I've read such reviews on it, with everyone saying that this is a "must have" for anyone. What am I looking for in this book? Well, as some reviewers have said, after reading the book, they don't feel guilty about leaving the "church". That is something I struggle with sometimes...mostly when I run into people I used to go to church with, and I tell them I'm not attending anywhere. They automatically assume that I'm running from God, or losing my faith, etc. But it is quite the contrary! My faith is stronger away from "religion". Yes, I've been reading up on Buddhist ideology, and that is how I came upon this book. The more I learn about Buddhist teachings, the more I find happiness! What many do not realize is that Buddha did not denounce God...he didn't denounce any god. He didn't even call himself a god. What he did do what teach principles to help bring peace and happiness to one's spirit regardless of what faith you follow! Buddhism is in fact...enlightenment! It is learning how to live in harmony...with the earth, with other people. It actually enhances your own faith. If you believe in God, it helps you see what God really is when you strip away all of MAN'S legality! As noted by the author himself:
"It's not that I'm against religion, I simply don't have one (nor do I believe that we need it to be ethical). My faith is doctrine-free, with a definition of God that doesn't conjure a white man in the sky who dispenses blessings for good behavior and harsh judgments to condemn the bad. That's because I don't believe God does that; religion does. You see, faith is a spiritual practice of continually letting go of certainty, of ego, and of the underlying need to know, while religion is a ceremonial tradition of hanging on, clinging to concrete dogmas, stubborn rigidity, and ageless rituals."
I read that as meaning we don't have to know what God's plan is for us...it will be revealed to us as we go along. We need to stop with the ego...with the "look what I'm doing in the name of God", and just fulfill God's commission to love...without expecting reward or acknowledgment! We need to stop with the "pomp and circumstance" of being concerned with what color gets worn during what season, etc. I mean, does God really care if we celebrate the birth and the resurrection at a certain time every year?! Really?! I think God would care more that we understood what those things meant, and that we live our lives accordingly...loving, forgiving, understanding, having compassion!
I truly believe that the world today needs more spirituality, and far less religion and legality! For me, that is what I'm striving for in my own life. I just want to be a vessel! I'm hoping this book will help me respond to folks who think I need to go to church every Sunday and say X number of "hail marys" to prove my faith in God!