, we’re all connected to our generosity—Good people do Good things.