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What a short, strange trip its been!

      Here's What I Believe

      Last Updated: 8-30-06

        I believe I sometimes drive people nuts who try and understand what I believe!

        ...But its really pretty simple...

        Through the years, many people have criticized me for not sticking to one Path. They think it wrong or a waste of time to study so many religions, especially since I often "convert" into them rather than taking a more objective or critical approach. Understand that I do this in an attempt to comprehend the Paths from a devotee's perspective rather than from an outsider's view, this makes sense to me, as these are often very different things.

        In 1969, I had vision that more or less established the course of my life. I discuss that vision at MyStory.

        Based on what I received, I committed myself to trying to peer beyond the veil of religious particulars to "something deeper."

        I sometimes refer to myself as a universalist (small "u") and to some degree I am, yet I do not really 'blend' the religions together because to me, they loose their essential meanings when this is done to excess. For instance, if Rebbe Yeshua (Master Jesus) is blended too intimately with Gautama Buddha, then both masters loose their essential teachings and uniqueness. Their unique voices are disempowered. Jesus' looses his emphasis on bhakti or devotion and the Buddha, his emphasis on analytical deconstructionalism. Both are great masters, but their teachings are very different. To appreciate either, their differences at least as much as their similarities need to be understood. The same is true of all paths. So then, I allow Christianity to be Christianity, Taoism to be Taoism, Raganuga Bhakti to be what it is and so on.

        In the late 70's, I wrote the poem below to try and explain my understandings on this. I see no contradictions between the teachings of the various Paths because I view the Holy One from the perspective of acintya bheda bheda tatva (inconceivable simultaneous oneness and difference -- as you doubtless know from your studies). When I go to a mandir, I go as a Vaisnava (or as a Shaivite, a Chandiite, etc.). When I go to a Sikh gurdwara, I go as a Sikh. When I go to a Christian church I go as a Baptist, a Catholic, a Religious Scientist, a Jehovah's Witness... when I take part in Pagan Sabbats I go as Pagan (as a Welsh Traditionalist, a NROOGD, a COG member etc), and so on. The same with all the other Paths.

        In this way, I am always learning and growing both in my appreciation of the particular Path I am currently walking and the greater Path that I hold close to my heart.

        To me, this life exists within God's Garden and within this magnificent grove is an infinite variety of flowers, colorful stones, bees, birds, and so on. It is not my place to critique the various paths from within their own sections of the garden (though I must admit I do enjoy discussing various issues with knowledgeable practitioners when appropriate).

        As I quest, I always try to bear in mind that the true priesthood is the inward calling of the One. Those who have been called by the One practice the ministry they are given regardless of public acclaim or isolation and anonymity, despite acceptance or rejection of the message they impart. External ordinations, degrees, etc. are all well and good, but it is the inner calling that determines one's priesthood, 'so when in Rome do as the Romans, when in Greece, do as the Greeks', but 'to thine own self always be true'.

        Personally, I know of no greater quest in life than the eternal search for the Truth. Indeed, I believe that this is the only purpose for life, this Reaching for the One. The rest are mere facets of this Stone of Self discovery. When I was around 18 years old, I wrote the following poem and today, at the age of 49, it still reflects the essence of my beliefs. The Sanskrit couplet near the end was my first attempt at writing in this lovely and ancient language.

        God's Garden

        ~ by John of Allfaith

        Some folks say they know the truth
        They claim they've got it all down,
        But I say that such people
        Are little more than clowns

        For God is far greater
        Than anything we conceive
        And so we're only partly right
        No matter what we believe

        Like Paul we gaze in the mirror
        And behold our own reflection
        I guess we wont really know the Truth
        'Till we attain perfection

        The only thing I know for sure
        Is that God is Love
        My only hope of salvation
        Is to trust that Love above

        Yah vishva deva
        Ki vatika
        Hai sair karne
        Ke liye

        (which means)
        This universe is God's garden
        And its meant for roaming in


        Read about My Roamings in God's Garden at MyStory!

        In much the same light, the Hebrew Prophet Micah expressed it this way:

        "With what shall I come before יהוה,
        And bow myself before the High God?
        Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
        With calves a year old?

        Will יהוה be pleased with thousands of rams,
        Ten thousand rivers of oil?
        Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
        The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

        He has shown you, O man, what is good;
        And what יהוה requires of you
        Only to do justly,
        To love mercy,
        And to walk humbly with your God.

