Reason # 28 The joy of SPIRIT

 From Tradition to Tolerance: A Journey of Faith and Wonder



And since today is Sunday - what better day to talk about Spirit, than Today ?

I began my journey in theology as a traditionalist—devoted to the clear boundaries, structured beliefs, and sacred rituals that have grounded Christian faith for centuries. These traditions shaped me, formed my conscience, and gave me a deep reverence for the wisdom passed down through the ages.



But faith and Spirit, being alive, moves. It breathes and evolves. And over time, I found my heart widening toward something I had not expected: a growing appreciation for the diverse ways in which people encounter the Divine.

Today, I remain deeply rooted in the Christian story of love and oneness with God/Source. But my gaze has lifted beyond the walls of doctrine to glimpse the esoteric beauty of God—that mysterious, transcendent presence that dances through all creation, beyond the labels we give and the lines we draw.

This shift in perspective did not come from abandoning tradition, but from wrestling with it lovingly. It came from conversations across cultures and faiths, from standing in awe before the mystery of being, and from seeing the divine spark in places I was once taught not to look.

Religious tolerance is not about diluting truth. It is about humility. It is about recognizing that no single language or tradition can contain the fullness of God. It is about honoring the sacred in the other, even while remaining faithful to the path that formed you.

I still cherish the traditions that nurtured my faith. But I now walk with a heart open to the sacred wherever it reveals itself—in scripture, in silence, in the stranger, in the song of another faith.

This is not a rejection. It is an expansion. It is not rebellion, but reverence. It is the path of someone who has not lost belief, but who has learned to see God everywhere.



Let's go and worship together and not in separation! 


We are One

From One Source we come

and

To One Source we will return.


Sunday

15 June 2025



LINK:

LINK to Landing page with LINKS to other "REASONS" posts


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reason # 1 LIFE is always worth CELEBRATING

Image
The 60!  (For TODAY's installment, scroll down to the bottom and click on the link in blue) Turning 60 is Special Turning 60 is more than just a milestone—it's a celebration of wisdom, resilience, and life richly lived. It's a moment to pause and reflect on decades of experiences, lessons learned, and relationships nurtured. At 60, you've likely faced and overcome challenges, celebrated triumphs, and grown into a deeper understanding of yourself and the world. Sixty is special because it's the age where confidence often meets clarity. The uncertainties of youth have softened, replaced by a grounded sense of who you are. You've earned the right to say no without guilt and yes with conviction. There’s a freedom in this stage of life—a chance to pursue passions, share knowledge, and shape a legacy with intention. It’s also a time of connection. Whether through family, friends, or community, turning 60 reminds us that our most meaningful moments are often shared....
Read more

Reason # 2 House Rules & STORY TELLING

Image
The Gratitude Journey Journal This is going to be quite a journey— which I intend to keep super short at times, because this is not the book YET… ha ha! ( As if my life is really interesting enough to write a novel about.) Still, life is always    a precious gift, and I do have quite a few stories to tell... Once, when I asked my children to give a one- sentence summary of how they see me, they said: " Jy is ' n storieverteller, Pappa!" Well, I can’t fault them on that one, because storytelling is an integral part of my life. Maybe it started back when I was a teenager, and the favourite storyteller to my siblings’ young kids. The briefing was always the same and always short: " Ons gee vir jou ' n sin, en dan moet jy die res vertel..." And so, many a story began. Funnily  enough  (or sadly even)  , I told fewer stories to my own kids. Instead, I played make- believe  with them. Once I  even built a whole Fairytale  storyboard— complete with a...
Read more

Reason # 3 Each life is a GIFT - whether you are a "BONT", BLACK or WHITE sheep

Image
  One of the 60 things I daily celebrate, is the fact that every life is such a gift - hence I  don't really fancy the celebrity culture of our age very much.... Instead I rather want to CELEBRATE each life! Because I think that each person is a gift to the world. You carry a talent, a gift, that is just right for what the planet needs at a time like this - YES YOU!!. Hence, I don't believe in clever or less clever people - I think we are all talented with the right attributes, in the right measure - we have within us all the "things" we need for the story/experience (#SoulReasons) of this lifetime... Each life is a quiet miracle, sacred not for its visibility but for its very being. In a culture that elevates celebrities and public achievement, it's easy to forget that worth is not measured by spotlight or applause. The teacher who shapes young minds, the nurse who soothes pain, the neighbor or friend  who shows kindness, the engineer or manager or data analyst —...
Read more