Let There Be Love

(Above is some ones interpretation of the path to God.)



Often times, during our discussions about religious beliefs, I am amazed at the way many people are able to have such strong convictions about God. Never have I ever been fully convinced that there is a God, a greater being watching over me and guiding the lighted path I follow to his Kingdom. However, for many people, a belief in God is second nature. Why? Why is it so difficult for me to grasp while for others, their lives would be unfulfilled with out it?

Having been in this position for many years, I have come to accept it. Sometimes, I wish that I had a belief in a greater being, while other times, I am completely content with my state of mind. Something that has troubled me for years and years is the insistance some have to push their religion on yours. Many a time I have been to one of my leadership camps, with friends, or simply involved in a normal conversation when I have felt completely uncomfortable with the discussion of God. At times, I have felt like others have attempted to force their beliefs on me or look down upon me for not having the same beliefs as they do. Now I have not been involved in a situation that turned particularly nasty, but as we all know, in today’s day and age, religion is the source of many of our conflicts. While describing love for God and one another, John says “Those who say, ‘I love God’, and hate their brothers or sisters,* are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister* whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20). I find this slightly comical and ironic when considering the words of this verse in relation to the violence that occurs everyday. Thousands of people die yearly while fighting for their beliefs. Sometimes they fight those of another religion simply for not believing what they do. Sometimes they fight those who do not follow the religion exactly the way “the ones in charge” want them to. These conflicts often involve family members and death is not uncommon during these kinds of disputes. How is it these highly religious people can kill their brothers blood or by race and religion, and still claim to love and act in the name of God? It is stated plain and simply right there in the New Testament. These martyrs feel the need to act in extremes. Would God really like this sort of behavior? I believe that often times, people get so caught up in the fighting and the dignifying of God that they forget why they started fighting in the first place. They forget that God would not want our world to be a place of hatred and violence, bloodshed and discrimination.

In the movie A Walk to Remember, the main character Landon falls in love with a devout Christian, Jaime, dying of Leukemia. Despite his lack of belief in God, they are able to connect and feel true love in the face of death. They marry and during their ceremony, the priest says a very powerful verse that many know well. He says “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; loves does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). If all of those our their fighting religious wars would read this verse and take it in, I believe they would, if only for a split second, realize that their actions are not representative of what their God would want. We should all love who we want, believe in what we want and all the while, be respectful of those who differ from us in love and beliefs.