I will have to answer this question with a resounding yes. Having said this, I will further note that religion is a creation of humans for the purpose of understanding life as it is in this moment — an attempt to answer the question: Is this all there is?
When any faith path holds itself to answering this question and invites its believers to live in such a way as to allow that perfect unfoldment of their lives, it is doing its job as ascribed. To the extent that it sends the rest of the human race to ‘hell fire and damnation’ for not believing and acting in its prescribed fashion, then it is hurting me and all others.
History tells us that the New Testament was written well after the death of Jesus, of stories passed down by people deeply believing in his being the Messiah, and then the Catholic Church of the time choosing what was to be incorporated in the book. Because of the almost total destruction of any other writings from the period that did not agree with ‘the powers that be,' I question what is being held as sacred history—while at the same time studying it because of the obvious power of the truth it does reveal. I in no way diminish the power that Jesus had or the possibility he held for humankind. I question only some current interpretations and the detriment these interpretations hold for humankind as a whole.
Let us study the sacred books available to us and then look into our hearts as to whether a religion is, in fact, adhering to its teaching. Let us look into our hearts as to how we should treat our fellow humans. These answers… just as heaven… dwell within.
