It seems we reserve this word for gross acts of violence, shootings, bombings, cyber attacks etc. by what we consider to be extremist groups. Clearly very obvious evil at play.
However, is there at play much more extreme and wide spread forms of terrorism every day, right before our eyes, that we have chosen to be blind participants of? Subtle they seem, but not so subtle once exposed and seen.
Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism, subtle as that ‘terrorism’ may be.
Religion in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity; designed to control and “support” only its membership. This subtle yet successful global divide is one point in question.Yes we are to support but the moment it is for one’s own kind, it is separation.
Should it not be a full support for all equally without having words or teachings that clearly divide? Of course true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.
This was the original basis of teaching of all the major religions until they were bastardised for the gain of a select few, and the masses without discern and grasping at hope and with what they felt may supply them with the truth and brotherhood they know exists, gave their power away to.
Not all that institutionalised religions say represents the truth, true brotherhood, true love and the true joy that we all are in our essence. In fact, it can be said with a catalogue of historical evidence that they are devised to separate humanity, except in my experience “The Way of The Livingness” via our inner heart.
By Kevin Doyle
Further Reading:
The Way It Is – A Treatise on Energetic Truth
The Way of The Livingness is a Religion
True Reflection, The Way of The Livingness & The 5 Elements of God
From Christian Belief and a Good Christian to Finding True Religion
The Truth about Universal Medicine 
Terrorising is creating terror. You cannot create terror in a body that confirms itself constantly. To create terror you have to make sure that someone is totally out of his/her body and feed that constantly. Once you understand this and get clear what institutionalized religions do in your body, you can see that they are not it. Nothing in them confirms you being in your body. They reign upon your life based on a fear they create and they offer to help you manage. This is what makes The Way of The Livingness to be a totally different experience. It is about confirming you deeply in your body.
Pondering on Love today a few questions arose, so let’s go there? What you have shared Kevin fits simply into what I was feeling, as words can never convey what will bring us a complete understanding of Love. Simply as soon as we feel that we have a grasp on Love it deepens within us, so the goal posts are continually moving and we have to realign to a deeper level of Love. So that which we already have as our standard for Love, is that ever going to be enough Love? Then we also have so much in the way of deeply understanding how Love and it’s true wisdom works.
The way of the Livingness offers us a true religion that is not separative or elite and requires only a true connection to one’s inner heart and from there we have true religion as we re-align to our soul and God.
A religion that incites an act of violence or the massacre of people cannot be a religion, there is nothing divine about an act of hate or violence and to associate it with the sacredness of religion is a complete bastardisation of what religion truly is.
I suppose the question then needs to be asked of, in what ways are we willing to live with terrorism, obviously its most obvious ways are abhorrent. But what about how subtle it can be and what about the organisations who, in their subtlety, actually supply the breeding ground for a kind of interpersonal terrorism that exists between people because if something promotes judgement and social isolation then isn’t this a subtler form of the terror that later becomes the gross acts against humanity which we all then look at and watch with horror? Perhaps the horror is coming in too late? What if we started with horror right from the first point of or act of judgemental words spoken? What if this was so abhorrent that from there all life had to stop and change in order to start again?
All religious expression has to come from our inner essence if it is to be truly religious.
’Is there at play much more extreme and wide spread forms of terrorism every day, right before our eyes, that we have chosen to be blind participants of?’ – yes there is, and those subtleties condition people from a very young age and I could feel this in the Hindu religion I was growing up in. One of the pressures and guilts I often felt, was not performing the morning divas (lighting a small cotton wool ball shaped into a wick soaked in ghee – purified butter) and burning incense. If I followed this, then I was seen to be a ‘good’ religious person, otherwise I could feel the frowning and disapproval by my parents.
The Way Of The Livingness is my religion now, no expectations, no outcomes, no agendas but to truly bring us back to who we are – from the Oneness.
One day we will all wake up to the fact that there is more terrorism in the seemingly benign acts of charity than there are in the cruellest war. This may appear to be a radical statement but not so when we consider that there is a greater evil (the absence of true love) in ‘the good’ then there can ever be in ‘the bad’ and this is simply because such charitable acts, while seemingly well intentioned, do nothing to heal the divide we all feel when living in separation to our Soul, but rather take us further away from this connection in the guise that we are making the world ‘better’ when really all we are doing is drifting further away from true union. At least with war the violence is visible. If we are immersed in ‘doing good’ (as many religions are) then we are twice blinded because we are not able to see what is going on beneath the surface due to the chosen illusion that all is well.
The one and only evil is when someone is not connected to their heart and leaves the door open for lovelessness energy to enter, as we are love by nature, not being that love and being connected to our love inside, is an assault to our body, hence an opening where other energy (lovelessness) comes through.
We can so easily separate ourselves from another and that in itself is an act of terrorism. Imagine trying to police that?
The Way of The Livingness is open to all equally with no separation, it is a Way to Live with Love.
Great point, what leads to terrorism is separation and how many little things in the world promote separation? I think the answer is many, many! From religion to fashion magazines – could we all be contributing to what we hate in the world much more than we realise?
Thank you for drawing the connection between terrorism and organised religion. Despite religion meaning our relationship and reconnection with God, organised religions currently foster separation. This is between religions, between men and women, gay and heterosexual, even between sects within the one religion. Some religions have specialised in striking fear into their parishioners, with threats that they will go to hell. All this certainly is terrorism and a far cry from the original intention of true religion.
Yes if terrorism is violence with a political view behind it, the separation that is caused by current religions is definitely terrorism. If we look at the history of many religions there has been (and still are) a lot of wars and desolation because of them.A true religion has at its core ‘the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’.
Anything that creates an us and them and fostering fear or even doubt in another could be classes as an act of terrorism. Makes me wonder if I still hold myself in any group/s away from others.
Yes it’s true. Organised religion is both an obvious and subtle form of terrorism like you say Kevin. Once we look beyond the front cover of the book we realise it’s just a ploy to keep group A from talking to group B etc etc. It’s just not what humanity is truly about.
Under the banner of religion, many hate crimes have been and are still being committed daily. How is it that people can be murdered due to their belief in another religion and the world stands by and lets it continue. The ethnic cleansing which is occurring against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar is a prime example of this.
I agree Julie, these awful acts of violence against people need to be called for what they are – a crime, and not be excused by the banner of “religion”.
It is essential that we restore the integrity and the innate truth of the word religion in this era now.
True religion unites and when this union is compromised in any way shape or form we can not name it religion but as what Kevin shared, we have to call it by its real name and that is terrorism.
The word terrorism brings up great fear and hatred for many across the globe, but do we not experience seemingly sinister abuse situations in our everyday? It is our choice to take a moment to look at the part we may play within this and see how the way we move, express and live can bring great truth to the all and shift the paradigm for what responsibility truly means. We can all diminish separatism and abuse to initiate a more honest and open path to living a life that not only holds us all but supports us to be within our days and that then expresses a truly religious life from our loving movements made.
A very succinct and concise history and explanation of how institutionalised religion came to be – borne out of the original premise of religion being about the ‘re-alignment to the ALL’ and then having been bastardised for self-gain. This is a reflection of much – of taking something so precious and twisting it to be the entire opposite of what it is.
‘Yes we are to support but the moment it is for one’s own kind, it is separation.’ This is seen across the globe not only in religion of course but in culture, nationality and education. There is much to look at. It is worth taking a step back to re-evaluate and to turn the finger back on ourselves and begin to eradicate any beliefs or indeed any ideals that we may still have that get in the way of us feeling that we are all equal and that we would wholeheartedly support any member of the human race from the stillness of our inner heart, without sympathy nor investment of any kind but with alignment to truth, harmony and love, joyfully so.
Institutionalised Religion has had a free reign of terror for many centuries now. Surely it is time to address what we have allowed.
” it can be said with a catalogue of historical evidence that they (man-made religion ) are devised to separate humanity, except in my experience “The Way of The Livingness” via our inner heart.” I agree.
It seems to me that the “Terrorism” that some man-made religions inflict on people, especially children, is shocking and can have some very sad and long-term consequences.
Thank you Kevin, indeed The Way of The Livingness is the only religion without any impositions only the truth of who we are on our way back to soul.
A great exposure Kevin, that for me highlights just how much we have allowed and accepted the subtle degrees of terrorism to be normalised in our society and as such in our lives. We are indeed responsible for what we have allowed to develop, and it certainly does come back to the marker of reading, feeling and discerning if what is being presented represents the truth and the love that represents us all. For if we hold true and live the principles that are led from our inner-heart we negate the need for terrorism of any degree, as the way of the inner-heart represents that way of brotherhood, the way of truth and love, the way of us all.
The Way of The Livingness is the real deal and this is seen in the lives of those who live it.
Yes agree Katie, it is interesting that they feel exempt from any accountability whatsoever for their criminal behaviour.
Thank you Kevin, you highlight a great point here ‘Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism’. It’s crazy the way so many have turned a blind eye to the subtle and not so subtle corruption that many Religions seem to consider quite ‘normal’.
Beautiful Kevin – as the world needs honesty to undo the evil brought and created by us. For instituitionlized religion is the absolute act of separation of mankind. Not only in human flesh but of our energetic true source (the essence of where we all come from).
I agree Kevin and also feel to add that our movements form a pattern and or rhythm for our lives and how we live it, showing us that terrorism is not just felt and seen from distant parts of the world but it can also be a quality in which we ourselves feel and move in.
Yes Kevin I agree , I know for myself that as a child I felt terrorised by the Roman Catholic religion when at the innocent age of 5 years I was told I was a sinner and I committed crimes against God. I also felt terrorised by the fact that my parents agreed with this terrorised organisation the Roman Catholic Church.
Religion is a movement back to the love that we are. It is that which binds us together as we return to Soul. Any thought, word or act that does not hold true to this cannot in essence be religious but merely that which exists to knock us off this path.
Institutionalised religion’s grip on so many is based on terror. The terror of dying and having to pay for in the afterlife. So, the use of terror is at their heart and so many fall for it and end up doing what they could not have done otherwise.
I agree – terrorism is not just about bombing or shooting, it is about annihilating others in the name of its own righteousness, and I can feel how I employ a dose of this same energy when I judge someone.
Great point Kevin, It feels to me that anything away from Love and not living from that truth can be felt as terrorism, sabotage to ourselves.
Institutionalised religions were founded on the reinterpretation of what the true messengers and teachers spoke and lived, for all to see and be inspired by. And thus, a true religion would also have to be open to what is next while not pandering to but being responsive to or ahead of present times.
Yesterday I was listening to a radio program about the great partition 70 years ago when India split to become India and Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands were killed; it’s horrifying that war and such brutality can come in the name of ‘religion’ when in the eyes of God we are all equal.
“…… true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.
This was the original basis of teaching of all the major religions until they were bastardised for the gain of a select few,” So true Kevin. Until we wake up and are able to discern energetically what is going on in many areas of society we will be able to be hood-winked by those who have power – the major religions being no exception – as the men who promoted them picked and chose tenets that fitted their ideology.
A great blog, thank you Kevin for sharing, I was brought up a Catholic but in my twenties it came to my attention the stories about the dark ages and the roll the church played in the dreadful atrocities that were carried out all because another believed differently. I was absolutely horrified and deeply saddened that the church I loved could do such terrible things, from that day forward I never entered that religion ever again.
Yes, I agree Kevin, the word terrorism is the word that we all fear but as you point out are so many forms of this that have been subtly weaved their way into society; in some ways they are worse, as they are not recognised for their true separative nature and in some cases are commonly mistaken for “good”.
A powerful blog Kevin, you are spot on, terrorism is a word like ‘abuse’ that we have diminished in meaning to refer only to the most extreme expressions today. And we will never eradicate these extreme expressions we rally so furiously against until we address every last bit of its expression in less overt forms.
Anything in life that divides or separates us as people moves us away from our true nature, whether that be competitive sport, religion, cultural identification, looking out for just immediate family, not living love etc.
Every part of us that would not hold all as equal, contributes to this great divide amongst us, doesn’t it… And also contributes to acts of violence from the ‘seemingly small’ to the more large scale…
We indeed have a long way to go, in order to no longer seed forth division, hatred, abuse and violence amongst our one humanity, and the restoration of the true meaning and lived way of religion is essential in the process.
Strong article – with many true points, one’s that can expose the evil in our lives. One of them is comfort: keeping quiet, not raise above what is ‘accepted’, not express yourself when you feel to, not let people in your heart, checking out with music, thoughts or food, disengaging from people, putting up a guard to protect yourself etc. etc. There are so so many. Those comforts keep us in a certain level that does not push the buttons or ask us to truly commit to life, hence, we can pretend we are doing a little and that it is enough – whilst actually it is needed for us to do it in full and not hold back on were we can go with this.. The power is beyond our imagine or vision beyond our speech or hearing. Awesome. Lets get to know the truth and expose those comforts right now.
Yes, institutionalised religion makes a mockery of brotherhood and unity. Whenever you present your truth as ‘the truth’ there is separation. In truth, there can only be one truth – how can there be different ‘versions’ of the truth? Truth is absolute: there is either truth, or not truth. Mankind’s goal is to get to one unified truth.
An insightful blog Kevin. We also have the other great terrorist, the one that constantly wants a war with ourselves, bringing disharmony, dwell doubt, fear, separation, loveless-ness and any other thing that is not love.
Institutionalised religion down the ages has always promoted the interests of a few and incited many into wars etc causing untold harm and suffering and continually deepening the widespread sense of separation that now pervades so much of humanity. It is time for them to be held to account for the many acts of terrorism perpetuated in their name down the ages and still continuing today.
I wholeheartedly agree that many institutionalised religions have shown themselves to be ‘terrorist’ organisations. So many people have been killed throughout history in the name of religion but when we look back their murders have had nothing to do with religion and everything to do with self gain, greed and downright jealously.
It may seem extreme at first, but when we see the precious delicacy we are naturally designed to be, we will understand what you say, Kevin Doyle, that anything less than this care and warmth and body awareness is vandalism and an attack on you and me. And when we go against ourselves we go against everybody. So I agree the war on terrorism starts with us, with us all – I don’t want to live anymore with fear and nerves and stress. No more terror.
What you share here turns the coin and shows us the other side that we don’t like to see that much of our lives and society is corrupted, and that Terrorism is much more prevalent than we would like to see it to be. It is coming in many ways and flavours, in religions, companies and organisations, that are here dividing us.
A true and powerful exposé, Kevin. The horrible insidiousness of traditional religion is its ‘goodness’, professing love and all that is good when in fact its actions, through the separation you expose, is the complete opposite.
All of our various traditional religions have differing and even contrasting views indoctrinated into their belief systems, beliefs that govern their follower’s perceptions of themselves, others and world around them. It is these actual beliefs that make people think their religion is superior of which only serves to keep the wider community and humanity separate as fed from the better than less then mentality. But, people are people and are all equal regardless of what religion they believe in for as you have shared so beautifully Kevin, “true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.”
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” If we apply this fact to institutionalised religions it exposes the lies and total corruption these are built on and only serve to divide and create mayhem among humanity with the illusion of enlightenment without love or respect of each other’s differences.
Terrorism is extreme bullying and can only be acted out by someone who is separated from true love and has succumbed to an emotional version of love
Terrorism is separation of the all and one that shows up not only in religious groups but in many other more subtle forms too. A separation from the heart is a separation of the all and that is an attack on the one divine god of all.
I love this blog because it calls a spade a spade so to speak. Institutionalized religion has caused an enormous amount of destruction and it is fair to say that it has been involved in the business for turning one person against another for a very long time. It is definitely time for all organized religions to address their past and own up to the root cause of the corruption and crime within its ranks.
Organised religions devised to separate humanity – well said Kevin! I agree, and have also experienced The Way of The Livingness offering true religion, one that is about true equality not a pretend kind that is selective and based on hypocrisy.
The Way of The Livingness is the only religion that matches 100% with what I have always felt to be true. There is no aspect of it that leaves me feeling uncomfortable or unsure. The terrorism aspect that goes hand in hand with many religions is about control. Throughout the ages many control tactics have been used. Now the control is very evident in the way the major religions (that have proven themselves to be untrue) are used to denigrate anyone or anything that shows a true path back to who we are.
Institutionalised religions all too often seem to have their own survival and continuity in mind rather than true goodwill and the inclusiveness of all at heart.
It is true, and great you expose this in the way you do Kevin. All that is separating us from the connection with the brotherhood we innately know can be called terrorism, the churches are a great example for this.
Spot on Kevin Doyle. Any ‘religious’ act or creed that seeks to keep man locked out of the Kingdom of his inner-heart and thus in separation to his fellow Brother is an act of terrorism designed with the intent of blocking us from knowing who we, both men and women, truly are – the equal Sons of God.
A beautiful reminder Kevin ‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’ Very true and The Way of The Livingness is the only religion I have known that is based on this deep wisdom and truth.
The foundation and commonality of all the major religions is Love. Any of the wide variations beyond that seem to come down to man’s reinterpretation of a teaching they are yet to fully live or the many ways that self-interest and inequality can play out.
There is much to ponder on what “Religion” as we know it today has brought the world we live in. Yes, there are the obvious acts of violence and indecency and protectionism that comes with that – all in the name of religion. But there is also how religion, as we know it today, has blatantly treated people, including how religion regards women. It’s quite interesting to consider this, as to why would many of the religions treat any one group of people any different from any other. However the worst thing with all of this, almost attempting to cover up their mistakes without acknowledging them honestly, is to hide them in the ‘good works’ being done. It’s easy to ignore the whole story when only the ‘good works’ are seen and acknowledged and we can hide ourselves in the good as well.
Far too much hurt has been caused and is still being caused in the name of religion, when it’s not true, for the truth of religion is of re-unification and bringing together, being in relationship. How are the current religions of the world actually doing this?…and we have to ask are they doing this? Frankly, with the way most carry on, with the hurt that’s been caused, it is keeping so many people from understanding what religion is; our relationship with ourselves, our relationship with others, our relationship with our place in the world and the universe. But ultimately it’s our relationship to God and understanding that we are being offered in every single moment the opportunity to connect even deeper to the grandness of who we are and where we come from, and God walks with us always, constantly communicating so we eventually get it. We are never left. That’s the sadness in the way we see religion (or not) at the moment, for I agree, it keep us separated from the wonder of all we can potentially come to know.
It is a vast statement to say that institutionalized religion is terrorism. We can often feel some tension when admitting and talking about ‘institutionalized’ religion, because often there comes a fight with it, as it has been all about right and wrong. We have either given our power away to it, another person or situation, yet this is not the place to truly find that which is ‘religion (rebind, in its true origin latin meaning). Hence, we can shake a little or feel disturbed when institutionalized religion is being called upon because we can sense something is not true. Equally we can feel the many horrors that have occurred from the institutionalized religion, and ongoing horrors, whether being in it or outside of it. We all have felt the effects in some way and until the day we can strongly feel and see them. Hence to call it for what it is in truth, is a great start of the empowering journey back to ourselves – a true re-ligion.
Another vile and powerful form of Terrorism is the war within ourself, that we created by giving our power away to living in the illusion of separation and individualism. This is a long way from being in and living from, the truth of our Divine Essence, Union and True Brotherhood on earth.
There were lots of doctrines but the transfer to application in lived life and importance of self care was very lacking. In fact, strangely, the more you sacrificed yourself for another the grander you were in my understanding. I genuinely thought this was the way till I was so exhausted I couldn’t actually continue any longer. It was so detrimental to my children, my husband, my friends, my family. No-one actually benefitted from my martyrdom and yet I thought I was doing Gods work. What I have found since taking care, nurturing and valuing myself, is that I have been far more supportive of others and have the capacity for far more when it is truly needed.
When we move from our divine way we are moving with the all. The real beauty lies in these movements for we have the greatest opportunity to be one with all or separate further and watch more abuse unfold. It is the separation that keeps the momentum of abuse and terrorism flowing and it can only be halted by another choice to move in a way that denies this and returns us to our true divine truth. Love the one equaliser and game changer to bring clarity back, to clear the fog that has invaded the world.
Love has no boundaries it just is, it is all around us and equally within each and everyone of us. False religion has boundaries and borders, it separates and divides separating us not just from each other but from the love that resides, that we truly are.
I doubt that many, myself included, would be willing to entertain and fully feel how any action or affiliation to a group or behaviour, if not serving to unite all in love is not different to acts of terrorism. But as I am learning if any act, word, thought is not coming from love then it belongs to the energy that leads to harm in the many faces it takes on Earth. Judging myself or others doesn’t work, only being open to understanding can we ever learn the difference between what is loving and unifying and what is harming and separating.
The history of many religions include the inciting of war, pitting one religion against another, fighting over the one same God. “My way”, “No, my way”. No wonder many reject being cast as any particular religion, for the energy it carries when bloodshed and pitting one man against another is involved, is not one of love. Innately I feel we all know this.
Yes separation doesn’t have to be between countries, families or even football teams, it can be with our partners, flatmates, and it starts with separation within ourselves which is what leads to the perception of separation from others and all the consequent actions that arise from this false and dangerous delusion.
So true Kevin – love is without borders or divide, and so if we live in any separation, if there is not equalness, then there is not true Love, no true brotherhood and no true Religion.
So true. We never talk about the very separation that is going on right under our noses. It’s like it’s all too much for us to clean up our own backyards because we’re too busy looking over the fence at the neighbour’s mess and then of course judging them for it.
It’s true that many of the extreme forms of terrorism we see relate to a religious belief that has spread into an evil act. Which must, you would think, make us question such religions and how they have been interpreted, except it doesn’t. But of course what Kevin is talking about is the everyday terrorism of how religion is used to control, manipulate and shape the actions of a great mass of people. It is our job to question and not blindly follow, the more we do this the less religion can grip us in such unhealthy ways.
Kevin this is so true, there is so much at play then what gets reported on the news about terrorism often the media blame one person and focus on that yet there are many more extreme and wide spread forms of terrorism every day that go un noticed.
Terrorism in institutionalised religions is exposed by instilling the belief that if you do not conform to the man-made dogmas and traditions of the religion then you are an outcast. True religion is an awareness of the Divinity within all and working together with all of humanity to bring us all back to the One Unified Truth.
Any religion that does not teach that we are each an equal son of God and that we have both a spirit and a Soul, has its roots in an evil that seeks to keep humanity divided and in opposition to each other. The vast majority of the religions that exist today are a complete corruption of the original teachings that let us know in no uncertain terms that it is our spirit that has led us on a course of self identification and gratification via the many ill fed beliefs that we are somehow greater or lesser than another, and that it is this ‘wayward fragment’ that chose to separate from the light and love of the Soul and thus must re-turn to that which it was once a part of. Terrorism lies where love does not.
‘Love has no borders’ if we kept this as the facet of our everyday approach to life the world would be such a different place. We would see everybody no matter who they are as equally loving being, we would try to reserve our love for certain people etc.. It is amazing how when I ponder on just that what a difference it would make to the whole world!
Interesting take on the word terrorism Kevin. Whilst we have the extreme and obvious forms of terrorism that we clearly know is terrorism and evil, does that then mean we accept the subtle and lesser forms of evil – because we do not see the harm they do so easily? It is a case of settling for better rather than true? I feel so – and it happens a lot in our world.
How many of us almost cower at the word religion and what it stands for due to all the institutionalised religions and what they have done over the ages to totally bastardise the word and way of living. With the real meaning of the word being explained properly and the beauty of it shining again we can go forth knowing there is a true path of return.
“Yes we are to support but the moment it is for one’s own kind, it is separation.” Super clear and true words, until we are supporting the all we are supporting only our own hurts. This is false brotherhood, true brotherhood and connection is our own connection to the All and thus with everyone.
