![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
A Patchwork Sweater
Feb. 10th, 2024 05:14 pmToday I'm thinking about how my religion of origin (Islam) no longer fits me and hasn't fit me in over a decade. It's been a difficult journey to get to this point in acknowledging that, but it's the truth. There was a comic I read on Tumblr back in 2020 [link to comic here] that kind of reflects my feelings on the matter, and I was thinking about it today as I listened to some old Arabic songs from my childhood and adolescence.
In truth, I feel connections and roots planted in different traditions. I have roots in Islam, but I also now have connections with Catholicism and even Non-Denominational Christianity. That's not even mentioning my personalized spirituality as well, but regardless, I have a lot of different and seemingly conflicting aspects of these religions all within me. I've tried to have them fight for the top spot in my heart, but that simply won't do. There are pro's and con's with each religion and spiritual practice; it wouldn't be feasible for me to pick one or for me to even exclude them all. As you can imagine, this brings a lot of difficult thoughts to mind, but then I think back to that comic that I shared at the top of this post. I think maybe the artist is right. Maybe it's okay to make your own patchwork shirt or sweater from the materials of several other religions and spiritual orientations to make your own customized spirituality that works for you. Some may see it as sacrelige, but I personally don't see much harm in it at all. I think we're all entitled to believe as we believe, so long as you're not forcing your beliefs on others.
It's the beginning of 2024 and already, Lent and Ramadan are soon going to be upon us. Afterwards, Easter and Eid-ul-Fitr (respectively) will follow... I can't commit fully to Catholicism, Christianity, or Islam, but I don't see the harm in me celebrating these different celebrations either. I see Lent as a time to reflect on ways that I am serving God in my thoughts and actions, and Ramadan is a time in which I reflect on the many privileges that I take for granted every day (including shelter, food, and clean water). And then there's Easter, which I love, because to me, it's a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus as well as a springing forth of new life from the Earth around us. And Eid-ul-Fitr is a time in which I thank Allah (Arabic word for "God") for all that I have. There are more celebrations to consider as well, but I want to start small for now and go from here.
I may not be committed to any one religion or spirituality, but maybe that's part of how I'm supposed to live. If I reflect on Taoist philosophies, I need to go with the flow of the water current, not try to force it or swim against it, so to speak. Letting myself experience "The Way" is how I'll achieve harmony within myself. I'm composed of many different parts, and that can make life tough if we work against one another, but together, we can make it work somehow.
In truth, I feel connections and roots planted in different traditions. I have roots in Islam, but I also now have connections with Catholicism and even Non-Denominational Christianity. That's not even mentioning my personalized spirituality as well, but regardless, I have a lot of different and seemingly conflicting aspects of these religions all within me. I've tried to have them fight for the top spot in my heart, but that simply won't do. There are pro's and con's with each religion and spiritual practice; it wouldn't be feasible for me to pick one or for me to even exclude them all. As you can imagine, this brings a lot of difficult thoughts to mind, but then I think back to that comic that I shared at the top of this post. I think maybe the artist is right. Maybe it's okay to make your own patchwork shirt or sweater from the materials of several other religions and spiritual orientations to make your own customized spirituality that works for you. Some may see it as sacrelige, but I personally don't see much harm in it at all. I think we're all entitled to believe as we believe, so long as you're not forcing your beliefs on others.
It's the beginning of 2024 and already, Lent and Ramadan are soon going to be upon us. Afterwards, Easter and Eid-ul-Fitr (respectively) will follow... I can't commit fully to Catholicism, Christianity, or Islam, but I don't see the harm in me celebrating these different celebrations either. I see Lent as a time to reflect on ways that I am serving God in my thoughts and actions, and Ramadan is a time in which I reflect on the many privileges that I take for granted every day (including shelter, food, and clean water). And then there's Easter, which I love, because to me, it's a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus as well as a springing forth of new life from the Earth around us. And Eid-ul-Fitr is a time in which I thank Allah (Arabic word for "God") for all that I have. There are more celebrations to consider as well, but I want to start small for now and go from here.
I may not be committed to any one religion or spirituality, but maybe that's part of how I'm supposed to live. If I reflect on Taoist philosophies, I need to go with the flow of the water current, not try to force it or swim against it, so to speak. Letting myself experience "The Way" is how I'll achieve harmony within myself. I'm composed of many different parts, and that can make life tough if we work against one another, but together, we can make it work somehow.
