An OPEN LETTER

March 29, 2007,

---I don’t know how to tell you this, but I will try. Most people question the idea of God. They want to know if God exists or not. I HAVE DONE IT AND SO HAVE MOST. People have been ‘’searching’’ since time began.
---If we were born someplace else, we probably would have been brought up in one of the popular religions, there. The USA happens to be very Christian oriented. Catholicism is one of the big Christian Religions.
---If we were born in India, we would probably be Hindu. In China – Buddhist, etc.
God is NOT any of these nationalities. Jesus was Jewish. The Jews don’t even see him as anything, but a very good prophet.
---You have to separate the Messenger, from the Message. The message is Love. Jesus was ‘’A’’ messenger who told us that it is about Love. Krishna says much the same. Buddha does. John Lennon of the Beatles, does. Anyone who at ALL Loves, is spreading the word. The word is Love. Jesus said it. I say it and You say it. It helped me a lot to ‘’de-personalityatize,’’ the whole situation. Take out the personality and see Love, from a bare-bones type of way.
---You probably ask, when do you spread the word of Love. I know it happens when you see your family, grandchildren and all. You spread the Love when you just see them It is because Love is there. The words themselves aren’t as important. For example, when a baby grasps your finger. They may NOT be able to speak, but you do know that Love exists.
---It happens. for them, when they see you. It is about Love. Jesus said it. Many others have said it. John 2, ‘’God is Love.’’
---God IS the Love, that we share. ‘’Where ever two are gathered in my name, I am there.’’ Gods name is Love. You may have heard this along with a billion rules and regulations that are ALL suppose-to, but don’t, teach us, how to do it.
---You and I, as well as many, many others were taught many things that were ‘’NOT QUITE RIGHT,’’ from people who ‘’don’t’’ understand this. They may even use the right words, sometimes, but lack the actual Love, to back it up. They are ‘’intelligent, maybe, but like , bells clanging.’’
---In comparative Religions, you learn that ALL religions, basically, say the same things when it comes down to it. Religions reflect the culture of the country that you find them. But, they ALL talk about Love.
---A Religion is ‘’a tool,’’ to do a certain job. The job is, to let us know, that God IS Love. That is what people are suppose to take away from their experience. As I said, we probably heard this message a time or two, along with many ways that [this is the part where you get stuck, I think] that certain, even very smart people, have dedided what We or You. Should do and act, so that We will get there. They may or may not have had a viable experience that they are trying to convey, but [this is very important], WE EACH HAVE TO FIND IT OURSELVES.
---Just like Moses led the Jews TO the Promised Land, but he couldn’t take them across. They had to ‘’cross-over,’’ themselves. The Catholic Church is suppose to be doing the same thing. It is geared-to lead us to the Promised Land, but it cannot ‘’cross-over’’ for us. Many, many Catholic and people of other religions are NOT having this experience. That is why the questioning goes on. Most people are led around in circles, and never seem to have any life-changing experiences. Don’t be confused by the suicide bombers and other fanatical things that people are doing, because they are just people who don’t understand. God is Love. God is Not telling them or anyone, to ‘’take their own lives. And the lives of others.’’ God IS Love.
---I know that you have heard that Catholic was the true religion. That is NOT TRUE. What is true, is that you can find yourself in Catholicism. That is true. But there are so many rules and regulations to follow, that I’m surprised that everyone isn’t more confused about it. The Catholic Religion can be very confusing, especially if you try to make sense out of it on a certain level. It is like using a ‘’broken-tool.’’ It’s like using pliers without handles or a hammer with no head. The JOB You and many others are trying to do with this tool is NOT doing it.
---What you and me and everyone else is trying to find is Who We Are? We are trying to find OURSELVES.
---God is like the Sun that shines all the time. Love is ALWAYS there. It is there, ALL THE TIME. If we are not experiencing Love, It is the same as when we stay in the shade. We may not get tan, because we have decided to stay in the shade. It is the same as saying, ‘’We are NOT feeling, Loved because we do not Love.’’
---In your case, it is not seeing the Trees for the Forest. You have a great capacity to Love, but are worried and wonder who this God is. The God that you learned about in the Catholic Church. You, and many others, learned the same things. You learned about putting the cart before the horse, and from there it is ALL messed up.
