Effective Spirituality

Here we discuss the ways and means of developing effective and functional relationships with the Divine. Have you ever felt spiritually abandoned? Does obtaining faith in God seem like a lost cause? Do your most heart felt prayers get no response? Let's look at why some people get in touch with the divine and others do not. If you already feel God working in your life; great! Here we will look at ways to increase that relationship with the divine.

Asking the Right Questions

        About the time of World War II was ending a 3 year old run-away girl was found on the streets of a city in England.  Fynn, the youth who found Anna; as she called herself, brought her home to his mother. They never learned anything about her parents except that they had badly abused their child. This little girl seemed to have a very special relationship with God. ( from the book: ‘Mister God this is Anna’ by Fynn)

Late one night sometime after her arrival, Fynn who slept on the other side of a curtain from her, heard Anna give a desperate cry.  He went to comfort her but as he passed the curtain something stopped him. Something inside told him that this was beyond any help he could offer her. So he watched her praying. She was searching for a way to express something painful inside her for which she required God’s help. Suddenly she said, “God, help me know the right questions!”

Years after Anna had passed away, Fynn came to understand that we not only don’t know the answers to the questions we have, but in many cases we don’t understand enough to ask the right questions.  We never question what we think we know.  Racist ‘know’ they are correct. Many macho men just ‘know’ women’s place in society is to serve men. In the 1930s Germans ‘knew’ Hitler’s Jewish solution was right. These are big glaring examples of people who didn’t know the right questions, nor did they seek them.  During Carter’s presidency after the Iranians took over the US embassy President Carter proudly said on behalf of the US, “We have nothing to apologize for!”  I wondered and discovered a shameful history of US interference in Iranian politics.

  We were told by our president that terrorists “Hate our freedoms”.  I was surprised at that.  I have never met people who ‘hate’ freedom and prefer oppression.  So I questioned it and learned that these terrorists come from oppressed countries whose governments are propped up by US money and power.  Perhaps they envy, not hate our freedoms. Maybe they resent our participation in their oppression.   

Learning the questions with respect to religion brings greater tolerance and more respect. It opens the mind to new and greater truths. Questions I like to ask: What religion would you be if you had been born into a strong Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, or Hindu family?  What kind of person would I have been if my parents had been poor, rich, atheist, uneducated, etc?  Who am I really?  Ignorance is easily used to abuse. Learning the questions to ask brings light and understanding. This then invites peace and security.