Thou shall not steal, Thou shall not commit adultery, Thou shall have no other gods before Me. The bible is the cornerstone of Western society, the basis upon which millions of people live their lives by. An instrumental part of many people’s upbringing it has certainly influenced the development of world history and social order, but is religion held in the same regard as it was in today’s fast-paced, commercial society? Or is it just used as a tool to induce fear into the masses and capitalise on those people who know no better?
The history of the church is long and bloodied. Originally a source of support for the wearied and a home away from home, the church and its doctrines were the heart of the community. Though today’s world is very different, the ideals of the church are much the same. Brian Tamaki describes Destiny Church as a forward-thinking church for ‘the breakthrough generation’. A generation who are pressured to pay at least 10% of their income to the church (though this is called a ‘donation’), a generation that rather than subscribing to scriptures has to subscribe to a V.I.P club to receive the holy word (for a very small price of course, this is God’s word after all). It seems nothing these days, not even heaven itself is exempt from a cover charge.
American Pastor Creflo Dollar wants to change the world. He wants to do away with the immorality in today’s society and return to the spiritual roots we all share. A nice sentiment, but how to do this? Well, you could read his book Restoring Godly Families… fancy a change? Try Spiritual Makeover. Have a visual impairment? No problem, there’s an audio book. Who needs the Bible when you can read Creflo’s 8 Steps To Enlightenment. While you’re at it, make a donation. In 2006, Creflo’s ministries received nearly 70 million U.S dollars in donations. Enough to feed countless starving children in Africa… or enough for a swanky Malibu apartment, private Jet and college education for Pastor Creflo’s five charming children (all the epitome of grace and good breeding, I’m sure).
Belief in religion or a higher power often comes from fear of the unknown. ‘What if heaven exists?’, ‘What if there is a God?’, ‘What if I spend an eternity in hell because I stole a lollipop when I was 5 and didn’t repent?’. While living a moral and upstanding life is all well and good, living in constant fear of offending some higher power is not the way to live your life. Especially if you have more money than sense, and are willing to buy into the Jesus-hype.
Religion is not what it once was. It has changed from being an integral part of the community to being an excuse for people’s motives and judgements. It is not the charitable organisation it once was, it’s a commercialised, money-making scam that prays on the vulnerable, those who have nowhere else to go and those who have no-one to turn to. Religious leaders no longer care about guiding their congregation, all they care about is selling their merchandise and profiting on the misfortunes of the public. As a mass we need to question these self-proclaimed leaders and return to the original written word “for everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world”
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
why play it safe?
According to a famous Moroccan proverb, “He who has nothing to die for, has nothing to live for”. Society is constantly being told to live a life without regret, to live for the moment, to never look back. Easier said than done, we all seem to embrace these sentiments, yet they are never followed through. We continue to accept situations as they are, to work with what we have rather than fight for what we want. We all know, that in life it is better to err on the side of adventure than play it safe, so why don’t we follow through?
Life is about growth, to be able to emotionally grow and mature is a rite every human-being is entitled to. When you live a life without adventure, you are unlikely to realise your full potential. By constantly playing it safe, you may live a decent life, you may be content to a certain extent, but you will never truly know what you are capable of. When you push the boundaries, ask things people long to hear but are to afraid to ask and always try to live a life that you can look back on without regret of opportunities missed, not only do you continually learn about human nature and the people around you, you also learn a great deal about yourself and your capabilities. It is only through recognising your own strengths and faults, and having the ability to accept and improve on them, that you will be able to blossom into adulthood.
A part of living life on the adventurous side is taking risks. Risk comes from the fear of the undecided and is something that will be avoided at all costs by anyone who wants to play it safe. However, taking risks often bears the greatest rewards. When you plunge head first into something with no idea on what the outcome will be, whether it’s a risky business enterprise or throwing yourself out of an aeroplane, every emotion is magnified. The exhilaration of taking the first step. The happiness in the realisation that you can achieve more than you thought you could. The feeling of fulfilment and pride in the knowledge that instead of following the path set out for you, you took a chance, and it paid off. To take a risk, is to take a chance in life, and in yourself.
High achievers are often the ones that take risks, this is what separates them from ‘ordinary folk’. Virgil wrote over 2,000 years ago that “Fortune sides with him who dares”. Good fortune doesn’t come to us, we are the ones that need to go to it through taking risks and making the most out of the only life we have. By leaving the security net behind, and deciding to face the fears we are constantly trapped behind, you are only strengthening your own inner resolve.
Yes, by living on the adventurous side of life you will be scared. Terrified, even. There will be times where you have no idea what is going to appear around the corner. There will be risk involved, and it will not always pay off. But aren’t all these things what make being a human so unique? We have the choice, and the opportunity to be whoever we want to be and do whatever we want to do. We only live once, so why just feel content? Or mediocre? When you play it safe, follow a plan, don’t occasionally take the gravel road, you will never truly know what it’s like to experience life.
Life is about growth, to be able to emotionally grow and mature is a rite every human-being is entitled to. When you live a life without adventure, you are unlikely to realise your full potential. By constantly playing it safe, you may live a decent life, you may be content to a certain extent, but you will never truly know what you are capable of. When you push the boundaries, ask things people long to hear but are to afraid to ask and always try to live a life that you can look back on without regret of opportunities missed, not only do you continually learn about human nature and the people around you, you also learn a great deal about yourself and your capabilities. It is only through recognising your own strengths and faults, and having the ability to accept and improve on them, that you will be able to blossom into adulthood.
A part of living life on the adventurous side is taking risks. Risk comes from the fear of the undecided and is something that will be avoided at all costs by anyone who wants to play it safe. However, taking risks often bears the greatest rewards. When you plunge head first into something with no idea on what the outcome will be, whether it’s a risky business enterprise or throwing yourself out of an aeroplane, every emotion is magnified. The exhilaration of taking the first step. The happiness in the realisation that you can achieve more than you thought you could. The feeling of fulfilment and pride in the knowledge that instead of following the path set out for you, you took a chance, and it paid off. To take a risk, is to take a chance in life, and in yourself.
High achievers are often the ones that take risks, this is what separates them from ‘ordinary folk’. Virgil wrote over 2,000 years ago that “Fortune sides with him who dares”. Good fortune doesn’t come to us, we are the ones that need to go to it through taking risks and making the most out of the only life we have. By leaving the security net behind, and deciding to face the fears we are constantly trapped behind, you are only strengthening your own inner resolve.
Yes, by living on the adventurous side of life you will be scared. Terrified, even. There will be times where you have no idea what is going to appear around the corner. There will be risk involved, and it will not always pay off. But aren’t all these things what make being a human so unique? We have the choice, and the opportunity to be whoever we want to be and do whatever we want to do. We only live once, so why just feel content? Or mediocre? When you play it safe, follow a plan, don’t occasionally take the gravel road, you will never truly know what it’s like to experience life.
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