The Archangels Talk About when Religion Goes Wrong
In case you don’t know me, I will state that I am not anti-religion, any religion, and neither am I anti- any group of people. I don’t think any religion is better or best than any other, and I believe people should choose for themselves what they stand for and believe.
There are a lot of proclaimed righteous causes trying to gain power and control over others, many supposedly based on religious beliefs, and that’s causing a lot of problems. What never ceases to amaze me are the religious zealots out there who are supposedly steeped in their religious protocol, who have twisted the very religious foundations they proclaim to follow to suit themselves. Heck, why not just branch off and form your own religion, if you’re going to reshape it to suit yourself, anyway?
I asked the Angels to talk about why so many people are out on a rampage and base it on religious beliefs, when all the major world religions are actually based on love for God and for other people? Following is their reply.
Question: Many people claim to focus on religious beliefs based on a lot of judgment and punishment, yet you have told us that these things do not await us when our life on Earth ends. Religion is often cited as the reason behind many limiting and harmful actions. Why is there such a disconnect?
Answer:
Religions are man-made. Many are divinely inspired, but none are free of mankind’s interpretations, agendas, and reasoning. Although many did not begin that way, religions in many ways have been used as a means of control over people and usually include guidelines, rewards, and consequences connected to their belief systems. Their foundations are usually the most divinely inspired parts, while the guidelines, rewards and consequences are usually more subject to mankind’s ideas and agendas in most cases.
Consider the ethics and morals connected to all the major world religions. These include kindness, compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, equality, and dignity for people in general. There are also similarities in guidelines of what people should not do, including killing, stealing, lying, and things that constitute the mistreatment of others.
It is often the rewards and punishment pieces that mark a division in beliefs. Rewards usually reflect customs and cultures of the believers. There are various ideas regarding the afterlife, and most religions differentiate outcomes based on how a person behaved while on Earth, whether or not he or she followed the guidelines connected to the religion, and often includes either rewards or punishments for this behavior.
Whenever there is a system of rewards and punishments, there is an underlying desire for control. Following whatever rules are in place that leads to rewards is often used as an incentive to live the “right” way, while fearing negative consequences for actions serves as a deterrent for some people. In other words, those rules are meant to control people’s choices and actions. It works for some, at least temporarily, and for others it does not.
We will tell you that fear is a poor way to control others, in terms of long-term commitment, especially if the person does not understand why the rules were established or agree with them. The idea of reward is not much better, because the rewards promised through religion often do not apply to life while on Earth. External rewards are not nearly as effective as intrinsic rewards, and intention to exercise fear, shame, and guilt upon others does not inspire loyalty or commitment. This is why there has been a steep decrease in religious participation in many parts of the world.
If a person does not feel safe and accepted, they will struggle to find peace and joy. Peace and joy are intrinsic, rather than external. Yes, external factors can affect peace and joy, but they can be overcome or overridden if a person chooses to do so.
The desire for control and power is driven by fear and/or a feeling of superiority. Those who seek power and wish to control others do not know internal peace. If they did, they would have no need for power and control, especially over others, and they would be content to live their lives as they see fit and leave others to do the same. They believe power and control will bring peace and joy, but they could not be more wrong.
Look at those who vie for power and control. Do they appear to be joyful and at peace, even after they win their battles and contests? No, they instead immediately turn to the next step that will bring them more power and control, and it is never, ever enough. It is a senseless way to live.
We will give you some examples. There are movements in various parts of the world to subdue the choices and actions of others for various reasons, whether it be in regards to women, minorities, races, religions, etc. There is never an end to these struggles.
Women are required to dress a certain way. Next, education is forbidden to them. Then, curfews are enacted. Next, punishments are made more severe for not following all the news laws in place. After each of these steps comes another, then another.
A religion is proclaimed as superior. It is promoted as the official religion of the land. Then, people who practice other religions are targeted, limited, and persecuted. Their businesses are closed. They are only allowed to live in certain areas. They cannot choose what jobs or education to pursue. All of these steps are made a reality, and the plotting continues. It is never enough in terms of sanctions against others who do not wish to comply.
