Spirituality is personal: it is not indoctrination. It was not created to conquest political power, to obtain wealth or to solidify institutions or doctrines. All religions were created on the premise of tolerance, love, compassion, sympathy, empathy, acceptance and the preservation of the human soul. So, why do the most righteous cast the first stone? I request the audience to observe my following words with spiritual awareness because I am asking for the regard of humanity.
God is growing, building, destroying, rebuilding, searching and finding. Through my spiritual search I have realized that this cycle is infinite and this cycle possesses human emotion that is powerful. Powerful enough to hate, love, hurt, contemplate suicide, run and hide – I have succumbed to all of these in my struggles. But, I must conquer these demons and I am no less of a man for allowing life to make me suffer because suffering is a necessity to growth.
In my suffering I have turned to Allah, Jesus, Buddha and most importantly music, because music is God. Brother Ali emcees, “Our songs are supposed to be the voice of our soul,” and I credit music as my main spiritual resource because it exemplifies that infinite cycle and it guides me in putting the suffering in perspective. With this, there is nothing I am missing because I am familiar with the human element.
I have dedicated this year to my spiritual well-being because the cycle was destroying my soul. Relationships were decaying, the past became a blur of agony and the future possessed nothing but monotony. My lady saved my life (I thank you for your courage and patience) by taking me to a Buddhist temple with her family. It was the first time in my life I surrendered to another human being. In talking with the Buddhist monk in broken English he stated, “Do not be bothered by the world. Life is suffering. It is how you handle your life. Live right because you are responsible for your decisions. It will come back to you.” From that moment my life has become my religion.
I write this to the audience to alleviate the misperception that Christianity is the monolithic path to spiritual fulfillment. Experiences are diverse and searching for the meaning of life is why God created human beings. My friends’ parents say “the search never ends,” and I could not agree more. That human emotion that is so powerful must be recognized to cultivate the soul. It is not God’s responsibility to give salvation that responsibility lays within the individual. The words of Mos Def capture this philosophy: “The riot is easy and the silence is loud you can build yourself up, by just turning things down.”
To conclude: To the American Christian Nation that embraces the idea that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, I ask those believers to apply that to their own lives; do not impose it on mine. I do not disrespect your beliefs. I only ask that you do not disrespect mine. In this article I am not imposing my beliefs I am simply sharing my experience of finding God without Christianity, because it is possible. The path was punishing and I know I still have many more miles to travel, but I look forward to the struggle because I know God.
Marcus Thomas is a junior in journalism and political science. He can be reached at [email protected].