When religion divides and separates communities, families and humanity as a whole by causing terrorism to those that are not of their own faith, there has to be another way of bringing religion back that is for all of humanity to honour and accept each other, and not be part of what separates and divides but brings together the many and the few to a greater life of love and acceptance.
The extremes of behaviour are an easy one to spot. But the extremes are getting more extreme; the violence, abuse, self-abuse and really no-one is stopping to ask why? Is it easier to make comment on the extremes and then say thank goodness that is not me and as a result fail to see what we have accepted in our own life that is abusive. This is true from my own experience. For what I am coming to see is that what we allow into our own lives creates the energy that allows the extremes to take hold. Therefore the more loving we are in our own lives the more we reduce the oxygen content for the energy of the extreme to take hold – in whatever guise it deems to take.
Thank you Kevin for your blog on terrorism, and the separation that false religion brings, when in truth we are all one and The Way of The Livingness offers us that unity in love for all, no borders or boundaries.
Thank you Kevin for a great insight into Religion and what it means ;”True religion is about the re alignment to the all that is love, and love has no borders or divide”.
Kevin, awesome blog and very revealing. We have a notion of what we think terrorism is and what evil is but essentially anything that separates us and divides us is evil.
Incredible blog Kevin Doyle, very powerful to say and claim what you feel is true for you. And how indeed many many, if not almost all, embrace separatism more than true universal unity (union) and so the lies are exposed. We can either hide them or let them dry on the surface. But at the end all will be known and measured by condition-less Love.
A subtle form of terrorism is indeed no less damaging and in some ways worse as it fosters the more extreme versions.
One of the greatest examples of the bastardisation of the word religion is if you claim to be religious, but do not claim affiliation to one of the mainstream branches of religion, then you are told you are not religious, but either spiritual ( if it is a personal relationship you have developed of your own accord), or a cult, if you claim to be inspired by the lived way of another. Either way, the authority of your belief is diminished by such an attempt to place your beliefs in a box of some kind, so that it can be cataloged and compartmentalised as though to do so makes it more easily understood. Of course, such attempts to erode the authority of what one believes do not deter the one whose religious way is not based on belief but on a lived understanding of what they follow, and who uses their own discernment and reflection upon the lived life around them to be the basis of their religion rather than subscribing to a list of tenets that dictate the foundation of their relationship with God.
Any degree of separation, or corruption, or abuse of the connection to the Love we are is an act of terrorism, as in this state of disconnect we subject ourselves to the evil forces outside of ourselves that are not of Love, Brotherhood, God to move us in a way that characterizes anti-love, which is in truth all that we are not. We can terrorise ourselves whenever we give ourselves over to the games of our wayward Spirit. The Way of the Livingness is a religion the offers us all a way to connect to our Soul, and build a foundation whereby we are aware of whether the choices we make support us to live in connection to our Soul, and as such in Brotherhood with God, where we are moved by the Love we are and the Love we are here to live.
Well said Kevin… our relationship with something divine is available to us all equally isn’t it? It seems a crazy world where we go to war over different interpretations of that relationship, and more so when that is supported by some sort of institutional dogma.
Yes and I have read so many accounts of doubt coming in when committed to war but the person felt they couldn’t pull out because it was God’s will. This is such a misinterpretation of Love and what religion is.
separation on so many levels is endemic in all of our societies now… And what is being offered to humanity in The Way of the Livingness is the lifeline that will reconnect this to a truth that is inbuilt within everyone, and with this connection, which then leads to the old walls of separation tumbling down, is the possibility of a totally new era for us all.
You are quite right in suggesting that we only see the extremes of evil, but turn a blind eye to what is energetically going on underneath the events that we find so abhorrent. Institutionalised separation, mandated by the major religions, is one such evil. We turn a blind eye to it, especially if we belong to one of these institutions and are getting some form of ‘comfort’ from them. I have been reading lately about how these evils are seen as invisible (hegemonic) power inequalities with society. This is true but they are an outplay of the energy of the separation and inequality that we allow.
I feel like there is a part of me, known as the spirit, that can run rampant, causing havoc in my life but sometimes is subtler in the harm it causes. This is the part of me that sabotages myself, overeating, staying up late, doubting or not expressing the love I feel. This is like having a terrorist inside me, and each of us. We all have the potential for our own terrorists to run amuck and when 7 billion people choose that, it’s not pretty! The only way I have found to catch it, is to keep feeling my body and knowing through experience the clear difference between when my spirit or soul is running it.
The coalescence of the terms ‘Religion’ and ‘Terrorism’ is no coincidence. They have become intertwined in our news and our minds. ‘A band of Religious fanatics today blew up a mosque…’, But why would this be the case when we know that every Religion stands and talks about God and Love? Could it be that the aim of the true terrorism as you say Kevin is to isolate, to create fear and distrust of community and anyone who dare discusses God and the fact we are one? Isn’t this the greatest travesty in the end, big as any bomb, that we sit here scared to say ‘I am a Son of God and so are you’. So it is clear to me the greatest response we can have to the violence we see today is to claim, louder, clearer and so much stronger that we are divine in every way.
The fact that terrorism and religion have become so interlinked in society today, is a definitive sign that religion has lost its true meaning.
True religion does not divide people it unites people. The Way of The Livingness is a true religion which brings everyone together there is no divide, no imposing, just a true way of living with loving choices.
The Way of The Livingness is a true religion which is unimposing from any dogmas or indoctrination, that offers us access to the universality of what is through the connection of our inner heart.
The seed of evil is exposed in anything which is exclusive which attempts to support in any way that says me and mine (be it family, group, nationality etc.) are somehow more deserving, better or entitled to that support at the expense of another. Once we do not approach something as a whole or have any exclusions which demean or lessen another we are lost to evil and this is indeed an act of terrorism, a word that originated in terror, something which is all about fear and incitement and depends on the creation of an other in some way shape or form. There are many things in the world which do this but religion is a bedrock for it, as our religions are expected to provide the moral guidance – and our religions do this very well, at their origins most were not this, but over time as they’ve been co-opted for the gain of a small few, this is what they have become. It’s now for us all to come back to what true religion is, to reconnect, to rebind to the divinity in us, and live that in the world. And for me personally that has been through The Way of The Livingness, and what I love about it, is it’s a lived way, of me forever connecting back to the divinity in me, no looking outside for a saviour or an icon, no giving my power away to any authority. It’s about living me to the best of my ability each and every moment and day.
For the first time in my life, without reservation, I feel able to enjoy a relationship with God. Before attending Universal Medicine presentations and enjoying the Ancient Wisdom teachings, what was being offered from various churches never felt true to me – grains of truth in all for sure, but not the absolute knowingness of the re-connection I have felt with the inner heart and The Way of The Livingness.
“Not all that institutionalised religions say represents the truth, true brotherhood, true love and the true joy that we all are, in our essence. In fact, it can be said with a catalogue of historical evidence that they are devised to separate humanity, except in my experience “The Way of The Livingness” via our inner heart”.
If love has no borders or divides then it makes sense to assume that anything that creates separation in any form through its words or teachings, cannot be loving…. which, you would think would be the foundation of any true religion, and in-truth needs to be the basis of everything and anything in life should we want the world to truly change.
To live in a world free of terrorism isn’t a world without violence but the absence of terrorising; the absence of one man terrorising another about his skin colour, terrorising because they are uneducated, or terrorising another because you want what they have.
Terrorism isn’t restricted to the end spectrum of violence, this is obvious.
eventually humanity will return to that one unified truth, to the wisdom that has been presented to it from time immemorial… That there literally is no separation, that we are all one and in the experience of that, in our inner hearts, we can unite and evolves in that one true realization.
Terrorism seems to be a symptom of a deeper malaise, a sickness in society of isolation, hurt, anger, sadness… and it starts with the separation to ourselves to knowing who we truly are and where we are all from. When we can hold in ourselves the love that we are from, it would be inconceivable to harm another, to not hold them in that same love equally.
Who created countries and borders in the first place? Who created religion (the basterdised versions) we did all for our own gain and to contribute to …..separation. Nothing outside of ourselves is ours to claim only the divine love that lies innately within all and even then it is not about us but an understanding of the bigger picture and the role we play within it. I agree with what others have expressed here, that the real war, if we do not live in alignment with the divine law, or live who we truly are, is within ourselves first.
My feeling is that if we do not get truthful with ourselves then the greatest terrorist lives right inside us and terrorise us every single day.
You need to put terrorism in perspective. In America, more people die every day from self inflicted gun shots than terrorism. Yes, much has been done in the name of religion that is not good, but so has much been done by those who are not religious in the same vein. it is not so much therefore religion that is the problem, but humanity at large. We live and die by our own hand, not the hand of religion.
I have never been one to say I’m religious in anyway, yet my understanding of religion since being a student of The Way of the Livingness has expanded greatly. To me, religion is about connection to who we are inside and true religion seeks to unite us all as equals to, with and from God. He is no greater and we are no lesser and there is no special pass to communicate or be part of God – since we already are by virtue of being alive, breathing and in a body.
There is no lesser evil – that in itself is an illusion when we compare evils to one another. It’s a very interesting and exposing point that is made here, in that what we call terrorism today is not a lesser evil then the institutionalised religions of our world and time. They all aim to separate and anything intended for that purpose if an evil expression and not something that is true to who we are at our core.
The greatest problem with what has been done in the name of religion is it stops people who might otherwise be naturally religious from claiming it as so.
We are scared of the big events of terrorism, and rightly so, they are abominable! There is a far greater evil in the deception that occurs every day, through the re-interpreted religions, adherence to religious institutions and all things that separate humanity.
Terrorism in the dictionary quotes “the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” So we could say all forms if intimidation whether they include physical violence or not are acts of terrorism – for me it’s anything that creates fear or terror in people. Immediately politics and political parties come to mind. It just goes to show how far we bastardise words to suit our own needs, rather than using words in truth, for all.
Kevin what you write is absolutely true, institutionalised religion in my opinion is no different to the acts of terrorism we see today. Take for example the Catholic Church Crusades wiping out whole communities and groups of people who refused to take on their form of religion or beliefs.
Unfortunately religion has become a dirty word in many respects, synonymous with blind faith and violence amongst other things. Unfortunately this has meant a lot of people who are naturally religious within themselves have turned away from the fact as a result.
Thank you, Kevin. It is great to have people like yourself calling religion, as it exists today, what it is in fact, which is terrorism. We cannot keep thinking that somehow terrorism is ‘over there’ somewhere when it is in fact ingrained within our society. It is definitely time to reconsider what terrorism actually is.
Religion throughout history has been a great source of division, hatred, and war. The problem, however, is that what religion told us was religion was not religion at all!. It was simply, as you say Kevin, terrorism at its worse. It has been my delight over the past few years to find a true religion in the form of The Way of the Livingness. This religion is what I always imagined true religion to be and that is that it understands that we are love, we come from love and in order to live that love we need to take responsibility for how we are living and the choices that we are making. It is that simple.
Thank you Kevin for your thought provoking blog. Terrorism certainly seems to fit in terms of description of many religions. I did not think of Religion in that way in the past but since coming to connect with The Way of The Livingness presented by Serge Benhayon I can see the division created by many religious institutions. Fanaticism also comes to mind.
To accept organised religion, it is necessary to ignore the history of it. It is necessary to ignore the fact that many religions exclude people who’s sexuality does not fit the norm. They often exclude divorced people and hold women as less. There can be no true love if anyone is held in their essence as less than equal. Any religion that is built on a foundation that is less than love is on very shaky foundations and it is hard to imagine that if something is built on a false premise that it will contain any real truth.
It is a great point to look at, why are we only looking at the extremes while the subtle terrorism is in every pore of society. Is it because we all have left our essence and are thus in divide with ourselves, and thus have a reference point that is from division? It is time to get honest about this and feel that for me this is true, and see that The Way of The Livingness shows us this so clearly. That we are from the all, and only choose this division, and it is our choice to return back and see that we are all one.
So true Brendan. And I love your use of the expression “…as a community…” That alone is a massive bridge-builder. Starting to see us all as the same, as all part of the same picture.
Beautifully and succinctly expressed Brendan. Imagine what global horrors could have been avoided if such wise words had been heeded.
Once upon a time we all thought the world was flat, until such point that someone looked beyond what was said and got to the truth of the situation, that it was indeed not. Religion, for thousands of years, has been painted in separation, in identity and in a way to divide humanity, create people who invest heavily in something outside of themselves that is greater than they are. But perhaps the learning here is to live religion in its true meaning; what has been buried for so many years – that religion is simply the relationship we have with everything – that it is a way of living. That religion is a connection we all have within us, that it is equal and that it does not require followers or charities or certain criteria to be met. And it is simply by living this way and reflecting it to others that we start to come back to its truth.
Out of curiosity I looked up what the world has defined Terrorism to mean – the unlawful use of violence. That then would bring up the question of why do we have lawful and acceptable forms of violence? How have we managed to end up with an acceptable scale of violence in our lives? Is it possible that we are violent to ourselves first when we are disconnected from our inner-most? And if this is not addressed then it is allowed to circulate and get worse. Could the choice to not address the inner war be what is now reflected in the world where we now have lawfully acceptable violence has has been allowed to establish itself as a part of human life?
Leigh. This is huge. What you are opening the lid on is very profound and a much needed conversation. I love that you looked it up, but am appalled by what you found. As you say – where on earth are we at as a society that we have ‘lawful and acceptable forms of violence’? And yes, we need to quell the inner war that so many of us are waging before we can address the external wars. You are a philosopher Leigh.
Wow, it is actually shocking to see that we’ve gone so far from ourselves, in war, that we got a level of ‘acceptable’ violence, that is deemed to be lawful. It shows us the reference we’ve got needs to be adjusted, which can only be done in seeing that we have accepted a level of violence within, discarding the connection we have with the all.
For every form terrorism that plays out in the world I have a part in it and this blog highlights this fact which I want to try to avoid and dismiss but know deep within it is true. I have a responsibility and when I read blogs like this, it deepens and I feel more connected to this responsibility, it being my connection with myself and the quality of energy I am and bring to in every moment.
“Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism, subtle as that ‘terrorism’ may be.” I hadn’t thought of Institutionalised Religion as being a form of terrorism before but as I read this sentence boy did this truth resonate with me. It is impossible to live life without having a connection and relationship with God therefore anything that tries to separate me and therefore all of humanity from God is evil and therefore it is an act of terrorism. Thank you Kevin for sharing and calling this out.
I have often pondered on “how come so many people in the world today follow institutionalised religion yet know deep within it is not truth?” We have fallen hook, line and sinker. It is as it is today and it is my responsibility to accept this and live and express that which is true to me offering another way, a religion that is based upon connecting to and following my inner heart.
Most people would see aligning terrorism with religion as a extreme. But once one spends some time looking at the similarities religion and terrorism have it becomes an obvious statement.
You raise great points here Kevin – how can we have religious beliefs that foster division, division amongst us as a one humanity and within ourselves, furthering separation from our soul, from our true essence…
As you say Fiona, there are still religious beliefs current in our world today that foster division and undermine the fabric of society. Their methods are more subtle but one can sense that nothing has changed since the Dark Ages – everything that we are fed is about war and separation whether it be fiction or fact – it still thrives on hate and mistrust.
That is a great assessment Brendan and a dead give away.
It is an interesting point you are raising here Kevin. When I observe people they are very willing to be “religious” and benevolent as long as they are not disturbed in their comfort, but the moment their personal belongings or boundaries are crossed, people can start to act quite gross and vile to an extent where you do not recognize them anymore. Attachments to creation – things and believes – make us call in a force that extremely distorts our true nature until it is unrecognizable.
How true Judith – we resort to self protection when anyone threatens our ideals and beliefs and rocks our sense of comfort. We have put off living life for so long that we are attached to what is familiar – but not supporting us to live a vital and truly evolving life. We have become stuck and baffled because of our unwillingness to go deeper and to be open to seeing that there is another way and that ‘Attachments to creation – things and believes – make us call in a force that extremely distorts our true nature until it is unrecognizable’.
War ships in the western world are still religiously blessed before they go into battle….
The weapons of mass destruction in this case then are actually the words, principles and beliefs that have been woven into the fabric of our society, keeping us shackled like inmates in a prison, in a way of living that simply isn’t true. What is beautiful in you unmasking this terrorism Kevin, is that in knowing and claiming the truth, we can end the devastation and destruction we’ve experienced in ourselves and sew the seeds of regrowth and rejuvenation for the world.
Beautiful Joseph, yes we can. By taking responsibility for ourselves in healing our hurts, we connect to love, truth and a way of being that can only heal bringing about true brotherhood here on earth.
Thank you Kevin you raise a really great point about the terrorism we have a turned a blind eye to for eons. I recall growing up as a child and feeling the Catholic religion was so far from what I felt was true about God, and what was even more interesting was how many people bought into this lie and never questioned it. I agree The Way of the Livingness is what true religion is about and the way we all truly want to unite and live from our inner hearts.
Yes, well said .
What comes to mind as I read this blog is the idea that we should ‘fear God’, something I have encountered in mainstream Christianity. In fact I recall seeing these very words embedded into a stained glass window in a church. I am sure the Christian church would have some sort of rational explanation for using such a phrase – but to me it is entirely contradictory to the innate knowing we all have that God is Love. Growing up I did come to believe that God was to be feared, to be obeyed and that he could wreak vengence on humanity and on me personally. It was and is an image that doesn’t sit well with the knowing of love in my heart.
Now that’s terrorism, a child to feel this intimidated by religion.
What richardmills363 says here is absolutely true. The number of times I encountered the words ‘fear God’ and never questioned it but knew in my heart something wasn’t right as I would completely check out. From my upbringing in going to chapel, God was always seen as much grander than all of us and I felt that if I didn’t do as I was being told I would get punished by God! This is so far removed from the truth, fuelled by beliefs and ideals that are in separation to God. God is within me and every one and every thing equally so and no amount of terrorism is ever going to change this.
Such a phrase is simply and definitely telling us to walk away from ourselves. Which then puts us in eternal conflict. Terrorism.
Do we continue to be fooled but the terrorism that has been integrated into so many area’s in our lives that don’t seemingly present themselves to us as being ‘terrorism’? Or do we start to call out what is not true, just like this fantastic blog and start to see the world for what it really is and how we are call caught in a viscous cycle that is perpetuating in on itself. We are the only ones that can make the choice to step of and break this repetition. I am with you Kevin The Way of the Livingness is the only truth that I have been presented with and is the only way that is bring on awareness back to us and self responsibility that natural emanates and inspires all to be the one same truth at we all are and have been created from
We really have become the master manipulators of such things haven’t we?
How did ‘Religion’ end up as it is portrayed today? Surely It is obvious that there is nothing that represents God in any of the organisations around the world that say they do.
It seems to me that Religion has been used falsely as one of the greatest ways to divide people, and as you say Brendan – an imposter in the shoes of what can be truly walked.
How can a religion that accepts everyone as equal, respects those that have not at this time realized this and express the light that shines from us for all to see… not be the answer to the question ‘what is the purpose of life’.
Institutionolised religion is a great divider in the world today, that which it originally never came from, true religion is for everyone equal, knowing our inner most trough living it everyday.
Yes Benkt, it feels like as with so many other things in our lives we have made religion complicated and more about reaching perfection and competition than finding our innate truth and within this feeling our equality.
I wonder what it would be like if Jesus, Muhammed, Bhudda, Krishna et al all got to sit round a table together to discuss life, Love and God. My sense is that there would not be division, or argument – but a great Love and appreciation built on the essence brotherhood and oneness they are all from. I agree with you Benkt – true religion is equal for everyone.
Last night I went to watch a play that looked at the irony and extremism of religion. It was a comedy, so yes it was amusing to see just how far people go to dedicate their lives to a leader, but there was an awful lot of truth in what was being presented, and so many sacrifices these people had to make to be ‘good followers’. To me it speaks volumes of how we have used religion to condition society rather than connecting society – and I can say every extreme move that this religion stands for, Universal Medicine does not even come close to. It made me really appreciate the gift of knowing a connection within myself and being part of something that is claimed in full by me and completely my responsibility and choice at every moment as to if I am committed to me and humanity, or not.
Surely coercion and bullying however subtle are actually, in this sense, acts of terrorism. Basically when someone is not considering the interests, the health and well being of all is that not really a terrorist activity?
“Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism, subtle as that ‘terrorism’ may be”. Couldn’t agree with you more Kevin, throughout history, and ever present today,Institutionalised Religions have much to answer for in the damage and hurt they have caused; much of it overt whilst much is hidden and insidious. Thank you Kevin for exposing this.
What a valid point Kevin about how religions have historically always been us against them. The only self was by stating I belong with them, where has the ‘me’ gone? The way of the livingness is the only religion that allows us to tear down walls we have built around ourselves that keep us separated.
True Steve – it is very common in religions to have something outside us that is greater, a leader, ways to follow, rules to change your life to comply with that religion. But The Way of The Livingness does not come with those rules at all – and simply presents the fact that we are enough as we are -and that this notion of God is within us and all around us, and that God constantly presents to us opportunities to evolve or not, and it is our choices that will determine what happens to us – so there is no book to follow, no fire to walk through – just the beauty of listening and responding all the time to our bodies and humanity.
Your description of the ‘Way of the Livingness’ Hvmorden requires no more words, its is like all of us… complete and needs nothing from outside to make it complete.
With the mess the world is in today, people are not turning to religion, for the simple reason as highlighted in this blog, current religion only separates and divides further, and people are feeling this like never before….but there is another way, that is true, that sees everyone as equal and that supports you to make loving changes to your lifestyle to live the real essence of who you are. This other way is; The Way of The Livingness.
Prior to coming to Universal Medicine presentations I was questioning the different religions only from a point of view of what they delivered to me or not, but I never questioned the bigger picture of what the effect of having them meant to the world, as in how they encourage us to be divided. Some may appear to be more harmless than others, which is deceptive and go mainly unnoticed, but none the less they are still encouraging a division.
This is where The Way of The Livingness is so different from main stream religions, in fact worlds apart from anything else out there.
It certainly is Julie – it’s offering us a whole new perspective and a way of understanding the implications of choosing a religion from our head and not from our heart. I began going to church, which at the time seemed a choice that was subtly imposed on me, but imposed none the less. In retrospect I was not comfortable with what I was being offered but gave up on myself and took the line of least resistance. As you have described it offered me a separating way of feeling that was about them and us and not as seeing ourselves as a one unified group who could come together in love and harmony. Tolerance was the best that it could do. As you say Universal Medicine offers us something that is worlds apart – and a way of life that is all inclusive – and just wonderful.
Yes Kevin, true religion to me is living in a way which supports our connection to God, our heart and to each other in equalness. I have found the traditional religions to have good ideas and good intentions but the lived reality is one of separation, supremacy and fear based conformity. People end up confused and doubt the truth they know in their hearts and then act in a way which is completely loveless and harmful to the rest of humanity. All in the name of God. This untruth is the true terrorism.
‘The untruth is the true terrorism’ – how true Gretel Willis, well said.
True religion comes from our inner heart and is then lived and expressed in our daily living. I have been exposed to religious terrorism and can feel the difference- it is huge.
Agree Anne, and The Way of the Livingness does exactly that, it allows us to live from our inner hearts and to know that we are all connected with the universe and the all and how I choose to live my life has an effect on everyone around me.
The Way of The Livingness is the only true religion I have experienced that is based on unity of all and that is universally available – it is the very antithesis of terrorism and / or institutionalized religion which by default further our separation from true brotherhood and true religion.
