WILL EVERYONE GO TO HEAVEN- part 2

The definitive answer to the question "Will everyone go to heaven" cannot really be answered by anyone but God. You might not find it directly in any religious text, or hear it announced at your place place of religion.  Even if you did you might still harbour certain  doubts, until perhaps you heard it directly from God.

I have shared with readers the idea of dialogue with God as opposed to our usual monologue.The latter is typically practised in the form of group intercessory prayers and other means of prepared and rehearsed rituals, etc,.  In a public setting it would be impractical to ask each individual exactly what they heard God say, or not say, in response to their particular prayers or needs.  And, if we reduce our religious life to church attendance only it might explain why we find it hard to believe that God will speak to us directly.     

The idea of dialoging directly with to God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Abba Father, Creator or whatever name we are comfortable with, can be quite a scary experience for many of us. It becomes even more daunting when we decide to share that experience with other people (warning:be discerning).  Strangers could say we were crazy, and some professionals might even recommend psychiatric treatment. And all this gets even more absurd when we hear of extremist and cultist claiming it was God who demanded their violent actions.  

But God did invite us to listen to him and revealed himself to many individuals especially in the Old Testament.   However in the New Testament God's message becomes more universal. For example John (14:26)  tells us "The Holy Spirit will be your teacher  and will bring to your mind all I have said to you"? At the same time God frequently speaks to us through other people, nature and other forms off His creation.    

One of my most frequently visited blogs   ‘Will Everyone Go To Heaven?’  raises the question why so many people seem so concerned about getting to heaven and haven't gotten a convincing answer from the religious institution or anywhere else.  A quick scan of the web reveals that an awful lot of people want to know the answer to that question.  Here are some of their questions:

Do we go to heaven when we die?

Do homosexuals go to heaven?

Do good people go to heaven?

Do handicapped people go to heaven?

Do pets go to heaven?

Do Muslims go to heaven?

What happens to infants and children who die?

Do people who commit suicide go to heaven?

Do all nice people to heaven?

Do Christians go straight to heaven?

Where do we go when we die?

What must I do to get to heaven?

Do mentally ill people go to heaven?

Will all the righteous people go to heaven?

Will those who have never heard go to heaven?

Will rich people go to heaven?

Believe it or not the questions about heaven today produced not less than  165 Million hits on Google!

These are obviously serious concerns for a lot of people.   And it shows that our religious institutions are not doing a particularly good job at helping people to provide them with the answer to  one of the most basic questions on their minds.  Even more disturbing is the fact to I found more than double that amount (376 Million hits)  on Google dealing with questions (in some cases offerubg directions to) about hell.

Now I am sure that there are a variety of answers provided to  these questions  emanating from our religious institutions and others.  Some can be helpful, but many (actually most) are simply outrageous by providing more fear than assurance.   But what if you could hear it directly from your Creator (that is how you got here) would that not ultimately satisfy your mind and heart?   Now I am not recommending that you sit down right now and present your question to God without some necessary preparation.   On the other hand taking out time by yourself on a deserted beach, park bench, or any place where you are likely to be uninterrupted, could be of help to begin listening to God. For me Journaling has proven to be the most direct way to hear God.  Secondly being observant of the synchronicities in my life has revealed how God directs his inclusive plan for you and I in so many surprising ways.  Be assured that everone will finally hear God's voice in a manner that is congruent to their particular nature and makeup. It is the voice that resonates deep within your heart.

There is a  place (as I have discovered)  where we often give up our resistance to hearing God speak to us directly.  Unfortunately it is a place that most of us would rather avoid.   This place is usually found when we are confronted with persistant fear, pain or a sudden life changing/threatening condition .  Here, the voice if we dare to allow it, becomes so clear it instills us with an awe we probably have never experienced before.  It is here that we encounter the burning bush of God’s unconditional love and presence.  As I stated in my previous blog, it is here that God revealed that our life is not about us, but about God experiencing himself through us -experiencing all our pain, fear and suffering!   Fear and pain are a hell of place to be but we have been assured that Jesus both descends to and will rescues us  from,  that hell to bring us back to a life that is meant to be lived to the full. And it is here that we can safely release our concerns about heaven and hell.   