---You see and are Loved, everyday. You Love, everyday. THAT IS GOD, GOD IS LOVE. As soon as you begin to worry and wonder, you are off and running, again. You worry and wonder about the same things that most everyone does. Am I GOOD ENOUGH? The answer is YES, FOR You and Me and ALL of us.
---If you see God as someone who judges, like you may see yourself or others, doing, then you will ALWAYS have the next question. AM I GOOD ENOUGH? Maybe by seeing God ''AS'' Love, you will see it the way that it really is. Whenever you see God as a judge like that, you will ALWAYS have the other question, and worry and wonder, that you are meeting the criteria. You and I were taught IT was like this, by people who see IT THIS WAY. IT IS NOT THE WAY IT IS.
--- GOD IS LOVE. You are Loved unconditionally. This is A FACT. What we should have learned is how to Love Unconditionally. You didn’t and I didn’t, and many Catholics, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, etc. didn’t.
---We experience Love when we Love. God is this Love. When you Love your family, you experience God.
---We are supposed to find ourselves in the Catholic church. Many don’t see it like this, including many teachers, priests, etc. Many don’t UNDERSTAND Love.
---You find the Kingdom of Love inside yourself. When you Love or are loved, THAT IS God. God is Love. JOHN 2.
---Meditations, etc. help us to go Within. When people truly express themselves, they are expressing the Kingdom. God is inside You and inside Me. God is inside of everyone, and everything. ‘’God is Everywhere.’’ Baltimore Catechism.
---The Priests and Nuns come to see me. I basically tell them that I like anything or anyone that is about Love. You don’t have to attend Church or Mass to know this. There is a Chapel here, but I only go there to attend a non-denominational meditation group that they hold, there. Nobody talks and you come and go as you wish. Many here attend the Masses, but I don’t. I went a few times to check it out, but it is not for me. To much ‘’non’’ understanding what is going on. Most go out of obligation, it seems to me.
---Many Sunday mornings I go outside, in the sunshine or play with my computer. I work on my blogs or whatever.
---The Nuns and Priest are very nice people, but we don’t see things the same way. Do I feel that I am going to Hell? NO. Far from it. That is all part of a fear tactic. Fear tactics are used by people who are Afraid. If one Loves, than all of that Fire and Brimstone business, DOESN’T HOLD WATER.
---I feel we ALL are where we are, and ‘’learn as we go.’’ When I do something that is not Loving, I work on being sure that I don’t do it Any more.. I like to stay Loving. Being Positive and seeing things on the bright-side, is another thing of mine. I help others, when I can. I notice that people aren’t happy and don’t laugh a great deal. I try to use one of my talents, and it is one that you have, also. It is the Playbook, that I spoke of. I try to lighten-up a situation. I feel better when the situation is lighter. That is what Joe was talking about in the video. The Bikers were a heavy situation, and I tried to lighten it.
---We really don’t approach the day-to-days of life, that much differently. You have done things your way and I have done things, mine. But, we are both very sensitive and take things to heart. We are both SOFTYS. Everyone else has what they have, too, believe me. Accept others for who they are. People aren’t used to that. Most people judge others. That’s why the world is in the shape it’s in. You were told many things from many people, who really don’t have a clue.
---The Bibles readers do NOT always have it right, either. If you do not see it correctly and understand it, the Bible can really mess people up. The most common problem that I have seen is that people start to identify with ALL the negative things that they find. They feel they are ‘’suppose to,’’ because somehow they think it applies to them.
---There is NOTHING that you, me or anyone has ever done, that is not forgiveable. Mistakes are how we learn. Don’t worry about things like original sin, etc. These are all interpretations.
---Remember the song, ‘’Things that you’re liable, to read in the Bible---Ain’t necessarily so.’’ This applies to the New Testament, also. There are some strange interpretations going around, and if you don’t see them through the eyes of Love, it is easy to feel condemned.
---When you walk in the Monastery, enjoy yourself. Stop worrying about how bad you are, because you are NOT, believe me. We all have something we are dealing with.
---It’s Nice To Be Nice. [That ‘’should’’ be in there.]

Paul

[I keep on adding things, etc. I keep trying to write the ‘’perfect’’ thing, but I ‘m not really sure. This is how I see it. I don’t know if I’m saying what you need to hear me say. I hope it is, but I don’t know.
BUT, it is the same things we do in life. We try to ‘’perfect’’ what we do. We add things. We keep trying to make it better. We ALL are doing our best, whether we think so or not. Just Love]