The Spirit of It

A friend of mine recently posted her viewpoint on Facebook about a church congregation in Anaheim, CA., that had the opportunity to tattoo the church logo, (a heart inside a four-quarter circle) on their forearms. This act was offered during service and was to represent each person’s commitment to the church and to God. My friend stated that "tattoos were for pagans" and asked people to "separate themselves."

She received a number of responses, both positive and negative. While I support each person’s prerogative to express them self, freely and openly, it is important to differentiate between ‘law and personal preference.” Many responses to her entry quoted Christian scripture against tattooing the body. One was: Leviticus 19:28 which says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.

I think that like many things taken literally in the Bible, modern understanding of it is limited and incomplete. If we were to remember the 'spirit of the message,' which I feel addresses doing no harm to your body on purpose, then, there is no judgment of right or wrong. Christianity only holds one piece to the puzzle of the Divine and dictatorship never lasts.

Additionally, my friend is the wife of a minister. The fact that she used the terminology of “pagan,” as further demeaning anyone who is of a different religious background than herself, is more disturbing than a poor judgment call on body art. How is this any different than the Muslim teaching of “hating infadels," anyone who is different than they are?

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“The underlying theme that God has tried to share with “the children of earth” is that of creating love and unity in all things, not separation and hate!” tc

A Point To Everything

Undeniable Fact – We are bound by laws; given our current understanding of the law: Law of Cosmic Order, Mathematics, Physics, Harmony of the Spheres, Gravity, etc. These are scientific Truths that we have come to acknowledge.

When we look at our Personal Truths, they are no different. They are concepts about our life that we have come to accept. How do we know what they are? The spiritual and religious doctrine have done a fair job of presenting the basics: Do not lie, cheat, steal, yearn for what is not yours, be kind, faithful, honest, etc. These motifs have been established to guide one towards a more loving and fruitful life. Yours may be slightly different but they are THE guiding beliefs that shape and mold how you think and act.

When we establish Truths for ourselves, it is important to base those Truths in Love. What I mean is that if my Truth is that I am a victim of every circumstance, then, that is not a truth about life. It is a fear-based idea, which only serves to justify blocking my ability to growth in my life. Now, it may seem as if certain things happen to you based upon this theme. However, since we create our reality, one has actually perpetuated their own victimization, by their suspicion of everyone being out to get them, instead of taking responsibility for their experiences.

Another example, I blogged about back in February (19th – A Warped Perspective) is about a person’s number one rule being that of “Trust No One.” These types of Truths, Rules, Personal Mottos are isolating, negative, restrictive and based entirely upon fear. They serve to hinder, impede, delay and suppress the person from growth in their life. The only Truth being revealed here is individual worry, anxiety, loneliness and FEAR.

So, on that note, the quote of the day is:

“Truths lift us higher through love and are reflected in all that we do and say.” tc