Very true Anne and when I am living, expressing from my inner heart it is impossible to not get along with another for I can only feel love in my body. The Way of the Livingness is my religion for it supports me to connect to my inner heart and therefore take responsibility for all the differences in my relationships. Through The Way of the Livingness I am learning to have understanding and allow another to make their own choices what ever they may be, restoring brotherhood here on earth.
When there is no stillness in my heart it feels like there is terrorism in it.
The Way of the Livingness presented by Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine, has completely changed my life, in that my life has become simple, uncomplicated and struggle free. Yes, I had to face my old hurts and my old choices, which was not always easy, but I have been hugely supported by the Sacred Esoteric Healing Courses of Serge Benhayon.
With the definition of this word broadened to include its more subtle threads throughout life entirely, the extremes we see happening are in fact the mass expressions of what is lived with each day.
What is so powerful is that the macro is a reflection of the micro – what the Human Race is seeing and allowing on the outside, they are also feeling and allowing on the inside. It is time to look more closely at how we are living our lives, how we are moving, thinking, and behaving, and take responsibly for this. To bring energetic integrity and energetic responsibility into our way of ‘Being’, the outer will be affected and change will occur.
“Not all that institutionalised religions say represents the truth, true brotherhood, true love and the true joy that we all are in our essence.” This is a great line as I know I saw religions as something untouchable, something from God so not to think or feel about if it actually made sense to me. Starting to consider that not everything in the world is pure and divine, including mainstream religions, has been groundbreaking and really empowering for me. To really start to know what is true by what is in my heart instead of what I have been told since young. With this new knowing I agree and am able to see that many institutionalised religions do not represent the truth. As for instance I have not felt true joy of being in a church or something! And how can something be true if there is no joy?
I wrote an article here: http://www.unimedliving.com/unimedpedia/truth-in-words/exposing-the-evil-behind-the-bastardisation-of-words.html about the bastardisation of the word religion and the extreme harm that has come about through that.
I always find it strange how people can murder and rape in the name of God. God is pure love and love does not express in this manner.
I agree Nicola, or go to war in the name of God, with both sides praying that God is on their side. We have completely misconstrued and misinterpreted what God is. I love this Kevin, “True religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” God is pure Love.
“True religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” As this is the original basis of the ancient teachings of which all religions now present in the world are based on, things started to get out of hand when we wanted to protect the teachings from being bastardised if we would share them with the world and in in doing so we separated ourselves from ‘the others’ we did not share these teaching with. As these universal teachings are to be lived and expand upon and not to be owned and to be protected and preserved. By doing so we have actually bastardised them, something we where afraid off that would happen in the first case. With doing so we have delayed the evolution of humanity back to where we come from as the teachings of the Way of the Livingness is given to us to be shared among us all equally so.
The terror of institutionalized religion is anything but subtle, as its beats , berates and abuses mankind in its various forms, from the catholic pogroms of old to the current perversion of a gentle master that sweeps the east. The truth of religion can now be restored and with this the trust of humanity will be restored
The Way of the Livingness, has allowed me to live from my inner heart and in that I feel my own divinity and connection with the all. Thank you Kevin.
It is my feeling here was already a disjointed, questionable view about institutionalised religion amongst people, but you have added another package that is sending shockwaves through the foundations of all these religions. It is like an earthquake and a tsunami landing at the same time, absolutely brilliant.
I am sure few religions would admit to the self interest of their scriptures and tenets, yet if we look at all the major religions they seem to do little more than at best tolerate those who do not follow their views. In this regard the Way of the Livingness would be my choice of religious philosophy, allowing as it does for everyone to be as they choose while presenting a knowing that we are all the same and all from the one same source. We can safely say that religion as it has been practiced is not working, having been at war across the world for so many hundreds of consecutive years, a new approach is needed and only a truly honest intelligence will allow us to admit this before we become forced to admit we have got it all so wrong by the ongoing calamities and disasters that are spreading across this planet. Religion and climate change, now there’s an interesting link.
Once we are sucked into a belief about one thing it is easy to be lost into all the other beliefs that are held as part of the first – and we lose the crucial power of our own discernment – to know if something actually feels true within for us. Learning to free ourselves from this starts with looking at what reward or gain does subscribing to this belief bring.. and once we can see our need, and what lies underneath that is there to be healed so can we release ourselves from that prison and have the freedom to see clearly once again.
Wow Kevin, beautifully said! Here you have captured a divisive and hugely harmful aspect of our society that is so commonly accepted that it isn’t recognised for the evil that it is.
Evil is another misunderstood and bastardised word. It simply means anything that keeps us away from our inner-heart / Soul. Interesting that the true meaning of religion is to connect to our inner-heart. The bastardised version of religion is all about separating us from our inner-heart / true selves, and therefore the exact opposite of true religion. So yes, as you say Kate that is of course evil by definition.
When we hear of bombs going off in cities we see the end result of terrorism, but it started much earlier than that in seemingly more benign settings like a child being taunted and bullied for being born with a different skin colour, different religion etc. It could even be in sunday school or even normal school where children are taught that anyone that does not belong to the same religion is a sinner, an infidel and will be going to hell come God’s damnation. These false ideas fuel the hatred that spark such acts of heinous violence. They say one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. There is some truth in this statement if we hold onto the false idea of freedom: that we will not be free until the opposition is killed. True freedom is knowing there is no opposition, but beliefs that divide us.
Institutionalised religion certainly plays a huge role in separating humanity. The Way of the Livingness is a religion that does not separate, it fosters equality, bringing understanding, appreciation and acceptance of all. It’s origins being in love, not to better anyone, or have power over anyone. This is something that is true and will one day be how all view each other and the way we live.
History tells us the tale, it is whether we want to open our eyes up to the truth that matters.
History doesn’t rate in many people’s lives, and yet it holds such wisdom if we are willing to really see what lessons are there.
Yes this is true Matthew and Heather there are many lessons to learn from the past but we don’t relate the past with the present, and what we are experiencing today is no different to what we saw hundreds of years ago, just presented differently. We still have slavery in the form of human trafficking but because we don’t call it slavery it is not linked.
We have much to learn from our past if we are willing to truly see what is going on around us.
History is important if we learn what does not work for humanity. How can we keep destroying each other when we know this has never brought joy and brotherhood to the earth. Time to bring back the history of the truth on earth – that has been ever present throughout the ages, despite mankind’s best attempts to crush or corrupt it.. even though history has shown that the inevitable consequence is the continued misery of its people.
And the problem with our current way of thinking and how we appreciate time is that we think that we have left behind all the atrocities that have been lived by humanity in the past and that these are not there anymore in our current societies. But if we consider that we are only turning around the Sun, over and over again, that we are actually going nowhere as we return every year to the same spot in space, we do not leave something behind, as every year is the same we will be presented with the same atrocities of life until we truly deal with the root cause of it and release humanity from this ill behaviour. Looking from this perspective to history will bring in a responsibility we have to take and to become honest with ourselves and to acknowledge that we have not advanced from the middle ages or any time in the past, if we stil have war, separation and the continued misery in society.
Thank you Kevin for exposing the dogma behind institutionalised religion, Muhammad, Buddha and Jesus and many other soul full servants never intended their words to be used against the very love they were presenting. The true original source of their teachings was love pure and simple.
Beautiful Samantha. The truth can be felt in all of these teachings and yet the religions that have grown up around them can sometims display everything that is the complete opposite of what they present.. The purity of the teachings get lost when the people do not live the purity that they bring. And from there the work gets misinterpreted or misrepresented to suit a purpose that is not from truth.
Why have we always as a race spent so much energy in separating us from each other, fighting the natural attraction we all share to each other? As you have said Kevin ‘The Way of the Livingness’ is the path that returns us all back to the brotherhood that we all came from.
Thank you to all who have contributed to these comments – it seems pretty clear that a “realignment to the All that is love” is definitely on its way! Clearing all that is abusive in our lives and all that is separating and divisive as we rebuild our trust in what is of absolute truth, lies in the simple task of reconnecting to ourselves as that love.
Hi Kevin, I can relate to your words about the divisive effect of institutionalised religion. It is so great to have found Serge Benhayon and to be able to absorb the Way of the Livingness from his presentations. All those who live it have found it to be definitely based on truth, love, joy and Brotherhood.
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” As more and more people begin to feel this,that they know inside is true, only then can living with terrorism become a thing of the past.
Kevin, “it can be said with a catalogue of historical evidence that they are devised to separate humanity”, they are devised to separate each other. Terrorist acts comes from the beliefs of a religion. Throughout the ages religious beliefs have been excluding other or minority groups .. “except in my experience “The Way of The Livingness””. The Way of The Livingness is inclusive of all holding no one person less or more. We are equal Sons of God and this is eternal within us all.
What and awesome paragraph – and I feel exactly the same about The Way of the Livingness. It is a return to the truth of the word ‘religion’.
‘Religion in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity’ I could not agree with this statement more Kevin. Going to church as a child always felt cold and imposing and I could feel how so many people felt lonely there. It never felt like the feeling of brotherhood and oneness that I have felt at The Way of the Livingness, where myself and others have come to feel and know what true religion is.
The way of the Livingness is the only religion from the religions I have experienced where I feel a deep connectio to God within my body. In the other religions the reaching out to God was a quite mental experience via my thoughts and emotions.
And with terrorism comes corruption and a consciousness that will handcuff each and every member. To send your kids to a certain school, the whole family must convert to a particular religion, if you don’t, you can’t attend that school. Wrong on so many levels.
Terrorism – the dictionary says: dread, scare. Scaring someone who doesn’t fit into how I see the world – how I want it to be or not. Who ever in this world did feel anyone that using these methods is in any way supportive to the all? All it does is try to dictate another or in any way expand power in a way that exceeds what is truly needed for the all. It has, such as humanity – many faces!
The Way of the Livingness is the only religion that has left me with no doubts or questions about why life is the way it is. Many religions offered answers that I could not believe. The Way of the Livingness simply confirms what I have known all along.
Our current world conflict, wars and terrorism clearly show that our major organized religions create divides and separation between people and therefore cannot be true religious teachings, about brotherhood, unity and love with no judgment or separation. We are part of this separation when we passively stand back and accept it, as it just being the way things are in the world.
World conflicts through the ages show how religions as they stand create separation and terrorism. If we bring this back to how we live with self and those that are close to us, do we not have a responsibility to reflect a way that is True, that is about love, harmony and brotherhood, so leading by inspiration.
I agree Shirley-Anne, not only is what you’ve mentioned insidious, but its on a massive global scale, and it’s the rot that infiltrates all our life’s as a humanity, as separation is the root cause of all our woes and ills on this planet.
The fact we have separate religions at all indicates to me that there’s games of separation at play, and anytime people are separated from each other sets up the possibility for disharmony, a prelude to terrorism.
” .. and the masses without discern and grasping at hope and with what they felt may supply them with the truth and brotherhood they know exists, gave their power away to”. Its not until you become aware again and presented with the fact that the Kingdom of God lives inside you. You register and feel it. Universal Medicine ignited that spark in me from first presentation I attended. It explained and exposed the lie I had been buying into. All that is not in the quality of God’s love in essence is the separation to this. It exposes just about everything … …
That Terrorism is more and more seen as something connected to a Religion is a crime on true Religion and a crime to us all.
Truth can only be truth if it is for all – otherwise it becomes truth for one religion which can never be truth! Just like love being for all equally so is truth. Well said Kevin.
The true meaning of the word Religion is one which is so beautiful, a deep and constant communion with our soul, God and the the whole of the universe, that knowing this feeling in the body and naturally expressing it, we are living religion in our every breath, so religion is felt by others through us, and religion is very simply the way we live.
Anything that separates and divides does not come from the heart, allowed to breed and become accepted as normal and even glamorized as power, terrorism strikes in the extreme forms such as bombings, attacks to more wide spread phenomena of competitive sports and institutionalized religion. But terrorism in truth first began within ourselves, we have first separated from the connection with ourselves and with our Soul, this terrorism we have allowed within ourselves make it less easy for us to see the truth of so many subtle forms of terrorism that exist in the world, until the more extreme forms force us to see how far we have wandered from ourselves.
Knowing the falseness of inequality, we all have the responsibility to live true religion in our daily lives, our responsibility is in reflecting the religion we first live with ourselves, which is the simple and pure way we naturally are.
At its core, the true impact of terrorism comes from the lies placed on the meaning of a word. It is an evil most have yet to even consider as it being a possible reality but when a false truth is placed on the meaning of a word we are left with living less than what that word truly means. Say for example, love, which when truly lived is lived with all not just to ourselves and family. Is terrorism the abuse of the truth of our very words and their meanings?
A revealing point to ponder on, Joshua. Not many people would pass the security checks, since we almost all were terrorists.
Yes if we start to see evil and terrorism as anything that divides mankind, so many people are terrorist or expressing evil as many words have been bastardised and are misused on a daily basis. The ill effects of this I probably do not even fully see yet!
‘Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism, subtle as that ‘terrorism’ may be.’
I think this is a very valid viewpoint Kevin. If we look historically at the situation many more people have died in the name of religion than from ‘ terrorist’ acts, the Crusades and Thirty Years War as some examples.
Kevin what you have shared here is so refreshingly revealing and so true. How can the world ever ‘achieve peace’ when there are so many divisions amongst so many groups of people. As you say, there is only one true religion that can unite all, as it embraces all equally, no matter what there skin colour, nationality, race, wealth or gender. This is a timeless religion called ‘The Way of the Livingness’, and is a religion that I know to be true from my own lived experience of it.
Institutionalised religions serve a purpose for those who follow them, but is a far cry from what the word religion actually means.
Yes Jinya, I agree, the meanings are poles apart.
Agree Jinya, the current way most institutionalised religions serve is like a band-aid, making people feel good without taking true responsibility and living life with love and respect for self and all.
It goes to show Jinya how far we can take a word from what it actually means.
This is the truth Kevin that you share, Religion has a lot to answer for over many Centuries where there were atrocities performed in the name of God, especially Christian Religions in more recent times! What is happening in our world today is caused by a lack of love for our fellow man and human life!
When we put something under the label of ‘good for us’ it is as if we have blinkers on and don’t actually question it’s true validity. Religion has been bastardised to such a degree that it has very little of its true meaning left and therefore can be interpreted in what ever way someone so chooses. Knowing that religion means a returning to who we truly are and that love is what brings and unites us all in Brotherhood, is to me the first steps in returning to the true religion that I walked away from many lives ago.
That’s a great point Alison, well said, ‘when we put something under the label of ‘good for us’ it is as if we have blinkers on and don’t actually question it’s true validity’. It is as if when something, be it an organisation, movement, person, idea or treatment, is verified as ‘okay’ or ‘good’ or ‘effective’, it becomes a blanket rule to accept this as the normal. This applies to everything, and shows how we (humanity) are completely willing and happy to accept the ‘good for us’ label without reading the ingredients.
When we are not living love, we are terrorists in our own backyard
This is a profound statement Marcia Owen and so very true.
Marcia such a clear and poignant sentence. This you can’t avoid and tip toe around, when we realise that is so close to home then we start to freak out. So if we are not Love we are everything else that is not. To be or not to be, that is the question for all!
This blog re-writes the definition for terrorism, simply and truthfully.
So true Marica and very harming for us all.
That’s a statement! BÄHM! We can potentially be everything – it is us choosing what we live: love or not love.
That’s a slam dunk that one Marcia, no argument from me!
Absolutely Marcia…thank you.
Oh so true Marcia; your words are an expression of wisdom that offer us so much to ponder on.
A quote for the world “when we are not living love, we are terrorists in our own backyard”
Wow you nailed it with your comment Marcia . . .
Wow Marcia powerful and true, ‘When we are not living love, we are terrorists in our own backyard’.
If institutionalised religions were measured against “love has no borders or divide”, then they would not stack up. As you say, any ‘us’ and ‘them’ makes a group separate to all of humanity and that just wouldn’t align to what we know innately to be Love. Lovely sharing Kevin.
Very astutely put Maree, imagine a world that had regulations in place that said in order to become a religion there are certain guidelines that need to be adhered to, not in a dominating or dictatorial way, but coming from truth, brotherhood and unity, with no borders or divide as you say. Things would be very different and the level of conflict and wars that go on in the name of religion would surly dramatically decrease?
So true Maree, ‘love has not borders or divide’, this is far from what is the reality of life and our societies today. Religion plays a huge role in this divide, people wanting to be ‘right’, needing someone else to be wrong. This will never be the foundation for bringing more love. Thank goodness Serge Benhayon is showing there is another way.
When I used to hear the word God it was from the pulpit of a small church that it was often spoken. The raised speaking stage for the one man clothed in black seemed an authority on his close ally and friend. And yet I recall and feel the emptiness of that space no love was there truly and the cardboard cutout people dutifully went back into the lives that neither held love nor truth for the drama and ups and downs that people lived with. The absolving of all that was not working was that hour or so a week on a Sunday – hoping upon hope that all would be washed away. This is true terror for the insistent lie continues to maintain that eventually you will be saved…There is no responsibility here – there is no truth no love just a shifting around of a falseness that literally kills people life after life.
Serge Benhayon and the Way of the Livingness have shown that truth, love and commitment to All is not only possible but lived and available right now – choice is the key.
Wow, how true, Lee – “There is no responsibility here – there is no truth no love just a shifting around of a falseness that literally kills people life after life.” It is incredible how we have all bought into the shifting around of falseness, rather than considering that the quality of our life is down to every single choice we make. Thank God that Serge Benhayon has awakened us from our stupor.
I love this Janet -‘Thank God that Serge Benhayon has awakened us from our stupor.’
I would like to add my experience of religion to your insightful sharing Lee; I was part of a spiritual movement or cult for pretty much my entire adult life. During this time it was all about becoming enlightened (whatever that means, as nobody really knew, not even the guru/teacher could explain it, it was a far off dream that a select few could achieve) so already there was a big divide amongst us followers, and this created a competitiveness between us all, the disciples or devotees that became enlightened and the ones that didn’t.
There was also the, them and us mentality with people outside the movement, we felt superior to people who were not part of the cult and judged them as less, therefore adding more separation. There was no self responsibility in the way we acted or what we did in life, as our guru had said we were free to do what we wanted, there was no questioning of what he said, as it was taken blindly as the absolute truth, so we were giving our power away (gladly if I’m honest, not wanting to take responsibility for my choices in life). Although there may be some differences here to what happens in the major religions in the world, I feel there are also some similarity’s, worth pondering on.
I was going to write that for the billions of people whom religious wars are a reality for them, they are experiencing ‘true terror’ everyday. Then I realised every single one of us are in a religious war, every moment of every day, it just may be unspoken and people might think they are free from religious persecution because they are not religious or not being shot at. It is just a subtle seething disharmony.
Suzanne this is a great example of how the macro environment (the daily reality of religious war) is always a reflection of the micro environment (our bodies).
Beautiful expressed Lee, and yes deep appreciation to Serge Benhayon for living and reflecting what is possible for us all, it is our choice.
All institutional religions are there for the individual and for personal gain, and therfor not of true service to mankind.
The bastardisation of religion over the centuries has led to much terrorism, putting people in actual extreme fear of their lives in the many wars that have been carried out in the name of religion or instilling fear in people that if they do not behave in a certain way that they will be ostracised in this world or the ‘afterlife’. Thank you Kevin for illustrating this so well and calling us all to account for how we have tolerated these acts of terrorism in society to the detriment of everyone.
Well said Helen. For many periods in history, religious organisations e.g. the Church controlled the population and were the providers of medicine, a form of Government, education etc. and told the public what to and not to believe in. They did indeed have to prove that they were superior and held all the power, and as you say to do this they instilled trepidation in the public and put them into extreme fear of what the consequences were to not following the rules.
I agree, very well said and very true – religion is not an excuse to kill anyone, nor instill fear or force others to your beliefs.
Isn’t it ridiculous to think that killing someone is ever acceptable.
especially in the name of God – why that is needed has always been something I could never understand, even from a small child. Believing in god, being religious etc is one thing, but spreading fear and hate and taking lives for the religion you believe in is simply unacceptable.
Absolutely Helen, I agree with what you share here, is it any wonder we have all been turning away from religion as it stood.
We tend to think that things like sport, patriotism and religion (and their underlying themes of comparison and competition) are healthy things which we believe make us stronger as a species. But have we considered that they actually make us weaker by dividing us and preventing us from working together to solve the great problems of the world? And have we considered that competition and comparison in all its forms are the seeds for all war and conflict in our world?
I love this andrewmooney26, comparison and competition is literally a killer, it makes us push and strive for something we are not, it comprises the relationships with each other. I would totally agree that these are the seeds of conflict in our world and also the so called harmony which is covered over with the tolerance that seems to be one that keeps the lid on the pot from over spilling.
Well said Natalie. Tolerance is like putting salt in boiling water – it may prevent the pot from boiling over but actually the temperature or the level of separation is higher because people aren’t being honest about what they really think which doesn’t allow them to openly see how ugly or divisive their thoughts are.
I love how you describe the salt in boiling water Karin, and how Natalie and Andrew have shared about competition and comparison. They really are the killer to brotherhood.
I agree Natalie, religions as they stand are, ‘ the seeds of conflict in our world’ , which was one reason I never wanted to be part of them.
What you have just shared here is mind blowing. These three things are currently viewed as ‘good’ aspects of human life, yet I can see that they do divide us, they do cause enormous distraction from us addressing the many long term problems of the world.
We have enough food for everyone, yet millions starve year after year. How advanced are we when so many live in poverty, slavery still flourishes, and corruption is rife.
Its time we all matured to address the real issues, together we can work it out.
It gets even crazier considering that equality is the foundation of brotherhood there is no need to compete, yet brotherhood is what I sought from competitive sport. I loved the feeling, flow and power of a team working well together but the brotherhood I felt rarely extended beyond my team because our purpose was to beat another.
Thank you Abby for clarifying that in true brotherhood, there is equality for all. Any group, team, community, pact or sect that do not extend its equality to all does not in truth reflect brotherhood.
I agree Abby I used to play competitive sport a lot too and I liked the team work aspect but when I have reflected back on it, honestly, not only was there competition with the other team but a lot of ‘team dynamics’ going on inside the team as well with constant comparison, competition, jealousy and self interest going on constantly. Really the times when a team I was in worked truly together in unity and harmony were very rare. I feel this is because team work like this is a copy and a reinterpretation of the brotherhood and unity we all crave as human beings. It has some grains of truth in it but leaves us very short of the real deal.
Yes Abby I can agree as when I was young I always found it not correct that there was a winner and a loser – it was hurting me. Now I have an understanding of what this hurt was – it was because of the separation in winner and loser as for me this is definitely not true brotherhood at all.
Great point Abby how we can be so convinced that we are in brotherhood when in actually fact we bring any element of competition, comparison or jealous into the mix we are in separation. Competition is a big one and when you have ‘your team’ that you support only feeds this even more.
Yes Abby and Adele for clearly stating the true intent of brotherhood which is only found in equality and union – I felt I knew what brotherhood was but until I felt it for myself I could only imagine. Serge Benhayon is offering us a marker where we can begin to understand and discern words from their energy and to feel their integrity for ourselves.
Such a great observation Abby. So often the only version we have of being ‘together’ is when a group of people are up against another group of people. Even in the Olympic Games – the greatest coming together of al the counties in the world – all we are trying to do is be better than each other. It;s actually very very silly.
This is a great comment Andrew. We champion many of these things as something that unites us, but truly, they only serve to divide us.
Because we don’t appreciate ourselves for who we are, we have to find external events to make us feel worthwhile.
And seeking these outside events to try and make us feel ‘worthwhile’ never truly works, which brings it back to the responsibility of appreciation of ourselves.
