No "Ism" in Oneness by Emily VanLaeys

      

       For much of my life I searched for a religious or spiritual group that I could call my own. I wanted to "belong" to a church or spiritual organization whose teachings I believed in. I have been affiliated with Unitarian-Universalist Churches, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, the Unity School of Christianity, Rosicrucianism, the Association of Research & Enlightenment, and many others in my quest for an organization I could truly belong to. I have explored the beliefs of other religions, from Catholicism to Buddhism and Hinduism to animism and paganism. I have found elements of truth in each of these paths. Not that I claim to know what Truth is - but when there is something that feels right and resonates with my soul, it becomes my truth - at least until a new idea feels better. 

       This fall I turned 60. We often hear that wisdom comes with age, although what is wisdom to one person will be folly to another. The wisdom that has come to me, that is surely folly in the eyes of many others, is that I am happy not belonging to any particular religion or spiritual organization. I have realized that to claim one "ism" as my own is to separate myself from those who belong to other "isms." To claim one path as "truth" is to label all others as "false" and set myself above those whose beliefs differ from mine. 

       I have also found that there is no one path that is totally inclusive. And so, it seems that the best way to experience Oneness with all of creation is to remain outside of all humanly-constructed belief systems. I do not avoid these systems though: my husband and I still attend church nearly every Sunday - but not the same one every week. There is always some bit of inspiration to be gained from a church service, and it is beneficial to spend time with others who are seeking a higher path in life. But I no longer feel the need to join one of these churches, and I do not wish to be labeled as a member of any "ism." 

       I claim "Love and Light are All-That-Is" under "Religious Views" on my Facebook page. This is my current belief -  but the details are ever-changing and I feel no need to engrave them in stone.

    P.S. Eight years later I have discovered an "ism" that I can claim. Omnism! As an Omnist I believe that most religions contain some element of truth, but that no one religion can claim the whole truth.