Never discuss politics or religion in mixed company, wisdom suggests. Obviously, politics present a minefield. Religion, similarly dangerous, deals with souls and questions that extend beyond whether it’s acceptable to wear white after Labor Day.
How many different religions and sects are there on the earth right now? Not sure but probably more than ten. Whatever that number is, though, it’s the same number of different answers to the BIG THREE QUESTIONS OF LIFE:
1. Where did we come from?
2. What’s the purpose of life?
3. Where do we go after we die?
In many cases, not only do religions differ in their answers to these questions, they (meaning: we as the persons who populate them) make great efforts to “prove” that the others are wrong – which is a really weird part of the human condition, one which really shouldn’t be present when religion is the topic because of its attempts to elevate us to a higher plane and get us to think more like the deity we worship in our chosen religion. That said, though, our humanness has a hold on us, so we have to deal with it head on like the relative who always comes drunk to the family party and says things that are hurtful but spot-on true, if we’re being honest.
For the next little while, humor me, please: let’s say every single religion/sect’s explanations of the BIG THREE are flawlessly correct – there’s no inherent human need to call them into question. Accepting this as my premise, the only way to reconcile that possibility would be to acknowledge that this earth is watched over by innumerable and wholly individual gods, spirits, intelligences, and/or amorphous beings – and we, by our proclamation of faith through a religious rite like baptism, are only subject to the will and oversight of the god, spirit, intelligence, and/or amorphous being to whom we pledge our worship. Sort of like summer camp where each cabin is its own individual group who only has to listen to the counselor assigned to them – and, quite often, some of the cabin members go out of their way to rebel against the counselor or even seek to align themselves with another group.
On the question of our origins, assuming each religion is correct, I can think of two conditions that would HAVE TO BE accepted as fact: (1) the earth began as a cosmic melting pot of extraterrestrial immigrants, an Ellis Island of the universe, if you will – and possibly points beyond; (2) these supreme beings had a meeting before the world began and came to an agreement on how “humans” would generally appear and function: two eyes that see, a nose that smells, a heart that pumps blood, etc. Obviously, there was a great deal of latitude given as to how people would actually look, which explains different races and attendees at county fairs.
Further, the after-life destination for the different religions: Nirvana, Paradise, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Reincarnation, etc. – one such destination awaits each of us depending on how we followed or didn’t follow the tenets of our particular religion. Assuming that as a given, we HAVE TO accept that there exists some type of a “trading floor” somewhere out in the cosmos for the simple but fundamental reason that while we’re here, many of us change religions from the one in which we were raised to another that addresses our spiritual needs at some later time in life, and possibly a third and fourth time.
John Davidson is born in Detroit, MI, to a Catholic family, and as he grows up, he undergoes the rites and ceremonies associated with his family’s religion – he’s a member in good standing. Fifty years later, he goes through something that causes him to reassess his religious views and decides to join Islam, and he’s all in. Catholic or Muslim, he’s a good man, a good husband, a good father, a good citizen, etc. While not making light of his decision or choices, I promise, I must point out the obvious: he’s traded the Catholic God for Islam’s Allah AND his after-life destination. And from what I’ve learned about those two destinations, they’re not just slightly different like Dallas and Ft. Worth.
Back to my point: this would require that somewhere out at the back of the beyond in space is a trading floor, perhaps tucked behind Pluto. Catholic God’s agent, Trevor, walks over to his equal under the auspices of Allah while pushing along a dolly loaded up with a couple of Bankers Boxes filled with paperwork and says, “John Davidson has decided to align himself with you lot, so here are all of his records and files. From the looks of things, he’s a good egg. Never gave his guardian angel or any of the saints any trouble. The incident involving Saran Wrap on the toilet seat shouldn’t be counted against him; that nun had it coming to her. At any rate, you’ll like him. If you have any questions, I’m available via email, text, or phone. Good to see you, Ahmed. Let’s do lunch soon.”
I’m not being sacrilegious, I’m confident of that; a bit glib, perhaps, but only to underscore this point: accepting ALL religious concepts as correct – that they got it spot on – requires looking at the universe in a VASTLY different and wholistic way. If you’re good with that, you don’t need (or want) to read on.
If you don’t (or won’t) accept that all religions and sects are flawlessly correct in their doctrine, the ONLY alternative is that there is ONLY ONE. There can’t even be two – as we’ve cross-examined the possibility above, more than one would present us with numerous existential and logistical challenges that are insurmountable and frankly impossible. Thus, there can be only ONE divine entity who created EVERY one of us here on earth from the dawn of time through today and up until the end of the earth’s existence.
If you’re not readily inclined to agree with that assertion, that’s okay, but think about this: no matter how SURE any of us is in our belief of where we came from, what is the purpose of this life, and where we go when we die, we’re ALL going to learn the ACTUAL answers AFTER WE DIE: we’ll find out who is the Creator, her/his name, and whether or not this Supreme Being had, in fact, directed that a certain specific religion be established here on earth at her/his behest.
Let that sink in and rattle around in your noggin for a few days – I promise to publish Part II soon, and I'm confident you'll be intrigued . . . or, at least, entertained.
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