Spirituality is Not a Sales Pitch 

It always sickens me how we believe that spirituality is something special, apart from normal life, above the “common”. We revere holiness as though it were a monarchical system of royals vs commoners. The truth is, a parent that doesn’t yell and shame their kid when they mess up is a holy act. Instead, they come alongside their child, and with patient kindness, show them a better way. That is what righteousness really is.

Take for example the, “Evangelist”: we assume they are these deep righteous people closer to God than us all. But in reality, they are often the used car salesmen of religion. They avoid commitment by traveling constantly. They come in and harvest the hard work of others; receiving all the praise, flattery and belt notches like a college frat boy. Then, moving on, they conveniently avoid the decades of hard work it takes to cope with the trail of people they leave behind. Sounds to me more like an addict than a holy person.

Just like the CEO who gets millions in bonuses for “success”, it is the “nobodies” behind the curtains and spot lights that are left to do the actual heavy lifting. Those nobodies are the ones that make the world go around. If it wasn’t for the carpenter or the electrician, the iron worker or the truck driver, those rich people would be homeless and without a stich of clothing. 

The one who is closest to God is the mother that wakes up at 2am to feed her screaming child. Or the parent who works a 50 hour week doing a job they hate so their kids are provided for. And then when they get home, they love on their children as best they can, instead of drinking their troubles away and blaming everyone for how they hate their life. That is real holiness. 

Righteous people are caring people. Holiness has little to do with status, finances, education, accomplishments, or destiny. Spirituality is in reality, to love those who are right around you because you actually care, not because it is expected, not because you are perfect. You love because your heart is no longer hardened. Your soul is alive. Your walls have come down. 

We are community. The family of the world. And it is our mutual giving that makes society flourish. It is in the simplicity of our individual roles that we create peace, prosperity, and stability. When we let go of the pursuit of superiority, the oppression of others for selfish gain, the villiage of humanity prospers as one. Each one of us individuals,  as a collective whole, are the spiritual stewards that preserve peace. 

“Spirituality is a thirst for meaning that cannot be quenched by anything less than the truth.”
-Shayne Mason Vincent-

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own heart is the temple; the philosophy is kindness.”
-Dalai Lama-

“It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us.”
-Mother Teresa-

“A coward is incapable of exhibitin love. it is the preogative of the brave.”
-Mahatma Gandhi-

“Love is the only force capable of turning an enemy into a friend.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.-

“He that is kind is free though he is a slave; he that is evil is a slave, though He be a King.”
-Saint Augustine-

“If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.”
– John the Apostle-