We Are Living In Extraordinary Times

Yes indeed, we are living in extraordinary times. In spite of the negativity, wars & rumors of wars, religious infighting, the decline of the church, and the proliferation of violence, mall killings, mass murders, and ethnic crimes, ecological challenges. There is actually, an unmistakable trend towards a world of greater peace, harmony, tolerance and compassion.

There’s the old adage that it’s always it’s darkest just before the storm. Or the truth that there is a great deal of pain that accompanies childbirth and we are in the times of birthing a new age. We are in the midst of times of a tremendous insurgence of spiritual consciousness and power. While the churches attendance and income may indeed be declining, there is simultaneously a profound uptake in folk’s spiritual interest and attention. People are highly concerned with their own spiritual development, the creation of a better world, concerns for humanity and a desire to be better more responsive human beings.

The church is indeed declining. Religion is in a downward trend as people are turning away from the church and towards other means of spiritual fulfillment. Yoga, Tai-chi, meditation, affirmative prayer, positive thinking, chanting, chi-gong, drumming, spiritual workshops, law of attraction seminars, books, shamanism, spiritual life coaches, women’s circles, men’s groups, a turn towards the ancient spiritual arts of astrology, numerology, tarot cards, psychic readings and many other modalities too numerous to mention, are the new church. There are a host of on-line, Internet, web spiritual activity simmering all over the place.

In many ways the church and traditional religion has been it’s own greatest enemy, hastening its demise. In times when the spiritual wind has been blowing in the direction of inclusion, moving beyond religious boundaries & intolerance for religious conflict and the insistence of many churches to limit the participation of women in clergy or leadership and the continued archaic mistreatment, cruelty and at times violent targeting of gays & lesbians, traditional religion and churches have found themselves increasingly on the wrong side of history. People turning away from the traditional church and religion is actually folks way of saying “no mas” to those old ways of discrimination, separatism, intolerance and injustice. People are sick and tired of Jewish/Moslem wars and the hardline precepts of Christian dogma proclaiming it is the one and only way.

We are in times where the media, Internet, satellite, cable TV and the likes has brought us all together in a most powerful way. People are posting all kinds of stuff to You-Tube and discovering that folks stories, music, comedic episodes, humorous life situations are something we all can identify with. We are being brought closer together as we become more exposed to other races, cultures, nationalities and discover that they are people just like me with the same concerns and challenges. People are concerned with our ecology and “global warming” or “global wierding” as some are phrasing it. People are tired of racism, sexism, homophobia, discrimination, violence, intolerance and anything used as excuses to hold on to those old ways.

Unless the traditional church and old-time-religion are willing to move beyond it’s old limited boundaries and walls of separation, they will continue to decline as folks turn to other means to satisfy their spiritual needs and urgings. The fact that in this age that we’re living, there is such a proliferation of spiritual resources that anyone & everyone can easily access has made it easier for folks to turn away from what use to be the only ways folks previously had for doing so.

These are the times foretold in much ancient lore, variously called the “Age of Aquarius,” to the golden age and many other labels all pointing to these as times of inclusion, peace, harmony and good will. Whether one wants to believe this as actual fact with changes in the energy of the cosmos, the zeitgeist of the times, ancient spiritual prophesy in almost all major spiritual traditions, is insignificant. For thousands of years, people have been anticipating, talking about and awaiting these times. So whether you accept any scientific indications of energetic and cosmic changes or the spiritual fervor and prophesies, doesn’t make a difference because the atmosphere already has every-1 in anticipation of something beyond what has ever been before.

In my sermon the other day I had a point where I was talking about the instances in the Bible that say things like “we are created in the image & likeness of God”; “You are gods, all of you are children of the most high”; “The Kingdom of God is within”; and stuff of that nature. I was juxtaposing it to some of the more traditional notions of the church that portray us as the original sin, unworthy, the progeny of satan and in Christianity, Jesus as the only child of God. Ultimately I said that even if both of these interpretations are in the Bible, that puts us at choice as to how we want to perceive ourselves; expressions of God’s good or unworthy minions of Satan. As scripture says, “choose ye this day whom shall you serve…” It might as well be saying, “Choose you this day, whom shall you be, instruments of Gods good or slaves of an illusionary Satan’s evil.” As has always been foretold about these times, people are overwhelmingly choosing to stand on the side of good, love, compassion, peace, harmony, inclusion, forgiveness, justice, and goodwill to all of humanity and our beloved earth.

These are the times of evolutionary consciousness and mass spiritual awakening. We are awakening and moving into the spiritual maturity of love, inclusion, peace, joy, freedom, wisdom and harmony. Unless you’re lining up on this side of the equation you are doomed for ultimate failure. Any religions or dogmatic practices that want to hold on to the old traditional fear and separation consciousness modalities will fall by the wayside. Even business, economies and politics that hold on to the old archaic ways of hate, fear and separation shall find themselves crumbling. The times are calling for the emergence of a new religion, politics, economics, ecology, business and sociology of being that is based on a paradigm of Love, oneness, inclusion and harmony. Let us all ride the energy, consciousness and zeitgeist of the times to the creation of this new world and wonderful way of being. Ah yes, we are indeed living in extraordinary times and what a great joy, honor and pleasure it is to be here with you right here and now!