Religion = Activism

[Holise E. Cleveland III]

Definition of RELIGION

1

a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural

(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2

: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3

archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4

: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

Examples of RELIGION

1. Many people turn to religion for comfort in a time of crisis.
2. There are many religions, such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
3. Shinto is a religion that is unique to Japan.
4. Hockey is a religion in Canada.
5. Politics are a religion to him.
6. Where I live, high school football is religion.
7. Food is religion in this house.

I’m seeing many divorces occur and many in the making, within our activist communities. Normally, I would consider break-ups a bad thing. In these cases, I have to wonder.

A while back, I had a couple of friends on facebook who were in some of the same groups. (I will refer to them as Jane and John.) Jane was very devoted to seeing the killings in The Cove come to an end. Her husband was always telling her that she spent too much time for the cause and that she was only one person; therefore, she could not make a difference. John was in the same boat. His wife ridiculed him for wanting to change the world and she wouldn’t even take the time to watch ‘The Cove.’

Jane and John chatted often on facebook. They had much in common. It wasn’t too long before Jane drove from here home in the deep south of the USA to meet John just south of Canada. The rest was history. They both filed for a divorce and became a couple.

Many of us have become activists in a short period of time. A good example of this is the viewing of the Acadamy award winning documentary, ‘The Cove.’ At some point in the movie, we find ourselves saying, “Something must be done. This has to stop!” That is when we become activists. Whether our passion is to save the whales or see an end to factory farming, we want to see this world become a better place. We want to change the world and save the planet from pain, suffering and inevitable demise.

There was a time when people simply did not marry someone of another religion. Religions were a way of life and they were the foundations of our belief systems and therefore dictated our very way of thinking. Our belief, as activists, that there should be an end to pain and suffering in this world, determines how we live our lives from day to day. It also gives us some insight on what our other half is truly like. Wanting to make the world a better place and acting on that desire is very selfless and altruistic. If our “life partner” is not concerned with such ideals or even derogatory toward our cause, then we realize just how self-centered our mate is. We realize that they are complete opposites of us. We realize that they are of a different religion!

If you have a belief that something must be done to make this world a better place, if you have a commitment or devotion to a cause or set of principles (whether they be your own or of an organization), if you are living a conscientious life of scrupulous conformity, then you are by definition religious. Like it or not! Whether you are an atheist or a clergyman, you are seeking a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions. You are working toward an impractical scheme for social improvement. You have hope. You see in your mind’s eye the reality of an imaginary and indefinitely remote place and your faith is what keeps you going.

You, my friend, by definition are a Utopian!

Click Here for definition of Utopian.

“We must cultivate a universal responsibility toward each other and extend it to the planet that we have to share.” – Dalai Lama

“I have from an early age abjured the use of meat, and the time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men.” – Leonardo da Vinci

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Human beings should love animals as the knowing love the innocent and the strong love the vulnerable.” – Joaquin Phoenix | quote from EARTHLINGS

With eleven of you, I make a dozen. With ninety-nine of you, I make a hundred. But I cannot do it without each and every one of you. You matter! Never give up!

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