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``Any
religion that is so black and white -- to me, that's like fanaticism.
Religion is not black and white. It's much more complicated.
Spirituality is much bigger than that. God is much bigger than that. I
don't believe in a wrathful God. I believe he's much more forgiving and
inclusive than some religions.''...
- Susan
Sarandon, Actress, 1995 Best Actress Oscar Award
June 17th - Madonna
wears the red string around her wrist that is a symbol of the Jewish
mysticism, though she wears it beneath her watch. She says she's
sensitive when critics suggest her interest in Kabbalah is just a trend.
``I'm a little bit irritated that
people think that it's like some celebrity band wagon that I've jumped
on, or that, say, somebody like Demi (Moore) has jumped on,'' the
45-year-old says. ``We don't take it lightly. ..."
Aug. 7th - Madonna
performed her song Forbidden Love alongside dancers with the Star of
David and the crescent moon painted on their bodies.
**********************************************************
Celebrities, like politicians,
don't often air their religious beliefs publicly ... but when they do,
it creates media attention. The media, like many religious
leaders, continue to believe that a celebrity can influence the public's
religious beliefs. In fact, often, the celebrities believe this
themselves. Tom Cruise has distinguished himself as very critical
of those who do things that his religion, Scientology, does not
condone. But did his ranting influence anyone to convert to
Scientology other than his girlfriend? That I don't know.
Most celebrities keep their spiritual/religious
beliefs private. I have met many distinguished actors and
actresses in Religious Science ... and I have always been respectful of
their privacy. But some people are very surprised when they see
celebrities in this teaching because it is not a teaching that has a
"glamour" aspect to it ... the Science of Mind is a healing
and teaching philosophy.
In my early years in Religious Science I met
someone at the old Hollywood Church of Religious Science who told me,
referring to a television/movie actress who attended there, "if
this church is good enough for her, then it's good enough for me"
... he was more interested in who attended the church than in what the
church was teaching ... the actress, no longer goes there as
she now attends services with Dr. David Walker at the Los Angeles Church
of Religious Science ... and I wondered if this guy followed her there?
... or if he follows the teaching at all. Many celebrities attend
the City of Angels Church of Religious Science ... some initially
because of the influence of Dr. O. C. Smith's consciousness ... and many
continue to attend there today because this consciousness continues to
permeate the atmosphere at this hallmark church.
Each of us is under the influence of Divine
Guidance, and this is especially true as we "choose" our
religious/spiritual beliefs and practices. There are no accidents
in the Universe and there are no coincidences ... there is only
"consciousness demonstrating" at the level of our awareness of
Divine Guidance. And for some of us this means that we must leave
the old to pursue the new ... and this is in alignment with the Law of
Consciousness. I still have fond memories of the First Baptist
Church of Paris, Missouri ... the first church I attended as a child ...
but I left it as I advanced in my spiritual growth. I had no harsh
feelings about the First Baptist Church ... but I knew it was time to
move on ... no different than advancing from the 3rd grade to the
4th. I loved the 3rd grade ... I loved my teacher ... my
classmates ... it was great fun! But ... can you imagine what my
life would be like now if I had refused to leave the 3rd grade? ... our
spiritual awareness must be free to unfold in order for Life to have a
rich, lively character to it ... and at some point this means that we
must open our minds to something new ... not better ... but something
that expands our awareness beyond what we have become conscious of in
the past.
If
celebrities influence the spiritual choices of the public is this a
negative thing? I don't think so ... because no matter what it may
appear to be that "causes" us to advance into something new
... it is always the impulse of Divine Guidance that is at the root of
it. I truly bless celebrities like Madonna who are willing to risk
criticism by being open about their spiritual/religious path ... and I
especially bless Oprah for exposing so many people to so many different
spiritual and religious teachings/philosophies that are available in the
world today. And perhaps many of us will only study any one of
them for a moment or two ... keep what is useful to us and discard the
rest as we move on ... but each moment is important as our consciousness
is expanded and our awareness of Life increased.
And So It Is!
Maximum
Love,
Rev.
Bates
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