Theology, Spirituality, and Religion ... And Politics?

 Archbishop Peter - Johann Faustus, you have been charged by the Holy Inquisition with blasphemy, apostasy, and rebellion before God's True and Holy Church. Are you prepared to confess your guilt?

Johann Faustus - Your Holiness, please. I... I... I have only written... I have only explained the objective nature of our universe. I... I... I have plotted the planets and stars in their courses and have found... All I have ever stated... We are not the center of creation!

Archbishop Peter - And what do such theories intimate, Doctor Faustus? 

Johann Faustus (singing) - I've told you all I've learned. And yet you still insist. My words that you have read, the words that I have said, mean God does not exist. 

- Prologue, In The Light: A Faustian Tale, A musical by Michael Mott and Nathan Wright - as performed by Zachary James and Jeremy Jordan

In the Light is such a powerful, beautiful, heart breaking musical. It flows from fear to anger to madness to redemption to love with such passion and ease, that you know the people behind it are genius'. And as a fan of both Michael and Nathan, I can confirm that they are, indeed. And the voices that they chose to bring this story to life are perfectly cast. 

And it is an eye opening journey through what can happen when radical Christians have power. 

So, let's talk about religion. It is playing a huge role in the craziness that has engulfed America since 2016. And it is an even larger part of the story, now, as the Trump cult gets more and more out of control. 

Every where that they have a voice, this radical subset of the Republican Party is going on and on about their religion and their religious rights and how their God would want this or that. And, now they are trying to make religion and politics all one thing. 

And all I can think is "What is wrong with these people?" 

I have read the Bible. I have been to church. I went to church every Sunday until I was 13. So I do know the religion. Much better than I would like to admit. 

And while Christians have always been somewhat self-righteous, it has never been on the level that it is now. Though I have not considered myself a Christian since I was 13 years old, I respected the faith and its followers. As someone who grew up in the faith, I understood their need to believe in the Bible and a God that sat in constant judgement of them. 

Let's be honest, Christianity gives these people the okay to be sinners. According to their religion, if they mess up, all they have to do is pray and ask their Judge for forgiveness and - BAM - they keep their place in Heaven. 

I think this belief is also what makes them think that they can play judge and jury. And, apparently, they get to set the parameters for what is considered forgivable. They even have a book that has been rewritten and changed so many times over the years, that it is now okay for them to cherry pick what they follow and what they can disregard. Also, it seems that their God is not only wrathful, but thrives on hate. 

For example, it is perfectly okay for them to look down on me and hate me for being attracted to both men and women. It is okay for them to hate the rest of my LGBTQ+ Community for loving honestly and being their true selves. It is okay for them to hate those of us of other religions and spirituality because our deities don't hate like theirs. I guess their God approves of that. And, apparently, I am doomed to burn in their Hell because of all of this and because my favorite word happens to be a four letter word beginning with F. 

Well, let me tell you, if that is what it means to be a 'Christian' than I would much rather go to Hell. I mean, I have been planning my takeover of the place since I was a kid - you know, just in case it is real. I have no desire to spend eternity with a bunch of pompous, narcissistic, judgmental hypocrites. I would much rather be where I am accepted for who and what I am and am just left to enjoy my eternity. 

Thankfully, Christianity is not my religion. Even before Marjorie Taylor Green, Lauren Bobert, Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump made the religion insane and scary, I had walked away. 

As I have stated, I am spiritual, not religious. 

What is the difference, you may be asking. Well, let's take a look. 

Religion is a set of beliefs outlined for a group or community. Religion comes with rules. They have punishments for not following those rules and rewards for when you do follow them. Spirituality does not have rules. Being spiritual is completely a solitary journey. It is about just following your heart and living as your heart leads. 

Religion is based on fear - fear of what will happen to you when you die, if you do not follow your wrathful and hateful God. In Spirituality there is only love. Loving who you are and where you are and being alive. 

Religion tells you what to believe is true and real. Spirituality allows you to discover your own truth and choose what to believe in. 

Religion separates people by claiming they are the only right and true religion - despite the fact that all religions have very similar stories. Spirituality sees the similarities in them all and strives for unity. Spirituality focuses on the ways in which we are all similar. 

These are just some of the key differences between the two. 

I have been a student of theology since I was 9 years old. It was at that age that I knew I liked girls in a way that Christianity said was a sin. And that felt wrong to me. I could not understand how a God could suddenly hate me just because I wanted to kiss girls and boys. I mean, he made me, after all - according to their mythology. So wouldn't it be his doing that I felt the way I did? Didn't he make me like this? But the Christians had an answer - 'It was the Devil's doing!' The Devil is the Christians bad guy - their bogeyman and scapegoat - that they blame all their sins on. 

So I went searching for something that felt right. I have studied every religion out there, and I found that they were all very similar. Then I started studying Paganism and that is where I found Spirituality. In that journey, I started taking things from each religion - whatever spoke to me - and weaving it all together. By the time I was 13, I knew Spiritual is what I was and I knew that is how I wanted to live my life. 

In these last couple of years, my Spirituality, combined with my love of music, has kept me sane and helped see me through some very dark times. Including the destruction of our country. 

Let the Trump Cult have their wrathful, hateful God and the tease of a promise of living in a city of gold, if they hate with him. Let them tell tales of their bogeyman named Satan. There will come a day when they will realize that they have gone too far.

In the meantime, I will continue to choose peace and love and happiness. 

Originally posted on September 11, 2022

UPDATE - Truly, everything here still rings true. The Trump Cult is still running rampant and trying to turn America into a Dystopian State and the Christian Nationalists are right at the front of the charge. It has gotten even more scary around here. Especially for marginalized communities. If you're not straight, white, and preferably male - leaving your house or even engaging on Social Media can be a toxic mess. I have gotten more selective and careful about who I interact with online. And even in my own life, I have made necessary changes. As sad as it is, I have had to walk away from many people that I have known most of my life. 

This little Ohio village is mostly Conservatives and very Pro-Trump. There are only a few people that I still talk to, here. Just another good reason to move away. Which is rapidly approaching. It will be a relief to live in a place where there are people who are members of my communities. And where I will feel safe leaving my home. Because - more and more - that place is not here.