Secularism and Catholic Education

During his recent state sponsored visit to Germany Pope Benedict XVI once again warned about the spreading danger of secularism.  A favourite topic of his and one he likes to promote wherever he can find a world audience. including the annual World Youth conference in Spain last August.  Similar dire warnings are often repeated by many of his self appointed and loyal officials such as Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins.  Speaking at the Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association conference in Ottawa Sept. 23 Collins decided to heighten the hype by referring to secularism as something we are now “marinated” in.

Secularism: the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries(see Wikipedia).

The opposite of secularism can be found in a theocratic nation which is run under the direct control or of a particular or chosen religious institution.  Theocracy   exists in many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.  It is well known that many of these theocratic nations are found to be responsible for many horrific human abuses. However, that is not to say that a theocratic State could not be run free of such abuses.

In the Western world most countries have adopted the separation of State and church or religion. But here follows the importance of such legislation. While separation of church and state prevents the State from supporting any religion or from interfering with it also obliges religion to leave the public sphere open to all.  When both sides respect the boundaries, secularism provides a framework for freedom of conscience, tolerance and democracy.  Secularism does not guarantee human rights but it helps make them possible.  But as long as the world religions are unable to dialogue and find peace among them there will be no peace in the world (Hans Kung) .

When the Vatican talks about Secularism it seems to be suggest “there is only one true religion and that is Roman rule or Catholicism as narrowly defined by Pope Benedict XVI”.  Remember Benedict has indicated on many occasions that he wants a smaller church – a church that is based on strict orthodoxy (absolutism) and considers all other religions as inferior. In an effort to blame its problems on modernism, relativism and secularism Benedict continues to block the progress and enthusiasm that was generated by Vatican II.  It has effectively stifled any progress on further ecumenism.

Secularism is a thorn in the side of the church when it comes to Catholic Education particularly when such education is publically funded.  Archbishop Collins speaking to Catholic educators stressed that in order for Catholic education to be fervently Catholic “we need to maintain and strengthen the Catholic identity of our schools. But what he failed to mention was that this requires an absolute obedience to Church teachings – even at the expense of one’s higher and informed conscience. 

Traditionalists must not forget  that the Catholic school system in Ontario is now also supported by those so-called ‘secular ’ tax payers most (90%) of whom also believe in God. Not all Catholics have a problem with this and many more would like to see a more inclusive approach to religion one that includes dialogue with other faiths. Being followers of Christ is not about belonging to some exclusive club. Jesus did not limit his teaching/healing to people of his Jewish background.  Catholics are not prevented from exercising their individual rights thanks largely in part to the separation of church and state. A Catholic, who chooses not to enter into a same-sex marriage, obtain an abortion, etc., is free to do so. However, that same individual must respect the right of others to choose otherwise. Jesus referred to this as rendering unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Catholics are free to teach their respective ethics and morals. However, they must also respect the individual rights of others. They cannot be enforced on all. Remember slavery and the death penalty were at one time promoted in many Christian countries.  Our faith is a free gift from God and has nothing to do with what others do or believe.

The future of Catholic education does not depend on promoting strict Catholic orthodoxy but to paraphrase Pope John XXIII opening windows that will embrace the Spirit of inclusion and finding God in all people and all faiths.  This could also mean finding God in where people are – not where we would have them be.  Such a change is the very dynamic of the Holy Spirit.  Yes, this could be a serious blow to many Traditionalists but the Roman Church must no longer use old wine skins to solve the problems of today.  Jesus meets us in the here and now – not in the yesterday, not in the tomorrow.

Bishop Collins, administrators and the various users of the Catholic School system cannot ignore the fact when such schools are publically funded it includes many of those dreaded secularist.  Finally, it is hoped that the the real 'treasure' of Catholicism will be found in the ordinary people, the laity and the secular supporters who are already fully prepared to work for such a change.   

Finally, some readers may be asking "Should Catholic schools take in children of other faiths"?  For a thoughtfull opinion on this question please refer to the article ' When are Catholic schools no longer Catholic?' as it appeared in a recent edition of 'The Tablet' a U.K. based weekly magazine for Catholics - click here.   

