Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I took a good nap earlier so now I'm awake. Should go to bed soon but I thought about this as I found out a new stepping stone in my life: Active verses Passive beliefs (or religions).
Passive: What you believe inside or outside (or both) that are your values. They may change but they aren't verbs, they are usually adjectives and/or nouns.
Passivity seems to be the corporate of all evils when finding one's path. It let's a person, say John, settle in saying that his religion is a collection of his values. For example, I value equality, lack of hierarchy (community), sexuality, and wholeness (holistic/natural). These are part of my spirituality. They make me, me.
Active: What you actually do on a day to day basis that reflects your values? The use of a verb in your everyday language.
The former are passive values. A lot of us yearn for peace with all people in the world. Others want people to come to Christ. While others accept diversity among unity. And then another set rather have unity within diversity. So it depends. However, these are passive values.
The benefit of passive values is that we learn about ourselves by the adjectives we place on ourselves. We aren't just a human being. We're a cool cat leaning on our car trying to swoon a lady. These are labels. However, what do you do with labels?
Some people say all they need are labels. Faith is a label. Belief is a label. Value is a label. Yes, to define ourselves, we need words for communication and even brainstorming helps.
Another benefit to passive values (or using nouns and adjectives to describe who we are and our worldview) for communication. How do I see myself? You ask. How do I define myself? A lot of people say these questions are not needed. Others say they are "spiritual and not religious" leaning on oneness and consciousness. These are nouns and adjectives.
What do I do on an everyday basis that I enjoy and/or is an obligation to myself, my family, and/or another?
Finding your religion is a discipline and it begins with using your passive values and making them active.
Consistency
I value equality. What do I do in my everyday routine (that I do not need to think about) that goes towards this value. I am looking into the LGBT community and values. I am willing to volunteer at culture centers and provide support for youth and adults who are coming out. I learned the history of the Rainbow Flag and as a whole it means equality. So that's my goal. To build (a verb) equality. Community. I just came from the casino with my mother and we were discussing about how our grandmothers talk to us from time to time literally. I told her about ways I ritually connect with ancestors. She told me about what she does even while she is driving to work. Family connection is a huge value for me. It's not passive. I'm trying to use consistency to make it active.
I won't go through everything, but consistency and discipline are hallmarks to finding a religion that goes with what you already believe and do on a day to day basis and take value in what you do by making adjectives and nouns into concrete verbs.
We need consistency, discipline, action, reflection, observation, and I know I'm forgetting other verbs. But look at your values.
Don't say, "I''m a Pagan. I believe in, I don't know, Thor and the other gods" then I ask "what do you do to practice your faith?" and you say "I read up on the theology or mythology. I light a candle. Give libations."
That's cool. Though, maybe ten years ago you didn't do that on an everyday basis. So these things have to not (talking to seekers) mean passivity. "This is what I'm supposed to do because this is what this means." When you jog every morning, use that as a ritual to thank Thor. Does Thor have prayers? Incorporate them before you eat or after you eat since you have to eat daily, right? Want to poor libations? Turn the meaning of these things into verbs and find a way this action is just as important as food. If not, why do it? What does it mean if your spirituality is at the back burner? It's cool to be spiritual and not religious but I find the people who have active religions are religious and not spiritual.
Actually, I hate that phrase. We are spiritual and religious.
I'll stop here. I can write a book on this, actually. That's another passive value of mind is giving knowledge. Now it's active. I used to teach for a good amount of time and now I want to volunteer and help others like myself.
Make your values active. I value peace. No. I am going to volunteer at a homeless shelter to help others out of homelessness. I value love. No. I will find active ways to show love to strangers and not just family and friends. I will use unconditional love and smile (verb) more often. I value peace. No. I value accepting religions are different than mine and respect the religious by agreeing with them that their religion doesn't coincide with mine since they know more about their religion than I do.
What are your values?
List them down?
Turn them into verbs.
Take action to make them come true.
Need a religious label? Once you done this, hopefully a religion that fits you (that is already in you because of your activeness) will call you. That is when you know what you believe in regards to religion. For now, it's alright to be spiritual and not religious.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
All of this is in my opinion; and, I feel the reason why many of us find it hard to find a religion (if one likes) or find the religion already within oneself is to separate active religion versus passive religion. Let me give you an example.
