Religious evolution

Student: I would like to know if discernible evolution is going on in our religious institutions and if there's much hope and effort in that direction.

JarEl: There is tremendous hope. There is a direction. And, there is some progress. Religion is not going to take the place of spirituality for man and religion is not necessarily at this time going to bring man into a
state of spirituality. The ability of the spiritualized mind and the ability of a spiritualized religion to become dynamic as a movement on Earth is quite possible.

Such a movement is not very different from we are prescribing here in our lessons to spiritualize your mind and begin to bring it out into the world through acts of loving kindness and service to one's fellow. The best at this time that can be hoped for is that the major religions and religious institutions on your world begin to take into account their relationship to the service of their congregation at large rather than trying to dominate and direct the ethical and so called moral social behavior of their constituents.

But what I think you are asking and what I am attempting to answer, is yes, there is a tremendous amount of celestial help and influence within the institutions of religions all over the world. And, like any human and celestial relationship the majority of the outcome depends upon the ability of the human side of the relationship to acknowledge and therefore respond. In the face of so many religions, the tremendous arrogance at this time inhibits a lot of the celestial help.

But, there is hope and there is progress and many times you may find that people can be moved not so much by an authority of religion as much as through one of their own kind, someone who is closer to them. This is why the religion of Jesus strongly urges you as individuals to grow and change yourselves and therefore go out amongst the many. 

Abraham: Many churches have taught its members to not trust in themselves. They have taught they are bound by the animal-self (the sinner), and if they do not perform certain acts, then surely they will not be received in the afterlife. To really know Father is to be truly liberated. Many experiences you had as a child have bound you to take certain actions in life events. As one experiences and matures spiritually you do find spiritual freedom. In spiritual freedom the mind and heart are opened to divine information.

A couple, whose marriage is sanctified in a religious institution, may find out years later the marriage was a mistake, and they live in daily turmoil and unhappiness. The religious laws of their church keep them bound in their unhappiness, but is this really God's law? Does Father wish for you a life of inner turmoil and unhappiness? No. Father does want us to have experience, be open to his divine leadings, use all your mortal resources. In trying times and when you have still not succeeded, then does He want you imprisoned to an unpeaceful life? No.

Spiritual liberty is yours for the taking. It is not about religious traditions and life sacrifice, but about being free to experience, learn, make mistakes, make corrections. Go within and ponder those things that keep you imprisoned, that keep you from feeling free to experience the universe firsthand. The rules of integrity still apply, but they are not to bind you but to cause you to be responsible as a cosmic citizen.

We have discussed the integrity of spiritual liberty and being at ease to enforce spiritual liberty in your own life. I would also like to add allowing others to also experience spiritual liberty. Several debates have always come from differences, whether it is politics or religion. You have every right to your thoughts and opinions and to seek out your own inner guidance, as does your fellows. Allowing a brother or sister their liberation to think and feel as they will keeps the lines of communication open, in that there are opportunities for spiritual ideas to take root and grow.

Should you always shake a finger at your fellows saying, "You are not understanding this topic. Please look at it my way." causes defenses to arise. Really no one has any right to minimize your experience, your opinion, your personality, your way of thinking, and with the law of spiritual liberty you have not the right to take it from them. Yes, this does tie in with the lesson of acceptance.

All of us, from the lowest to the highest, wait upon the will of God. Allowing spiritual liberty and natural evolution gives Father a chance to minister. It gives ascending souls the right to experience and choose for
themselves. It keeps a natural flow of spiritual current pointing towards the good.