Adult Faith Development

The following essay on Adult Faith Development appears on Fr. Diarmuid O’Murchu's website http://www.diarmuid13.com/ and is reproduced here with his kind permission. He is a member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Order, and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin Ireland. O'Murchu is a practicing social psychologist whose working life is dedicated to social ministry, predominantly in London, UK. A prolific author and much sought after retreat master and speaker in many countries including Australia and Canada. Among his many books are my favourites: 'Quantum Theology - Spiritual Implication of the New Physics'(2004), 'Religion in Exile - A Spiritual Homecoming' (2000), and 'Cathing up with Jesus - A Gospel Story for Our Time' (2005).

ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT

All religions and churches emphasise that humans are:

• weak and sinful while God is strong and holy

• totally dependent on the all-providing God,

• servants of God to whom we owe absolute allegiance,

• children of a Father God and a Mother Church,

• called to be humble and obedient to the parent-like divine power.


The metaphor of the child is extensively used in conventional spirituality. Phrases like “childlike trust,” “loyalty,” “obedience,” “under authority” all denote a sense of dependency that is not congruent with adult maturity. The tendency to structure religion in patriarchal-type institutions, with a strong focus on those who govern from on high, breeds co-dependency rather than mutual interdependence. Such metaphors and systems militate against the emergence of wholesome, adult people.

Much more serious and less obvious to the naïve observer, is the tendency of religions to alienate people from the planetary and cosmic web of life. The dualism of the sacred v. the secular truncates nature’s invitation to live in a convivial, cooperative relationship with the earth and its living systems. Properly understood, earth-life systems function best when humans treat other life-forms with a sense of adult care and responsibility. But this experience of being human, in an integrated planetary and cosmic way, is largely unknown to people of our time

THE CONTEXT

Adult Faith Development wishes to reclaim our integral place in creation:

• There is a cosmic dimension to our lives, elegantly illustrated in the fact that
stardust is essential to our existence and all sources of nourishment ultimately belong to sunlight.

• There is a planetary/earthly dimension: our very existence is dependent on the healthy functioning of the earth’s bio-systems.

• There is an organic dimension, highlighted in the bacterial foundations of all life, thriving primarily on cooperation, not via competition.

• Our own human existence belongs to an amazing creative story of some 7,000,000 years, often dismissed by academics as primitive and barbaric.

Contextually, we are an integral part of a greater whole that confers on us our integrity and dignity, forever calling us to mutual engagement with the evolving life-forces of cosmic and planetary life. Because of our disconnection from the larger context, we end up condemning ourselves to a contrived, minimalistic, childish participation in the great enterprise of universal life.

AT HOME IN CREATION

Creation is our true, authentic home, the houshold of all life, including those who have gone before us. The afterlife does not exist outside creation, but within it, a realm in which our departed loved ones inhabit a different level of being = within the one cosmos.

Religion’s negative regard for the created order is responsible for much of the meaningless suffering in the contemporary world. Because this suffering is often so overwhelming, many people throw themselves at the mercy of God. Although an understandable response, and often the basis of survival against heavy odds, this is an abdication of our call to be co-creators with God in enhancing the growth and development of God’s creation.

RECLAIMING ADULT FAITH

Faith in our time requires us to grow up and learn to relate with God in a new way. As co-creators with our creative God, we are invited and challenged to relate as adults to an adult God, modelled for Christians in the adult life-example of Jesus. This requires that we replace:

• The patriarchal sky-God with the divine life-force we encounter in the miracle of God’s creation.

• Hierarchical top-down dependency with a sense of mutual equality and interdependence.

• Power-over with power-with (empowerment).

• Parental-type, controlling relationships with those based on mutuality (as modelled in the Trinity).

• A product mentality in which everything is essentially predetermined with a process outlook that respects the divinely inspired evolutionary nature of life.

• Faith communities where the focus tends to be on control and top-down governance (priest, imam, rabbi), to one centred on people and programmed for mutual empowerment.

