It is interesting to consider the panic and mistrust that is generated when people start talking about forming a new religion. Where does this come from?
If someone proposed a new educational theory, medical approach, artistic technique or scientific theory, people rightly expect two things. One, is there a basis for the approach and two, is there some form of ability to have repeatable results in different contexts with different people.
Yet with Religion there appears to be some added hurdles, lest you be labelled a cult, sect or simply a group of crazies. There is a deep fear and even suspicion that gets generated if you mention a NEW religion. Why is this?
Could it be that many people have been manipulated by others promising ‘nirvana’ before? Of course, by manipulated I mean people choosing to take on a set of beliefs that suited their desire to escape or give away their power etc.
Could it be the harm that established religions have endorsed and perpetrated over centuries?
The current Royal Commission into Institutionalised Child Abuse in Australia is showing how established religions had clergy abusing children and then ignored what the children were saying to protect the image of the religion. The result was that clergy were often relocated, like a virus, and allowed to continue to offend.
Then there is the litany of religious wars, stoning, hanging, murders and genocides that have been carried out, either under the name of religion, or NOT prevented by them. Not to mention the segregation, discrimination and animosity generated between different religious groups and even within groups.
There is such incongruence in seeing institutions that purport to be able to help us understand an aspect of our lives that is so sacred and special to many, behaving in a way that is so contrary to that sacredness.
So considering all of this, it is understandable that we feel a level of sensitivity with the word religion.
Maybe we react because we have invested so much in a religion being ‘the way’. You can see people terrified that if their religion is not “it” there might be nothing else?
Is it that we get confused by seeing some amazing people living in religions that they seem to balance the harm that is perpetrated by others?
But what if the amazing, lovely, deeply caring people who are in religions are not amazing, lovely, deeply caring people because of the religion, but because of who they are within themselves?
After all, we also find amazing, lovely, deeply caring people who live outside of religion and in other religions, so the common factor is not the religion, it is the heart of the person and how they choose to live.
Could it be that we have mistaken religion for a set of ideologies, canons and doctrines rather than a way of living that connects us to and confirms what we feel within?
People seem tired of being promised so much by religion only to find that time and time again, the words and the deeds do not match up. The result is that people are very suspicious of people suggesting a NEW religion is needed.
But what if the great world teachers like Mohammed, Buddha, Jesus etc were right, and how we then interpret and live their messages is where the problem lies?
It is interesting to note that they all shared a view that the current religions of the day were missing the mark. They all suggest that the truth of a god is everywhere (which must also mean within), yet we have ended up with religions that vest power in the priests and away from self.
So maybe we don’t need to walk away from a religious way of being but rather return to the original meaning and purpose of religion.
- Religion is about the way we live in respect of and in connection to our own innate divinity.
- Religion is not about grand cathedrals and the politics of powerful clergy, but finding ways to honour the sacredness that is inherent within each person, wherever we live or work.
- Religion is not about showing us what we need to become but should be confirming of the glory that we already are.
- Religion is not about rigid guidelines that control and separate us but about giving us a framework for becoming a forever student of life.
- Religion is not about waiting for a saviour but about each person taking maximum responsibility for saving themselves.
- Religion is not about ‘doing good’ but about building a level of honesty, vitality and self love that can then shared.
- Religion is simply about building a way of living that confirms we are all equal and returning to the fact that we are not just humans, but spirits and souls learning how to reconnect to what we have pushed away for many, many lifetimes… our own innate and ever present divinity.
This is a religion that makes sense to me and this is the religion I have come to know as The Way of The Livingness.
Forever inspired by Serge Benhayon to develop my own relationship to religion, God and the light we are equally from.
By Joel Levin, Western Australia
Further Reading:
My Connection to God and Finding Real Religion
From Christian Belief and a Good Christian to Finding True Religion
The Way Of The Livingness Is A Religion
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
Interesting how as you say Elizabeth, that most ‘religions I am aware of seek to place their followers as being less or even sinners’, whereas historically one mainstream religion is notorious for having paedophiles as priests, and allowing these priests to carry on in their atrocious behaviours.
