$30 Hearts - Jerome, Arizona
Kaleidoscopes - Jerome, AZ
Sister Cities (?!) - Jerome, AZ
Meditating Cat - Jerome, AZ
No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.
Ansel Adams
What does a Church do when no one attends services? This was the question my Mother-in-law and I discussed yesterday morning. We both determined that the concept of "church" is subjective, but that there are elements in every religion that are universal and embedded in human consciousness.
Prayer and human interaction are essential components in most spiritual endeavors. The right balance of these ingredients is critical and creates an expected outcome. For some, the expected outcome is clarity. For some, the expected outcome is repentance and forgiveness. For some, the expected outcome is inspiration and transcendence. Everyone who attends church or any spiritual gathering perceives that doing so will improve their lives by its structure and ritual, and its common purpose for good.
The feeling of a large group of people, focused on a positive thought is powerful. To me, the essence of "church" is this focus, this unity. It feels like the calm center in the middle of a storm: I know I'll have to step outside the center, but I gain strength within it to endure and find my way back. This feeling is real and, for most people, a necessary part of life. It fuels the creative spirit that allows our imaginations to conceive of a higher power for good.
Religions, churches, teachings, provide the opportunities to be exposed to the abstract idea of god, spirit, higher power, and are necessary and beneficial to society. However, I believe that each individual develops their own perceptions of god. Each of us decides how to focus on good in our lives and how to pursue goodness, even while participating in organized religion. Religions and any spirit centered gathering is challenged to attract and retain people in large enough groups to produce a common good while being self sustaining. Where religions go wrong is in their attempts to market god and godliness instead of having a clear purpose for that good which is inherently attractive.
The church we were talking about has an unclear and confusing purpose. It has more human interaction in the form of entertainment than it has prayer. The minister and her spiritual messages seem to support the music instead of having the music support the message. For me, five minutes of meditation, especially with others, is a more effective way to focus on a clear spiritual message and gain inner peace and strength. Someone else may need singing and dancing to focus. The tricky part is to find the balance that allows each of us to focus on our spiritual and creative needs and the needs of others within an effective structure. We are so lucky to have so many choices for good.
May all beings know love and peace and unity.