          (Micah 6:6-8)

        In 1969 I dedicated my life to this holy quest based on a vision granted me by the One. Since that time, I have never changed religions, not really, I have only sought deeper understandings and fellowship with the One True God Whom I encountered at the alter of Harrell Grove Missionary Baptist Church in an event that forever altered my life and beliefs. As I continue this quest I am merely practicing my religion, my Reaching for the One.

        I am convinced that the external aspects of the various world and tribal religions are not the true Revelations of the One but are merely vessels graciously provided by יהוה to help humanity receive and understand them those revelations. God is One. Religion is One, Truth is One, and yet, no one can limit the Limitless and deny the multiplicity revealed to us. Hence, "…We're only partly right No matter what we believe..."

        True Religion is simply and yet utterly profoundly an individual's relationship with the One Truth. True religion is private and utterly personal. It cannot be spoken or shared. It cannot be debated or dissected. It cannot be proven or disproved. Being nameless, I call it "True Religion" (sound familiar?). "Religion" is social and, for good or ill, effects the community and beyond by influencing every sphere of life. What is my religion? It is to seek and love the One Truth as best I can with the understandings I have been granted thus far. Lacking a better term, I usually refer to the One Truth as "God" and employ various Names as needed. I do believe God is a "Person," which is to say, an Individual Being or Identity rather than a universal Force. Such a Force is merely the all-pervasive presence or power of the One Who Is. This One God cares about us more deeply than we can ever know. There is, I believe, a plan afoot for the liberation of our universe that is hinted at in the various scriptures.

        As Mahatma Gandhi said, "I am a Hindu, a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew and so are all of you." I would add a few others as well, Noahide, Taoist, Pagan, Buddhist and so on. We are all connected by the strings of our common existence and by our divine Source. We are sisters and brothers, children of the One.

        Nonetheless, I am not a Universalist (nor was the Mahatma), nor do I believe that all religions are "equal," any more than I believe apples and pears are equal. Each has its own season and its own flavor. Nor yet do I believe that any of the Paths offer a pure or complete reflection of the One Truth. They are all but attempts at expressing that which is inexpressible, of naming that which is unnamable. The diverse religions are, in short, fruit trees growing in God's Garden and that garden is meant for roaming in.

        Take the word faith for instance. One can have faith, but the word faith is no different from the word hope, belief or doubt! "Faith" is merely a series of letters representing something inexplicable that resides deeply within the individual heart. We must transcend such words and philosophical constructs if we hope to see deeper into the Mirror of Truth! We can do this… if our faith is strong enough! Of course... these also are merely words! Truth exists beyond such things. In truth, I believe unity and realization are already present within each of us as a magnificent tree is contained within its tiny seed! Within our heart of hearts, apart from words and doctrines and dogmas, most of us have a core conviction, a personal realization that we can neither express nor intellectually comprehend. This is That which we seek. Look into your Self and you will find It. Attempt to grasp It, and It will slip away like grains of sand, attempt to describe It and It will befuddle your attempts. This is That: Tat tvam asi, as the Sanatana Dharma has it.

        I am convinced that the One Truth does exist and I hope one day to attain to it; I have not thus far. I do believe it is possible to draw ever closer to the One Truth of true Religion, and one day to know It fully, to "grok it" if you would, and I believe that those who do attain It transcend all religious labels no matter which ones they may employ when speaking of It.

        So, Who/What is the One? Each of us must find our own Answer and Way to that question! We must make that inquiry in all humility, based upon our diverse life experiences and the Light we have beheld thus far. As we progress, our answers and assumptions will naturally develop and transcend. It is all part of the Divine Plan of the ages. Why do I believe this? I believe this, in part, because God is not appearing in the heavens and giving us clear information! It we were not destined to seek, to Reach for the One, we would all know the answers already or else we have no interest in discovering them! No, life and the human psyche are set up in such a way that throughout history we have been compelled to ask and seek forever-greater Light. Seeking Light is as much a part of our nature as is eating and mating. Externally, some seek one thing, some another, but ultimately we all seek the Light. I am convinced that ultimately we are all walking the same Path, regardless of the external variances.

        I cannot say my Way is higher or truer than anyone else’s. Such would be the height of folly! If my Way is the only, best or truest religion, then God has cheated you! Why do I say this? I say this because it is my life experiences that have led me to this point. Having different experiences from me, you would be at a great disadvantage! That is, IF I held the highest Truth which you should seek to attain. No, the One is not a finite limited being such as most of us believe ourselves to be! Each being in the multiverse has a unique relationship with the Lover of our souls, and our Path is our own, yet our Path is one, because, God is far greater than anything we conceive, and so we're only partly right no matter what we believe.

