Emotionally UnHelpful and Unhealthy Spirituality

Here is an excellent post by my friend Dr. James Howell. See what you think. BW3

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Emotionally Un-Healthy Spirituality

During my lifetime, we the people have become far more attuned to healthy eating. We care about how the food was processed, how it’s prepared, and the impact on our bodies, now and over a lifetime.

So how odd then that when it comes to our spiritual life, we gobble up spiritualities that are maybe quick, readily available, easy and even cheap! There is a lot of Un-Healthy Spirituality out there – and we’ve all tried it, but it’s only made us flabby, lethargic, and prone to catastrophe.

Here are just a few of the popular but really unhealthy ideas about faith that will ruin you. Quickie piety: say a prayer, or even many prayers, and God will just magically make everything great. Guilt-driven: I done wrong, God’s raging mad, I should do better. Sunshiney-faith: since I believe in God, I’m all smiles, always. Denial of Darkness: since God is the antithesis of anything negative, I ignore my own anger, fear, sadness and pretend God will fix things. Superhero belief: I have no limits, and can do even more than my already jammed full life since God is with me. Choiceless religion: I don’t have to say No to anything to say Yes to God. Occasional religion: if I go to church now and then and slap a few prayers onto meals, I’ll be close to God. The Evil God: horrible things happen, so the controlling God made bad things happen. Judgmental God: God must be as annoyed at people I don’t like as I am. Laid-back God: God can’t be bothered with my inner life or my daily habits. God the Butler: God exists to do me little favors. Tyrant God: I should be very afraid of God.

All these are false gods. And all of these jam spiritual cholesterol into your arteries. You need a new diet, maybe even some surgery. You need an Emotionally Healthy Spirituality. We begin by saying No to fast-food, junk religiosity, and begin to know and even be with a good God. And we take the time to dig deeply – into God, into my self, and into others. Real change most often happens in the company of other people. You may feel hesitant, or think you’re too busy – but aren’t you hungry for lasting change, and even joy?