Wars, religions and politics all seem to go hand in hand. Maybe we need to re-evaluate what they are actually all bringing to us and thus bring in some true changes. The latest Robin Hood movie produced by Otto Bathurst gives some glaring examples of what can happen in our society and how corruption and greed bring about wars, religious bias and political instability.
When I studied history at school, certainly wars and religion seemed to go hand in hand, it was enough to put you off religion from early on.
Difficult topic to talk about, we have so many perceptions and ideals around the word, yet the core is missed out – the heart of the person.
Having a relationship with divinity is a very precious thing. When feeling how I’ve walked away from such can be at times very raw, so it makes sense that people balk at other religions, because to feel that we’ve walked away from a true relationship with divinity isn’t a minor thing initially but when I do feel it, it’s up and gone. There’s a lot of energy put into feeling that moment of sadness.
I have been very sceptical of religion growing up .. that and politics, because I could see the ugliness of the lies, greed, power, corruption. The complete bastardisation of it all. What I saw mostly had nothing to do with either truth or love. If I am honest I still have not embraced the actual word religion but I am starting to claim within my body more of what I know true religion to be which, as you shared so beautifully here, it is ‘about the way we live in respect of and in connection to our own innate divinity.’
Politics, as it stands, has so much corruption, so many lies, totally devoid of truth.
The word ‘religion’ conjures up a group of people who choose to abide by and are subjugated to a set of rules and dogma laid down by those in authority over that particular group. The Way of The Livingness offers the Ageless Wisdom of a way of living that is of, by and from Love. There are no rules just an opportunity to reconnect and live all the love that you are and to feel the Brotherhood of love equally in another.
True Mary, religion currently for most people conjures up a picture of a group of people who, ‘are subjugated to a set of rules and dogma laid down by those in authority over that particular group.’
It wasn’t until The Way of The Livingness came about that I started to take notice of what the origins of the word “religion'” meant and how to practically apply it to life. These days I am not afraid to say I am a religious person as I have a connection to that which is not human. There is a divinity to have a relationship with.
In the name of religion much betrayal, misinterpretation, abuse and death has occurred and our history is clear evidence of that. The question is are we learning from our history or not.
It appears that we go on and on to repeat the same old mistakes, are human beings lacking any true wisdom, or just slow learners, or is something else at play?
That is a great point – what if people are deeply caring and loving people regardless of their subscription to a religion. It makes great sense to ensure there is no blind following and not subscription to anything before there has been a thorough understanding of what the organisation stands for.
I had never considered by it was just a big deal to start a new religion, yet I can quite see how it would mess with the establishment more than anything else because it might empower connection as opposed to foster separation.
I find (and history keeps confirming this) that there is resistance to any change, be it in religion, education, health etc. Studying public health, it is amazing to read about significant historical events where there was irrefutable proof that a change was needed, and yet it takes another century for it to be fully accepted. What is revealed in these stories is power, people wanting to hang onto it, misusing it or scrambling for it. This is reflected in professional jealousy, patch/reputation protection, shunning of the person with the new idea etc.
“Religion is not about showing us what we need to become but should be confirming of the glory that we already are.” This is a major difference between the Way of the Livingness and every other religion – it places us as already being amazing and knows that life is about unfolding that out, whereas every other religion I know places you first as less then seeks for you to better yourself.
A very big and real difference, The Way of The Livingness ‘ places us as already being amazing and knows that life is about unfolding that out, whereas every other religion I know places you first as less then seeks for you to better yourself.’
We have a warped idea of what religion is, and many of our established religions propagate that, but the truth is we’ve chosen this, for there cannot be a supply without a demand. So why would we choose this .. could it be that we understand clearly that religion is our connection with God and the responsibility we have to live and be that in our lives with all we meet … could it be that we know in truth what religion truly is, but we’ve chosen comfortable ‘religions’ which do not ask that we be all we are and take responsibility, and then of course it’s simple to go further and understand that we question those new religions because they disrupt our comfortable illusions and ask us to start looking at how we live … and the audacity!
So true – how a ‘new’ religion is met with deep suspicion and fear. Amazing how this belief is so strongly ingrained in many of us that the institutionalized religions have monopoly over what we term as religion and anything that appears ‘new’ or outside them is not welcome – and this is despite all the wars and corruptions instigated by them that we have been observing throughout our history. Religion is something deeply beautiful and personal to us – our own relationship with divinity, that is innate and natural and not something outside us can give or validate or proffer over us. There is nothing new or old about this relationship, it just is. Ageless.
