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Monday, April 27, 2009

Belonging is Half the Fun

We belong to the light
We belong to the thunder
We belong to the sound of the words
We've both fallen under
Whatever we deny or embrace
For worse or for better
We belong, we belong
We belong together
~ We Belong - performed by Pat Benatar ~

Part of the purpose of the religious experience is to solidify this feeling of belonging. As social creatures, humans need some sort of group to belong to. Without any type of social connection, our self-identity becomes fragile and lost.

However, for many people, it's not enough to belong simply to a human group. Such folks crave the feeling of belonging to an extra special group -- a group that goes beyond mortality. So, to bolster their own egos, they create a straw man in the sky and proclaim that each is a member of the most select group possible -- God's group.

While the institution of religion does not hang its hat on this one variable, it certainly can be seen as one of the important elements -- to belong with the light, the thunder and the one who supposedly created them.

Not to be alone. Not to be lost. To belong.

2 comments:

  1. Alone is surely to miss the unity of all things. And then to take God is to still feel very separate. They for one feel separate to god but by the relationship with the imaginary hard father figure they feel the 'out-there' to be less of a threat. It's so messed up. Only messed up minds can find solace in such a messed up solution.

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  2. This is all part of the journey, one which leads us to oneness to truly understand that we are never alone and that we are all part of one whole.

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