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Meditation 1272
Re-Imagining Religion: religion by people, for people

by: Gordon Barthel

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I dream of a religion by people, for people, not a religion by the immortals for the greater glory of the immortals, but a religion created by mortals for the benefit of mortals, a religion that dares ask people from every neighbourhood what they are willing to believe and what they are not willing to believe, a religion that dares assemble its creed according to what it learned from people rather than what it learned from the glorious immortals.

I dream of a religion by people, for people, not a religion created by supernatural powers, but a religion that dares survey people from every station and every vocation, asking them what they need from religion and what they want from religion, a religion that dares craft its role in the community based on what it learned from people rather than what it learned from supernatural forces.

I dream of a religion by people, for people, a religion that dares ask people from inside the religion and people from outside the religion what they need to become the best humans humanly possible, a religion that dares ask people from many creeds and traditions how religion can help them become better humans, a religion that serves the needs of people rather than serving supernatural beings.

I dream of a religion that by people, for people, a religion that serves people, not a religion that decrees people serve the great and glorious immortals, but a religion that serves the needs of human beings rather than a religion dedicated to glorifying supernatural beings,

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