There are so many beliefs and thoughts about what religions are and there have been so many crimes, behaviours and ways of living that have come from what is thought to be religion. With all that you have written about what religion is, it seems we have turned what is religion into what is not a religion and what is not religion into religion. Its no wonder that in some sections of the community that there is such a reticence to religion. Religion itself is very simple, very loving and supportive in life, anything else is not religion.
An interesting quote from Serge Benhayon re religion, “If you understand what religion truly is, then everything is religion.”
Serge Benhayon
Esoteric Teachings & Revelations, p 46
I agree Elizabeth, that’s why it is so powerful and inspiring when we live the Livingness, talk is cheap but our lived ways is what represents true religion.
There has been a lot of harm and damage done by some of the mainstream religions; this has caused a vast majority of people to turn their back on religion and to be suspicious and cautious of a new religion when it is offered. I was one of those people so I can understand this attitude, there is a responsibility through my Livingness to reflect what true religion is, it’s not something weird or ‘out there’ it is about living and expressing love, truth, harmony and brotherhood etc and reminding others that we are all equally Sons of God.
I totally get what you mean about how there can be a knee-jerk reaction to a ‘new’ religion and also it is somewhat ironic when the values and principles of The Way of The Livingness are actually ancient, ageless and timeless and to me correlate with what religion is truly and was originally all about.
‘So maybe we don’t need to walk away from a religious way of being but rather return to the original meaning and purpose of religion.’ How true Joel, an opportunity to re-imprint what we have believed religion to be over many thousands of years, to live in a way that embraces us all in the love that we are.
For a true meaning of religion, Unimed Living has a great section on this topic, see
https://www.unimedliving.com/unimedpedia/word-index/unimedpedia-religion.html
Religion is about inspiring us to change the nature of our movements back to what is natural to us all. True religious teachings are those that help us in this endeavor.
We often try and find reasons for why people are as they are, with integrity, with kindness and of course the opposite too … we attribute it to perhaps their culture, their religions but rarely just to them – why is it that we miss that people are innately many of those things we admire and cherish and that their outward expressions in whatever form merely confirm it? Could it be that in loosing connection to ourselves, our inner most we then attempt to find outer forms to regulate us, when in fact all that is needed is we connect to ourselves.
“Religion is simply about building a way of living that confirms we are all equal and returning to the fact that we are not just humans,…” – This statement is so powerful in and of itself, in that if we could just adopt this as our truth (which it inescapably is), perhaps we would then not just settle for less and accept that being human equates to all the abuse, war, disease, fighting, and disharmony that we have accepted as ‘just the way it is’ or ‘it has always been that way in humanity so it will always stay that way’, which is nothing but an excuse to continue down this self-destructive path. But if we begin with the understanding that we are so much more than physical beings, but actually spirits coming back to our natural soulful selves, it puts life in a whole other context, as none of these disharmonious ways of being are a way for the Soul.
Maybe the microscope that we place over and use to inspect all that appears new needs to also be placed over that which is ‘the current way’. This applies to more than just religion, it applies to how we live, how we educate, how we work, our health care systems etc. When someone comes with a different way they are scrutinized beyond measure, while those invested in the old ways critique and condemn. Yet if we turned that same focus on the old ways, it would expose all that does not work, most would not come up to the measure that is being placed on something new- interesting!
I love this tenet: “Religion is not about waiting for a saviour but about each person taking maximum responsibility for saving themselves.” I think this is part of why we resist true religion, it asks us to take absolute responsibility for ourselves and not lean on anything else or look for something to save us, but what if the magic is in us and we actually hold the key?
“So maybe we don’t need to walk away from a religious way of being but rather return to the original meaning and purpose of religion.” – very well said and with great understanding of why we may well want to walk away from what we have seen done in the name of ‘religion’ but that actually it wasn’t truly religious at all…
Religion has caused so many issues in my and no doubt many other lifetimes.
My background is Indian and I come from the Hindu religion and within this are further religions that separate and divide us, thinking that one religion is superior than the other.