I agree well said andrewmooney26, in separation to each other we weaker as a humanity, and that separation starts with the connection to ourselves, when we disconnect to our tenderness and love growing up, we can be easily controlled or dominated as we turn our back on what we know and feel inside, which is love and brotherhood to all others.
This is a great comment Andrew and even though it may not be a popular statement once we look at what sports truly do there is simply no way around it. Anything that is diving, makes one human being separate from the other lies at the root of all forms of terrorism.
Competition is sold that it is a great thing for sport or business and that it builds character, I don’t agree one bit. It starts at primary school in its institutional teaching. I’ve watched many kids at school crying or looking devastated because they didn’t win a race on sports day. They hold back tears and on the inside, they are feeling a failure and not good enough. This is where all our adult problems begin.
Any time we believe we belong to a group within humanity that is somehow special or different and we look out at others who supposedly do not belong to this group as weird, unfortunate or less, we are backing something that actually contributes to the division of humanity.
And you can add culture and nationality to the list of things that divide humanity alongside the modern institutionalised religions. Patriotism is a religion.
I was always deeply bemused and shocked by religion as a child. Exclusive ‘clubs’ that used lots of words that said one thing, but were something totally different. I remember asking my Mum why so many people were killed ‘in the name of God’ when I knew that God is Love free of judgement, absolutely unifying, absolutely inclusive and absolutely for everyone. There was no answer.
The love that you speak of here is a love learning to be lived world wide! The students of the way of the livingness are choosing to be students of love, something far greater than what most could possibly imagine love to be. The love you talk about is for all equally, yet some do not want to go there and some find it too difficult to see the false pillars of evil that are based within organisational set ups.
Great blog, Kevin, well written. Thank you
It is pure evil to grow up believing that we have to go to Church to find God and then be saved by Him for being good, etc., this is so far away from the Truth of the Divine Beings that we are, here to claim ourselves as the Sons of God and return as the only true religion, The Way of the Livingness, shows us.
Anything that seeks to divide that which is always a Whole, no matter its seeming fragmentation into ‘parts’, will always be an act of terror. This seed of separation can be found even in the smallest and seemingly benevolent act. Evil is only subtle if you have your eyes closed.
Yes, Liane, it is time to accept that we do feel everything, and that to turn a blind eye on even the smallest act of separation is perpetuating evil.
Well said Liane and we need to be always aware of the seeds of separation that are being sown everyday and call them out when we recognise them.
I know that in myself. That any thought or action that individuates me away from humanity feels awful. No denying I feel it, it is simply a question of whether I choose to take responsibility for it, unraveling the why with love and understanding and moving on.
I was quite challenged reading this blog Kevin. Can we really label institutionalised religion as an act of terrorism? To get a bit more clear, I needed to understand the meaning of terrorism as all that came to mind was what you described in the first paragraph of the extreme use of the word. The google dictionary provided “the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims”. Once I read this, it became very clear and your blog made so much more sense. Religion is about truly bringing people together in a one unified love, the true love of God. In this, there is no separation, no hidden agendas and no space for anything less than this love.
I went through the same process Simone. In true religion there is no separation and we hold all others as equal to us and thus no act of terrorism can be tolerated because we would be doing it to ourselves.
Whatever the excuse it is people separating from themselves – to inflict harm on another.
When we connect to the wisdom of the inner heart, it is impossible to not recognise that this is in everyone, regardless of religion. A brilliant piece of writing Kevin Doyle.
The Way of the Livingness is the only religion that offers a WAY of living that can be applied to life in a very practical and real way. Other religions only look like they do, but under the surface of the mystical scriptures etc. there is very little that can be used to understand life from a big picture to microcosmic perspective.
So true Jinya Mizuno, the practicality of The Way Of The Livingness is so accessible and helpful in every day life.
Agreed Kevin with every word. The Way of Livingness is the first and only true meaning I have ever found for the word religion.
‘Yes we are to support but the moment it is for one’s own kind, it is separation.’ Once we step into the separation we identify with being better than or less than another and the power found in unity is hidden until we return to holding ourselves as equal to all others.
From my experience and much searching, the Way of the Livingness offers what true religion actually is. To re-connect to all that we are, love, and everything that is impressed from love.
Well expressed Kevin and so needed to speak exactly about this. Thank You with love Nadine
“Religion in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity; designed to control and “support” only its membership.” And isn’t that control by its’ very existence threatening and therefore abusive?
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” – Music to my whole body Kevin. And an acknowledgement that we are that.
What the article masterly shows is that we also get socialised into feeling terror in our bodies and beings in places you would not expect it, that are there supposedly to hold us and to help to evolve.
This morning I have been reading about people starving to death in war torn Syria, i have reread your blog Kevin and many of the comments, it is easy to get hooked into the outright evil of terrorism, caught up in the eyes of starving children in Syria, yet these events are purely windows into the extreme end of separation. For as long as we continue to foster & focus on divides be they religious, ethnic or gender, humanity remains blind to the one place that binds us all, our innermost.
It seems that Terrorism starts at home, for do we not have a form of terrorism in our own bodies? I know that when there is a lack of love in my life (namely my own love for myself) I can attack myself in many different ways, which is a far cry from the love that I know I am and the love that I know I deserve.
It is true Rebecca we terrorise our own bodies and beings every day by not living the love that we are. If everything is energy this must create a footprint in the world that feeds the more extreme forms of terrorism that we abhor.
It is revealing and a great support to talk about terrorism in this way. I feel we use the extreme situations as a smokescreen to distance ourselves from our key and essential responsibility of making sure that we do no live with any acts of terrorism in our relationships with ourselves and all those we encounter in daily life. Remembering all the while that terrorism is simply anything that keep us separate from the one unifying Love of God.
Very powerful Rebecca. If we were to truly call self abuse as a form of terrorism then we may not be so willing to continue the attacks on ourselves. Powerful words hit home like nothing else.
“….true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” So simple yet so powerful and leaves no room for anything but the truth of this. If it does not live this then it is not true religion.
Yes, Penelope, this is the simple truth, and reclaims religion back as something that unifies us in love rather than the deep pain of separation.
True love unifies all and if it does not, then it is not love.
Your brilliant blog Kevin has got me pondering on why do people fall for the separatism promoted by religion? Could it be that because it reflects that familiar feeling of separation they already have within themselves they feel comfortable knowing that are not going to be confronted with anything different? Then the pain of the separation they carry within can stay buried, until one day fueled even more by the religious dogma of separation, it comes out, often in the most inappropriate ways, and in the extreme, in the form of terrorism as we know it today.
In both ancient and modern times ‘religion’ or ‘in the name of God’ has been used as an excuse to keep up the divides and separate us from each other – that is not love at all, simply people’s agendas and quests for what has been perceived as power.
Kevin the sentence ‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide’ is such a powerful one and really highlights the very deep divide that religion brings in amongst people. It divides people from themselves as they come to feel things like self loathing and inadequacy, it divides people within the church by defining ranks in the clergy, it divides groups of people within the same community and it divides countries from each other. Take away false religion and we would instantly be more unified. How ironic is that!
Alexis a simple and powerful statement. “Take away false religion and we would instantly be more unified” this to me shows the fact there is no where we are going but returning to our natural state of being. My experience of the Catholic “religion” was one of sin, guilt, separation, self neglect and abuse – separation not only with others but also with oneself.
Simply focusing on the one point you made, Alexis, about religion dividing ‘people from themselves as they come to feel things like self loathing and inadequacy’ reminds me of so much of the shame and criticism I rained on myself and witnessed in others for ‘failing’ to live up to the ‘rules’ of religion. It was in these patterns of thinking that I slipped further and further away from my true essence and open relationships with others.
The point about love being universal and supporting the all without any division is the great truth that we have separated from, yet deeply know and feel in the core of our being. Therefore, in truth, there is no escape from the fact that we are all one and in disregarding, seeking to diminish or abuse another, we can only be doing the same to ourselves. How thick then is the veil of illusion we live in, on this planet that we can treat another without the upmost respect and think we are somehow gaining from it?
Interesting idea to see organised religion as a form of terrorism – no guns or explosives, just separation of humanity through an approach that reinforces a ‘them and us’, when love, as you say ‘has no borders or divide’.
I agree, and it makes sense, as what we experience in the world today as terrorism, has its roots in fundamentalist religion.
Is it any coincidence that most terrorist groups in history who have oppressed and subjugated others have done it in the name of so called religion?
Kevin, you have done something here quite magnificent and that is managed to expose a truth that is felt by many but is left unspoken.
Yes and when I read this I am so aware of the so many, not so great things that we let perpetuate in life simply because we do not say out loud what we see and feel. How often when we do, do we hear ‘oh yes, me too’ and suddenly there is an opportunity to explore and expose things that are done out of habit but do not really support or serve.
Many things come up for me reading this small article, religion is such a sensitive subject. Yet I was not so sensitive in my approach before I began my studies with Universal Medicine, to be brutally honest I thought God Lovers were weirdos, misfits and lost puppies.
What rubbed me up the wrong way is that it seemed that all Religions believed that they were the ones to save you….
Whats different about The Way of The Livingness you might ask?
Well thats what I am here to share….
In my experience The Way of The Livingness….
* Does not hold itself superior to any other thing or person
* Does not pedestal GOD or any of its teachers as more than any other
* Does not knock on doors to save or convert people
* Does not condemn same sex relationships or make you confess your sins
* Does not make its priests practice abstinence (nor does it have priests)
* There is no bible that must be studied or a mat that must be used for prayer
I no longer judge other religious people but I also know why I reacted to these religions.
The core teaching of The Way Of The Livingness is that everyone of us already has the answers inside and that we are all made from LOVE and are simply returning to our natural state of love. We are not repenting or regretting just reconnecting to what we already had as a baby.
The ability to feel and honour our body, if we do then we are naturally gods light on earth.
Well said Sarah, spot on!
Thank you Giselle, it is a process to be able to claim a true religion publicly.
Absolutely sarahraynebaldwin, and I’ve found not suitable for all conversations, however now if asked I can no longer brush off an answer I feel is wanting to be heard, the temporary discomfort I may feel from speaking what is true for me no longer warrants holding it back.
Yes, I have certainly found that it not always appropriate and have not yet been asked if I am religious. I have however spoken about what God is to me and what I feel we are here to do.
This is gorgeous sarahraynebaldwin, a blog in itself. I too have spent a lifetime cringing and shirking away from religions and the ‘G’ word. That is until I heard Serge Benhayon present and with the voice of truth sounding through my body, the curtain came down and I allowed myself to see and feel the truth of what was/is truly there. We are love, and to not live this love (God’s light) is a most unnatural and jarring state in which to choose to live. The Way of the Livingness reinstates this truth so that our bodies are free to live that which we already are. We are here to walk Heaven with our feet of flesh and that cannot be done through bodies that are holding judgement and wielding superiority, hatred and blame.
Yes and thank you Liane Mandalis , I am actually going to expand this into a blog. I still struggle to say God publicly as I do not want to be perceived the wrong way by society but realise that is my responsibility to bring the true meaning and imprint to this word.
The great point you make here Liane is how you could instantly feel ‘the voice of truth sounding through my body . . .’ This shows how instantaneously truth is felt and explains why the indoctrination of a belief takes some time. I can recall years and years of school time allotted to convincing us as little children that we were a apart of the one true church and had an opportunity to go to heaven when everyone else was going to hang in purgatory or hell for eternity. I certainly never felt the truth of this in my body . . .just the injustice and the fear of not making the grade myself!
I love how you have said this sarahraynebaldwin. Awesome.
Thank you Simone Lewis, I enjoyed writing it.
Hear hear sarahraynebaldwin, well said. I was a very religious young child, as we all innately are naturally have that connection to our self. However the Church was introduced at a very early age and this connection was replaced by dogma and a fear of God that was laced with beliefs and ideals that to this day I am still undoing. I am able to undo that which bounded and confined me thanks to the teachings of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine
Thank you for sharing and what an amazing support to discover that you can return to true religion and what you already had naturally.
Simple and clear. I love your expression Kevin.
“True religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” A powerful line and description of true religion. The Way of the Livingness is the first religion that I have come across that offers this in its entirety.
Me too Donna. The Way of the Livingness is the first and only religion I have experienced where there is not a set of rules or ideals about how we should live, but is accepting of all and where each person is at. The All that is love is very real and can be felt by everyone.
When we begin to consider in greater depth the true meaning of terrorism and abuse what becomes exposed is the fact that so many accepted norms that we live with daily within society are in fact unloving, separative, and full of abuse and terrorism. Religion is a great example as it is in it’s truest form something to reunite you to your inner heart, but is used so often as a means to harm, abuse, violate the many and serve the few.
So much “terrorism” exists in families who hold strong institutionalised beliefs when another member of the family starts to question, whether it be Roman catholic, Islamic, Judaism. Coercion, torture and imprisonment, and even murder can occur in these situations. This is within a family of same religion, and bears no resemblance to the source of that religion that is usually about loving and respecting each other.
It may not seem like terrorism, but that’s only because we have accepted something so horrific as absolutely normal for so long – dividing up humanity through opposing beliefs (religions) to the point that we are willing to go to war over them… yet some call it freedom of expression. How will opposing ideas, ideas that cut others down ever bring us to an accord? They won’t, it’s impossible as they are designed to separate not unite. Religions of the calibre you describe Kevin will never work… because they are not real religion in the first place. There is and has always only ever been one religion. The religion of the inner-heart – the one that the Way of the Livingness so carefully and accurately describes.
Hear, hear Kevin and Dean, the Way of The Livingness is that which brings us all to an equality through the inner-heart. As the Sons of God being unifying through true brotherhood, which is the Livingness will one day be seen for the only harmonious way for humanity to return to God!
We were all hatched from the same mould… I guess that’s why I find ‘modern’ religions quite farcical.
This is a great point you make Kevin. We use words to describe the extreme but we fail to recognise all that is in between. The institutionalised religion as we know it does not represent true brotherhood. In fact it’s efforts are the exact opposite. An act of terrorism that creates a separation engendering a superior group, a way of controlling and dominating groups of people often through fear and manipulation. Makes so much sense what you say. Thanks Kevin.
Yes that superiority is terrifying in its control. Fear of rejection in this life or the next controls people to ensure they will tow the line for fear of being rejected by their peers or at the pearly gates of heaven/ the afterlife. In that environment people can be easily manipulated with ideals and beliefs that are contrary to the wisdom of the heart.
Beautiful comment Lucy, and it is true, instil fear in people and they are easily manipulated and controlled. The only true way for us is to connect back to the oneness we all came from.
So true Lucy. Our emptiness yearns to be filled with anything really, yet without the true and sustaining fulfilment of the inner heart we will continue to be lost to it’s innate and natural wisdom.
That is right Kevin; many religions in their origins had a very unifying and all encompassing attitude. Now there is separation, there is them and us, there is chosen ones. They all claim to have god on their side when god only sees us as equal and would not endorse any separation whatsoever.
That’s gorgeous Ariana, Religion is also to reconnect to that spark of fire that lives within us, to reconnect to the love that we have for all people, to reconnect to the natural rhythms of the universe, to reconnect to the fact that we are the sons of God, every single one of us.
‘ Of course true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’, Of course…! And yet so many worldly powers and self appointed powers gained through creating terror in people, (catholic priests, ISIS, gangs, countries, bullies in general), have at their basis borders and divide. It is no wonder that there is instilled in the people a protectiveness. However we can all feel through the acts that they foster that there is something very wrong with this behaviour. That the borders, divide and terror are not what we know in our hearts to be a way for us as people. That is not us.
Well said Kevin, you are right, religion has been on its own reign of terror, as can be clearly seen with the catholic priests and the exposed sexual abuse. Certainly not spreading the word and teachings of the truth and beauty of true religion.
And this is just but one example of many horrific acts that have taken place under the name of religion.
In my community I have friends who are part of a religious organisation. I have noticed how supportive they are of each other and how much they will help one another and I appreciate that they do indeed genuinely care for their family friends and neighbours etc., what I have noticed is that this although the picture looks good from the outside, it feels very exclusive, like you are either in or you are out and thus creates the separation and divide which keeps us from uniting as one.
‘Should it not be a full support for all equally without having words or teachings that clearly divide? Of course true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’ Love is universal, it is felt by all and it is what unites us as humanity. This is surely where we need to be heading?
In reading the comments to this blog I am reminded of the power of the blogs of the Student Body. In it’s shortness and simplicity it offers many powerful statements of truth about terrorism, religion and love. So many of the blogs here hold gems in every paragraph if not every sentence. There is much offered for humanity to ponder on.
Kevin this is a brilliant blog and a great reflection to ponder on with all you offer here. True evil is the devision amongst us which is caused by the religions of the world and what we are taught in them and the separation and acts of terrorism that so often result from this. However the way we live in our own homes from this way of being has a lot to answer for and is a day to day occurrence and needs to be called out to really see the extent and horror of what is going on in society today and in the past clearly.The true meaning of religion is offered by you and makes sense of it all and offers a way of living in harmony and oneness for us all.
I agree with what you’ve written here Kevin, that there are much smaller, everyday acts of disharmony and separation occurring that we do not pay attention to, that create divides within humanity leading to the occurrence of larger scale terrorism. If we accept abuse in its microcosmic form, it will naturally then occur and escalate in its macrocosmic form, and this logic applies to everything.
Very well said Susie, I agree entirely. The larger or what we could call more obviously grosser forms of terrorism don’t just randomly happen, there has to be a foundation of disharmony from which they can erupt. Accepting abuse in small and more subtle ways feeds the macrocosmic form as you say.
Kevin your blog reminds me of te many shapes terrorism has in our daily lives. For example I remember in my work as a neighbourhood mediator sever neighbourly fights that well deserved the stamp of terrorism or simply look at the enormous amount of cyberabuse that is so present in society today.
So true Carolien. If we take what Kevin has offered and look further at life there are so many forms of terrorism that we have accepted as ‘part of life’.
amazing is it not and have in to a certain degree not also accepted even that which we do clarify as terrorism – that degree being as long as it does not come too close to home? And even if it does we quickly fall back into our usual way of living full of being busy and distractions.
Yes the link between false religions and terrorism is strong but not honestly discussed enough in the world.
This can only be because we deny knowing God, and then using religion to impose our illusions upon others. God is love and to kill another in his name is a Grand illusion and an act against everything God is.
And to think Carolien, we are all the same underneath.
Kevin you make a good point here especially if one considers that most of the current forms of terrorism we encounter are almost all an extension of religious doctrines and teachings in their bastardised and reinterpreted ways. It is a magnification of what we have religion made to be over the centuries and one that we can no longer close our eyes for.
An incisive and insightful blog Kevin that cuts through all the miasma of ‘good’ and ‘sin’ that is so much part of our experience of religion – or at least my understanding until I came across Universal Medicine and the Ageless Wisdom. There is such a clarity and integrity about the presentations of Serge Benhayon that has opened up a new world of understanding and love to so many.
The terror of supremacy is insidious in the may ways it can play out in our lives. I still find myself at times in fear of getting in trouble or being judged by someone – sometimes I even find myself wanting something so bad that I am willing to comprise the consideration of others to get it.
True Abby – we can be in complete fear of getting it wrong because there is someone who is seen to be ‘in control’. I am all for guidance and support as we need it in the world, but to do it in a way where someone is showing others who is boss and who is on top, is to take complete advantage of others. Supremacy is a game that has no place in true equality, and if you look at extreme forms of terrorism there is always someone in control calling the shots. This is not love or religion or brotherhood in the least.
I know what you mean and I am sure that everyone has experienced what you refer to as the terror of supremacy in some for or another. After all we do still live in a very much dog eat dog sort of world – despite the fact that we are all fundamentally the same underneath.
Now this is what I call a real pukka blog Kevin Doyle. You say it as it is in a few words, easy to read and you get the point across. Zero fluff or fancy words so it unites us ALL as there is no one in this world who could not clearly get what you are saying here and well said indeed.
I love what you say here about the religions of today as a form of terrorism and especially the bit about how it is ‘designed to control and “support” only it’s membership.’ This is one thing I could never get my head around. How can there be only one way and then you cast aside, dismiss and tolerate others but deep down disagree and really do not want anything to do with them as they do not follow your religion. Follow being the key word here. Then others like me exhausted of all religions opt for the spiritual new age stuff and go deeper into illusion and get lost further but think its the real thing. Thank God for Universal Medicine I got back on track.
This blog is a laser take on what is really going on in our world and what a wake up call.
Bring it on I say. We need more laser blogs like this that deliver pure and absolute Truth which is why it is on a Universal Medicine site. The Way of the Livingness was what I was searching for my whole life and I found it ten years ago when I met Serge Benhayon the founder of Universal Medicine.
You make a very valid point here; the subtle terror of subjugation, superiority and exclusivity might not leave anybody with a torn off leg or arm, but it can certainly be viewed as a very subtle and sneaky way of terrorising people, long-term and without a truce.
Exactly Gabriele – What seems to stick in my mind from childhood is that people feel that they must be religious in order to be saved but yet it is this very notion that keeps them trapped.
Well said Gabriele. Yes, this ‘subtle terror of subjugation, superiority and exclusivity’ is certainly going on ‘without a truce.’ Until it is exposed and seen for what it is, terrorism in and of itself, then it will continue to go blindly undetected and undeterred. We all have our part to play in clocking it in all its forms and bringing harmony to the table instead.
Hi Karin, your comment inspired me to feel that when confronted with actions of terrorism we likely go into defence, emotions. As if we’re fighting our ‘personal life’. It almost feels as if we stand up against the ‘action’ but not feel into the people causing the terrorism as if they are being the enemy. Rather then saying no to whatever terror happens and at the same time contemplate and ponder on why people choose these actions. And what it reflects back to us. What is our part in the whole that we play. I am realising that I’ve not given much attention to all these questions. Not considering the fact that f.a. members from IS or churches are also human beings, so I do have a relationship with them. I can not always – usually not – physically support, but I can support to not choose separation within myself by holding them lovingly and in equalness. To me this realisation is very inspiring.
Exactly, and for most it slips by unnoticed! How lost is what traditional formalised religions bringing to the world?! The way of the Livingness highlights how true religion through a one unify truth can bring that which is a total harmony to many!
This terrorism of superiority and subjugation happens in our own homes.
If we were to compare the death statistics from what we perceive to be modern day terrorism and compare that to the billions of lives lost due in wars due to separatism created by Religion we can clearly see that Religion is most certainly a form of terrorism.
Great point Tracy….and not only lives lost in war – thousands of people died during the inquisition which was fuelled by religions of that day.
And not only looking at lives lost but also the millions of people raped, mainly women and the disease and plagues that unfolded. The list is long for the devastation man made Religion has plagued the earth with. Humanity would evolve so much faster if we called out the falsities and lies that we have bought into and chose to feel the truth of the one true Religion, The Way of The Livingness.
Well said Tracy, case in point.
Yes that would be very confronting and is much needed for the honesty it would bring.
ummm… great point Tracy. Religion has been the cause of many wars and deaths, no wonder people have a reaction and an aversion to the very word ‘religion’.
Until I found ‘The Way of the Livingness’ the word ‘religion’ almost used to send me into palpitations. I felt so hurt and angered by the abuse and misuse I saw religious authorities use by way of excuse to harm, belittle or diminish others. As a child born in the UK it never made sense to me that the Catholic church and Protestant church would be willing to be in conflict in Ireland with bomb attacks in London over ideology. Yet I was taught that God was love and they were both supposedly Christian?
Yes johannebrown17, I have struggled and reacted to the word religion because of all that has been done in its name. It has taken a few years to use and accept that word and to say I am deeply Religious without squirming. It is just another word out there that has been bastardised over time and it is so beautiful that the true meaning of the word is being lived and expressed by Universal Medicine and the student body.
