My Religion
People have been asking me some interesting questions lately.
How would you describe your religion? I think what I was being asked was what’s your religious affiliation?
I kind of fumbled with that one, which I imagine caused some confusion, given I’ve been a pastor for the past eleven years.
I’m not a fan of labels. I don’t use them. I’m never wanted to be called Pastor Melissa, which made for a fun inside joke between me and the late, wonderful Allen Cheng. Just plain Melissa, please, was my response when he asked me what he should call me (as the new pastor of his church). So I became JPM, which I loved.
If I label myself this, that means I’m not that. And maybe I’m some of this and some of that, and not one particular anything. I think humans really love to adapt labels, but then comes the defending. Boxes. And, of course, if I am this and you are that, then we can’t get along. With our chosen words we’ve already decided we don’t agree, and isn’t that the foundational thinking of war?
I just think it does more harm than good.
I’d like to live in a world where all the denominations disappear, all the walls come down and every Sunday we all get together and dance for an hour. Full body joy at being alive, which, I can almost guarantee is what we’re supposed to be feeling.
What’s my religion? Help the weak if you are strong. Bob Marley was one of the most beautiful preachers ever to grace this planet.
It’s really that simple. You have enough? Money, time, food, clothes, love. More than enough? Sheesh, share it! Doesn’t have to be complicated, no committee meetings necessary. Show up and take care of each other.
What I said was this: my hope is that my whole life becomes a prayer of gratitude for being alive.
That’s my religion.
I’ve been asked several times lately, what do you think God is? And also what is the soul? Love the deep thinking.
I think God is an underlying source of loving energy which animates every living thing.
I think the soul is our connectivity to that energy. I think the soul is the part of us which is always seeking a deeper, stronger connection with God energy. It’s what compels us to seek meaning in life and to love people and things. When we are in awe, when we are in a state of wonder, we feel this energy activated.
I don’t like to define things by what they’re not, but I don’t think that God is any kind of being which cares about denomination, skin color, place of origin, or lousy or good behavior. God is love, unearned.
God is within. Soul is the activation toward goodness; body is the vessel that allows us to live in this world, hopefully in a state of wonder, helping others and evolving; mind mostly screws it all up.
Ha. Just kidding. Mind gives us our miraculous free will to decide how it will all play out while we’re here.
My time at the Unitarian church in Saratoga winds down soon. I’m working with Sam on SAM, gathering a tribe of people willing to play around with it for a while, planting flowers and riding my bike, looking forward to the arrival of wonderpup, Buster, the Yellow Lab, super psyched that Coco is coming home soon. Wondering what the Universe has in store for me next, while I’m here, while I can. I’m game!
Have a good one. xo, mo