Passive: What you believe inside or outside (or both) that are your values. They may change but they aren't verbs, they are usually adjectives and/or nouns.Passivity seems to be the corporate of all evils when finding one's path. It let's a person, say John, settle in saying that his religion is a collection of his values. For example, I value equality, lack of hierarchy (community), sexuality, and wholeness (holistic/natural). These are part of my spirituality. They make me, me.
Active: What you actually do on a day to day basis that reflects your values? The use of a verb in your everyday language.The former are passive values. A lot of us yearn for peace with all people in the world. Others want people to come to Christ. While others accept diversity among unity. And then another set rather have unity within diversity. So it depends. However, these are passive values.
The benefit of passive values is that we learn about ourselves by the adjectives we place on ourselves. We aren't just a human being. We're a cool cat leaning on our car trying to swoon a lady. These are labels. However, what do you do with labels?
Some people say all they need are labels. Faith is a label. Belief is a label. Value is a label. Yes, to define ourselves, we need words for communication and even brainstorming helps.
Another benefit to passive values (or using nouns and adjectives to describe who we are and our worldview) for communication. How do I see myself? You ask. How do I define myself? A lot of people say these questions are not needed. Others say they are "spiritual and not religious" leaning on oneness and consciousness. These are nouns and adjectives.
In my personal opinion, as seekers, the best practice in finding your religion or way of living is by active values not just passive values. Once you have defined what you believe (equality, what is right and wrong, even politics), stop a sec and think.
What do I do on an everyday basis that I enjoy and/or is an obligation to myself, my family, and/or another?Finding your religion is a discipline and it begins with using your passive values and making them active.
Consistency
Those who are devoted to the perfection of wisdom should expect there from many advantages here and now.. They will not die an ultimately death, nor from poison, or sword, or fire, or water, or staff, or violence. When they bring to mind and repeat this perfect of wisdom, the calamities which threaten them from kings and princes, from kings' counselors and kings' ministers, will not take place. If kings, etc, would try to harm to those who again and again bring to mind and repeat perfection of wisdom they will not succeed;because the perfection of wisdom upholds them. ~Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Buddhist Sacred Text)
I value equality. What do I do in my everyday routine (that I do not need to think about) that goes towards this value. I am looking into the LGBT community and values. I am willing to volunteer at culture centers and provide support for youth and adults who are coming out. I learned the history of the Rainbow Flag and as a whole it means equality. So that's my goal. To build (a verb) equality. Community. I just came from the casino with my mother and we were discussing about how our grandmothers talk to us from time to time literally. I told her about ways I ritually connect with ancestors. She told me about what she does even while she is driving to work. Family connection is a huge value for me. It's not passive. I'm trying to use consistency to make it active.
I won't go through everything, but consistency and discipline are hallmarks to finding a religion that goes with what you already believe and do on a day to day basis and take value in what you do by making adjectives and nouns into concrete verbs.
We need consistency, discipline, action, reflection, observation, and I know I'm forgetting other verbs. But look at your values.
Don't say, "I''m a Pagan. I believe in, I don't know, Thor and the other gods" then I ask "what do you do to practice your faith?" and you say "I read up on the theology or mythology. I light a candle. Give libations."
That's cool. Though, maybe ten years ago you didn't do that on an everyday basis. So these things have to not (talking to seekers) mean passivity. "This is what I'm supposed to do because this is what this means." When you jog every morning, use that as a ritual to thank Thor. Does Thor have prayers? Incorporate them before you eat or after you eat since you have to eat daily, right? Want to poor libations? Turn the meaning of these things into verbs and find a way this action is just as important as food. If not, why do it? What does it mean if your spirituality is at the back burner? It's cool to be spiritual and not religious but I find the people who have active religions are religious and not spiritual.
Actually, I hate that phrase. We are spiritual and religious.
I'll stop here. I can write a book on this, actually. That's another passive value of mind is giving knowledge. Now it's active. I used to teach for a good amount of time and now I want to volunteer and help others like myself. Make your values active. I value peace. No. I am going to volunteer at a homeless shelter to help others out of homelessness. I value love. No. I will find active ways to show love to strangers and not just family and friends. I will use unconditional love and smile (verb) more often. I value peace. No. I value accepting religions are different than mine and respect the religious by agreeing with them that their religion doesn't coincide with mine since they know more about their religion than I do.What are your values?
List them down?
Turn them into verbs.
Take action to make them come true.
Need a religious label? Once you done this, hopefully a religion that fits you (that is already in you because of your activeness) will call you. That is when you know what you believe in regards to religion. For now, it's alright to be spiritual and not religious.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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