It is sad that we miss brotherhood, unity and a sense of belonging so much that we sign up to religions that are responsible for such atrocities.
I love this simplicity Tracy. Indeed there are millions and millions of people killed, slaughtered, murdered under the name of God. If God’s Love – which He is – how on earth could a different view and / or different beliefs make up an excuse to choose the older forms of terrorism. We could say that the leaders of modern institutionalised religion are the leaders of separation whenever they put their way of living above other people’s way of living. Yet they do it with protection from the law. When we see it like this, there’s such a polar shift on what terrorism is. Much more that we currently admit. If organised separation is the definition of terrorism, we’ve got to change our opinion. Well, at least if we choose to put honest and Truth above dishonesty and lies.
Well said Tracy, the lines between terrorism and religion are extremely blurred. When one considers the roots of some of our religions, they appear to have been established by terrorists and hence one of the most valuable words in our vocabulary has been poisoned. The word Religion means to re-align to God and no act of murder, violence or terror can ever be done if we are truly aligned to God, its impossible.
Yes it is impossible to murder if one is truly connected to God and true Religion. It goes to show when the seed of separation between two fellow brothers is enabled through false Religions the most atrocious acts have been possible. Therefore the real damage is done at the point of separation and this is what needs to be healed on earth.
So true Tracy. Religions in this world have caused so much devastation and also segregation throughout the years….. For me true religion is about true love, brotherhood and the true connection we have within ourselves. Their is no abuse of any kind. For me God is love….. anything less then love can not be true Religion….you can feel it…. if that person is honest with themselves. Like Kevin said “Love has no borders or divide”…. neither does true religion….We are all one.
“And not only looking at lives lost but also the millions of people raped, mainly women and the disease and plagues that unfolded. The list is long for the devastation man made Religion has plagued the earth with. Humanity would evolve so much faster if we called out the falsities and lies that we have bought into and chose to feel the truth of the one true Religion, The Way of The Livingness.”
A Very true and powerful statement Tracy.
Well said Tracey – this uncovers the incredible loss of lives in the name of something that allegedly serves ‘all’ dependent on which facet you choose, but also how much the truth of reincarnation is absolutely known yet dismissed in an instant to guard the picture religion has painted in order to satisfy the masses and their blinkered vision.
Agree Tracy, the way religion is used today is a form of terrorism, as the suffering and separation is always there, it is just not acknowledged as it would require taking responsibility for their lives.
“…love has no borders or divide.” – I agree entirely and would add that it also has no judgment or condemnation and does not allow abuse let alone try and cover it up. Much is and has been done in the so-called name of God and Religion that to me, and many others I’m sure, can be seen as a great mis-use of those words.
I feel this too Fiona. To do anything in the name of God and Religion that is not about love is a total abuse of those words and those who have abused their positions in order to abuse should be held to account not protected or covered up or it does even greater harm.
I agree Lucy. Being held accountable for our actions is an act of love, for how else do we learn.
Developing our awareness and holding ourselves to account for our actions are acts of love and opportunities to learn about the unifying nature of taking responsibility.
Indeed Fiona, there has been done great misuse of the words God and Religion and in fact when we consider that everything that keeps us from enjoining together but instead divides and separated us to me is a form of terrorism to us human beings as well.
Fiona I think that you have made a great point when you say that ‘much is and has been done in the so-called name of God and Religion, this can be seen as a great mis-use of those words’. People throughout history have used words as a cover for their mis-se of power, some that come to mind are ‘politician, policeman, teacher, vicar, nurse, accountant, celebrity’ there are countless more. Bring on the time that all is known by it’s energetic quality, then there will be no where to hide, as every-thing will be known to all.
I agree Fiona so much so that our trust in God and Religion has dwindled and our focus has become to abuse ourselves and each other. No longer to we live in communities where we are connected to everyone, instead we live in separation to each and very person even those we live with.
Wow – if you think about it – how much trust has been abused over tie in this world by those calling themselves ‘representatives of God’ It is no wonder when people get presented with the simplicity that the real meaning of the word religion is – they just can’t quite take it on board and let themselves enjoy and be with it.
I agree – one does not need to look far into history to see the devastating effects that trying to condemn and separate people based on religion can have
It can also be quite subtle too, I grew up in the Catholic religion and though I never remember it being discussed, there was a subtle belief that we had the answers and that others were ‘wrong’ or ignorant. I feel there is a truth in most religions but the way the religion is practised and carried out today needs to be reflected on and looked at to see if it is really supporting and evolving humanity.
Exactly – one cannot begin to hate, or begin to do atrocities if they have not lived in a society first that has been allowing separation of certain people to occur – these thing always come round to cause an issue, for separation doesn’t work. We need to live as what we really are – all the same and all equal.
The misuse of these words and many more have been systematically reducing the quality of our awareness and our lives. I am understanding more and more how our perception and our relationship with life can be tainted and capped in this manner. There is great care taken in clarifying the true energetic meaning of some words on http://www.unimedliving.com/unimedpedia and as I connect with the depth of the words, I really get how the deliberate misuse and bastardisation of words is indeed an act of terrorism, it has a devastating impact on society.
Any religion creates separation unless it teaches, and puts into everyday living practice, that we are all Divine in origin and therefore equal in every way. The only religion I know that holds everyone as equal and relates this to the ordinary everyday way, is The Way of The Livingness.
There is no other religion that I have come across that is so powerful in uniting human beings to appreciate that we are all equal and that we each bring a unique piece to the whole.
Lovely reminder fionacochran01. The fact that “we each bring a unique piece to the whole” is a wonderful way to appreciate and honour another…rather than use differences as a reason to separate or reject.
I really enjoyed reading your comment Elizabeth and agree with you whole-heartedly.
When I reflect on the amount of war that has taken place in the name of religion over the ages, it makes me question what is the purpose of belonging to a religion? Through The Way of the Livingness, I have come to know the meaning of true religion, a religion based on brotherhood, equality for all of humanity, connection and love. This is my religion, this is my Way, this is The Way back to heaven.
I agree Donna, I no longer shy away with an understanding of what true religion is ‘The Way of the Livingness’. But I can very much understand why people shy away from the bastardised forms of religion that have wreaked so much death and destruction using the name of God as their guise.
Kevin this is brilliant, exposing the obvious, religions that serve a few at the expense of the many. Not something we are fully prepared to see yet as we rely on many man made interpretations of religion to give us what we do not give ourselves, a sense of guidance, belonging and brotherhood. Yet the most common aspect of belonging and brotherhood is ignored – for true brotherhood there can be no separation and for there to be any sense of belonging we must first belong to ourselves. For each religion to state that those that do not follow their way are sinners is already a clear sign that this is not a true religious way. Something so obvious but we choose not to see, shows we have an investment otherwise the obvious would be exposed.
“This was the original basis of teaching of all the major religions until they were bastardised for the gain of a select few, and the masses without discern and grasping at hope and with what they felt may supply them with the truth and brotherhood they know exists, gave their power away to.”
And here begins our dance with irresponsibility, for today the true power of the masses lies dormant and in this diminished, separated state abuse is allowed to fester unchecked. The Way of the Livingness is here to support ALL equally, to re-em-power and restore lived responsibility, to open our long closed eyes to the true state of play.
Stunning Kevin, beautifully expressed and only like one who is connected to their inner heart can and where true religion is found.
Thanks Kevin. There is something sinister and evil about the more subtle acts of terrorism you have exposed here. There is an immediate, almost visceral withdrawing when we read about or witness obvious acts of terrorism eg on TV, but the more subtle acts of terrorism, such as institutionalised religion can remain unnoticed and spreads far and wide like a disease, through our communities, thus creating far more damage and destruction through its separative teachings.
“Religion in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity” What a very strong statement to make, but one that is very true.
I agree Rebecca, a powerful statement which is absolutely true. Religious institutions will vehemently deny this and even go on the offensive as they have done throughout history because there is a lot at stake for them to lose once the fall from their vantage point of false power. The religions institutions of today are not about brotherhood and love. They are all about control with greed the by-product — and mankind continues to stifle in the separation that’s propagated. True religion brings everyone together, not physically but in heart, we know we are a part pf something enormous and amazing and divine, that we are divine, we connect to our origins and celebrate in the memories that return. This is what the Way of the Livingness inspires and offers — the only true religion I know on this earth.
Rebecca and Kevin that line ‘“Religion in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity’ makes me wonder how the world would feel if we were suddenly without most of the worlds religions? I wonder if we would all snap back closer together as religion is the wedge that keeps us apart.
Kevin – that you for sharing the true meaning of Religion. Sadly – my generation has not seen religion to be uniting and without conditions. We have taken truths to the extreme, twisted them, undermined them and watched as they have become something they ever were. You are right to say that this is terrorism – in a subtle but yet very powerful form. It is sad to see that so much division on earth leads to extreme forms of terrorism each day. Perhaps it is time to truly ask ourselves what is it we are fighting for?
The word religion has been made to mean – a supermarket of beliefs where you can chop and change whatever beliefs you fancy to suit your life. Even being agnostic or atheist are religions. As long as our lives operate within this mentality of what religion means, which is basically about endorsing separation, then even the Way of the Livingness could be seen to be divisive. Some people love it and other don’t, some people are in the middle, much like other religions. But it’s actually not the WOTL that is divisive but our attitude towards truth and oneness that is the foundation for our relationship with religion, with God and each other, that dictates our response to religion as a whole. I know that the WOTL is a way that supports you to build a oneness with yourself and when you do that, you feel a connection and inclusion of all others, no matter what their race, religion or age and whether you know them or not.
However horrific extreme forms of terrorism maybe they are also distract us from acknowledging the terrorism that goes on around us in our everyday life that you have clearly highlighted Kevin. If we were but to call-out and say ‘no’ to that which occurs in our own lives at home it would dampen the fuel that fans the flames of the extreme acts of violence.
I feel it is as you say Jonathan – extremes always have a way of distracting us from our own lives and what is truly going on.
Yes, it is true that all organised religions to date have a lot to answer for in their bastardised re-interpretations of the truth. However, the devastation that is lived each day by billions of people on earth will first start to be addressed when attention is given to the way we live at home with ourselves and with each other, it is then that the separative aspects of religion will no longer have its hold and the genuinely supportive role that religion can play will come to the fore.
Indeed Shami, this return journey takes us all right back to the basis of religion.
I fully agree with you Kevin that the history of religions has shown their selective brotherhood and their penance for all things outside of us. ‘The way of the livingness’ starts with what is in us all and grows from there.
Said so very simply Steve, and very powerfully. Thank you.
A beautiful quote here “…true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” I can feel that this is my experience of religion, it has been to return, rebind to that which is love, to live with and express love and honour that I am divine and part of divinity in essence. I am returning to a relationship with God which is expressed through how I am learning to live and care for myself and others without judgement and with understanding, held in love.
The intention of terrorism is to separate humanity and so yes I agree ‘institutional religions’ show behaviours that absolutely attempt to separate humanity and undermine the value of those with an alternative opinion, race, gender etc….absolutely do we choose to stay blind to the evil that is prevalent in all layers of society not just what is labelled as such by the media or governments quick to garner themselves support for the next election, we are as responsible for the choice not to see the truth of what we encounter everyday.
It is no coincidence that we are all walking along in life and not seeing the full picture. That it takes a ‘Big’ act of terrorism or in other cases natural disasters for example to wake us up and stop, and even then it still doesn’t make us really stop. Why is that we are choosing not to see it all? Are we comfortable in our own lives doing what we like doing, believing in what we ‘think’ is true but not actually seeing and feeling the Truth of everything as to not disturb what we have worked so hard for?
Natalie I feel that you are spot on when you say that even extreme acts of terrorism or natural disasters don’t wake people up (and I include me in that). Life has become so muffled and mumbled for us, we plod along in our own small pocket of the Earth and as long as we can still get everything we need in local supermarket then really it makes no odds that 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. We can’t pretend to care because if we did it wouldn’t exist.
Great questions Natalie, my feeling is sometimes the big terrorism acts or wars wake us up a bit but if they are not on our doorstep and directly affecting us this is then easily forgotten. I heard the other day that since World War II not ONE day has passed where in this world there has not been a war somewhere. This is really shocking news. So maybe even if it is not happening on our doorstep we need to take responsibility for our lives, actions and what we are allowing to happen within the world. As I write this I can see this is something I clearly need to do with consistency in my life as I am not currently living this responsibility.
Thank you for writing this, it brings me back to the awareness of the details, and not only see the extremes. But feel that it is in every part of society. And that we all got a part to play in this separation.
I feel this too Benkt looking at the extremes is a great way to not look at what lies underneath and that which is abhorrent in our society in may ways, shapes and forms.
Any excuse to kill fellow human beings whether in the name of religion or ‘terrorism’ is not love. If it is not love, it cannot be true religion.
Powerfully expressed Jeanette, this is absolutely true. No so-called religion can hide in its false guise when it is called out for being void of love; that is either felt or it is not. There is no grey area when it comes to love.
Yes, and that includes the crusades and the inquisition, to name just two of the many atrocities committed in the name of religion throughout the ages.
It is as simple as that Jeanette. To see these extremists acting in this way ‘in the name of God’ reveals how very separated they are from love.
Great blog Kevin, directing the view on these subtle forms of terrorism in the bastardization of religion and thus in our day to day life, in society, in the world and in ourselves. Bastardized religion promotes the inner separation (from God) what is the “foundation” for acting out this feeling of separation in more or less obvious violence forms against oneself and others. Very revealing to ponder on the “inner terrorism” and the willingness to protect oneself and judge people in connections with the bastardization of religion.
‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.
This was the original basis of teaching of all the major religions until they were bastardised for the gain of a select few, and the masses without discern and grasping at hope and with what they felt may supply them with the truth and brotherhood they know exists, gave their power away to.’
I do feel there is a basis of truth all religions stand from and yes that over many generations through corruption they have deviated from their original teachings. This can be seen in many religions a classic example being the amount of deaths the Catholic Church is responsible for, even now in Australia the Royal Commission is bringing to light many acts of pedophilia that all occurred under the banner of this religion.
It is clear from their own doctrines that religious teachings as they are presented today create clear divides across the world.. so it is truly beautiful to come across something that truly dissolves the separation and divides that lay at the foundation of so much disharmony and devastation and unites everyone through love.
Yes Kevin… what you share here is true…”Institutionalised Religion comes to mind as one form of extreme and an almost universal form of terrorism, subtle as that ‘terrorism’ may be..” In some circles of institutionalised religion, it is proclaimed that one will go to hell if they don’t do this or that or follow some type of doctrine to the letter. Installing fear of the wrath of God in young children so they grow up as adults with a subconscious fear or guilt of God, is this not inflicting terror? …when the word ‘God’ is synonymous with ‘Love’ . A dreadful and deliberate deception I feel.
This is a powerful point johannebrown17….”Installing fear of the wrath of God in young children so they grow up as adults with a subconscious fear or guilt of God, is this not inflicting terror? …when the word ‘God’ is synonymous with ‘Love” It is indeed a deliberate deception…and fear and guilt motivate many behaviours. This is how the guise of ‘good’ then follows – be a ‘good’ person by following the rules, doing this or that (and you will be rewarded), which is a common underlying ideal and belief held by many. But it is a constant striving to ‘be something’, rather than ‘being who we naturally are’ – through living the love of our inner heart.
Control of our image of the divine is a very devious and crippling form of control. We all long to know where we are from, if that can be controlled by a few, and the means to find out for ourselves is hidden, then the populace are forced to defer to those who claim to know. Even though they are the ones perpetrating the deception.
When we support only our ‘own kind’, in whatever way, we are indeed fostering the separation that results in so much harm and destruction on this earth. One of my greatest realisations, and one that continues to unfold, is the absolute equality within and between each of us.
Beautifully expressed, it is a forever unfolding the truth that we are in fact all equal and one that still expands daily for me. At any point any of us can be the teacher or the student and that is the wonder of this equality.
Religions, with their ideals and beliefs, are indeed an insidious and highly harmful form of terrorism.; luring people in to be controlled and manipulated. Great that you have exposed this Kevin.
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide”.
Simply and powerfully expressed Kevin, thank you.
The Way of the Livingness is indeed a true religion reflecting and living true love, joy, harmony, stillness, truth and brotherhood. Where do we sign up?
Terrorism to me is something that tries to create fear and control over others from hurt and comparison. I can see why you have made the connection between some of the institutionalised religions in the world today and terrorism Kevin.
Kevin this is a much needed topic to bring true awareness to. It is very easy to go into the horror of the more extreme acts of terrorism and not pause to notice what is at play. Rather the media doesn’t seek understanding of how such extreme expressions of separatism exist or that they are inextricably linked to the bastardised versions of true religion. To hear that terrorism is the extreme version of religions who, by definition are exclusive – those excluded have a lesser existence- I imagine is very offensive but the separatism is undeniable.
This separatism is with us everyday in the form of any thought where someone considers themselves better or worse than another and not equally amazing. These thoughts can accumulate in actions, how we treat each other/ ourselves based on fear, assumptions, stereotypes, prejudices and not from our inner heart. When I’m not coming from my inner heart I can feel my movements aren’t in harmony with myself or the world. I also feel how I’m adding to the pool of energy that the more extreme acts of terror draw from – what a responsibility we all have to not add to it.
An interesting take on what terrorism is, I would not have seen it this way but I see what you are saying. Religions, apart from The Way of the Livingness, promote not only separatism but supremacy and that we are not all equal. Thank goodness for The Way of the Livingness which is a true religion, knowing not only that we are all equal, but that the kingdom lies within each and every one of us equally so. There is a far bigger picture we as humanity are not currently seeing regarding this.
Every single one of the major religions has at some point in their history acted in a way that we would today call terrorism. Read the old testament and it is full of entire cities being massacred. Look at Europe during the Inquisition. Today it is Islam. Even Tibetan buddhism has a very, very dark history if you look into it.
People have used their beliefs as a way to justify the subjugation and murder of their fellow humans for thousands of years, and claimed that in doing so they were somehow stepping closer to heaven. Yet, the enlightened teachers who have come in the past and who continue to come, those who have inspired us to understand that we are far more than what we think, have all said that we are all One and that we are loved equally by God. It has been ringing out through the ages, and it continues to do so today.
Those who commit atrocities in the name of God, must be asked, “what is it that they are truly hiding from? and in whose name are they truly acting?” For Love is not terror.
This is a blog in itself and a powerful one at that, I would like to see this be made into an article, I am speechless, thanks for your contribution Naren Duffy.
Great comment Narren, I agree with sarahraynebaldwin, this would make a powerful blog.
The atrocities committed in the name of ‘God’ are, as you say, have been repeating through history are still happening today.
Yes, there is definitely more here to expose. The misappropriated and bastardised “divine right” has been used as an excuse for mankind to do unspeakable things to his brothers while declaring that “God is on my side”. But the fallacy is that if He is on one side, he is therefore not on the other. The question that comes up is “are we on God’s side?”
Great question Naren . . . as the Dalai Lama said after the recent Paris attack . . .”We cannot solve this problem only through prayers. I am a Buddhist and I believe in praying. But humans have created this problem, and now we are asking God to solve it. It is illogical. God would say, solve it yourself because you created it in the first place.”
Indeed, and choosing God’s side is choosing responsibility for our creations, so that we can begin to create alongside him.
Yes Naren and co- creating beside God, ‘not my will but thine,’ it the ultimate name of the game.
Thanks Kevin for shining the light on Terrorism in religion, Before Serge Benhayon introduced us to The Way of The Livingness, I had been searching for the truth for many years, first through religion then the New Age to no avail. Now I know the truth of God and His relationship to us all and the Love that we all are. How can I hate my Brother when he and I are Love?
Perhaps the terrorist attacks from the extremists are just a diversion away from the more insidious and subtle form evil takes to keep us distracted from what is really going on.
I never thought of it that way before kevmchardy, but I do think you might be onto something, we find it easy to recognise extreme acts as something that is damaging us but not so easy to address the subtle insidious ones that are everywhere.
Anything that keeps us separate from each other,ourselves or God is what evil is all about and if that’s what religion does well nothing more needs to be said.
What you say Kevin is so astute. It is these ‘subtle’ and pervasive institutions that completely devastate the otherwise propensity to love and care for all as children do. It is our notion of religion and culture that so proudly delineates man from man, man from God and even man from nature! It is this that provides the soil and the feed to grow what we call acts of terrorism. Which is the real terrorism? A great question.
Funny how we can focus our attention to the extreme acts of terrorism yet overlook the more subtle sinister acts of terrorism under the guise of ‘good’ and ‘benevolence’.
I agree Marcia Owen, this is something that needs a lot more consideration.
Absolutely Marcia the more extreme forms of terrorism or abuse we see, the less we worry about the subtle but equally damaging ones. Especially when they have a fogy haze of “good” around them.
“…,the less we worry about the subtle but equally damaging ones.” That’s it, David! With the big and extreme ones, people can express their anger and go against it. But the subtle ones we are willing to overlook, though they happen daily – and the consistency in it makes them forceful.
It is a grand illusion to get caught in isn’t Marcia. They have proven that the highest level of corruption is hidden under the guise of good and benevolence. This is beginning to be exposed and I don’t think humanity is prepared to fathom how deep it truly runs throughout the world. At the end of the day each loveless imprint is one that needs to be healed and cleared and the more we accept the ill truth of things parading as good and benevolent the longer we will be around to heal from these choices.
And this is the case not only with religion and terrorism. There are many areas in our lives where we are prepared to notice only the extremes and look away from the more subtle things which are often harming to a much greater extent than what we see at first sight.
So true Michael…We tend to focus on the gross behaviours and ignore the more subtle details. For example, a person can live without outwardly ‘extreme’ behaviours but there are ideals and beliefs underlying behaviours we can play out for decades that can be very harming – for ourselves and those around us.
I can see what your getting at skein and I have to say I agree. Terrorism isnt just the big acts, it can be found in subtle ways. The current definition is – “the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.” and so yes, current organised religions do fall under this banner…
Great point Emily, Politics is another form of Terrorism – parties of opposite sides plotting to destroy each other in the name of votes, not to mention the internal infighting that occurs. Acts of terrorism that divide our nation and not unify. I have heard it said many times from within the walls of politics, that politics is not a ‘nice’ man’s game. Yet we continue as if it is okay. Thank you Kevin for highlighting just how not okay acts of division are.
Emily I think there are many businesses and companies that would also fall under this banner given their disregard for their employees and the environment.
When I talk about religion or ‘The Way of the Livingness’ my family sometimes asks, ‘what makes it any different to other religions?’ – my answer is becoming clearer and less reactionary by simply saying – it seeks to unite and not divide.
And just to clarify this statement – I have let go of the want or need for others to get it, because even though the teachings and way of The Way of the Livingness are free from judgement and ask us all to be equal to God and the Love we are – if it is preached or imposed on another then it feels bastardised and void of the integrity the teachings so naturally hold. This has been my experience and I have learnt to live the teachings and not to preach.
I can very much relate to your comments Rachel, I too have ‘learnt to live the teachings and not to preach.’ When I first came to the courses run by Universal Medicine I felt the absolute truth in what was being presented and so wanted everyone I knew to come too, I was quite imposing at first and this created a lot of reaction, now I simply live more lovingly, am more honest, react less and am not so attached to people ‘getting it’ and coming to the courses too, I feel now it is absolutely their choice.
Gorgeous Rachael – and hence why it is called The Way of the Livingness and not the preachyness.
When another can see living evidence for themselves it simply nothing less than inspiring, especially if non imposing. I know I have been inspired to make many loving changes for myself simply through observing others and how joyful, simple and uncomplicated their lives are.
