Rational Religion
Holistic Church – like Holistic Religion! – connects spirituality and common sense.
Spirituality is neither abstract, nor bound to the belief in a Deity. The awareness of our power and its limits, the awareness of being a part of something larger than the individual him or herself and ethical values are spiritual.
Common sense? The role of religion – and by extension Church – ought to be to support, nurture and inspire individuals to be their best and incorporate more spirituality (and ethical actions!) in their lives.
By supporting a holistic worldview, holistic health, self-empowerment, ethics and action, Holistic Church promotes RATIONAL RELIGION.
Imagine approaching the end of life spent praying with the knowledge that your life made no difference; that you didn’t achieve, change or contribute anything….
Why Church?
There’s no denying that a worldview and value system that don’t include “God” may not fit the conventional definition of religion. Why did I choose to define it as such?
Because a part of every person is rational: we are intelligent and capable adults who manage to navigate life (or to be more precise, the part of life that’s public) just fine without religion.
The other part of every person (even those who vehemently deny it) is emotional and that’s the part we hide from the public, the part that tortures us in private.
Rationality – and in most instances, science – isn’t very helpful when it comes to dealing with emotions. Religion – and by extension church – can be.
The mission of religion is to facilitate life and provide emotional comfort. It is my belief that a religion without a super-natural element can do that and dare I say, do it better than a theistic church or mental health professional. Don’t misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with seeking solace in a theistic church provided of course you’re one of the faithful. I’m not discounting the value of psychiatry or psychology either provided you’re not bothered by the stigma.
Church – even a HUMANIST CHURCH like the Holistic Church – liberates us to be vulnerable more than any other place; a judgement-free church – without the precondition of faith in the supernatural – even more so. (Can you think of any other place where you could take such feelings as guilt, shame, fear, loneliness or failure, SAFELY?)
We are neither rational only, nor emotional only. Holistic church promotes wholeness and as such encourages independent thinking AND facilitates emotional integration.
We are a blend of Einstein and a kid clutching a teddy bear. And there is nothing wrong with that. (Actually, I suspect, it is the latter that makes us humane. Love and compassion, for instance, are NOT rational…..)
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Materials pertaining to a holistic worldview, holistic health, self-empowerment and ethics are available to Holistic Congregation’s members.
Some limited information on a holistic worldview, holistic health, self-empowerment and ethics is provided to general public via Holistic Church’s public broadcasts and social media.
