The Bible and A Big Rock

• Greed is seen in the obsession with gold as a sign of wealth and in the demand for tithes which modern day preachers use to buy million-dollar homes while nearby children go hungry.

• Racism is seen in the claim that only certain people are superior beings or "chosen." Entire countries have even decided to claim the same title.

• Hate is seen in stories of a God who floods the world, destroys cities, and creates diseases as punishment. The profound hate demonstrated in hellfire and brimstone is preached as an ultimate punishment.

• Anger is reflected in those who preached and repeated these stories in the Bible—the same anger we see in many modern-day preachers.

It is estimated that men began writing religious books like the Bible more than 3,400 years ago. In reality, there is no way to know how many people were involved in crafting texts that originated that far back. The knowledge mankind possessed then was nothing more than a grain of sand compared to the vast ocean of understanding we have today. I realize many of those early writers may have had good intentions, but we cannot continue to trust their words as the ultimate truth. There have been so many who changed and rearranged those original writings.

I know it is said that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever—and I completely agree. However, there is a major caveat: they did not truly know God then, nor do we truly know Him now, at least not in any literal sense. I believe we simply lack the mental capacity as humans to comprehend the "all that is" when we speak of Yahweh.

I do believe this big rock we call Earth was created millions of years ago. Why was it created? I do not know. I have never felt a need to ask those questions. I do ask questions about our here and now. In truth, we do not understand many of the “how” and “why” questions surrounding creation. There are many layers to existence; there could be other worlds out there with people just like us. We cannot yet see the full truth of all that exists in the heavens above. But one truth I accept from the deepest parts of my heart and soul is this: we are made with divine love. We are not here by chance. Every heart and soul is priceless beyond measure. The answers people seek are not buried in the past or hidden in science; they are right here, within our own hearts.

When we look honestly at those of the past, many believed they had all the answers, and so they put those beliefs into book form. Over time, others added to those writings based on personal likes, dislikes, misunderstandings, or a desire for control. Humanity must let go of the past. For us to survive, we must stop living by words written from ego and pride—by men who lived thousands of years ago. So many stories in the Bible are just that—stories born from dreams, imaginations, or perhaps the effects of dangerous plants and illnesses. If we look at humanity today, we are not so different. People still claim religious truths that come from dreams, voices, or their own imaginations. Sadly, too many men allow ego, pride, and a false sense of “great self-worth” to convince them they have the authority to dictate how others are “supposed” to live—even claiming we must live a certain way or risk being sent to a fiery pit.

Many say we need more religion to save parts of humanity (though most do not include everyone). Yet if we look honestly around us, what we truly need is much less religion in order to save all of humanity. It really is that simple. Religion, as it exists today, is actively destroying us. To break this painful cycle, we must take an honest look at the reality many so-called “leaders” have created.

There is no Yahweh in greed, hate, racism, or anger—yet these mindsets have been demonstrated repeatedly in the Bible and other religious texts for thousands of years.

There was a preacher who taped Bibles to a baseball bat and used it to destroy a large dollhouse to demonstrate what his “God” does to those he considers “evil.” He said this was what was expected of him as a preacher. That image alone speaks volumes. Yahweh does not yell and scream at any of His children. He speaks softly to us in our hearts; He is the "wee small voice" in our thoughts.

We were never meant to be ruled or controlled by the words of an unknown number of men in a faraway past. The only guidance ever truly intended for humanity was simple: to overcome ego, pride, and ignorance; to learn to "Be Kind. Don’t Judge. Don’t take more than you need". We must take responsibility for our actions. There is no "punishment" as described in the Bible; instead, we often have to return to face the worst of what we leave behind. We judge ourselves while surrounded by the light we were born with. The ultra-wealthy who lived in greed and excess may return to learn what it is like to live on the streets; those who hate a certain skin color may return to experience life in that skin. Life is not "one and done," and the proof is all around us if we choose to look.

The questions of "when" and "why" regarding this big rock are not as important as where we go from here. What choices will we make? Yahweh never gives up on His children, but if humanity cannot let go of the past, the future will be difficult to find. If we destroy each other and this planet, we will have to start over. Mankind may be given a new heaven and earth, but we will have to relearn everything.

We are all loved unconditionally.
We must unlearn the past.
We must remember who we truly are.