‘I have let go of the want or need for others to get it’, I love your honesty Rachael, in wanting others to get it, we are wanting others to confirm for us what we want to believe in, without feeling the depth of the truth for ourselves. Once we have felt it in ourselves and confirmed it by connecting to our own knowing, and claim it, we have no doubt of it within ourselves and no need for others to confirm it for us.
The Way of The Livingness “seeks to unite and not divide” – what a great summary of what this religion is all about.
Awesome comment Rachael – I find it so interesting that while inherently we all long for unity, a sense of togetherness and connection, so many go looking for this (and believe they have found it) in the established religions which are built on the foundation of separation. We go for the “quick fix” and conveniently turn a blind eye to the abuse, the violence & murder, the wars, the blatant discrimination against women and same-sex couples….crazy no?
Like many words religion has been so bastardised that it no long holds its true meaning, indeed it is now seen and represented as the complete opposite. Anything that is used to divide humanity from each other is an act of evil/terrorism. The Way of the Livingness religion knows we are all equal, we are one humanity and represents a way of living that brings the word religion back to it’s original glory – to bind/bring together – to join together in true brotherhood.
Yes deidremedbury, and that bastardisation turns many people away from not only religion but the act of taking responsibility for the world we live in. For many the intention is good but hope has been lost in humanity. I felt this way before I came to the Way of the Livingness, but now I see that my every gesture and expression is meaningful and does make a difference and that there is religion not just possible but actively occurring in every part of my day and that it is found in all that is going on. Religion in its true meaning brings understanding to everyone and allows for all to develop their relationship with god at their own pace in their own way.
Stephen I have come to realise that if the intention is ‘good’ then that is never going to promote true harmony, peace or Brotherhood on Earth because ‘good’ does not come from truth, it is merely a shape shifter that belongs to the what is not.
Yes Stephen,definitely agree that true religion ‘…brings understanding to everyone and allows for all to develop their relationship with god at their own pace in their own way.’ – well said!
So gorgeously expressed Kevin and deidremedbury, anything that separates us is terrorism, thank you for making this so clear and exposing the evil of religion as it stands today.
Beautifully said deidremedbury, and such is the world we live in where everything is presented as quite the opposite so as to divide and separate.
I agree Kevin, All acts of atrocities and violence are connected, be they subtle or extreme. Any institution that promotes separation between people for any reason (and many Religions do this) are saying no to the truth of God.
If there was no separation in the first instance there could be no act of violence committed. If we go to the root cause of the issue it begins with separation.
So true Tracy, if we held each other as equal – it would be impossible to harm each other.
As Serge Benhayon presents, the first seed of all the things we do not like in this world can only happen if we allow ourselves to separate from the all. This is done through Religion, Culture and Nationality. If only we didn’t see ourselves as different to one another, but as a one brotherhood,we couldn’t do the horrific things that we have seen for aeons.
Yes I totally agree Kevin there is only one religion that I know of that “represents the truth, true brotherhood, true love and the true joy that we all are in our essence”, and that religion is The Way of the Livingness, my religion, my way of living.
Kevin, I thank you for bringing to our attention the way that terrorism is not just the extreme form of violence, but as you say, “is there at play much more extreme and wide spread forms of terrorism every day, right before our eyes, that we have chosen to be blind participants of?” Yes, is the answer, as shown by the enormous number of comments that your great article has engendered. Thank you for alerting us to the truth of this situation.
It is a stark comparison, but feels true. If an act of terrorism can cause fear and hate and is promulgated by isolated groups who feel arrogantly their way is “the way” and “only way”, and is imposed on another, then this is surely what organised religion does. Having been brought up as Catholic I know from personal experience that this religion sees anyone who is not Catholic as less – only barely tolerating other Christian off-shoots and totally dismissing others from other religious orders as damned for eternity. I do feel we are blind to what this creates. If we were totally honest I think humanity would be shocked at what we have allowed. Although we are blind to what we are doing on such a fundamental level we can’t really turn round and look at acts of terrorism and wonder where they come from as we live this every day.
Thank you Kevin for writing this down. It is true, and after reading your blog I am wondering ‘Why should we support something that is not true?’ It does not make sense, and does not serve anyone. Better get rid of the lies by living and claiming the truth which is we are all the same, we are all love and we are all deeply connected. There cannot be one God for only that group of people and another God for another group of people. We are all connected to the same one God and it is time to live it so.
‘We are all connected to the same one God and it is time to live it so’ Hear Hear Lieke…
Indeed Lieke, we have to claim back what has been robed from us and restore the religion of our inner hearts to be our connection with the all, with universe, with God, that which we are inescapably are part of and in which we are all equal and the same.
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” I fully endorse that, Kevin, that is the religion that I now embrace. That is why I live The Way of the Livingness, which for me is a true religion. The Way of the Livingness recognises that we, all of us in the world, are actually equally Sons of God. It is up to us to re-connect with our true selves, in our innermost, and there we will feel the great love that we are and that we come from. The Way of the Livingness does not leave others out of the equation, does not divide us, but leaves us free to choose whether to connect or not to this true religion, which shows us where we come from. God is love and we, as Sons of God, are also that same love. When we choose to live The Way of the Livingness, we choose to embody that true love, gradually building bodies of love, and through that, show others through interaction with us, that this is a life that any one and all of us can choose to live if we wish. There is no separation or division, it is open to all.
Thank you Kevin Doyle, The Way of the Livingness holds all equally, so any boundaries and separation are borne of self or individualism. The more I am brought back to understanding equality, the more the self must surrender to it in every aspect of life. Defence has no power in surrender!
Very powerful blog Kevin and one that no doubt will raise a few eyebrows or ruffle a few feathers for some people who have taken to institutionalised religion and not realised what they have given their power away to. But as always, we can ask ourselves as a collective group, how we have allowed for such a situation to happen, how it is that we have not put a stop to this and have allowed it in such epidemic proportions in our world? For we too are responsible – true religion may have been bastardised by a few but it took many of us to NOT stand up and say so in order to put a stop to it, and we did not. And hence we gave our power away and allowed a false divisive form of religion to take over. Some of us fell for it too because it was the closest form of brotherhood we could achieve, and so we chose this out of default (having forgotten the true brotherhood that lies with), and since this bastardised version was one that still held a division and separation to many others, it resulted in us creating a world with complete separation but under the illusion of ‘being together’. When ‘being together’ and the support is only for a select few (or a select few hundred or a few thousand or more) then this is not all inclusive – all inclusivity should not base itself on a set of ideals and beliefs that determine whether you are eligible to be part of something or not. Most of the worlds religion today is exclusive – anyone of course can join so long as they take to the beliefs advocated, and so we can say the following ridiculous sentence: upon join a religion, they have the exclusive right to heaven upon death, whereas those who do not take to the beliefs but live a life of true love and absolute dedication to humanity will suffer lives in hell. This kind of a religion does not make sense. The kingdom of God lies within each and every one of us, not a select few. It is our choice to connect to this or not.
I love what you have raised here Henrietta, how have we allowed this. Since being a student of The Way of the Livingness I have felt more discernment when it comes to what I subscribe or endorse. As I can feel that we align with the whole package not just the parts we like or that feel true. “The kingdom of God lies within each and every one of us, not a select few.” this is a great marker when looking at many institutionalised religions.
Well said Aimee – and you have hit the nail on the head by saying that when we choose a religion, we choose the whole package and not just the parts that we like or feel are true. All major religions out in the world come loaded with baggage of mass murder and genocide and all kinds of abuse (killing and such in the name of ‘God’) and when you choose such a religion you automatically then embrace this too. Many will conveniently say ‘yes but they don’t do that anymore’, but the problem is that none of them own up to or denounce in full and with total honesty what they have done in order to heal and move on from that.
I remember when we moved towns that the fact we were part of a religion helped us create a social group very quickly, we do join these institutions accepting the good and the bad because it suits our needs. Rather than feeling the truth of what is there to be felt of what is at the heart of all major religions.
Wise words Vanessa: ‘we join these institutions accepting the good and the bad because it suits our needs’ – as humans we often feel a false sense of being safe or belonging when we join a group such as a religious group, or we might be lonely and this fills up the void. When I first arrived in Australia, I met a friend who had also just arrived here for the first time – she decided to join the Mormon’s not because she liked their beliefs, but because she felt like she was accepted in the group (so long as she pretended to align to the Mormon beliefs). She was fully honest with me about it and said it gave her a group of friends. Behind the scenes she would do the things that she normally did which were not accepted by the Mormons, but when she was hanging out with them she would do as they did. Her need to be with others and feel accepted (though falsely so) was so strong that she kept up this game for quite a while.
That is so true Henrietta, “true religion may have been bastardised by a few but it took many of us to NOT stand up and say so in order to put a stop to it, and we did not. And hence we gave our power away and allowed a false divisive form of religion to take over.” Throughout history we have had messengers sent from heaven but have allowed their teachings to be distorted and separation to grow like a cancer to the extent of bloodshed and hatred.
That’s right Bernard – and the bastardisation has continued…thankfully the messengers have kept coming and just keep presenting the true teachings time and time again. Finally these teachings are being heard, though the bastardisation is still rampant and there are many that fight the truth due to the pain of having turned away from it.
Great to hear people speaking up about this… I felt that though I’m not part of a religion, the affects of the separation they come with are still with me subtly…..This comment “true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide’ this feels completely true to me and makes a lot of sense.. Kevin, thanks for your clarity
I agree Elizabeth, Love with no borders or divide, as a way to live and return to living, feels true and makes complete sense to me also. It always feels amazing when I go about my day in this way.
Under the banner of good, evil dwells. It is only when we start to accept the truth that we can stop history repeating itself.
‘Good’ is easy to go for, but if it is only ‘good’ for a few – it is not true. And yes there is only one truth. There are not many truths. The problem with truth is, that it exposes everything and with that some may get confirmed and others have to deal with what they aligned to in untruth.
With this powerful line Kevin you have said it All – ‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’ When we learn to discern what Love is, what true Love feels like we then know without a doubt what is of Love and what is not. And it is though our connection to our Love that this is possible. As we then know and can feel what serves to unite, in understanding of the power of the one, and what serves to dis-empower the one through separation.
So many of our current and past conflicts stem from religion as it favours its own above another and thus causes separation. The only religion that I know which welcomes all equally is The Way of The Livingness.
Well said fionacochran01, “favouring its own above another”…that’s a greatly exposing phrase.
True religion is in the inner heart. Everyone has a heart and everyone can connect with that innermost part. We are all capable of meeting ourselves and each other there in One Unified Truth, with no separation. Very simple, no institution required.
Amen to that Victoria. A simple but powerful truth that is undeniable – ‘Everyone has a heart and everyone can connect with that innermost part’. A place of truth that is known by one an all equally so, a place where we are All-knowing.
‘a place where we are All-knowing.’ – which is just the place that institutionalised religion and the force that rules it, is trying to keep us from.
If separation is the true original sin, institutionalised religion is its handmaiden. Add to that list nationalism, cultural identification, sport and any other human-devised activity or concept that reinforces difference, hatred of others and competition.
Well said Victoria, we have many building blocks in the foundation of our society that are there simply to separate and segregate people under different labels.
Any ism Victoria and you have separation! We are masters of playing to our own tune.
‘If separation is the true original sin, institutionalised religion is its handmaiden’ Well said Victoria, these institutionalised religions continue the separation, we still have not learnt.
Separation is the true original sin – the moment we individuated from the Divine All, from the body of God. All our ills and woes stem from this, and now we are finding our way back. We will be living with the terror of our separation until the process is complete.
It is interesting that Terroism is often associated with religion. There is definitely much for us to contemplate here Kevin. It does not mean that religion is bad, just that man has misconstrued it’s true meaning, which is to live from our inner-hearts in consideration of the ALL. Anywhere where there is seperation this is not True Religion and therefore it is not of God.
The central tenet of The Way of the Livingness – One Unified Truth – is a superb one. For years it had bothered me that all religions declared themselves to be ‘the way’ yet how could there be so many ways, so many ‘truths’ all claiming to be the one truth? There is either truth or not truth, and arriving at truth together, so we’re all on the same page and of the same understanding, is what is proposed here. The ultimate in group consensus – anything else is separation!
There is so much evidence of the terror institutionalised religion metes out – child abuse being a case in point in our current times in the west; stoning of women in eastern parts; wars in the name of God all around the world. But as Kevin points out, these are only the most obvious of acts of terror. The fact that no religion, other than The Way of the Livingess, speaks of One Unified Truth is the far more subtle terror. That we live in a world influenced by religions that reinforce separation is a crime.
Re-ligion comes from the verbs to re-bind to re-connect (it’s Latin origin is re-ligare). This says it all doesn’t it. Long before the word religion was there to describe the activity, people were allready re-connecting and re-binding back to who they truly are. A life long activity known as evolution as well. I can share that sinces I’m ‘living’ backwards I’m both getting to know myself and people I come accross much much better. Which is such a blessing and delicate way of Living. Religion in it’s bastardised version is ‘created’ by mankind to have power over people which has nothing to do with True Love. If we keep it that simple, everything institutionalised that defends and fosters separation is indeed terrorism. Sad but True. No wonder that more and more people step away from religions. Where at the same time there’s such a desperate need and call for something True that binds us. Which is available. Beautiful and exposing at the same time, The Way of the Livingness. Age-old Wisdom. Never been away, never will go. Simply because it can’t. It’s a connection to the Divine that is available to everyone.
You make some really great points here Kevin, and if anyone simply looked up the definition of terrorism and compared it with the level of human atrocities that have been committed against many different cultures and countries in the name of their religion being the ‘chosen one from God’, one would be hard pressed and actually quite ignorant to say that those actions are not forms of terrorism. But that’s just the obvious physical aspect of terrorism. What runs deeper is the level of control over people’s minds when they give up what they know is their innate connection to God, for a version espoused by the world’s religions that has tricked people into thinking they need to go through a priest or go to a church to feel that connection that is inside their inner hearts all along. Of course, I had experienced that imposing feeling from the Catholic church growing up and did not feel what they were teaching was the truth, nor their methods of spreading this false and misinterpreted wisdom from the teachings of Jesus, and made the mistake of running away from religion and God altogether. This is a common over-correction but now I’ve allowed God back in, with the support of Universal Medicine workshops and practitioners who have helped foster that feeling and knowing that God is within us all.
This is powerful Kevin. The subtle terrorism you describe is insidious and sneaky and the worst thing is that most of the world accepts it as ‘normal’. In my opinion this is far worse than the random acts of violence that are reported on the news as terrorism. The link is not tenuous as all when you consider the atrocities committed so grossly in the name of God, in fact most ‘terrorists’ site religion as their driving force. We may one day see a bastardised religious text for the heinous crime that it is. Far more damaging than the murder and mayhem created by people the media label as terrorists.
There is great evil in measuring life on a scale where the evil of the subtleties are justified by the devastation of the more extreme events of the same evil. Both are the same energy yet they are not viewed as such
I am sure this blog has completely exposed many people’s ideals and beliefs that we knowingly carry around terrorism, it has for me. Much easier to blame it on another group rather than take responsibility for the truth.
‘Much easier to blame it on another group rather than take responsibility for the truth.’ … wise words indeed, gyllianrae …. whilst we are busy ourselves deflecting any ounce of responsibility for ‘terrorism’ from ourselves we can comfortably remain in our little bubble, ignorantly believing that we are innocent.
This actually blows me away, as that means terrorism can be used to describe politics, domestic violence, big company corruption and greed – anything that inflicts terror or violence on another. There is actually so much evil and abuse out there that I have not been willing to see, because let’s be honest it is deeply saddening the way we treat one another.
This blog has really made me stop, terrorism was something I believed and associated with institutionalised religion mainly in the middle east – I can now see this is a set up – to not see the acts of terrorism around us everyday. If we make it something big and huge, and focus solely on one group, we then take away our responsibility, in pretending we don’t feel or see the everyday evil at play that allows the vile and atrocious acts in the first place.
Very powerful and true – you can see by simply mentioning the word religion how many people balk, people have been hurt throughout time by man made religion, which we have come to know as institutionalised religion, that has nothing to do with God.
“This was the original basis of teaching of all the major religions until they were bastardised for the gain of a select few,”. This is so true Kevin, the mystical parts of most religions are the same at their core, and very often represented by the mystical and elite brotherhoods that grew from that, There seemed to happen a separation between the mystical and the temporal branches of a religion, whereas originally they belonged and were practised together as one — in other words being in relationship with the Love in self, and every human being, and living it in every day life — The Way of The Livingness. There is really no mysticism, it became interpreted as being “out of reach” of the “ordinary man”, non understandable or able to be felt, and so the meaning of mystery changed to something inaccessible and outside of ourselves, and to be attained.. Separation everywhere, within and outside a religion. Serge Benhayon brings it all back together, by connecting with the energy of the Ageless Wisdom that is always there for us to connect to.
The Way of the Livingness rocks as far as I am concerned. It is the religion I have been searching for me whole life. I was brought up in a non religious family, but always knew there was more to life than what meets the eye. So I actually became quite interested in religion and even chose it as a subject to study at school. But all I saw in the religions that I studied and read about was power, segregation, and rules. Nothing seemed to be all loving and accepting of everyone. That was until I came to The Way of the Livingness, a true religion that holds love for every single person equally so without judgement, blame or guilt. A religion that shows us that we are all have divinity on the inside.
You have beautifully captured the evil of separation that has come from what most people regard religion to be, Kevin.
This is amazing Kevin, thank you for sharing. I know I have had hesitations in the past about embracing a religion, and now I would say I am a student of the way of the livingness without a doubt. It has also been a hesitation to say “The Way of The Livingness” is “The Way” because lets face it all religions think their way is the only way, but you have exposed it so clearly, religions that believe ‘their way’ is ‘the way’ are in an illusion if they are only saying it about their own kind, and this is a form of evil because it is not based on principles that apply to all. “The Way of The Livingness” is the only religion I have ever seen that would embrace all, regardless of any colour, nationality or former religion.
The Way of The Livingness is the only religion that I know of that embraces all – it is completely inclusive and would never leave a single person out. Like you Harrison I have embraced The Way of The Livingness absolutely and totally. In the past as a child I was drawn to Christianity but it never felt complete and I could not put my finger on what was going on. I said my prayers and was ‘good’, but this form of religion never asked me to step up and see myself as an equal to God, it was always about giving my power away to ‘God’, and seeing myself as better than another who was not religious because of the perks of ‘going to heaven’ – what a manipulation of the masses! Yet a true relationship with God is such a powerful thing and when we foster this, there is no space for manipulative behaviours – and this is what The Way of The Livingness is about, fostering our relationship with God and being inclusive.
The way the different religions fight and divide societies has nothing to do with God and Love. It is man’s behaviour, greed and desire for their religion that is so forceful that countries go to war in the name of God. We have changed the true meaning of religion over centuries and a return to its roots is very necessary when we look at the state of the world. You are correct Kevin, it is a subtle terrorism.
Spot on gillrandall – so many wars and battles have been fought all in the name of religion – but the reality is that there is only a man made “God” that would ask of such things – no true religion and no true God would ever ask nor support such behaviour and choices. And so we could say that our religion either comes from the true source within the hearts of each person, or from a source outside of the heart such as our heads that invent ideals and beliefs to follow and includes violence, wars, rape and murder all in the name of a so called religion, and offering ‘salvation’ for a select number of people.
Hear, hear Gillrandall. It is our responsibility to slowly but surely make steps to help turn the tide so that mankind can once again understand the true meaning of religion.
Absolutely Kevin. From all my observations of institutionalised relation they have only served to separate and segregate people of the world. Until I found, ‘The Way of The Livingness’ I had never heard of any religion speaking about encompassing everyone, The All and really meaning it!
Absolutely Kevin. From all my observations of institutionalised religion they have only served to separate and segregate people of the world. Until I found, ‘The Way of The Livingness’ I had never heard of any religion speaking about encompassing everyone, The All and really meaning it!
‘Until I found, ‘The Way of The Livingness’ I had never heard of any religion speaking about encompassing everyone, The All and really meaning it!’ … me too rachelmurtagh1, I always felt God’s existence, but couldn’t connect how I felt with Christianity, so I turned my back on the religion, keeping the knowingness that God existed safe in my heart. The Way of The Livingness was like a beautiful light being switched on, suddenly everything made sense and I am now able to feel a connection with myself, to humanity and to the ALL.
I agree rachelmurtagh1. The Way of The Livingness invites all to live the Love that is within the heart of every man. With this no one is left out as we all have a heart through which the light of God can equally be lived together.
I agree Rachel, and in the all encompassing of The Way of the Livingness there is a beautiful simplicity. There are no conditions, rules, dogmas or inequality. At last – true breathing space!
The Way of the Livingness simply presents the truth and it’s up to the individual to choose whether it feels true for them or not. There is no pressure, no ‘need’ for the individual to get it, everyone has the right to free will and therefore, each and every one of us determines our own path back to our selves. For some it’s a longer path for others it’s faster but we will all get there in the end.
So true Kevin. We have given up on our true knowing and accepted the bastardised teachings of the elite few, who have sought to gain control and power over the masses, usually through fear, aggression and indoctrination, the very antithesis of true religion. The Way of the Livingness has restored people’s ability to choose what is innate within us all, reinstating true free will and brotherhood. Simple really, the answer to all our woes lies deep within us, all we needed was a living example to remind us of what we buried all those life times ago when we accepted a lesser teaching over the truth in our hearts.
I see God as being the father or mother and religions the children. The children scrap and fight, (each thinking they are right) for the love of the parent while destroying any love between them in the process.
That’s a great analogy elainearthey and it leaves a clear picture to how we have ended up, where we have ended up!
. . . not realising that the parent loves them all equally anyway.
The problem with the way religion has presented itself to humanity over the past 1000 or so years it that it has left such a sour taste in the mouth of society, that we run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Our ability to ponder on the true essence of our being is our greatest attribute, and yet these days it is frowned upon as being a most banal pursuit. And how can we blame the great thinkers of today for turning away from religion, when religion has come to be defined by dogma and blind faith in the existence of an afterlife. What we fail to consider however, is the reason that we have lost connection with what life is all about is because we first have lost connection with ourselves.
We have tarnished the true origins and meaning of the word religion. As we discover religion truly means to rebind or reconnect, we will discover how religious we all are naturally.
And in that discovery we will find that we already know how to live with religion, we don’t need anyone else to tell us how to be, what to do, we already know all there is to know it’s just a choice to bring it into our livingness.
This is so true, Adam. The loss of connection with ourselves is a root cause for the evil taking place in this world.
Absolutely couldn’t agree more Adam.
“the reason that we have lost connection with what life is all about is because we first have lost connection with ourselves.” so simple and so true. If we lived connected to ourselves then none of this would be around in the first place. Every issue, dilemma, war and woe comes form the fact we have separated from our Soul.
‘Our ability to ponder on the true essence of our being is our greatest attribute, and yet these days it is frowned upon as being a most banal pursuit.’ Re mastering this ability Adam Warburton is my most important responsibility and the opportunity to invite others to do so is constantly available in a word, gesture or conversation.
Yes Adam very true. I feel that as a humanity we have lost trust in religion, and each other because of the atrocities that have occurred to humanity, by humanity through our lack of connection to our truth. And so when truth is presented, as it has throughout our history we respond with our hurts and doubt the quality of All that it brings. It is through re-building a loving and trusting relationship with ourselves that we can re-build and share loving and trusting relationship with others that are founded on the truth of who we all are in essence.