I recalled when ever I cared for a woman in labour, she birthed in the same way as another, she cared for her baby in the same way as another – Love, it has no boundaries.
The Way of The Livingness has no separation in fact it brings us together as one, and from the one source.
‘The common factor is not religion, it is the heart of the person and how they choose to live’ – and I wanted to add love.
“the common factor is not the religion, it is the heart of the person and how they choose to live.” The Way of The Livingness presents a way to live that is a way to return to the Divine love we all are.
At what stage is a new religion accepted now? It behoves humanity to feel what is being presented , and then to contemplate simply that.
Religion is about many relationships. A relationship of intention to connect to God, all others, myself and being in full appreciation of the awareness this brings in leading a life of integrity and responsibility of all my thoughts and actions.
It’s very true Joel, that we are “spirits and souls learning how to reconnect to what we have pushed away for many, many lifetimes… our own innate and ever present divinity.” It’s never made sense to me either in religion or new age spirituality that no one talks about divinity being innate. As Sons of God we are born from divinity, and religion to me is in living this everyday.
Could the distrust in forming a new religion be that subconsciously people know that there is a true religion but what is presented as such is not and that they do not want to be duped again?
What if a lot of the power that is given to organised religions is based on a fear of there being nothing else? This is a fantastic question, and I wonder how much of that fear is generated from the beliefs we have in general about death, passing over, and reincarnation?
So many people can be triggered when you mention the word ‘religion’ as they have been affected by the bastardised version of the meaning, so of course a new ‘religion’ comes along and many are very cautious and suspicious and can even judge it before it evens has a chance to establish itself. The Way of The Livingness also makes perfect sense to me and is a true religion that reconnects you back to God, a religion that unifies people and is about living love and truth everyday and sharing this equally with others.
” Maybe we react because we have invested so much in a religion being ‘the way’. You can see people terrified that if their religion is not “it” there might be nothing else? ” This is partly the response I get but also its the fact that people have invested so much in their religion and for it not to be true would be devastating for them , as they and their family would have been conned or fooled into living a way that has been futile.
I agree, John, for if they have made this mistake what is there that they can trust? A very scary place to be and one that for many seems too great to face.
We accept or don’t even blink when we see something familiar or that a lot of people are doing. It’s like we are swayed by numbers, 100 years as opposed to 1 year, 100 people as opposed to 1 person. The weight of numbers gives us comfort in what we choose or are choosing. When it comes to starting a ‘new Religion’ I can see comically almost how we don’t even need to find out more about something or study what it’s saying, we just sit swayed by numbers. Is everything truly that predicable that we can just shut off and blindly accept anything regardless of what it has been or what it has done. I look at our current main religions and can see many holes in their stories and many holes in how they have chosen to be and yet acceptance remains, why? Are we know longer flexible in our view once we have accepted something blindly or once we have accepted something because of a part of what is being said. Everything has many parts and in that it’s our responsibility that no matter how well or for how long we have known something to discern it’s truth from how it feels. This is not a trial and error approach but one of an ever expanding awareness of how things truly feel.
Horrendous things have been done and continue being done in the name of religion.
Some were/are visible. Others were/are not. Everybody knows that. When new religions come to the fore, people may fear this. Yet this is not the only possibility: they may fear a reflection of light that exposes the ugliness of what they prefer to not see in the religion they have chosen.Or they may fear that new religions may expose the fact that the circle does not square with the religion of their choice and the fact that they feel trapped in it because they feel it is the best option, everything else considered.Some may also like to close their eyes regarding what they see does not add up to their natural sense of truth. The second and third scenarios may get very intense if one has a very strong will not to see what is true, particularly if there is a new religion that transpires truth and cannot be faulted in any way (fact that eliminates also the possibility of the first scenario).
Beautifully said Joel, . . “So maybe we don’t need to walk away from a religious way of being but rather return to the original meaning and purpose of religion” . . . The Way of The Livingness is a religion that has offered just that; true purpose and the understanding that it is our connection and relationship with what lies within, (our very essence,) that is the foundation of all our relationships to others and to the world. This connection ensures the energetic responsibility to live in accordance to the love that we are.
