To Whom It May Concern ,
I am writing this to voice my thoughts and concerns. First off this is not directed at anyone but written to all in a general whom are and want to continue to be a direct part of our lives .
We are a simple family and accept each and every person with respect of their own beliefs. But we reserve the right to have our own values, and teach our values to our children without others telling us or our children that we are wrong.
Also they have been told that they will have to choose between what we teach them and what others seem to think is in their best interest for them to believe, or their souls will be lost.
Let me make this completely clear, our children DO NOT have to choose. They can believe that Jesus exists as well as in magick. The two beliefs can live harmonious together.
My belief is, religions were created to "bond" you to a personal relationship with whatever diety { or lack there of } that makes you feel you are on the correct path, for you.
Not to use it as a way to measure where someone else is in their spiritual path.
I guess this is what really irritates me with those who meaure you out. Be it religion , parenting or the color shirt you choose to wear to walmart today. I know in a way we all do this. I just think we have to watch out how much we project it. I believe myself to be well educated in most beliefs - which in general are much the same rather than being so different. Yet, many struggle to find as many differences as they can to justify themselves right. I see Pagans that do it as well as those of other religions.
I have studied, discussed , watched educational programs about the past as well as much more. I have read and discussed the bible and formed my own opinions about the lessons the authors of the bible - which by the way were men - were trying to say and I add in their understanding of the world and universe at that time, the facts about the world and universe as we now know them today, as well as many other things.
I admit, unlike a lot of people, there will always be more to learn and explore. That is the beauty of life for us. And in that is my belief, and the belief that we as parents want to pass on to our children. NO MAN KNOWS ALL.
At one time the world was thought to be flat, and the first ones who believed it as well as said it wasn't flat, but round, were ridiculed. This is a fact in history that has happened over and over, again and again .
Galileo, Newton and Kepler all in a brief space in time were all proclaimed by the church and their followers to be wrong because their hypothesis and research made conflict with the church and what the church thought to be true at the time.
I bring this reference up because I base my truths partly on facts and hypothesis and these are just a few of my admired heroes whom I look up to.
We may {or may not} choose to attend certain gatherings in general but I won't attend gatherings which, in my humble opinion, comes down to attending church service because this speaks directly against my beliefs.
My number 1 belief the right to choose and to try not to judge others. Which I see happening all the time around me.
I am not misinformed or uneducated in the Christian belief system. I was once deeply involved the Christian faith but no longer hold those beliefs as my truth. I hold no hatred nor contempt toward the religion of Christianity in general. It just isn't my path.
Also meaning no harm but, I don't want to be preached to or "saved". I already know my own truth and won't be swayed, period.
I feel no man can tell anyone what "GOD" wants, unless they have sat with him { or her } face to face and were told personally. Also, I feel I have just as much proof as anyone in any other mainstream belief system that I am right. To put it bluntly, in my eyes, I have more proof. Yet, we do not impose our beliefs on others and won't tolerate beliefs being imposed on us.
I won't follow blindly behind the masses nor will my children. They will learn to think for themselves, ask questions and look within their own hearts for the answer.
I say this because I feel things have come to the point where I feel that we are not getting the respect to raise our children the way we feel is in their best interest. I feel a few seem to show respect to our face but when they get our children alone they are intentionally telling them things which directly tells our children that our beliefs are wrong. Which brings up another subject, home schooling. This is another place where because things are not said aloud, but it is very clear how some people feel. And our children feel it and see it as well.
You see, this is just one way our children are raised and educated. They may be children but their minds and hearts know when someone is being true to them or not, though they may not let it be known. They know how to think for themselves. And because our ways are not the normal way of society it is doubted and talked about. But the proof is in the pudding. They will be well educated, knowledgeable adults whom we will be very proud to call our own as we already are deeply proud to be their parents.
But for now we have to stand tall with our beliefs - and stand up for them as well.
Blessings,
MooneDreamer