Ah Man Blog

Religion and Spirituality: Is There Really Any Difference?

I believe that spirituality and religion can each be a path to help show you how to enrich your relationship with your Creator, Higher Power, Divine Being, or whatever reference you use for the God of your understanding.  The ultimate goal is to have a loving, trustful, divine personal relationship with God. 

Please note that I am sharing with you what I believe is the purpose of spirituality and religion.  I also believe that if your religion or spiritual belief says that someone else’s spiritual or religious path is wrong and yours is the only way, you might want to rethink that position.  God is unlimited.  Thus, when a person or group believes their way is the only way, then they are attempting to limit the Unlimited.  Remember that religion and spirituality represent the path, not the destination. 

Those are some of the similarities.

The main distinctions between religion and spirituality are customs, rituals and traditions, the same things that differentiate one religion from another. 

Religion offers a certain set of beliefs and structures that help followers connect to their God.  Spirituality often has a much wider perspective and can include any mixture of beliefs and structures to help believers connect to the God of their understanding (spirit).

So if you are following the principles and guidelines of your religion, and that has helped you to improve your relationship with your Creator, then that path is working for you.  Spirituality you might not have as many customs, rituals and traditions, but it they lead to you to feel a greater closeness to God, the path is working for you, as well.

So is there really a difference?  Not really. The paths maybe different, but as long as they are bona fide, i.e., producing love, joy and peace in your life and those around you, they will lead you to the same destination.  As is stated in many scriptures, there are many paths.  Ultimately they all lead back home…back to Godhead.

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, visit here.

Passover

Wednesday marked the close of this year’s Passover, which commemorates the time when the Jews were led out of slavery in Egypt. 

Moses had been instructed to lead God's people out of Egypt and save them from the evil and ungodly Pharaoh.  Because of Pharaoh's disbelief in the power of the One True God, Yahweh sent a series of 10 plagues upon the Egyptians: the Nile turned to blood and, at various times, the land was filled with frogs, gnats, flies, hail, locusts, and darkness.

In an awesome display of His ultimate authority, God sent one final devastating plague: the annihilation of the firstborn male of every household in Egypt. 

As an act of mercy toward His people, God said that He would shield the Israelites from such unmerciful judgment if they would follow the instructions given to Moses and Aaron.  The specific instructions are outlined in Exodus 12:1-11.  In summary, the families in each household were each to select a lamb and then slaughter all the lambs at the same time (twilight) after a certain number of days.  Then they were commanded to paint the sides and top of their doorways with the lambs’ blood.  Once this was done and all the meat of the lambs was eaten in accordance with His instructions, God would spare the Israelites from death.

This is what the Lord said:  "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn -- both men and animals -- and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.  I am the Lord.  The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.  No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.  This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord -- a lasting ordinance." (Exodus 12:12-14).

The highlight of a contemporary Jewish Passover is the Seder, and this year I was privileged to be able to attend a Seder celebration.  There are six specific foods eaten to represent certain things. However, celebrants can be creative and use different foodstuffs to replace the traditional ones (e.g., vegetarians/vegans can use a raw beet instead of the shank, without losing its significance i.e., shank bone is a reminder of the Passover sacrifice; when you cut it, it bleeds).  During the Seder, participants can discuss or act out the Israelites’ flight out of Egypt, or they can make it more personal by reflecting on their release from some sort of personal bondage. 

It is important to have some younger folks at the table to pass on the Passover traditions.  There are so many other traditions at the Seder, the hiding of the matzo by adults for the younger ones to find, the empty cups and empty seats at the Seder table for Elijah and Miriam, and so many more.  There are many ways to be creative and have fun during Passover, while remembering and honoring what it symbolizes.

To learn more about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, visit here.

The Significance of Good Friday and Easter

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ.  This is a pivotal event in Christian history, as it represents the suffering and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus' life.  The crucifixion was the culmination of a number of events in Holy Week, including: the triumphal return of Jesus to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus; and the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday.

The ritual texts on Good Friday name this liturgy as the "CELEBRATION" of the Lord's Passion.  This is not a celebration as in a party or a joyous and rousing event.  Rather, it is a continuing celebration of the death and resurrection of the Lord that is celebrated through Easter Sunday.

Christians don't celebrate this liturgy as if it's a funeral.  Instead, they approach Good Friday with thankful hearts because they know that the death commemorated on this day ended in resurrection.

Easter Sunday is the most important day on the Christian calendar because it is a celebration of the Resurrection.  Belief in the Resurrection is a critical defining point of Christianity.  Many non-Christians may acknowledge the birth, existence and death of Jesus, but it is the Resurrection that is a purely Christian belief.

Believe it or not, some modern traditions that may appear to have a tenuous connection, actually have roots in the truest meaning of Easter.  For example, the practice of hiding decorated eggs for children to find represents a coming out of the womb/tomb (i.e., Easter's intertwined themes of fertility and resurrection).  Getting dressed up in new clothes also represents the new beginnings that are thematic of Easter.

This is a joyous day for Christians, reminding them of His love for us and his promise of eternal life and everlasting peace. 

For more information about Michael Hoare and Ah-Man, visit here.

A Holy Month

No matter what faith you embrace, it is likely that the month of April includes a day that is of spiritual significance to you.  This month, I’m going to talk about the different religious holidays that fall in April, and how and why they are celebrated.

Palm Sunday is one of the holiest days in Christianity, representing the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey at the beginning of Passover.  The crowds laid down their cloths and palms to cover his path, while praising Jesus, saying ... “Hosanna, Hosanna (meaning: save now, please save in Hebrew), Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.  Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David.  Bless the King of Israel.”

This was said in front of the Jewish high priest and Romans, which, as you can imagine, ticked them off.  It was blasphemous to the Jewish high priest and against the Roman law to say that someone was above Caesar.  Additionally, the significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9).  In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of donkeys. The donkey (or domesticated ass) was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions.  The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

To say that next week for Jesus was very intense is an understatement.  So what is the best way to acknowledge Palm Sunday?  One way is by remembering Jesus’ teachings.  Jesus taught on three levels: first was the social level, e.g., love one another or the Golden Rule; next would be the spiritual level, i.e., the kingdom of Heaven is within; and third He taught on the mystical level, i.e., “I (and all of us) are One with the Father.”

It’s really not difficult to incorporate these three concepts into our daily life, and I hope that most of us are already doing it.

On Palm Sunday, palms are used to decorate the altars of some Christian churches.  Following the services, members of the congregation are often invited to take the palms home.  Other churches save the palms used on Palm Sunday and burn them.  The ashes are then used for Ash Wednesday of the following year.

In areas where palms are not readily available, and before modern transportation made them accessible, Palm Sunday is celebrated with different tree varieties, such as yew, willow and sallow trees.

In the coming weeks, I’ll talk about the significance of Good Friday, Easter and Passover.  If you are looking for information on celebrations and rituals associated with Hindu, Jain and Muslim holidays, email me at michael@ah-man.com.

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