Seeking God, Variously

MY RELIGIOSITY is beautiful, simple, elegant, reasonable, and conforms perfectly to natural phenomena is revealed by observation and science. Although I week to impose it on no one, and consign on one to eternal torment in hell for not embracing it, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who might be interested. My religiosity, essentially, is humble admiration of nature, reverence for creation, and for the beautiful, incredibly superior intelligence which created  the universe. Since my earliest childhood well meaning or control freaking Christians have exhorted me to change my religious beliefs, and, not surprisingly, have strongly suggested that their own personal beliefs are the exact beliefs to which I ought to change.People wanting me to change invariably suggest that the change should mirror their own beliefs. I cannot recall a single instance in which a Christian possessing self proclaimed true religion has expressed unconditional approval of my beliefs as they are, and encouraged me to retain them. Christians, by nature, are notoriously intolerant of other's non christian beliefs. I prefer tolerance, in that I don't think it appropriated for me to suggest that anyone adopt my beliefs at the risk of dire consequences for not doing so. Indeed, as Goethe said, tolerance should be only a passing sentiment, leading to ultimate acceptance. Continued tolerance is an insult. I would invite anyone to consider sharing my beliefs, but would exhort no one to do so. My religious beliefs are true only for me, and I accept the fact that everyone else's beliefs are true for them. The fact that I consider the Christian to be primitive, barbaric, bloody, and cruel does not motivate me to encourage anyone to abandon it. The sublime teachings of Jesus are quite sufficient for me, and to me the source of wisdom is far less important than the wisdom itself. An ancient guru said: "lf. many other great thinkers, among them Buddha and Confucius and Gandhi, have echoed the teachings of Jesus, before and after him. Ultimately, two statements about religion are true, Goethe said: "When I realized that everyone invents his own religion, I decided to invent mine." A wise person said: "Follow no one, for the truth lies within you, and if you follow anyone else, you are not following the truth." Amen.