If you sit down with a group of people and ask them how they came to embrace their personal religious convictions, you likely will hear a variety of answers. Some individuals grew up in the same church that their parents and grandparents had always attended and therefore feel at home in the ideology. Others will share of an adventure to a distant land from which they returned with a new understanding of their role in the universe. In other instances, there may have been a life-changing event that forced someone to examine his circumstances and reach for faith to provide some much-needed strength. Whatever the particular motivation may be, theology has long been an essential component of our lives. And, the reality is, when people do not find a personal grounding in theology, adopting the beliefs of a favorite movie star or singer seems to become the next best thing.
When celebrities undergo religious awakenings, the tenets they follow often receive a boost in popularity across our culture. Madonna almost single-handedly made Kabbalah a household word and convinced many of her Hollywood friends to join her in wearing the red string that is intended to ward off “envious stares and looks of ill will.” Though others may criticize Kabbalah and even label it a cult, Madonna maintains that her faith has made her into more of a generous and thoughtful person. However, people with whom she developed close relationships but who chose not to remain faithful to the Kabbalah practices seem to lose favor with Madonna. Just ask her ex-husband Guy Ritchie or pop princess Britney Spears.
Another prominent celebrity who is known for his outspoken religious affiliation is Tom Cruise, who was introduced to the Church of Scientology by his first wife, Mimi Rogers. Cruise is now considered one of the most powerful and influential figures in the world of Scientology, with his wife Katie Holmes counted among the converts he has affected. He has credited the religion with curing his dyslexia, but also has received a great deal of criticism for his assertion that Scientology can take the place of psychiatric drugs that are used to help the mentally ill. Cruise’s devotion to his faith has cost him professional and personal relationships, but he continues to provide vocal and financial support to Scientology and the healing powers he claims it provides.
Lewis Tagliaferre is one man who looked inward instead of leaning on the trends created by religious celebrities and, in doing so, discovered a universal theology that can work to bring healing and happiness to all people. Although not a national celebrity or a professional theologian, this man claims to have received a new revelation in spiritual reality while searching for a faith to relieve his monumental grief after the untimely death of his wife. He received teachings that range far beyond his formal education, possibly inspired by God, through a series of channeled spirits (one might call it creative imagination) who came to him with some new ideas during multiple visits to Sedona, Arizona.
Sedona is a spiritual “mecca” for many travelers who find in its energy vortexes places of serenity and inner peace. The five universal principles of reality that Tagliaferre was given have evolved into an entire course on Theofatalism™. The primary text that Tagliaferre wrote while under the direction of his spirit teachers, Voices of Sedona, and the accompanying essays, Lessons of Sedona, are for anyone who is ready for a journey of personal growth and spiritual contentment – to feel good inside no matter what happens outside. So, if your belief system no longer explains your reality, or fails to provide any comfort during times of trial and suffering, perhaps it is time for this new theology in your life.
You can get the full story of Theofatalism™ at www.churchoftheofatalism.org and regularly-updated essays inspired by Sedona that bring the principles to life at www.sedonavoices.blog.com. Voices of Sedona may be ordered from www.IUniverse.com, as well as the Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites.
