Getting Back to the Basics of Truth

Anyone who has invested time, energy and effort into finding their own truth knows that ignorance is NOT bliss. Understanding the religious environment that we grew up in should be the natural first step towards defining our own belief system. All too often, we grow up getting bits and pieces of religion, but never take the time to look at the bigger picture.

It's the bigger picture that enables us, as thinking, feeling human beings, to evaluate both the truth and the doctrine of established religion, and decide for ourselves what "fits" us in this lifetime and what doesn't, keeping in mind that 'the doctrine' of any given religion may not feel right to us, but the basic truth upon which the religion was built seems very familiar and very 'right.'

Most religions have been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Common sense tells us that lots of people have made lots of changes in the teachings of any particular religion, for lots of reasons. Our job, as spiritual seekers, is to get back to the basics - the basic teachings of the 'master teacher' upon whom the religion was founded.

Our 'problem' with established religion is often that we can't find a religion that fits our modern-day lifestyle. We protest against some of the religious doctrine and practices, believing that they just aren't appropriate for living life in today's world. Without looking any further, we say, "That's not right for me," and move on in the hopes of finding a different religion that we can be more comfortable with.

In studying the history of the churches, we come to a clearer understanding of why they did things the way they did, when they did them, and - hopefully - the importance of separating truth from doctrine in our quest for spiritual truth becomes more and more obvious. It doesn't matter which religion we're looking at; in every case, there are the teachings of the Master Teacher, and the doctrine (which was established by followers, not by the Master himself) that guides us in learning how to express the Master's truth in our day-to-day lives.

That is NOT a bad thing; then and now, learning to express our spiritual truth on a day-by-day basis is what 'finding and following our own path in life' is all about. We turn to present-day spiritual teachers to guide us in expressing our spirituality, all the while resenting the spiritual teachers of yore who did the same for their life students. I have no doubt that generations from now, free-thinkers will criticize the teachers (and teachings) of our time as "old-fashioned' and 'inappropriate to their lifestyle.' That's the way it has always been, and that's the way it will always be: established religion gives each soul something to think about - a starting point in deciding what their personal truth will (or will not) be in that lifetime.

We run into problems when we want to express our beliefs differently than any particular sect of any particular religion tells us to. If we stop thinking of 'established religion' as a firm set of rules and regulations that we are expected to follow if we want to be a 'spiritual person,' and look at it instead as a historical recap of the ways generations of people have chosen to express the spiritual teachings of a specific Master Teacher, we can free ourselves of the emotional rebellion we sometimes experience at being told what we should think and what we should feel. Once we stop feeing defensive, we can begin to explore the 'truth' as the Master Teacher taught it, without getting lost in the doctrine established by those who came after him.

Once we separate the truth from the doctrine, we begin to realize that there really isn't much difference in 'truth' at all; the common thread that runs through every major religion in the world is what we, today, call "Universal Law." Every great spiritual Master (including the ones upon whose teachings the various religions were founded) taught the same basic principles. Our goal in spiritual seeking should be two-fold: to get back to the basic teachings, and then to decide whether those teachings, as presented by any religion, ring true for us, as individuals, in this lifetime. Too often, we lose our focus and put our emphasis on doctrine (which comes and goes with each change in the socio-economic environment) instead of on the basic truth which the doctrine is striving to express.

Lois Grant-Holland is a Life Path Focus Counselor offering Life Path Focus Sessions, Karmic Astrology Charts, Channeled Guidance, Intuitive Readings and Classes and Workshops to spiritual seekers on all positive paths, and is the site facilitator at The A.N.S.W.E.R. - (The Seeker's Resource Guide to Alternative, New Thought, Spiritual Growth, Wellness and Enlightenment Resources.) You can visit her website at http://www.loisgrantholland.com

weekly home cleaning Highland Park ..
In The News:

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.
South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.
Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALLĀ·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.
Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

What to Expect From the Next Transformation

???Now is the time for all good men to come... Read More

Two Simple Ways To Get Anything You Want

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,... Read More

The Ten Commandments Starring Charlton Heston

Last Saturday, the children were down at their grandparent's house... Read More

From Superstition to Clashing Rocks

"Our mind is capable of passing beyond the dividing line... Read More

Anger in Your Energy Field

Many consider anger a normal human emotion and continue to... Read More

What Exactly is Grace?

This question, "what is grace" plagued me more into knowing... Read More

Understanding the Tarot Card Deck - Part 1

One of the first steps toward understanding the Tarot lies... Read More

Its Ok To Be Human

One of the things I have had to deal with... Read More

Tsunami Animals Hint At Our True Nature

We as human beings consider ourselves the most intelligent species... Read More

Here To Stay

I am disturbed by the tendency of some people to... Read More

Heaven Bound: Win The Race!

Billy Graham once said, "Being a Christian is more than... Read More

10 Tips For Spiritual Growth

Spiritual growth is the process of inner awakening, and becoming... Read More

Discipline of Prayer: Always Connected

Every workday, five days a week, I take the light... Read More

Existence of God: Facts and Figures Does God Exist?

Existence of God: facts and figures Does God exist?If you... Read More

Halloween Rites

For some of us, EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN!!! If you... Read More

African American Hiking for Spiritual Health

Hiking is gaining popularity within the African-American community. We're beginning... Read More

Its Not What You Know, Its What You Do

Knowing what is right and what is wrong in your... Read More

Snowflakes

The human race had their beginning, and I had mine... Read More

Building The Body of Christ

As a walked across the gym floor with perspiration coming... Read More

An Alternative to A Life of Healing

While I do hope to avoid arguing the merits or... Read More

Why We Choose Our Parents

There is a concept in Jewish mystical thought known as... Read More

Serenity

Listen to the sound of silence. Enjoy the peace and... Read More

Time for Healing

We have to go through some unfortunate experiences sometimes in... Read More

Youve Got a Curse!

It is tough being here on this plane. You have... Read More

Religion and Spirituality - What Differentiates Religion from Spirituality?

Religion is "absolute truth of life" of the physical manifested... Read More

whole house cleaning Park Ridge ..