Open Space: All religions same at core

It was an early Sunday morning and I was attending church for the first time in about 10 or so years.

An elderly lady with a promising smile had been chatting with me and, with a particular amount of enthusiasm, she said, “It’s so wonderful to see a new face. I just find it so energizing to come here at the beginning of the week, or at least once a month. I find myself grounded. It just gives me perspective.”

Which is when something clicked inside me, and I realized that what this lady feels about going to church is equivalent to what my dad feels when he goes for a hike in the forest.

This feeling is one we hopefully have all experienced in our lives; an energizing feeling which captures our inspiration, which grounds us, makes us think, giving us perspective on life in general.

It’s this feeling that makes us believe that we have a purpose, that we feel accepted, and that we belong.

The core values people feel when they attend a church or practice a certain religion are equivalent to the core values people experience when they endeavour in what they love, in whatever gives them a sense of belonging.

At the end of the day, it comes down to our values, whether we are aware of them or not. It’s that feeling that makes us find hope or makes us feel inspired.

The terms “religion” and “secular” both hold such strong connotations; oftentimes we think there’s such a thick line between the two.

Yet, at the end of the day, I don’t think it comes down to being religious or not being religious; it comes down to the simple fact that the core values religion offers are also the core values that other people who aren’t religious feel.

Humans all want to be treated right, to be respected, to love and to be loved, to find a sense of peace, and, most importantly, to feel like we belong, like we are a part of something.

And although each religion has different guidelines for people to live by, they also offer that place of belonging, much like what my dad experiences when walking through the woods, or someone else experiences doing yoga.

All of these factors tie into the picture that we as humans are subconsciously—or consciously—attracted to places that make us feel these values. Being religious or not being religious separates us only in that aspect.

It’s time to realize we are not at all that different in our core values.