RELIGION

 

 

Religion is a set of beliefs acknowledging the existence of creator beings.  It is a way of honoring and paying homage to the creator.  From earliest times, men have acknowledged instinctively that they were created by higher forms of beings.  Thus, they worshiped the sun, moon, and stars.  They worshipped objects of treasures like the golden calf.  Some paid homage to mountains, trees, or animals, like the Hindus' honoring the cows.  Some honor images.  This is branded by others as idolatry or superstition.

 

Any growing living thing, or even inanimate objects such as stones, can be a dwelling place of a spirit.   Thus, a spirit is assigned during the first or third quarter, new moon, or full moon.  The assignment is not fixed.  Its role is to come down to Earth at a precise good aspect in time to bring to man graces from heaven and to carry to the throne of God special prayers of men.

 

It is best to start a project on a new moon, to plan on a quarter moon, and to ask for special favors on a full moon.   At each precise moment, the doors of heaven and of Earth are wide open at the same time so that graces from heaven could descend on the individual on Earth if he so desires.

 

Spirits also occupy the planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Neptune, Venus, and all the rest of the planets and stars in heaven.  They are the guardians of the material beings.  Jesus Christ is in charge of Earth.  That is why he showed His great concern and love in uplifting men by coming to Earth and suffering, and setting an example for men to emulate.  He will come about every 2000 years when the people are ready.  The next coming is scheduled at around the year 2000 if the people in the Philippines are ready.  The Philippines is next in the spiritual awakening routine.  You can observe the high spiritually that pervades the country with the proliferation of Charismatics, Born Again, etc.  Even foreign-based religions such as the Maharishi Group, the Mormons, etc. are coming.  The Holy Spirit must be very busy inspiring men to repent and open their hearts to the Lord.

 

Spirits occupy crystals, stones, metal, wood, and other elements.  The herbalists, espiritistas, mystics, and others usually have these items commonly called "anting-anting."  It is supposed to protect them from evil.  In exchange, the holder prays for the spirits inhabiting the crystals.  The crystal might be considered  a sign or buzzer a person uses in summoning the spirit to assist him in curing a disease, deflecting a bullet, helping the holder to have more customers, and so on.  The spirit inhabitants of crystals are of a level higher than those occupying twigs of trees or “live” stones ("batong buhay").  Symbols with mystical meanings can be used just like the electric bell which people press in time of need.

 

With proper knowledge, the holder can utilize the spirits assigned to these seemingly inanimate objects for material benefits.  In exchange, the holder adds power or energy to the gross spirits dwelling in them by offering them prayers.

 

The riches of this Earth which are at present under the custody of the left spirits are guarded by them. That is why it is hard to excavate riches like gold. Usually, the enkantos or dwarfs guarding the gold will keep on moving the gold away from the excavation site to prevent its being discovered.  But they could not move the gold outside a certain perimeter.   On a certain good aspect, however, the spirit concerned could yield the precious metal to men. Otherwise, the treasure hunter has to make offering, voluntary or not, through the shedding of blood.

 

These are what have been referred to as "idolatry." The people then worshiped not the inanimate objects but actually the spirits either protecting or dwelling in the said objects.  For the Catholic Church, these objects are the istampitas (religious stamps), rosary beads, crucifix, and images of Sto. Nino, Christ the King, or of other saints.  The Protestants and Iglesia ni Kristo members do not believe in such objects.  They send their prayers directly to God.  They criticize the Catholics for paying homage to these objects.

 

When the priest blesses these objects, he is whether aware of it or not imploring God to assign special good spirits to dwell in the objects to assist and protect the holder.  This is how the objects get power.  This is the reason why evil spirits fear the presence of these blessed objects.

 

What is the value of the Church?  It is the special home of God where people worship Him at the altar all at the same time.  When the people pray at the same time, they invoke synergy and the power of their prayers is greater than the sum of the individual prayers.  God hears and blesses those present.  At the EDSA revolution, because people prayed at the same time, the power of Marcos' anting-anting was nullified.  He realized this at the time that is why he consented to leave Malacanang.  His occult powers emanating from the anting-anting he kept were no match to the combined prayers of the millions of Filipinos all praying to God for freedom from tyrannical rule.  The people's prayers were granted.  And a peaceful revolution took place.

 

The place of worship need not be confined to the Church.  A better one is for the family to make a church of their home.   Like the Chinese, the family can make an altar before which to pray regularly.  Praying together is the essence of religion.

 

The manner of praying and worshiping God varies from one religion to another.  The tragedy of most religions is their belief that their particular religion is the only chosen religion of God and they alone will be saved.  Take the case of one big sect.  They claim that their members alone will be allowed to enter heaven.  If they only considered it for a moment, they should be horrified at the thought that under that premise the remaining 99% of the world's population would be condemned to hell.  Is this not unchristian?

 

In the Catholic Church, there is the doctrine "outside the Church there is no salvation."  Some would justify and interpret the phrase "outside the church" liberally to mean non-acceptance of God.  But this is stretching the meaning too far.  The doctrine simply exhibits religion's most common defect --- intolerance.  It is like the belief of the Jews that they alone were the chosen people.

