| I recently enjoyed reading an excellent summary by | | | | have combined to form everything around us which |
| a talented and free-thinking author, expressing the | | | | we are aware of with the five physical senses and |
| serious limitations imposed upon the thoughts and life | | | | which so many regard as all that there is. |
| style of millions of decent, ordinary people by a | | | | I continue to search and to learn, new pathways and |
| variety of organized religions and faith systems which | | | | new possibilities open up in procession once having |
| stubbornly refuse to update their dogmas to | | | | taken that first step on to that new pathway but I |
| accommodate the pressing needs and more | | | | feel another debt of gratitude to the religion into |
| advanced knowledge of today. | | | | which I was born. I now realize that it not only |
| I must say that I concur with most, possibly all of | | | | served me in the way I described earlier in this article |
| the sentiments expressed by this writer but may I | | | | but it was my initial training ground which then |
| raise one small voice in the defense of the religion | | | | became the launching pad for what I have now |
| into which I was born and which sustained and kept | | | | become. |
| me safe through childhood, adolescence and early | | | | Which raises the very pertinent question: what have |
| manhood until, gradually the questions began to | | | | I now become that my religion was preventing? |
| outnumber the answers and I felt the need to look | | | | Certainly I have a greater understanding of this life |
| beyond the limitations of that which I had been | | | | and the possible reasons why I had to become |
| taught. | | | | involved in what is undoubtedly an extremely cruel |
| Strangely it seems to be an unwritten rule of this life | | | | and unpleasant existence for those sad and |
| that when a new pathway is needed and you | | | | unfortunate millions who are unable to share in the |
| diligently search for guidance the direction arrows | | | | benevolent situation which favours me and mine. |
| appear and the choice is then up to the searcher, | | | | I also know that the good thoughts and deeds which |
| whether to remain in the comfort zone or to explore | | | | have always been part of my contribution to life are |
| new horizons. When one has been taught from very | | | | now carried out simply because they need to be |
| young to adhere to a strict religious conviction, it | | | | done and I want to initiate them, not as used to be, |
| takes both courage and great determination to take | | | | to gather brownie points from a god whose |
| that first step on to a new and strange path. | | | | existence no one is able to prove or even begin to |
| I remember well, the feeling of guilt when I read my | | | | comprehend the nature of. |
| first book on spiritual matters which I knew that my | | | | But for me the bonus attached to this search is the |
| religion would have strictly forbidden but I now feel a | | | | inner contentment I now have and the total |
| great debt of gratitude to the author of that book | | | | confidence with which I am able to face the |
| and the good friend who both loaned it to me and | | | | prospect of my own physical demise and the |
| prompted me to read it. That book was the first of | | | | excitement of a new pathway to further knowledge, |
| many and changed my whole attitude concerning the | | | | progress and reunion which this presents, without the |
| relationship that exists between our strong material | | | | fear of some possible and terrible retribution which |
| awareness and our more subtle ability to become | | | | haunts many who have never felt the need take |
| increasingly aware of the spiritual world which | | | | that first step onto a new path and a more logical |
| surrounds and envelopes this miraculous | | | | view of existence. |
| conglomeration of tiny particles of light energy which | | | | |