There is no doubt in me that it is an evil act when a man or woman claim to be doing good but their behaviours are otherwise yet it is even more evil when the abuse and harm are covered up to protect themselves, their institution and not only that, left to carry on.
If an already established ‘religion’ was truly serving all, why the need for a new one? The fact that a new religion is being formed already questions the standard of what the established religion is claiming to deliver. I guess some people don’t like that very much.
Mention the word religion and it either sets alarm bells ringing or switches people off, so to hear of a new religion can be for some people difficult to grasp given how much we have bastardised and misused. the word religion. I love this last paragraph; it sums up for me what religion is about, not something we shy away from but as you say here…. “Religion is simply about building a way of living that confirms we are all equal and returning to the fact that we are not just humans, but spirits and souls learning how to reconnect to what we have pushed away for many, many lifetimes… our own innate and ever present divinity.”….This for me is my absolute truth too. Thank you Joel for expressing this.
Thank you Joel for a great blog, what you have shared gives me a greater understanding of the adverse reactions a new religion is given. So much betrayal, mistrust and hypocrisy exists in many established religions that people can view any new religion with suspicion. The Way of The Livingness offers to us truth love equality and true brotherhood, with connection to our own inner heart we are deeply connected to each other. It is a religion that unifies not separates.
I am shy of coming out and expressing how dear The Way of The Livingness is to me but this line makes me have more understanding for myself. “So considering all of this, it is understandable that we feel a level of sensitivity with the word religion.”
Joel, when you talk about what the values are of a true religion, it makes me realise how normal it is and the shyness just melts away and is replaced by a sense of urgency to share love with the world.
Oh so much in here! “People seem tired of being promised so much by religion only to find that time and time again, the words and the deeds do not match up. ” This was me from a little girl. I took myself off to the church at the end of our road each week only to be told I shouldn’t be in there, I should be in Sunday school. I was crushed. I didn’t want to be in Sunday school I wanted to be in there, working it out, seeing what it was like. I never went back. I just kept looking outside for what I knew to be true instead till I had given up on what was inside being true. I can’t believe I gave up when I look back now. I am so pleased I am on my way home now, thank you for this blog reminding me of the way.
“So maybe we don’t need to walk away from a religious way of being but rather return to the original meaning and purpose of religion..” I love your list of what true religion is – and is not. I shied away from orthodox religion because no-one seemed to walk their talk – in stark contract to Serge Benhayon who is integrity personified.
Many are turning their backs on religion because of the hypocrisy they feel and see in the behaviours with many of the apparently devout leaders or followers. But as an unfortunate consequence of this withdrawal they also can become disillusioned with God too. What I don’t understand is why turn your back on God and blame God for something a person who has misinterpreted truth has done?
A great point Suse – ‘why turn your back on God and blame God for something a person who has misinterpreted truth has done?’ So much truth has been bastardised – by humans – and until we can allow ourselves to read situations – and people – energetically – we can be fooled.
You raise powerful questions throughout this inspiring blog Joel. And, yes, in my experience, a way of living (The Livingness) as presented by Serge Benhayon, Universal Medicine offers the true answer to this question.
Could it be that we have mistaken religion for a set of ideologies, canons and doctrines rather than a way of living that connects us to and confirms what we feel within?
We have had many lives being set up by lies, betrayal, deceit an loveless acts from many ‘Religions’ all to create fear, doubt and mistrust for when the true ‘Religion’ appears. A plan that is far greater than many wish to see.
Religion is generally believed to be a great power, this power is generated from the same mindset and movement of a collective. So whether this is a great power that heals or a great power that harms depends on what the movement is. What the movement is thus depends on every heart of every person who is in this religion and the way they express—whether they express fully what the heart knows or they hold back in expressing. A movement that is initiated from the heart speaks truth, a movement that resists the impulses of the heart leaves truth behind. So what really makes a religion true, is what is driving this religion to be.
Oh I love the simplicity of this comment Adele. I know there are so many people who know that what is in their heart holds truth, and it is this truth that binds us all together. We have been sold a version of the words heart and love that make us think it is all about cards, chocolates and roses but that misses the mark completely. I feel like I have had yet another layer of illusion peeled off my eyes!