 

Basically, all religions consist of a set of beliefs called doctrines, set of conduct called commandments, and a system of reward and punishment:  heaven and hell, for example.   Their common denominator is the acknowledgment of the Creator and their duty to worship Him.  To God, therefore, a particular religion is a right or privilege given man to choose.  To Him, what matters is whether the individual is professing the set of doctrines and acting in accordance with his beliefs.

 

With the onset of the Age of Aquarius we set the record straight.   It is time to right man's selfishness even  in the matter of worshiping God.  It is time for the priests, ministers, espiritistas, and other religious leaders to accept true Christianity --- the Love of one's fellowmen --- and to stop criticizing or belittling other religions.

 

Simplicity is beauty.  It is a mark of genius.  How could one ever think that from the binary operations (yes and no, or 1 and 0) the computers will be invented. Who would think that the big radios can be transformed into tiny transistors?  Or the big calculators in the offices transformed into pocket size or even credit card size calculators?  Who would foresee that the big computers can be transformed into small family computers or even hand-held ones?

 

Religion has to follow this simplification.  Because of man's hardened hearts, it is not easy to do away with past beliefs..  It is not easy to open oneself to new ideas.  But progress marches on.  Religion has to follow.

 

To simplify religion, the following could be observed.

 

One can reduce the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses to the prescription:  Observe Right Thoughts, Right Words, and Right Deeds.  If one does so, he would find himself showing Love for his neighbors.

 

Pray Short But Pray Often.  When one prays for quite a long time the first five or ten minutes are OK, but in the succeeding minutes the concentration of the individual wanes.  Thus, it is more practical to pray short but often.

 

Meditate.  Meditate to evaluate yourself on how far you a re succeeding in perfecting yourself.  For the goal of everyone is Perfection ---  perfectly strong in Will Power, full of Intelligence, and oozing with Love for one's fellowmen. Meditate in order for you to receive pranic energy from heaven, to communicate with the spirits, and to gather information from the Universal Intelligence.

 

Then, Make a Church of Your Home.  The home should not be only for family gathering, for the satisfaction of material things, but also for spiritual development.  In making the home an altar of God, one is reminded that religion to be effective has to be a 24-hour service.   Religion does not commence when one enters the church and ends when one leaves its premises.  Services in church are very helpful but not necessary for one's perfection.

 

This simplified religion will embody all the beliefs in deity, all discoveries in the mystical arts and esoteric  sciences.  It will provide a unity of all religious beliefs.   But it will not look down upon any religion but rather will find a way on how to uplift the members.  It will be non-denominational, not bounded by the narrow beliefs in some religions.  One need not renounce his membership in any church.  He will just be enlightened.  He will be taught that man's stay on Earth is for him to perfect himself spiritually, that is perfectly strong in Will Power, Intelligence, and Love: These are the attributes of God.  When one has them, he is one with God.

 

Applying the indispensable law of duality, to perfect oneself spiritually requires that one has to detach himself from the influence of material things.  To be spiritual one has to free himself from affinity from material things like inordinate love of food, honor, sex, power, money, and all Earthly pleasures.  Surely, one can have riches but need not be imprisoned by them.  One can occupy position of authority but honor and power need not be his obsession.  One can have a sweetheart or a wife, but sex need not be his main preoccupation.  One will have to eat but food need not be his primordial goal.  He can enjoy these material things now and then but these should not be his obsession.  If having or not having these things does not affect him, then you say that one has succeeded in detaching himself from the pull of material things.  Material things are like a big electromagnet.  To detach oneself, one has to pull down the switch.

 

So in essence, the new religion will be:  Perfection of oneself in Will Power, Intelligence, and Love.  To attain these, practice Right Thoughts, Right Words, and Right Deeds.  Pray short but often.  Make a tiny Church of your home. Meditate.  Pray for and ask help from your Guardian Angel, the carrier of your prayers to God.

 

With these beliefs, one need not antagonize any religion.  And any member of any religion can practice these and automatically count himself a member of the new religion.  The advantage of this is that people need not be neurotic and tormented by the thought of going to hell and becoming damned forever.  One need not watch out for the last moment to say the act of contrition and receive the sacraments, and only then be saved and go to heaven.

 

Under this enlightened religion, one's salvation is automatic in the sense that his level of spiritual development will determine his "place in heaven."

 

Religion is not a one- or two-hour affair every Sunday but a 24-hour conscious preoccupation of the individual.  It does not mean one has to forget one's material duties on Earth.  Mastery of one's material duties is one aspect of mastering one's Will Power.

 

Salvation is an averaging system. One single act of contrition may save the individual but will not free him from the karmic debts he has accumulated in life.

 

Hopefully, with religion simplified, the hardened hearts of both the high and the mighty will be opened.  With its simplicity, the poor will understand and not bemoan his fate.   With its simplicity, the mighty will realize his responsibilities and the limited time on Earth available to him to perfect himself.  Therefore, both the poor and rich would act accordingly.  And, hopefully, peace will reign on Earth.