Category: Religion Publisher: American Mutuality Press
ISBN-10: 0938844164
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 260
Copyright: Jan 1 1991
Man by nature is a religious being. He is also by nature a physical, mental, emotional, economic, social and political being. If a person is to be fulfilled, have meaning in his/her life and be happy, these seven elements must function in harmony. It is religion, more than any other element or all these other elements combined, that has the power to produce balance and affect personhood. Embracing Religion par excellence a person seizes the opportunity to pursue self- discovery, choose God who has already chosen him and obey God. Religion par excellence is a religion of transcendence that is rooted in truth, love and spirituality. It subscribes to no faith in particular such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam. But it is possible for a person to identify with any of these faiths, other faiths or none of the recognized faiths and be a practitioner of a Religion of transcendence. Even the atheist may be saved by faith. Indeed atheism may arise from one's commitment to know the truth. Religion par excellence is the vehicle that enables a person to move toward being what he was meant to be: a holistic being.
"What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties, in form in moving, how expressed and admirable; in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god; the beauty of the world; the paragon of animals! "
The secular experience of humanity during the last 2000 years, the internecine wars, the bloodshed, plunder and treachery, the general inhumanity of man to man has in almost every way served to confirm the...view of the natural depavity of man."
These two statements, the first one by Shakespeare, affirms the "goodness" of man and the other one by Montagu affims the "evilness" of man, are two major theories regarding the nature of man.
A third statement by Howard Thurman offers another theory regarding the nature of man:
"Heir of the kingdom 'neath the skies,
Often he falls, yet falls to rise;
Stunned, bleeding, beaten back,
Holding still to the upward track,
Playing his part in Creation's plan -
God-like in image, this is man."
Each of these views contains the truth about the nature of man and his functionality both as an individual and as a social being.
"Religion Par Excellence: Actualization of the Seven Storey Nature of Man" focuses on the whole person as a holistic being and the harmonization of his sevenfold endowment. Actualization of the seven storey nature of man is the state of consciousness a person posesses or rather is possessed by when he accepts the "essentiality" of his essence.
Questions the reader need to know about religion are answered in this book including: Are you a religious person? Does a person need to attend church, mosque, temple or synagogue in order to be religious? What is the relationship, if any, between religion and spirituality? What is the nature of God and is it different from the nature of man and that of the universe? Is one religion or faith, such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam, as good as another? Is a religious response to evil and suffering valid, i.e., does it make a postive difference in the world, even when we pray? What, if any, is the relationship between love and religion? Is there life after death and does religion have anything to do with it?
According to this book, the lack of spiritual growth is the greatest problem modern man faces in the twenty-first century. It asserts that fortunately, however, the good news is: spiritual growth can occur at any stage of human evolution and in a person at any age. People over forty who maybe stunted spiritually can grow rapidly spiritually, in a greater way than younger people once they make a commitment to grow spiritually. However it is worth pointing out that developing spirituality at a young age enables a person to avoid much of the anguish that he is likely to experience should he decide to defer his spiritual growth until he is further along in years.
This book teaches a person, step-by-step, how to extricate himself/herself from the religious trap that has caught and holds entapped many religious people and become the free soul he/she was created to be. This book also helps a person to exlplore various religions in a healthy attitude and spirit that will enable him to acknowledge that "they, - all of them" - celebrate our hope - the hope of mankind.
To order your copy of "Religion Par Excellence: Actualization of the 7-Storey Nature of Man" by Uriah J. Fields, please send your check or money order in the amount of $9.95, plus $3.00 shipping charges (total $12.95), payable to:
U. J. Fields
P. O. Box 4770
Charlottesville, VA 22905
The author will autograph your book, if requested.
Excerpt
Man has a propensity for good or evil and, being an educable being, either good or bad can occur as the dominant behavioral pattern. Culture and environmental experiences may pull or push a person toward increased good or evil, or perhaps since he is born good, we can say, toward evil. Therefore, when conditions are favorable the individual is likely to express good behavior; when conditions are undesirable he may learn bad behavior. The "personal response" factor, and inherent trait, and love which is learned, also significantly influence human behavior. (p. 15)
A religion of transcendence has no dogma or creed, except for one, and it is not really a creed but a personal affirmation which requires no external validation. The affirmation is: "I have faith in God." A religion of transcendence has no idols or graven images such as a cross or statue. It has no sacred places, inferring that other places are not sacred, such as a church, temple or holy city, because every place is especially sacred and especially good. God made it so. Therefore, one does not have to go to church or to a special place to worship God or to have a religious experience. This is not to say that a person should not go to church. One's life may be greatly enriched by going to church. Different places may not only serve different functions, but be more conducive to a given type or quality of experience However, what happens to a person often depends on his level of consciousness and his karma, and what he wills, a personal response force at any given time rather than the place. This is another way of saying time is more important than place or if the time is right any place will do. Many people go to church or temple weekly and have graveyard-like experiences. Other people go to neither an experience spiritual health. Some people who attend church are trapped by fear, guilt or something else equally as controlling. We might call this the religious trap. (p. 138)
Loving
In loving no law can be the
governing power except the
ultimate law of love.
Loving, like the law of love,
is confronted in every
situation with the question;
"What is the lovely thing
to do in this situation?"
When the law of love reveals
the plan of action to be
taken then all other laws
that conflict with the law of love become of no effect,
void, and impractical.
Loving is doing the lovely
thing in every situation.
When I am loving I am in
harmony with the Universe.
(p. 226)
Professional Reviews
An Amazing Book on Religion and Spirituality
"After reading "Religion Par Excellence," and, indeed, it is par excellence, I was challenged and transcendently catapulted into a higher state of consciousness in a similar fashion as I had been after I read "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran, "The Road Less Traveled" by Scott Peck, and "The power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale. I am indebted to you.
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