Well said, Adam, we look at what we don’t like what religion has become in its institutionalized form instead of questioning how we disconnected from our divine origins and with this let it all happen. Then we turn away from something that is our all essence reacting to our own false creation and ignoring the fact that we created this in the first place.
‘What we fail to consider however, is the reason that we have lost connection with what life is all about is because we first have lost connection with ourselves.’ …. so true, Adam. As more and more people are choosing to find their way back to themselves and live from the glory of who they innately are, this will help to inspire others to know that they too can make the same choice.
Kevin, you expose the rot we choose to walk in, thinking this rot doesn’t smell as bad as it really does. We may even come to believe it isn’t really rot after all, or that it really isn’t that bad — because that’s what we have around us. When we walked away from our innate Truth we had to create something to be in its place. And so we chose suffering, struggle and separation. Everything dear was turned around to be it in a warped form. Religion wasn’t about brotherhood any longer or inner most divine communion with self and with the all, but the opposite — separation, judgement, and retribution for never being enough.
This is the world that has been created but it is utterly and completely false. Even though we walked away from God, God is always with us, He is always within us and we are always His Son. Our innermost connection with the love we innately are is always there, gently waiting for us to re-ignite its fire with our own choice.
Brilliant, Kevin. The word terrorism to me also means an indiscriminately attack. The other day I saw a guy walk past and through a crowd of people while he smoked away and the words came to me was a ‘suicide bomber’. If his choice was to slowly kill himself by inhaling toxic substance – so be it, but he has no right to impose it on others. Then it occurred to me, I may not be holding a cigarette in my hand, but equally, nothing I do or say escapes this law.
Thank you Fumiyo for highlighting this – when we are given the example of us all being like in a tank or swimming pool and we urinate, everyone gets it – it’s the same with how we live energetically – I may think I’m being ‘good’ but the second I have a negative thought about myself or anyone else, or about anything, the whole of humanity gets it. It is truly awesome to recognise the level of responsibility we have and how far most of us are from living it.
Spot on Carmel – love the analogy of us all being in one giant swimming pool and whatever each person does affects everyone in it, either indirectly or directly (if the person is next to you). A very good picture to keep in mind to help us to remember to live with a greater sense of responsibility.
I love what you are sharing here Fumiyo, so very true, and how awesome to bring it back to every little detail in life, everything counts, everything matters, everything has an effect.
We need a new measure of what is acceptable, as things stand we accept religion in its currently dividing ways, the oppression that comes from the rules of certain religions, the devaluing of people who don’t fit with the script. We know all this but just accept this is so, that is where our biggest change is needed. To stop and evaluate where the love is, because there is not a lot of (perhaps no) love in the religion we currently have, except the the Way of the Livingness, where love is to the foremost as a philosophical, scientific and religious way of being.
I agree Stephen, having spent time checking out other religions over many years it was easy to spot the underlying dis-harmony within the church members and some of the teachings just did not feel true to me. Whereas with the Way of the Livingness you are not left feeling like there is something missing.
We live in a world that invites you from day 1 to learn to live in a way that dishonour you. We learn to live in survival mood and learn to manage (better or worst) anxiety and things that terrorise us. So, terror is not alien to us at all. We normalise it. We only react when terror becomes too explicit, too obvious to deny it, too visible. The path of dishonour is truly harming and tremendously insidious. Yet, most of us do not even have a body marker of what is to honour ourselves, of how does it feel in the body. That is why dealing with it is an uphill battle.
Absolutely Eduardo. Terror is a way of life. without the things like chocolate, alcohol, TV, Movies etc… what would we have? You have said this so well Eduardo, It seems we are always on edge for the subtle terror that is always lingering in our day to day lives.
I like what you are pointing out here Eduardo, that terror is not alien to us, that we are quite used to a certain degree of anxiety and angst and only react and call stop when it is too obvious, too extreme, too blatant. This is with so many things in life, we have normalised the middle ground, always measuring it by the two ends of extremes and adjusting to keep the balance. If we lived by the ‘measure’ of true harmony there would be no measuring just an inner knowing of what feels true and what not.
Beautifully articulated Eduardo – ‘We learn to live in survival mode and learn to manage (better or worst) anxiety and things that terrorise us’. This make it pretty real for Humanity. We all give life to and support this way of living. When we connect to our preciousness and fragility and hold ourselves lovingly ‘terrorism’ in any form will cease.
Beautifully and lovingly said Eduardo and ch1956. Terror is not alien to us in our daily lives. So many of us live with a constant anxiety, a terror of the unknown element that may capsize the boat at any moment. When we connect with the steadiness of who we truly are that can be relied on whatever happens and keep returning to that connection then terror will evaporate.
I agree Eduardo and when we ignore these seeds of separation within ourselves it grows into full-blown terrorism, which we can no longer ignore. As we do begin to honour ourselves and know harmony as a marker in our own bodies we do not create these acts of ‘terror’ within or outside of us.
Eduardo, it is hard to believe but it’s true what you have said ‘terror is not alien to us at all. We normalise it. We only react when terror becomes too explicit too obvious to deny it, too visible. The path of dishonour is truly harming and tremendously insidious.” No wonder we find it such a struggle.
Agree, and based on historic evidence I would say most major religions would fit under the modern meaning of terrorism.
That seed of separation that so many religions teach is what then grows and enables some to feel justified to kill another in the name of God. How can that be? Your article exposes the fact that terrorism starts way before the gross act of violence are carried out.
Well said Debra. We have gone a long way away from the Truth we all come from when we slay another fellow brother in God’s name.
Yes Debra well said. Kevin’s article brings to our attention the equally destructive blow that comes from the silent seeds of terrorism sown through the doctrines of the many institutionalised religions that are active in our world today.
Yes Debra, the initial separation starts with ourselves, for once we have disconnected from the fact of our oneness we are capable of any number of ‘terrorist’ acts, against ourselves and others.
We tend to identify terrorism with abusive groups who try to install terror through weapons. What about the Catholic Church who tries to install terror into people’s lives by means of invoking the possibility of going to Hell? Without denying for a second the evil of violent groups, if we simply make a quick mental calculation of the number of people living in some degree of terror, the Catholic Church has the upper hand. Not by chance, they invented the Inquisition.
Well said, Eduardo, the Inquisition was the biggest and well organized terrorism in history. The terror that was spread through the Inquisition has its impact till today in people fearing authorities and having turned away from God.
Yes Kevin, ‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.’ I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. My experience is that religion does create division. There are the chosen ones, and then the others. That is not what love is all about. Love unifies and leaves no one behind and leaves no one out.
Terrorism is the art of instilling terror in people, so they belief that something really bad may happen too them. The result is that people live in protection mood just in case. Terrorrism is a way to control people that has the consequence of people contracting away from their fullness as a way to control their own circumstances as much as possible. Terrorism creates a world of shadows.
Beautifully said Eduardo. It gives us yet another excuse, another reason to build up a fenced-up yard, keeping everybody out just in case they attack and obliterate us. The intensification of terrorism going on in the world today is a reflection for where mankind has got to with itself — deeply hurt by the creation of separation and the self-made terror of opening up its heart fully and beautifully once again to the brotherhood we all long for and deeply miss.
Very true Eduardo. Everyone is constantly living with a high level of fear and tension in their body’s. Which we do to some extent as it is without any external force. It really is the act of seperating others- turning one set of people against another.
Exactly, Eduardo, Terrorism shuts people down, by allowing yourself to be affected by terrorism, you give your power away, you are choosing not to live in the fullness of who you know you are, you give in. We lived in Boston during 9/11 attacks and my husband was on the same flight as one of the planes that hit the twin towers, but, fortunately, the plane that left one hour before, he was in Manhattan when the planes hit and saw the towers fall, our town lost an entire family in the crash. Lots of people were cancelling their travel plans, but we chose not to on the basis that we didn’t want to live our lives in fear. The terror alert stayed high for months, but, I believe that when your time is up, it’s up and it’s not something you can second guess. I would rather try to live my life to the full each and every day knowing that I have brought all that I could of myself, to the best of my ability, which is the only thing I actually have control over.
That’s so true Eduardo “Terrorism creates a world of shadows”.
By accepting God as the omnipotent being he is and accepting I am a son of God, I accept being divine and an equal part of the whole.
Exactly Monika and to feel as humanity we have lost our awareness to the already complete connection to this truth… means we also engage with what is not of God, hence the evil found in institutional religion.
‘By accepting God as the omnipotent being he is and accepting I am a son of God, I accept being divine and an equal part of the whole’ …. beautiful, Monika … and I accept that everyone else is equally a son of God and equally divine and equally a part of the whole and it is their choice to claim this for themselves.
Strong, clear and true Kevin. You ask a question that can be held up to all religions “Should it not be a full support for all equally without having words or teachings that clearly divide?” The majority of the world’s population follow one of the institutionalised religions, I call these man-made religions as historical records show much of the divisive religious dogma can be traced back to political leaders vying for wealth and power and often controlling with violence, threats and fear. The hold of institutionalised religions is so insidious one may need to stand outside of them to ask the questions, lovingly so, as I have witnessed Serge Benhayon do. There are so many loving questions to ask such as isn’t it divisive to make same sex relationships wrong? And isn’t it divisive to hold people that don’t attend a specific place of worship on a specific day hell bound?
For me too Marika. I felt the same as you. The Way Of The Livingness has brought true meaning of religion back into my life. I never thought this was possible after witnessing everything that goes on in current institutionalised religions. The Way of The Livingness is certainly going to lead the way for humanity.
“….true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” So true Kevin. I became very disillusioned with institutionalised religion and the people in it. Discovering the Way of the Livingness was so profound – I knew I had come home – no judgement, just love, truth, treating people equally in brotherhood and energetic integrity.
Everything you’ve shared Kevin is so true and brilliantly exposing the harm many people are so unaware of or not willing to acknowledge. It really uncovers the blindfolds and reveals the absolute truth.
Brilliant blog Kevin. Thank for exposing the true harm of separatism. This confirms to me why I have avoided joining any current religon, that promotes separation and exclusivity. This clearly is no longer true religion or brotherhood, hence why The Way of The Livingness is the only religion that makes sense to me, that unites humanity, it’s about absolute truth, love and harmony. It’s about a way of living that evolves us to return to God and to ourselves.
Well said Kevin, it is easy to focus on the extreme acts done in the name of religion, but all that does is make the more subtle beliefs around religion seem ok. But it will never be ok if there is any form of separatism between our fellow man.
Well said Julie. Focus on obscene acts of terrorism that are perpetrated in a faraway land and I don’t have to take responsibility for the disharmony and malcontent taking place in my own body, in my own family, in my own neighbourhood…
Great points Julie and Katerina. There are no lesser or greater evils that come from our separation to Love. It either is Love or it is abuse. The relationship we have with Love in our lives is our responsibility, as from here,the choices we make reflect what it is that we have surrendered to.
Yes Katerina, and in other words, the terrorism on a global or faraway land scale is originated much closer to home, home being the physical body and the way it’s held, treated, respected, and loved. What is reflected in the world, is but a reflection of the truth i.e. terror or war of what’s going on inside for many people with a disrupted harmony that filters its way throughout neighbourhoods and communities…
Yes Julie and Katerina, when we focus on those gross acts to terrorism we can ignore the less obvious separations going on right under our noses. And the truth is that’s the seed of it all, both the subtle and the gross acts we see and hear of. Anything which separates is evil.
Well said, Julie ….. ANY form of separatism is not ok, it’s the same energy whether it’s a small or large act …. this is something we can really struggle with because we’re used to judging how ‘bad’ something is by the effect it’s had on another … which is convenient, but not a true reflection of what is really going on at all.
I agree entirely Kevin and would certainly see institutionalised religion as a form of subtle terrorism – as it is essentially divisive rather than truly bringing unity to us all. It’s not that I think the people in the systems are evil, definitely not that but the system itself; the ethos, rules, ideals and beliefs are evil by the fact of what they foster. And it is subtle because there can be much that seems true and good in the system but the package as a whole is not truly supportive of us all.
This is an important point that it is “not that I think the people in the systems are evil..”as often we forget this and class everyone in that system as the evil but they are people first – it is what they then take on and act out that is separative and destructive.
Even the way our countries are run could be deems as acts of terrorism, politics has turned into a vicious popularity contest. Then there’s the business world in which countries are only working with each other for personal gains, sometimes despite what their business partners/other countries are doing to others. You’re right Kevin in that Terrorism is far more than the ‘extreme’ acts that the media flood our senses with; bombings and such are horrible acts and need to be addressed, but what about all the other underlying acts that carry on? People may not be instantly dying or in situations of extreme violence but live a life of constant suppression, all for the gain of a minority.
Yes, Leigh, when we look at what goes on in the world, we can see terrorism constantly showing up. As you have shared, it is in every detail of interactions between people, when one person, business or entity are out to gain over another. It is so widespread when we truly see what is going on. How ugly this is, it is not just the extreme forms of terrorism, but occurs when someone or some entity has power over another, and uses that power to their own benefit. So many people are living under constant suppression.
Super well said Leigh.
Great point Kevin, this type of terrorism is in plain sight and does everything to portray connection to God all the while inciting separation, war and disconnection from self. Until coming to the Way of the Livingness I had no real experience of the fact that God lies within us all equally and now know no true God or religion would ever act in a manner that is anything but love.
Much of the terrorism we see today has its roots in religious disputes. Taking up violence in God’s name has been around for centuries. You have written an interesting blog Kevin, it has invited me to take a closer look what is going on in the world and the energies at play behind it all. Human beings living far from their essence of love and acceptance..we have a long way to go, yet on the other hand we could all return to our hearts in an instant. It’s just a choice and one day we will all make that choice again.
Yes, Katinka, it is obvious that the present-day terrorism “has its roots in religious disputes”. There have been wars over religion for centuries as you say. The institutionalised religions have much to answer for in their separative ways of acting, excluding all others who do not believe exactly as they claim one has to believe. And then treating those who do not believe the same as their enemies. It is so ugly what has gone on for so, so long in the world in the name of Religion. It is no wonder that religion has become an ugly word for many in today’s world. But the true meaning of religion is to reconnect to the love that we came from. That for me is true religion, and is far removed from the religion that we have been brought up to understand. For me the only true religion in the world is The Way of the Livingness, which has no dogmas, no beliefs, only based on a true connection with our own innermost. From there, we can feel and know the truth of all. No one tells us what to do, or how we must be, we know for ourselves by connecting within. True Freedom, and open to all.
Agreed Katinka de Lannoy, it is the ‘instant’ that confirms our willingness to return to love.
Religion and God we were never really friends but to now have the awareness that through my own acceptance of self I can say that God and I are life long friends and holds a place in my heart forevermore. God is not something outside of us but something that is instilled in all of us equally so. Thank you Kevin this is a sensational blog.
I am ‘in religion’ with you and what you have said here.
The term ‘terrorism’ highlights what we otherwise have got used to and tend to put up with – any form of separation, i.e. any form of non-religious life in the true meaning of the word religion (inter-connectedness, being part of and in intimate relationship with the all).
Also true Alex – extreme behaviour such as terrorism has to start somewhere and build from there. We indeed need to look at how it continues to be built – which is ultimately our own responsibility in the quality of how we are each moment of every day.
And we need the reflection of true oneness, equalness and brotherhood to find our way back and leave behind any separation that otherwise (in terms of terrorism) literally kills us.
Kevin your blog echoes my experience of religions both those that separate and those that are universally uniting in every aspect, The Way of the Livingness. I had not however considered institutional religion to be akin to terrorism, yet I can now see the clear relationship between the two. It further shows that we each often have different definitions of words and the importance of seeing clearly everything for what it truly is, not what it is painted to be.
I can feel on reading this how often there can be a word, in this case terrorism and I have a meaning or picture of it in its extreme. However this blog is showing it is also necessary to be aware of how a word can be playing out in our everyday life and it may have become so ‘normal’ we don’t realise the source behind it is the same and is a foundation and feeding the more extreme cases. Religion is a great example of this and the terrorism that has happened and is happening daily as a result of institutionalised religion confirms this. Thank you Kevin for so simply exposing this from the truth we know inside.
The crazy thing is, when we choose to live in connection with our gorgeous selves, feeling Gods love in every molecule of our body, we know the power that we hold just walking down the street, the reflection that we are able to offer to our brothers, we live with energetic responsibility without imposition. When people inflict pain and suffering on others in the name of religion, that is just a cop out, in my opinion, they are already so far removed from the love that they naturally are, they do not in truth even know what they are doing anymore, religion is just a convenient excuse to vent.
Yes jsnelgrove36 – when we see terrorism and the extremism that is present, it is easy to say ‘that is not me’ or something I partake in. Whilst we may not participate in the extremism and physical destruction, we each do need to look at our part in every day dynamics and relationships, as this is where disruption all starts.
Terrorism is only possible in deep separation to people, a separation and hurt so deep that one is estranged from everything that naturally makes us who we are (love, brotherhood) to a point that one feels entitled to terrorize another for whatever justification or fuel they choose to use – the poison of supremacy, any ideal of a so-called Good or pure hunger for domination and control (reducing life to the animalistic version of the survival of the fittest). Wherever we meet such tendency ‘terrorism’ is at play.
Words of absolute wisdom and truth Alex. What a delight this has been to read how clearly you have spelled out what is behind terrorism.
The thing that strikes me most is that the act of terrorism broken down is humans choosing to inflict terror on another human, it can be defined as an act as we hear and see portrayed in the media but it is all perpetrated in our own backyards, school grounds, and computers – time to speak up.
I agree, nicolesjardin, acts of terrorism are enacted all the time between people throughout the world. It is not just the extreme events that we are now experiencing every so often. It is time that it was recognised, using power over others, such as has been used by some of the institutionalised churches is also actually terrorism, it is wielding power over those who belong to those churches, enforcing their beliefs etc., and instilling fear in people if they do not agree. Yes, it is time to speak up and say this. It happens in many homes, and in schools etc., wherever people interact and have power over one another and use it.
So true Nocole ! Terror is not just extreme acts of violence… We see people afflicting terror on another day to day.
Yes, nicolesjardin and Emily. Any way that we inflict a feeling of fear or terror on another is unacceptable and needs to be called out. If someone visited from another planet they would be incredulous as to how we treat one another.
Three very important words Marika “true religion unites”.
The moment we set ourselves up to strive for an ideal or anything outside of ourselves we are non-religious in the true sense of the word religion, thus projecting a deity as being ‘only’ external and not equally internal there is divide not connectedness.
Love what you’ve said here Alex. It’s awesome to realise we are too divine in every sense.
Love your words Alex, so beautiful. Yes, when there is a connected way of living for awareness, and of the all, we know the sacredness of religion, because we know the sacredness of ourselves.
… and thus restores brotherhood amongst mankind.
Following any ideal is taking us away from ourselves, keeping us separate, which is the exact opposite to how we are born to live God’s love, which flows through every single one of us.
Beautiful Alex, this is what makes our return back to true religion so glorious, for its an unfolding path within us all.
Wow Kevin this is a brilliant disclosure and so true, the terror of terrorism through the world divide of different religions is absolutely terrifying ! What a bastardisation of religion, of true love and the oneness we are all from, and the cause of so much separation, fighting and terror of the world. Thank you for this blog which comes from knowing the Way of the Livingness and the real truth of true religion.
I agree Marika – the Way of the Livingness is helping me to connect to something divine in myself, and inspiring me to share that with everyone… not keeping it for myself.
In the dictionary, terrorism is: ‘the unofficial and unauthorised use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.’ Historically, I guess it could be argued that it was not terrorism for the Church to murder hundreds of thousands during the Inquisitions or Crusades, because these killing sprees were in fact officially authorised by the powers that be.
I’ve long thought that religion is responsible for most of the wars on the planet, dating back thousands of years. These are battles waged by thousands, or hundreds of thousands. It occurs to me while reading your article Kevin, that of course almost all terrorist organisations are also religiously motivated. It’s the same thing, just on a smaller scale. You’ve neatly answered the why… because too often religion separates and divides, rather than unifying us in brotherhood.
Kevin this is exposing the enormous silence that we as a humanity are choosing to remain comfortable in, not calling out the truth of what is going on truly. Well done, as this is very much what is going on and considering that most wars are based on religions sums up the truth of it. I too have found The Way of the Livingness to be the only religion that I have experience and understood to be one that is All Unified – true Brotherhood.
The Way of the Livingness is the only true religion. It does not separate, it unites, it does not present lies, it presents the truth, and it is about reconnecting to our hearts, to the love that we are and live from that place.
A very strong blog Kevin asking us to look below the surface and feel the the devastating and long lasting effects of having separated from the truth of who we are aeons ago. By choosing and championing individualism, a huge, empty, controlling void has been created from this initial pulling away from the inner knowing of being an equal part of God. A deep loss and longing for that which is ‘missing’ and there is a constant need to fill this evil-ever-hungry-lack of inner connection.
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide”.
It’s true Kevin. The Way of the Livingness is for all and is based on Love without bastardisation. Love has no borders.
How could condemning, abusing and threatening other people be a true religion as we are all one and never separated. I never have considered it being terrorism but it makes sense, the root of the bombing, shootings, wars etc. is most of the time institutionalised religion. I agree Kevin, the only true religion is via our inner heart and is called The Way of the Livingness.
There certainly were priests who visited my primary school who were terrifying to me. I kept a good distance away just because of how they felt.
Well said Kevin, orthodox religion is institutionalised terrorism and has throughout history provided fertile ground for all sorts of atrocities against people.
Institutionalised religion has been the cause of war, misery. oppression and terrorism for millennia as man has used God as a means to control others by bastardising and usurping the words of the true teachers. The moment a religion sets man against man it has lost its truth. The Way of The Livingness is the true religion that has no rules or dogma and no building. The Way of The Livingness is true love and is the essence of every man, woman and child equally and Love and God are in the inner-heart of all.
And herein lies the responsibility we may wish to otherwise avoid – that it is up to us the choices we make and the integrity of which we ultimately choose.
Thank you Kevin for an exposing blog. I have been a part of institutional religion in one way or another most of my life. Always looking outside of myself for God, not knowing the truth that God lives within and that every single person is the equal son of God. Religion is an evil, at its very heart, one that fosters separation from God and from each other, wars and atrocious acts have been done right down the centuries by religions in the name of God.
I agree Kevin, Religion in its true sense unites everybody yet we see and have used religion to divide, conquer and oppress humanity – which goes to show how much we can twist and change things for personal gain.
This is great Kevin, as it really does show us the root of all terrorism – which initiates as separation between two people. This can be seen in many daily activities – from frustration in the supermarket line to road rage. When we do not take responsibility for being loving in every interaction, and the effect this has – it allows terrorism to continue.
The Christians paid mercenary’s to kill everyone that would not convert, all those years ago. The more things change the more they stay the same. We are the ones that can stop this endless cycle.
I had never equated institutionalised religion with terrorism before reading your blog Kevin but this realisation stopped me in my tracks and instantly made so much sense. Society in general is horrified at the daily acts of terrorism that are occurring throughout our world, but at the root of the majority, if not all of these attacks, is a religious fanaticism, one that has its beginnings in one religion or another; religions that bear very little resemblance to the messages that true teachers through the ages have presented to the world, only to have their teachings bastardised and used for power and control. From religion has come separatism, and from convincing man that he is better, more deserving, than his fellow man, comes the excuse to inflict the terror attacks that we are witnessing today, but which have been taking place for centuries.
A true religion is based on real life, something we all can have access to and live everyday. Through honesty and simple steps we can gain access to our inner hearts and the truth is then slowly revealed in all it’s glory. This is the Way of The Livingness. Any other religion that does not foster these basic Universal Laws is designed to lead us away from ourselves to delay our inevitable return. Which is yes, a gross act of harm as it feeds the very illusion that keeps us from knowing the truth of who we really are.