        The notion that the Holy One must adhere to human limitations is absurd! This is the disruptive effect of finite logic! With the Holy One, Truth can be yes AND no simultaneously! If not, then the One is limited, which certainly is not the case! In God, a thing can be black AND white, true and false, Good and Bad! In India this truth is known as acintya bheda bheda or inconceivable oneness and diversity, and God, the author of all Reality is known as Acintya Bheda Bheda Tattva, the very embodiment of inconceivable oneness and difference. Ek Devata, the One God, is simultaneously This, That, and Something else entirely! We cannot begin to comprehend such a Being as the One God! In the Bible, this Being is known as יהוה (YHVH, often pronounced Yahveh or JeHoVaH) a Name of utter Holiness, and yet beyond even יהוה Jewish Kabbalists tell us is EnSoff, the No-Thing. While we cannot even begin to conceive of יהוה, yet "beyond" even He, the Eternally Un-manifest Manifestation of Absolute Oneness, is a higher Oneness! Indians call this the Netti Netti of the Ek Devata, the Not This Not That of the One God. I have love, God is LOVE, I have a sense of justice, but God is JUSTICE… and yet… God is in no way limited by our conceptions of any such terms!

        Even our sincerest attempts at understanding the One are less than a flea seeking to comprehend the nature of chaos theory or nuclear fission! The best any of us can do is seek the One using the means, knowledge and realizations given to us by the Creator and, as we seek, let us have at least some understanding of how miniscule we truly are in the face of the vastness that is! To believe that another is destined for perdition and Hell for not agreeing with our take on some point of doctrine is sheer ethnocentric pomposity! Who am I to judge another? Each of us will stand or fall before the Truth! The Good News is that God, Who is LOVE, will enable each of us to stand, for above all else the One is our eternal Well-Wisher! How do I know this is true? I am convinced of the truth of this because if it is not true, then none of us has a prayer! If none of us has a prayer, then God is neither Love nor our Eternal Well-Wisher. "The only thing I know for sure is that God is Love. My only hope of salvation is to trust that Love above."

        I sincerely believe the Truth is knowable inwardly. However, like Lao Tzu, I also believe that once we try and explain It to another person It slips away as fine sand in the wind's of life. We cannot even understand It within ourselves; we can only accept or reject It, and rejection itself is but part of the learning process and hence a temporary construct! We are utterly outclassed by God's LOVE!

        The Truth is WHATEVER the Truth is, regardless of what any of us believe It to be. For this reason, sharing our beliefs and insights in love is an absolutely positive activity, however "evangelizing" and seeking to "convert" others does much harm as history has repeatedly shown.

        As the Apostle Paul and Lao Tzu wisely observed, the Truth that can be known is not and cannot be the eternal or actual Truth due to our mortal limitations. Our understandings are as images seen through a dusty mirror: we mainly behold our own reflections: What I approve God approves, what I disavow God rejects and yet, if we gaze carefully enough into that mirror with sincerity and humility, we may be granted slight glimpses of Truth. These are priceless gifts from the One. Hence, Truth, with a capital "T", is only knowable within one's Self as a divine Grace granted by the One God. Truth cannot be debated, dissected, proven or disproved. It has countless names and yet it is utterly Nameless. It has form, yet It is Formless. Truth is what It is, nothing more and nothing less. Our religions, beliefs, dogmas, and philosophies have no impact on the Truth whatsoever. They are but imperfect grails holding minute amounts of the Divine Nectar. Pray that the Holy One grants us but a drop of that Holy Fluid!

        We can share what we understand, but our insights are only partial. None of us really knows the Truth at this point (I Cor 13:12), and yet we all seek It in countless ways.

        In a nutshell, this is what I believe.


        God's Garden

        ~by John of Allfaith

        Some folks say they know the truth
        They claim they've got it all down,
        But I say that such people
        Are little more than clowns

        For God is far greater
        Than anything we conceive
        And so we're only partly right
        No matter what we believe

        Like Paul we gaze in the mirror
        And behold our own reflection
        I guess we won’t really know the Truth
        'Till we attain perfection

        The only thing I know for sure
        Is that God is Love
        My only hope of salvation
        Is to trust that Love above

        Yah vishva deva
        Ki vatika
        Hai sair karne
        Ke liye

        [translation: This universe is God's garden
        And it’s meant for roaming in]


        Read about My Roamings in God's Garden at MyStory!


More to come!


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