June 1, 2025

I do not know how to start this.

Recently, I have not had very many spiritual experiences, except for two, now, that are
different from the ones I have had previously and have been writing about. I briefly
mentioned the first one in my piece on Pope Francis, in which I said that I had the
overwhelming sense of extraordinary Love, virtually non-stop, during that ‘Holy Week’. I
was not sure what to make of it then, so I did not elaborate much about it.

However, yesterday, I had a similarly different transcendence.

Here is what I mean: unlike all of the others, I cannot exactly describe the specific
details of how the process began, except to say that I was once again in my favorite
chair, and I could tell that something was going to happen, but not because I had my
usual “parasympathetic limpness”. The only thing that happened physically was that my
head did fall to the right on the headrest.

Then, I remember hearing words that I could not quite understand at first, along with a
sort of “swirling” or “whirling” sensation in my head. Finally, I was able to make out some
of the words. “Religion can help people, Ann”. And a few seconds later, “Religion can
also help people to behave better”. I asked if the reference were to my recent concern
that our dysfunctional world could be improved if only we, as individuals, would care
more about our fellow humans. As I have been saying, we need to work on our own microcosms,
as a way to help fix the global macrocosm. I was told “Yes”.

The Voice I heard was still gender-neutral, but slightly different. It was a little lighter in
volume than the one I had heard all the times before this.

I began to think: Am I going into a new phase of my experiences? Until the Visitation
(also different) that I experienced for the full week after Pope Francis died, a second
one occurs, but neither one of these is the same as those of the past. What is
happening?

From the vicissitudes of all my mystical experiences until now, I believe that all I can do
is to be patient and calm, and see what unfolds.

But, let us get back to the message from the last occurrence, about religion being
helpful to people. Why would I be told that?

This may be why: I have held the belief for some time now that all religions are human,
not divine, constructs. In other words, humans have created/designed religions to fit
individual and cultural needs that they have, most especially, for hope. If people feel not
in complete control of their lives, at least there is a Higher Power that they can believe
in, and possibly pray to, for help.

And this is just one theological rationale for believing in the benefits of religion; there are
numerous others. But this reason alone, to feel that there is a higher power who can
help us as humans, is enough (in my opinion) to develop religious belief systems. As
you can see, my logic is that human beings create religions out of a sense of need, not
the other way around. In my view, no Supreme Being of any definition, especially one
who is considered to be responsible for Creation, needs us.

As I developed this line of thought, I now realize that I concurrently created an attitude
to go along with it, which was somewhat dismissive of religion. I wished that people of
the world could understand that the religion or belief system that they subscribe to, is
man-made, not divine.

Why would I care?

First, because I hate to see people being fooled into believing what I think are
falsehoods. The biggest part of subscribing to a religion, it seems to me, is believing
that there is a godhead (or more than one) who is in control. That gives believers the
illusion (again, all my opinion) that said godhead can be beseeched for any number
things over which humans feel a lack of control. This can be anything from one’s health,
to love, to riches, or all manner of temporary or permanent circumstances.

In order for this to be believable, many religions (especially in the West), use actual
historical human beings as part of their narrative. Think Abraham, Moses, Jesus, the
Buddha. Many other good people fill out the stories created or relayed about them.
However, especially if/when godhood is ascribed to the leader, the entire complexion of
the group changes. Now, believers are subscribing to a theological unit, not just a
human one.

What happens then? The theologically-based group must certify the believability of the
god-like nature of the leader by attaching behaviors and other characteristics to them,
that would normally not exist in or for a human being. And so, different stories develop,
and various people follow the leader, based upon their lifetimes, geography, history and
culture.

Religions are thus born, and people find hope. They also develop rituals and gather in
the name of their religion, fulfilling what is a readily-known human need for community.
Rules are created, and laws are established. As we all know, wars are also fought in the
name of religions (think the Crusades, or the long history of the Middle East). But, is this
what religion is meant to encourage? Pain and bloodshed? In the name of a god?

I think not.

It was when I began to question the extraordinarily human nature of religions, (with only
a few mentioned here), that I realized that their existence, if not exegesis, is of human,
and not divine, origin.

So, let us return to the message that I received this week. “Religions can help people”,
and— “can help them to behave better”. Perhaps the Sacred thinks that I have been too
dismissive.

If my theory is correct that religions are fundamentally human in both their origins and
beliefs, does that mean that they serve no purpose or function?

Of course not.

In fact, the very idea that I have been pondering recently, about how we humans might
improve the condition of our world right now by working together on a more micro level,
takes part of its inspiration from religion. Many are familiar with the saying of Jesus “Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you”. However, this “ethics of reciprocity”,
as it is sometimes known, can be found not only only in other non-Christian religions,
but can be traced all the way back to Confucianism.

Lesson learned. Religion may not offer all that is typically promised, particularly with the
metaphysical assurances (or threats) of the afterlife, but it may indeed offer guidance for
living our best lives. Alone, or together.

Here, on earth.

For the sake of all of us, and our precious planet— let us take up that mantle.