PRINCIPLES OF ADULT FAITH DEVELOPMENT:

In contemporary cultures – secular and religious – calling forth the adult is either construed as a non-issue because, allegedly, adulthood is already fostered and protected, or it is subverted as dangerous propaganda. For the religions, in particular, it is quite a new concept with consequences that are likely to be perceived as threatening and dangerous for the status quo. In promoting a culture of adult faith the following principles are crucial:

1. Faith is a process of life-long learning, not some magical, divine product bestowed by church or religion.

2. Grace builds on nature (St. Anselm; St. Thomas Aquinas); consequently, appropriation of faith at different life-stages needs informed attention (see the pioneering work of James Fowler).

3. Adults learn by doing in a dynamic, interactive and co-operative endeavour in which educator and learner are equal partners.

4. In adult learning, everybody is endowed with wisdom and all are beneficiaries of divine revelation. Both educator and learner have joint responsibility for the awakening and appropriation of faith.

5. Story-telling is a central strategy in articulating a meaningful faith. Discernment skills arise from this context.

6. Adult faith matures when life experience is honoured, and the ensuing challenges are explored through mature adult conversations (stories).

7. Adult faith tends not to be incapacitated by perfectionism. It is much more at home in soulful realism in which paradox is honoured , vulnerability is protected, questions are respected and dogmatism gives way to trust and dialogue.

8. Adults commit to faith-based structures in which power is shared equally and justly at the service of empowerment.

9. Adults desire transparency through open dialogue, pursuing truth that is always in the process of being realised.

10. Adults seek to change co-dependent metaphors, images and language into more imaginative and intuitive constructs that challenge people to act as adults, faithful to an adult God, modelled on the adult life-example of Jesus.

Thank you Fr. O'Murchu for reminding us of our responsibilities as adult learners.

On Prayer

 Until we let go of verbal prayer and enter the realms of silence we are nowhere near maturity in our prayer - Teresa of Avila

Quit flapping your gums about God - Meister Eckhart

 ;

Can prayer change God’s mind? Or, do we need to change our mind about God? We have all heard the story about the two opposing football teams each praying to God for victory. What do we expect God to do in such a situation?

All prayer requires dialogue as opposed to monologue. silently or otherwise. Fr. Vincent Dwyer in his book 'Lift Your Sails', said: The real meaning of dialogue is that it attempts to unite, to unite persons who want to be united. Dialogue is realized in an authentic, loving encounter between persons wanting to be one. Prayer brings us into a relationship with a loving and healing Creator as opposed to a relationship with religious 'rules'.

Christians and most other world religions ask us to dialogue with the Creator. Jesus himself prayed to his Father and instructed his disciples to pray. But what does it mean when Jesus said “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."?

If we pray fervently to God for a something, be it for the most worthy and unselfish reasons, should we trust or believe that we will automatically receive God’s blessing and wait until this request or intent is duly honoured? Is prayer simply a matter of petitioning God and presenting him with a grocery list of all our needs trusting that he will generously and miraculously answer all our prayers in due time ?

But, what happens when these requests are not satisfied, particularly in the case of more tragic circumstances. Must we assume that God did not want to save that child, that parent or prevent this or that disaster? Or did God not answer our prayer because we did not deserve his blessing? Or, should we accept that God fulfills our every need but not necessarily our wants?

When we escape disaster, is it because God looked upon us favorably? Or, was the outcome just plain luck or fate?. If God ‘saved’ me but not the other is he rewarding me but not the other person? In other words, when prayers are answered, as they sometime are, is it the result of God rewarding us for our faithfulness or worthiness? There are many wonderful stories about prayers that were answered. Have you ever wondered about those prayers that seemingly were not answered?

Christians today use several types of prayers during their collective celebrations: petition, Intercession, thanksgiving, repentance, adoration and praise. Personal prayers may also include prayers of recitation, spiritual reading, recollection, contemplation and Journaling. All prayer, many of which could be ‘prepared’ or ‘traditional’ prayers, may be expressed vocally, mentally or even passively. All Christian explanations of prayer agree that the initiative comes from God, who moves people to the act of praying.

If we accept that God initiates the call perhaps it is best to listen first before presenting our prepared wish list. This acceptance was probably best expressed by the following wise individuals:

Prayer is when you talk to God; meditation is when you listen to God. ~Author Unknown

The value of consistent prayer is not that He will hear us, but that we will hear Him. ~Willam.McGill

Prayer may not change things for you, but it for sure changes you for things. ~Samuel M. Shoemaker

In this context I now better understand what Yehuda Berg meant when he recently stated: God does not answer our prayers. God IS the answer to our prayers.