More recently, there is a movement to deny and limit women’s rights, often based on religious beliefs of a “chosen” religion. Perhaps it begins with limiting education on certain things. Let us discuss reproduction rights. Education about birth control is attacked, and limitations are put in place where knowledge is concerned. Then, birth control measures themselves are limited, and women have limited access to them. Then, there are restriction put on ending reproduction.
At first, there are exceptions made, but that does not last, because the people seeking power and control never have enough of it. One by one, exceptions are excluded. Next, penalties are imposed for those who do not accept the restrictions being placed on them. Then, punishments are put into place, not only for the women who seek to end a pregnancy for whatever reason, but for anyone who is willing to help them find a way to overcome these restrictions.
First, there are sanctions against medical caregivers. This will not be enough, either. What will be next? The bus drivers or airlines who transport these women to their destinations? Some places have already set up methods to report those who seek to circumvent laws in place. Do you think it will end there? Neighbors are encouraged to accuse each other of seeking access to reproductive rights and finding ways around restriction. These new laws seek to deny access to places where it would otherwise be legal to choose an end to a pregnancy. We tell you, this is about control and power, not religion, at least at it’s foundation.
There are currently movements in place to restrict parental rights on matters some have connected to religious beliefs. There are those who would restrict the rights of people to choose who they want to marry based on some people’s religious views. There are movements to reshape and restrict entire systems including education, government departments, and many personal rights, all based on religious beliefs of some, and if all these things succeed, even more will be implemented, until every aspect of every life is controlled.
It will never end, and it will never be enough. And, it will never bring peace and joy to either those who seek to control others, those who wish to increase their power, much less to those they try to control. All of these actions will lead to more problems, including war and death.
The seeking of power and control over others is the source of virtually all the world’s problems. Until people stand together and deny these attempts at controlling others, whether or not they are directly affected, whether or not they share similar religious beliefs with those who are trying to put these restriction into place, peace and joy for the collective consciousness will remain elusive, and peace on Earth will not be attained.
If religions focused on the very foundation on which they were built, such as love for gods and other people, they could be helpful to the world. As we said, these are things which are divinely inspired. It is when rules, rewards, punishments, and condemnation, all based on fear and control and power, all based on the agendas and desires of men, not gods, take over that leads to problems.
That is when religion becomes a hindrance, when mankind’s influence and desire override the divinely inspired foundations on which religion was formed. It is when a religion’s purpose morphs from foundational, divine love to the agendas of men who seek power and control over others that religion causes more harm than good. It is when mankind places more importance on what they want over what their gods want that religion becomes selfish, entitled, and dangerous. It is not religion, gods, or true prophets that are the problem. It is those who pursue power and control over others at the heart of all the problems that trouble humanity.
We invite you to embrace the Light and Love of the Creator, rather than the pursuit of power and control over others. It will serve you so much better and will lead to joy and peace which cannot be taken away from you.
Final Thoughts
Let’s take a minute and apply this to ourselves, rather than wishing others would do the same thing. Let’s stop pointing the blame at those who just can’t seem to embrace the idea of leaving everyone alone to make their own personal life choices and just concentrate on our own thoughts and actions. Whatever we disagree with, let’s just make peace with those differences of beliefs and opinions. Let’s agree to disagree, pursue our own paths, and leave everyone else to pursue their own. Don’t worry about those who refuse to live and let live; let’s just focus on doing that ourselves.
Everyone thinks their way is the best way, and that’s okay, as long as you concede that it isn’t the only way, and it doesn’t and shouldn’t apply to anyone else but ourselves. If someone wants to make different choices, allow them their prerogatives and follow your own. It’s okay if they do things differently than we do, as long as it doesn’t interfere with others’ rights and choices.
I could go on and on about how others are not doing this, but what good would that do? I can’t change them. I can’t change anyone but myself. So, I choose to live and let live. I choose to respect the right for everyone to make their own personal choices. I choose not to try to force anyone to adhere to my beliefs and ideas of what is right and wrong. I choose for myself, not others. I choose to find love, joy, hope, and peace, and I hope others can do the same, but I know they have to find those things in their own ways. It’s my life to live, and nobody else’s, and nobody else’s life is my life to live or should be subjected to my choices and beliefs. Peace. Joy. Love. Hope. And everyone has the right to pursue them as they see fit.
Blessings, all.
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