🟢 Spirituality Vs Religion

I'm Native American. I grew up Catholic as a young boy. I was baptized as a Catholic but stopped going to church in my early teens. I never went back even to this day. I guess me getting yelled in front of other kids at church school on Sunday by a Sister (old lady) for not knowing the lords prayer at the time did the job to not return. Hey, I was a 90s kid. All i wanted to do on the weekend was watch cartoons, play Super Nintendo and ride BMX bikes around town with friends while carrying our Super Soaker3000. Basically have fun until Monday comes to go to school. I was spoiled as a kid but had a great time on the weekends! 😆 

As a man now at 38. I noticed and observed some areas in this online space of social media. I noticed people questioning their own beliefs and experimenting with other religions or other spiritual practices. Even as a Native American myself, I too hopped on that trendy bandwagon of experimenting with eastern spirituality like hinduism, taoism and other areas that include meditation, chakras, kundalini, law of attraction and manifestation. Yeah, I too was blown away after watching The Secret. 🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

I also dabbled into Christianity again 3 years ago because I was wanting something to believe in and find a path for myself ...but that ended quickly (for some months) because I noticed my behavior was as a lukewarm Christian like most and that what turned me off. I felt fake, a phony, a poser and I didn't feel like myself. Then I observed how hypocritical Christians can in different areas of life, discussions and debates. I didn't feel my Native American self anymore... I felt ...."Modern" 🤣 and that make me think a lot about who I am really.

Since those practices are not rooted in who I am culturally, I would not plant my flag on these beliefs. I'm Native American, I should be tapped into my cultural background and THAT is what I decided to do is stop coasting along, riding the wave from trendy stuff on social media and just be who I am. Christianity today still doesn't connect to me especially in this "Weird" era we live in today where everything is corrupted, perverted and aligned with modern society and hypocritical online Christian influencers of today. I didn't want to be a lukewarm Christian like most.

I believe there are other realms out there for a lot of people. Its not just Heaven or Hell like Christians want you to believe. I strongly believe there is a Hell for bad people, Yes. But to think my ancestors are burning in hell because they didn't know Jesus, is asinine. Christianity was forced onto my people if you learned about the history of my Native people in America. Native American spiritual believe is we label God "The Creator" or "Father Sky". We also label earth "Mother Earth".

In Native American traditions, we pray to the creator and pray to mother earth. This is our religion, Father Sky and Mother Earth. We believe when we die, we will be in the spirit world with our ancestors looking over mother earth, looking after our people, the land and be the spirit that take form of nature. Have you ever get a feeling when you know someone is watching you or an energy feeling that you know isn't right or you should NOT be in a certain place? THAT is how I want to be. The energy to warn off strangers and be the spirit of wind, snow, fire, rain, water and earth. The spirit of Sky to protect my people and guide my people who connect to us. THAT is my spiritual path.

Religion on the other hand... 

I believe Heaven is for Christ followers. I believe all cultures around the world such as Greek, Norwegian, Ukranian, German, Asian and even Islam/Muslim cultures and all other areas of the earth have their own spiritual realm for their own people. Funny how Christianity and Islam have similar beliefs.

When I see athiests online... I laugh because they are only out to debate christians or they are wanting actual proof, evidence or a Google'd "STAT" or "Document" or "Study" to prove something which is dumb. But hey, people can believe what they want to believe but when it comes to religion, I think its not that serious as people make it to be because if you have the urge to connect with some religion or source or practice, then that is your calling and some "Callings" are meant for you to experience for that specific moment in your life. Its not a calling for permanence unless you want it to be. Its a calling for you to see through it yourself and make your own conclusions and judgement while living through that experience.

Some people fall out of Christianity and go right back to it again after they fell hard in life. That is they're experience they had to go through. Some people leave that religion and never looked back. Some never learned Christ but eventually planted their flag in Christianity. A lot of people have their own unique path and experiences to take.

Modern Christians laugh at others when people say they are "Spiritual" but I'm glad I'm Native American because I don't do all that goofy nonsense like Tarot cards, zodiac signs, manifestation or law of attraction. Spirituality has more meaning than what you see from those hippy modern Tik Tokers. To be spiritual is you know who you are, where you stand and what you believe. You are not chained by religion. You are rooted in a path that existed before Christianity. There is a path for everyone even if it is Christianity itself. Everyones calling is different.

If you are a Christian, accept that you cannot convert everyone on planet earth. Not everyones path is your faith. Hence why you have so many denominations under the umbrella of Catholicism.

Everyone knows God exists. Its just other beliefs label God another name or title but the path is different for many.

Nizhónígo nee ’adoo’ááł