Yehuda went on to say:

From the Kabbalistic perspective, God is more noun than verb. If God answered our prayers, God would be a verb, taking action, getting involved. Instead, we are the verb.

We need to take action in order to connect with God and draw the Light of the Creator to our lives. We have had this backwards for two thousand years, which is why our prayers have gone unanswered for so long. We keep waiting for an answer from God, but God cannot answer. God just is.

So how do we connect to God?

Transformation. Each time we resist our ego—our self-centered nature that wants to react, scream, cheat, yell, worry and abuse—we connect our soul to God. However, when our buttons are pushed, when some annoying individual incites us to anger, there’s almost no way to prevent a reflexive response.

So God came up with an idea, a way to help us out. He gave us a technology that we mistakenly called prayer. The kabbalist who prays is not offering a plea, or making a request. The words and letters that compose a prayer literally link our soul to unseen spiritual dimensions from which we summon spiritual help to rise above our ego, our reactive nature, and all the nasty character traits that keep us from connecting to the Light of the Creator.

My favourite stories about Prayer:

A man was climbing a tree when suddenly he slipped and then grabbed at a branch that caught him. After an hour or so of hanging there he felt himself getting exhausted. The man looked up to the heavens and cried out: “God, help me please, help me.” All of a sudden, the clouds parted and a voice boomed out from on high, “let go!” said the voice.

The guy paused, looked up at heaven once more, and asked, “Is there anyone else up there?” - Anthony de Mello

A man was lost in a desert. Later, when describing his ordeal to his friends, he told how, in sheer despair, he had knelt down and cried our to God to help him.“And did God answer your prayer?” he was asked. “Oh, no! Before He could, an explorer appeared and showed me the way.” - Anthony de Mello

Perhaps the most powerful and positive means to experience prayer, is through genuine dialogue and to belief that your prayer has already been answered. God only desires that we live our life ‘holistically ‘ or to the full! God does not need our suffering, sacrifices or martyrs, nor help to defend him.

For me one of the most positive ways to connect with the Light of the Creator is through journaling. In simple terms it allows me to present, in writing, my most intimate concerns to our Creator – and then wait for his ‘personal’ response to the issue at stake. When I am prepared to wait and listen, the written response will come, without fail, from the God deep within. However, I do not wish to suggest that journaling is the only effective means of hearing God. Each one must find their own path to experience a ‘burning bush’ moment. The challenge , for me, is to begin each day by seeing myself as God experiences himself through me and others– not as I experience God through the ego or false self!.

Prayer is not about changing God, but being willing to let God change us, or as Step 11 in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says: “Praying only for the knowledge of his will.” Jesus goes so far as to say that true prayer is always answered (Matthew 7:7-11). Now we all know that this is not factually true—unless he is talking about prayer in the sense that I will try to describe it. If you are able to switch minds to the mind of Christ, your prayer has already been answered! The new mind knows, understands, accepts, and sees correctly, widely, and wisely. Its prayers are always answered because they are, in fact, the prayers of God, as well.

True prayer is always about getting the “who” right. Who is doing the praying, you or God-in-you, “little old you” or the Eternal Christ Consciousness? Basically prayer is an exercise in divine participation—you opting in and God always there!

Richard Rohr

Adapted from Breathing under Water:
Spirituality and the Twelve Steps

Finally, Kabbalah teaches us- BE CAREFUL NOT TO PRAY FOR THE WRONG THINGS

There are two ways to receive answers to your prayers. One is to pray on behalf of the ego-in other words, to indulge it. The second is to pleasure the soul, or to fulfill it. The choice is yours.

When you gratify the ego, the joy will be intense and immediate. But there is a trade-off. The joy will only be temporary. Short and sweet. Not only that: every time you make the choice to pleasure your ego, you’re passing up a chance at something much more valuable-something that you can’t put your finger on, yet it has the ability to soothe your soul for the long haul.

Yehuda Berg, God is a Noun, Weekly Kabbalah Tune Up, March 15-21, 2009