Kevin I love your no frills succinct way of writing. There is not one word too many and yet not a single word that is missing.
Indeed Kevin, terrorism is everywhere in our society but we tend to focus only on the extremities of it and in that do accept to have the less extreme expressions of terrorism around us without classifying them as such. Terrorism to me is the end result of our choice of living a live in separation with ourselves and consequently with each other and this can only exist until we choose otherwise. Therefor all the expressions of separation and terrorism are there to reflect to us that we live in separation and the only way out of this endless mary go round is to reconnect with our inner mosts, with the Way of the Livingness that will lead us to the true source of our being.
Simple yet enormously impactual when we consider the scale of what you share here Kevin, the terrorists that we consider terrorists stem their beliefs and ideals already from the ways of being of the separation that already exists in society through the religions and culture of many of their societies. It is interesting how the focus remains on the evil act of terror when the evil first began in the seed of the separative way of living in the first place
Such powerful words Marika: “God resides within us all and true religion unites.” To know this without an ounce of doubt, has changed my life immeasurably and when understood by all, has the potential to change the world.
I understand and have felt this type of terrorism. I had been bought up in a particular religion which ruled our family life and indeed it separated us from the community-we always felt different and used to get picked on at school because of our religion. There was no support or acknowledgement of this from the church community we belonged to but as children we lived with this separatism every day. The hold the church had on me was very strong even though I knew from young age that what was taught was not true- I could not feel the truth of the teachings in my body. When we made a decision to not send one of our children to a religious school the anxiousness it caused in me was incredible- to make a decision against the church was huge even though at that time I had stopped going to regular church events.
I now live “the Way of the Livingness” -there is no fear, no judgment, no rules and it feels great in my body and makes sense! I am more responsible, self loving and am appreciating how equally divine we all are.
The word ‘Terrorism’ elicits a violent reaction from many, and comes with particular images and set criteria. Your blog challenges us to expose our own preconceived perceptions of this word and to go deeper in pondering the very first deeply harming and targeted act that holds the ‘intention’ to cut our connection to the truth, to the essence of love we innately are. A blog inviting us to go deeper, thank you Kevin.
Well said the image of terrorism is laced with a mindset that has the intention to blind us to not see the true terrorism we are living in on a daily basis. Institutionalized religion was created to do exactly the opposite of what it is promoting: to separate us from God and from the knowing that we all are God as his equal Son’s. There is no truth in institutionalized religion and it only serves to maintain power over people and control them to guarantee that they will never ever connect with their innate divinity, claiming the Son’s of God we all equally are.
Kevin that’s quite something to expose the underlying ‘terrorism’ behind institutionalised religions in a few short paragraphs. I have never associated the separation I see fostered by these religious movements with acts of terrorism, but can now see that this is true. We have conveniently re-interpreted that word to mean only the extreme acts of violence, and not the separative energy that underpins the violence even being possible.
Love what you say here Jenny as it is exactly the veil of illusion we live under. We are so focused on judging human atrocities as the biggest evil that we cannot see the source that creates these violent acts to be even possible. Institutionalized religion is not about love, but about separation and reducing us to human beings who can never be equal to God and this is the biggest evil ever. From there we have a free ride to align to whatever we are offered to maintain the separation. Violence is a byproduct of separation and we will never stop the violence when we are not willing to look at the root source of it and claim back the divinity we all are.
Yes absolutely true rachelandras, and beautifully expressed. Really if we are to look at the root cause, it is all separation that contributes to any act of terrorism, and that includes therefore our education system, even the fact we have countries, borders, rules for some and not for others, corruption… you name it. In that sense we are each responsible for the ability of any other to perform any act of terrorism… a very sobering thought!
I agree Jenny, beautifully exposed – thank you Kevin. The re-interpretation of words very cleverly (and conveniently) steer us away from their true meaning as Kevin has pointed out with such clarity. It’s an important point you raise concerning the underlying separative energy at play, without which there could be no violence of any form. When we begin to look at the energy at play behind words and actions we can no longer be fooled or distracted.
Yes and fascinating to see how we have allowed the bastardisation of the word, perpetuated it in fact, to hide our irresponsibility for the existence of acts of terrorism anywhere. If we don’t equate it with our day to day actions and interactions, if we don’t question the global impact of teaching our kids to think separatively and act only for themselves, or of the separative nature of religious dogma, then what do we expect? Our true nature is harmonious… and if we don’t choose that, the the world will reflect back what we do choose, no matter how we dress it up to be something more palatable.
Agree Jenny, I was reflecting on a similar thing reading Kevin’s post. Acts of terrorism, which have increased over the last few years to become a commonplace ‘normal’ part of our life, with the threat forever looming, clouding the ugliness that exists in our everyday interactions, in how we are with ourselves. Terrorism is the extreme end of the scale, but it’s still the one scale, for what we haven’t yet acknowledged as human race is that it is not our natural way to be in conflict or struggle in the minutest of forms.
Wow Katerina… ‘what we haven’t yet acknowledged as a human race is that it is not our natural way to be in conflict or struggle in the minutest of forms.’ Yes, so very well said.. we are a long way from this no question. Even in parliament, our supposed leaders, it is an accepted and even defended right to engage in ‘heated debate’ as an appropriate means to arriving at a decision or result. We indeed have a long way to go before harmonious interactions are the norm, and not the standout.
Absolutely Marika, institutionalised religion has a lot to answer for when it comes to the separative consequences of religious dogmas and beliefs. It is a long time before society will accept that even subscribing to these dogmas is contributing to the known acts of terrorism that are occurring throughout the world.
Yes great point Katie, in not wanting to take responsibility for calling out the smallest of transgressions from our naturally harmonious and loving ways, we allow a plethora of abuse and what we could say are smaller acts of terrorism… on a daily basis. This level of responsibility for the bigger acts is not something many are ready to accept.
Brilliant Kevin. We focus on bombs and deaths but are unwilling to trace back honestly where this way of being starts and comes from. As you allude to this ‘terror’ actually seems to begin when we separate from who we naturally are in essence. Every great teacher in our history has presented the simple truth that we are all equal, truly it’s terror anytime we don’t live it.
Beautifully written Joseph – time to claim all we naturally are and not delay by making excuses and re-interpreting the criteria of separation. Choosing separation from who we naturally are is the same no matter what way we choose to live it or inflict it on another.
Indeed Joseph, it is our choice to live in separation that leads to the extremities of terrorism we are faced with in the world but we must remember that the terror is already in the fact that we live inspiration to begin with.
Well said Joseph, we need to address where ‘Terrorism’ originates from and not just look at the extreme versions, we need to address home and family life and all aspects then there will be no reason or cause for the extreme versions of terrorism we see today.
It feels like terror, torture and torment within my own body when I don’t chose to live who I truly am. The bombs and the deaths are a reflection to us all of how we are living as brothers.
I have never been a member of an institutional religious group but as a child I could feel the exclusiveness of the Catholic Church amongst my peers. As an adult I observed the arrogance within the adult followers, how they supported the beliefs of the church and protected them yet didn’t obey these rules themselves. Universal Medicine places no rules or expectations on me. It is not an exclusive group. You discover your own inner love for yourself and as this grows you find this love resides in us all equally. There is no separation in love as we are all one.
Yes I do agree about that religion is a connection not an institution, drive or individualism. If this is palpable or traced it can not be a religion connected to God as God is not a one man person, but He knows all, so us , the universe and everything beyond.. Therefore he would never exclude any body. So religion is together or otherwise it is no religion but simply a separation with a name (that sounds good).
Separation is masked with a name that is the very opposite of what it stands for – Religion. What a very clever marketing ploy, to use a name that represents everything we and God are. To use snippets of the truth to lure us in and get us hooked to the point that we are now confused as to what the truth is anymore and who to believe.
Yes – this also explains us and shows us that we have given power to words more then to feeling and being. As with both last mentioned pieces we would never follow by words but by trusting our ability to feel.
In The Way of the Livingness, there is no ideal picture to live up to. Every moment it is a re-discovery without perfection. We know love and brotherhood is the way and we observe if love and brotherhood are what we live in daily life, if it is not, we acknowledge that and ask ourselves why. If we have lived it, the next level of learning comes up and we keep having opportunities to go deeper. Love is a continuous unfolding, like peeling off layers and layers of protection, to reveal who we already are. Every step of the way this unfoldment is a celebration, there is joy and acceptance in observing our own return to love, and this celebration we have lived with ourselves becomes the celebration for all others in their choice to return or not return, for eventually and inevitably we will all return to love. When observing the movements of those who live the way, there is a freedom and a deep joy.
Beautifully said Adele. Love and brotherhood is the way for humanity to return to true harmony and live in harmless-ness with all.
Well said, Adele The Way of The Livingness is not about rules, dogmas or an ideal to live up to, but about living by our divine quality and knowing that love and brotherhood is the way. Nobody is “in” or “out”, we are all the same and life is about returning to the love/light we are.
Reading your text Adele, made me feel freedom and deep joy. Thank you.
I have met a very warm-hearted woman in the train on my way to work. We shared the same train a few times now and come to speak about God and religion. She is very religious in her way and engaged very much in her community. We have connected from the very first meeting via our inner heart and through our eyes. This is the basis we always come back to. Though her way of connecting and living God is different than mine, we could easily go against each other – BUT my love and appreciation and hers for me is holding us together. Our everyday experiences and the communication about them is also our basis.
Sonja what a beautiful foundation you and your fellow train traveler are co-creating. Love and appreciation and I’m sure acceptance of one another has allowed you both to freely communicate knowing that the other will not judge. What an awesome example of brotherhood the two of you are.
Thank you lindellparlour, indeed we have an acceptance of each other. Often we laugh when we start to play the doctrine game form our heads. And we admit to each other that we think that what the other says is totally wrong – but with a foundation of love and coming back to it – all doctrines fall away and we are still we and connected.
I love what you wrote Adele- the way of the livingness is an ongoing development without any perfection, I agree!! I like the term you used: re- discovery. It is indeed something that just waits to come out, we just need to learn to accept it in full to give it its way out.
Adele, i feel the loving wisdom held in the above two comments and I also have been feeling the actuality of what your words here repeated say and they being “Love is a continuous unfolding, like peeeling off layers and layers of protection…..”. I have found many times that thoughts that are continuously passing through us as energy and oftentimes these thoughts can appear to be less than loving, even separative in nature, and one can wonder why – however, I am finding rather than asking ‘why’, but instead now claiming that these thoughts are not mine as it is apparent that thoughts constantly are passing through us and I can make a choice to allow myself be distracted and attach myself to their force, or just observe and not absorb, and claim that is not who I truly am, and that these thoughts do not belong to me. Could it be that institutionalized religions are based on some truth, but also belief systems and thoughts that do not belong to us and are just passing through via a force who’s determination is to create disharmony? Hmmm! maybe something to ponder on.
Organized and institutionalized religion “ in its current bastardised understanding in essence exists to separate humanity; designed to control and “support” only its membership. This subtle yet successful global divide is one point in question. Yes we are to support but the moment it is for one’s own kind, it is separation.” Institutionalized religion is made up of people, if this is what religion in our present day represents, and religion is made up of people, all we have to is observe the people. People can be very loving as long as we do not expose the greater responsibility of loving all, as love does not distinguish or divide. Even when we are in an organized relgion, we find we still do not get along with many people, we are in judgment that there is something “wrong” with others especially those whom we cannot call “family” as a part of our religion—too “selfish”, too “expressive”, not “sacrificial” enough etc. The fact is, even when we are in an institutionalized religion, which is to encourage love and brotherhood, we find that in daily living, we fall short of truly living love and brotherhood with all. Judging others first, we may judge ourselves also, as we know separtion does not feel lovely, so we push our bodies to be even more nice and sacrificing, so the separation that governs the belief further impacts on and is expressed through our bodies.
Separation is a huge issue that plagues humanity and the cause of so much grief. I was witness to many times where religion separated people in ridiculous ways. When I was about 3, we went to a baptism and had to sit outside the church because we were forbidden to enter because of the religion we belonged to. A friends brother converted to a different religion and his own parents and sister were not allowed to go to his wedding because they were not converted too. These are small examples of the truth of these separative organisations and when I was little I knew it was stupid and said so. I was told and given many reasons as to why this was necessary, none of which I could tell you because it was so nonsensical I didn’t retain it.
When we treat each other as separate that is when evil comes in, that is when we can treat each other badly, that is when we can condemn each other, hurt each other, kill each other. It is the thin edge of the wedge that begins the horror. Separation is horrible.
Great blog, Kevin, thank you. I rejected institutionalised religion at a young age, I always knew ‘God’ existed, I had no doubt, but there was a disconnect with what I knew in my heart and what I felt when I went to church, which was a ‘coldness’ and rules that I needed to follow ….. ‘true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide’
Even though traditional religion was just a very small part of my life growing up, I was fascinated by it and drawn to it. But stepping inside a church or attending a mass I was left feeling the emptiness of what I had just experienced. Deep down I knew that being part of a religious group as it was in my blood. It was when I found the Way of The Livingness that I knew I was home, as anything less that equality to for all does not ring true for me.
This is very true what you have written about religions Kevin and it has been my experience. As a very young child I did feel terrorised by what I was being told by the church; I was a sinner and not worthy of anything good in my life, with a good dose of hell-fire and brimstone thrown in. All this did was cause great fear, guilt and a deeper separation within myself and helped in setting me up for living much less. So yes, not only does this bastardised form of religion separate humanity and destroy True brotherhood by its form of terrorism, it deeper separates the individual from their innate Love and Truth. The Way of the Livingness has been my guiding Light back to me, humanity and God.
As you share, these extreme forms of terrorism that we witness today all start with separatism – “I am more favoured by God than you” – “your life is worth less than mine”. True religion teaches that we are all equally the Sons of God, and our aim should be to live in Brotherhood – inclusive of all. If we are not willing to look at and deal with the ‘small evils’ we get to witness their effect when they escalate to extremes.
Great point Carmin, we all have a responsibility to call out what is not true in our daily lives as this very act supports the all in doing so as well.
Carmin I have come to realise that all acts of evil, bar none start from separation from self. If we are disconnected from our self then we are disconnected from others and it is as a result of that disconnection that we are able to harm another.
It is through our connection with our self that we are able to connect with all others.
Eventually we will all return to knowing in our hearts that in truth there is only One of us.
Boom, boom, Kevin – an article that hits you at the heart of the matter and makes it easy to see that Religions separate and divide, that is all but one – The Way of the Livingness.
Kevin, I feel the truth held within your blog. Interestingly, I had not before thought of institutionalised religion as a form of terroism – but of course, hearing of the separative dialogue behind many of these teachings indicates just exactly that. We all have witnessed undeniably separative narative from representatives of this or that institutionalised religion on the television, and one that I saw not very long ago was where the leader of this programme was appealing to the flock of the jewish faith and expounding his belief vehemently and forcefully that if those who were of that particular faith/religion helped to extend hospitality to only the jewish refugees, then absolutely
God would smile upon his chosen people. I guess this is the type of terroism of which you refer to.
The imposition put upon the masses through institutionalised religion does have an effect of terrorising in the way of creating great anxiety within people if they do not follow and or bow to that which is imposed.
It very simply leads a group en masse into a deeper miasma away from the truth of who they actually are.
Agreed Paula – it is this great anxiety that gets played upon and further fosters the belief that if one does not belong to a particular religion the consequences of ‘hell and damnation’ etc are always lurking in the shadows.
“In fact, it can be said with a catalogue of historical evidence that they are devised to separate humanity, except in my experience “The Way of The Livingness” via our inner heart.”I agree Kevin…in the inner heart we are all equally one and the same – so there can be no division.
Great point Kevin, and the evil that is not so commonly highlighted is still such great evil … It just goes under the radar. Expose of such evil is so needed
Agree Kevin. Institutionalised religions commonly do say what appears to be all the right words about love and care for each other and even do what appears to be lots of valuable welfare work that is much needed in our society. But the reality is that there is always the bottom line and that is that everything comes back to control and coercion of those that follow that particular religion. Unfortunately this then laces everything that comes from that point on. I have found that The Way of the Livingness is free from these hooks and is the real deal. It isn’t a case of following anything or anyone – it is simply, as the name suggests, a way of living that feels right to me where I allow myself to be in connection with others and everything in the world around me.
Whilst I’m still allowing myself to accept the terms God and Religion to mean exactly what you point out here Kevin – ‘a full support for all equally without having words or teachings that clearly divide’, I still feel reactive in body to those words because of the strong imposition the bastardised version of religion has had on me growing up. The more understanding I bring to both where the world is at and what I actually feel, the more the walls come down and the more open I am to being part of a religion, that effectively all of humanity already belongs to.
We have become so accustomed to measuring our lives by extremes on both ends, believing that when we keep the middle ground we are good and doing fine, but this is not so as your blog exposes Kevin, we are simply caught in the middle and do not see that we are. The world is far more black and white when it comes to truth and love than we want to admit.
It’s true Kevin you only have to look at all the wars and battles that have been fought over religion to know that religion has seriously lost its way.
Yes true Alisonmoir, in fact it’s not even religion at all it is something else all together.
Very true Alison. We need to look at the foundation of where religion has come from when discerning its truth and integrity in what it presents. What are we saying yes to by following teachings that do not fully honour our being, and that of all others?
Absolutely religion has really lost its way, the world it’s reflecting with all the battled, wars and corruption. Humanity has lost the true meaning of religion.
Yes Alisonmoir, it’s shocking that people are willing to defend and promote this. It’s saying so much of what humanity have accepted, it is a very lost way is living. Anything that separates humanity harms us all.
I agree Alisonmoir. As Kevin wrote, the basis of teachings of the major religions were at the beginnings the same: Love and Brotherhood. No bounderies and no self-gain. Let alone to kill someone in the name of God.
The only way to find together is ‘via our inner heart’.
I agree Alisonmoir and Kevin, look at history and look at all the wars and battles fought over 1 religion being right and the other wrong. We could have stopped fighting after 1 war if we learned that none of the existing religions, until then, united. The Way of the Livingness is a different story with a foundation: “true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.”
“true religion is about the re-alignment to the All that is love; and love has no borders or divide.” Absolutely Kevin. Anything promulgating division and separation does not have true religion at it’s heart.
It has been said that those great teachers upon whose teachings the major religions are based upon, would never themselves be members of the religions who carry their namesakes.
Wow, strong words, Kevin, crystal clear and true.
The aim of terrorism is to divide, to create an us and them and then instill fear in those that are not us. Despite the words of many religions talking about being all encompassing and open, they all divide into the “beliver’s” and the “non-beliver’s”. The us and them. This is separation from the fact that we are all from love and are all from the same source. We have a shared equality, there is no us and them, there is only us – humanity.
Wars actually only represent what happens in daily lives too. Don’t we all know these comparisons and separations in little things during a daily routine? Of course, they will be played out in a grander scale during a war. We act out of our own livingness.
True Steffi Henn it is interesting as Kevin points out the extreme we see as evil, but as you put it if our behaviours are not inclusive of the All then we are in separation to the All.
Thank you Kevin for exposing another aspect of so called ‘terrorism’. In fact I can see it as a part of our everyday life that many are choosing and that is of being in terror of opening up ourselves to the enormous (but illusionary) fear we think we have within ourselves – these are the hurts that we keep covering up creating even more fear. The only real terrorist is the one inside of us which is not who we truly are.
This has been my experience too Kevin. Having chased God for many years through an institutionalised religion, I felt no closer to God but in fact felt further away from him with daily feelings of guilt and fear if I did not pray or go to church. Through The Way of the Livingness I have come to know God through the simplicity of getting to know me. I now know that God resides equally in me as he does in all others, no church required.
Beautiful Donna, I am deepening my relationship with God as well as I get to know myself more and more and I know God to be inside all others as well, thanks to The Way of the Livingness.
Yes Donna – no church required. God is all around us and equally is in us as well. There is no division.
Donna, I too can relate to what you have said re institutionalised religion.
Growing up I was forced to go to church and abide by its rules. I was constantly giving my power away in order to “be the good catholic girl” so as not to be punished by God. I feared going to hell. This resulted in me feeling daily nervous tension and anxiousness, not being in my body, and constantly looking outside of myself for acceptance and approval. I lacked selfworh and self-confidence as a woman growing up.
Not until I met Serge Benhayon did I truly understand who God is, and lovingly reconnect to God within me via the gentle breathe meditation. God is LOVE and resides deep within us all equally. There is no need to pray for hours, go to confession or go to church to feel God’s presence within. This is what The Way of the Livingness has taught me. By breathing my own breathe I can reconnect to God and my soul within my inner heart.
I love the truth that you have discovered Donna “…that God resides equally in me as he does in all others”. Something is clearly not true with institutionalised religion if people feel further away from God having been involved with their dogma.
Lee I agree that many people feel further away from God as a result of their involvement with religion (although many would profess with their minds that they feel close to God). The religions themselves make it nigh on impossible to feel God in a persons body because they imply or indeed state that God is only accessible once certain standards of living have been rigorously adhered to. What then happens as a result is that when a person ‘slips’ then they feel unworthy of Gods love. Not only that but they seem to carry the notion that certain people within the church are closer to God than others. I think many people assume that the Pope is closer to God than most, which is the absolute opposite of the truth, we are all equally close to God as God is the substance that we are made from, you can’t get any closer than that!
True Lee the fact that it is called institutionalised religion. You can the feel imposition “this is the way”. Far from what I know is true. God never imposes nor judges. Our free will to choose our connection and the quality of it in each moment that is our Golden responsbility.
Beautifully said Donna as my experience has been exactly the same! I have found a connection to God, to myself and to all others through The Way of The Livingness that is simple, clear, true and fully of joy… as you say “no church required”!
Well said Donna, it is only through The Way of the Livingness that I have come to know what true religion is, and to now consider myself deeply religious. I was raised with an agnostic influence, but didn’t ever subscribe to that myself. Organised religion also had no appeal, as somewhere underneath I knew it offered nothing of a true connection to God.
There is a simplicity to this personal connection with God inside of us that is so totally at odds with guns, buildings, and pomp. Once felt, it’s irresistible.
For he who knows God inside is in religion with the All.
I now know this also, or more accurately I have reconnected to this fact. It is a complete illusion that we need to be part of a religious centre to have a connection with God so this article is a great call. I have been amazed as how deep my relationship and connection can go with God and I know that we are all equally given access should we choose to connect.
Love this Donna, yes this has been my experience too, through the Way of the Livingness we come to know God through our reconnection to self, knowing we are all equally divine.
Yes, Donna, this has been my experience too. When I encountered Tibetan Buddhism I thought I found it and was ‘home’. However, the longer I was involved and more I endeavoured to deepen my connection the more I became disillusioned until eventually I, too, felt further away. When I encountered the Way of the Livingness I had a similar feeling of ‘coming home’ but because my previous experience I am much more discerning. What I have experienced is instead of becoming disillusioned the more I engaged with it, the complete opposite has happened. With everyday I feel my connection with God and universal Love deepening.
Beautifully put, Donna, “God resides equally in me as he does in all others, no church required.” God never left us and is always there, we were the ones that separated from God.
It is that simple Donna. Religion does not have to be complicated. I too have come to know God via a deepening relationship with myself. The Way of the Livingness has been instrumental in me finding my way back to feeling myself again after many years of searching outside. And you are right no church is needed.
Definitely no church required- I absolutely agree. In church you always get told, God is an instance far away from you, who judges between right or wrong. Something I could never align to. The Way of the Livingness is the real deal!
Beautiful Donna, there is now where we need to go and nothing we need to ‘religiously’ do to connect and know God.