I think it is important that we first try to define Faith and what it means to us. When we speak of Faith do we mean faith in a philosophy? Faith in a person as Jesus Christ or Prophet Muhammed or the many others? Or do we have faith in rituals that we are told to practice by those who interpret religion to the common person.
If we have faith in a philosophy then that philosophy has to be vibrant and dynamic. It cannot and should not be a dogma. The philosophy practiced by any religious group is based on the foundation of Love, Understanding, Acceptance, Compassion and Appreciation, to mention just a few of the positive attributes of religion. We must not only interpret our religion in positive terms but we must live it. These positive attributes must define our relationships with each other and all of creation. Positive thoughts, it is said, lead to positive words and on to positive destiny.
If our Faith is centered around a personality or in a set of rituals defined by someone then we are opening the door to dogmatic practices which can lead to a deterioration in mental health.
Dogmatic approach to anything in life leads to fanaticism, a closing of the mind, and stagnation. Gandhi once said: "One's mind must be like a room with many open windows. Let the breeze blow in through all of them but refuse to be blown away by any one." We all know what happens when we stop fresh air from entering our homes or our lives. We go crazy and we can even die.
The religious fanaticism that we see in the world today is the result of dogmatic approach to Faith. We are prisoners of the past instead of becoming pilgrims of the Future. We are looking for God everywhere, except within ourselves. It is this frenetic search that leads to madness. There is no other Kingdom of God other than the one that should be within one's Heart and Soul.
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