“Genuine religion takes nothing away from human existence, but it does add new meanings to all of life; it generates new types of enthusiasm, zeal, and courage.”  [UB 11:00.07]

Thought Adjuster: “The above statement led you to assess your own religious experience—past and present, with its future promises.  There is indeed a great contrast between your initial religious experience in the frame of an established religion and your current ‘freelancing’ experience. 

“In the past, you were ‘dutifully’ religious—meeting your ‘religious obligations’ in order to maintain a ‘good conscience’.  You were taught that being ‘faithful’ implied that you do not question your imparted and ready-made belief system, thus demonstrating ‘blind faith’.  You were kept in check by the threat of the debilitating boomerang effect of guilt and shame that ensues from breaking the ‘officially advocated’ protocol between man and God.  How did that make you feel?

“How does a child feel when it is coerced to ‘do good’ under emotional blackmail?  Such a child will be very limited in his inner freedom unless he breaks free from such a constrictive mold.  Loving parents have to encourage the independent thinking of their children that is tied up with their imaginative and co-creative powers.

“No matter where it started from, you are undergoing a religious evolution. It is a journey, meant to take you to new spiritual places of increasing attraction.  Many among you ‘fear’ that their religious commitment may ‘demand’ from them costly ‘sacrifices’—a sort of ransom offered to the Divine in exchange for asylum.  It is so far from the Truth with a “T”. 

“The Truth is that, once you reassess the validity of your belief system and subsequently alter your spiritual demeanor, you come to the conclusion that a genuine spiritual connection with the Divine is a joyful, blissful, and immensely rewarding experience that can only be made possible if you ‘freely’ engage yourself ‘heart and soul’.  Indeed, it has everything to do with the love in your heart—and nothing to do with the poltergeists of guilt, shame, and fear. 

“The Father in Heaven blessed you with the many facets of freedom:  freedom of thinking, freedom of feeling, freedom of choice, and more.  Once you align your choices on the positive vision He holds for your life, you will experience the resulting joy that comes about when you feel harmonious on the inner and get to view the world as an amazing playground, abounding in educational opportunities.  Once fear is banned from your life, joy and happiness can move in the inner space that has been vacated.  There are much joy and fulfillment in putting your God-given gifts to higher service.  You are only dumping the excess baggage that hampers your progress—nothing to mourn there.”