I am a Deist. This is a statement of my religious beliefs. I do not subscribe to any formal religion and my association with my supreme being is mine! I know there is something more than what we are fed as religion. I was brought up Eastern Orthodox and it was kind of mix and match. If there was no Russian Orthodox Church close to us when I was growing up we’d go to the Greek Orthodox Church or even those iconoclastic Catholics (it was close enough). My Mother made a serious segue when I was in High School and became A Christian Scientist: an interesting concept rarely practiced by adherents, but then that could be said about any religion. I found some tidbits in Christian Science that allowed me to form my own ideas. I remember in Sunday School one time I got in to serious trouble for questioning the teacher.  The teacher made a seriously derogatory statement about NAZI Germany that I found totally crosswise to what he was teaching And I asked about it.  That was the first time I realized that power of words: this man turned completely apoplectic and ushered me out to the corridor to wait until class was over and then he was going to take me to my parents to be properly re-trained. Little did he know that my Dad was a former Jesuit Priest who taught Philosophy and Literature. It was an interesting discussion. My dad completely kept his composure as this guy ranted and raved and then my Dad said something softly enough I didn’t hear. The teacher immediately whirled around and stormed out.  I asked my Dad what he said and all I could get was “Nothing!”

I was seriously questioning my religious upbringing and when I entered the University of Maine there was a very charismatic English professor who invited me to a lunch forum he sponsored for a n invited group of students. He invited community leaders to speak to the group at lunch and then one could enjoy an open conversation with people one would not normally meet. One of those people was Rabbi Sky, a reformed Talmudic scholar.  I used to walk past the Shul on my way home and one day he invited me in to his office and we actually formed a good friendship although he called me incorrigible!

As time went on and I joined the Air Force I was introduced to other religions in the areas I worked in around Asia.  I learned Yoga, not just the moves but also the philosophy which is rarely taught in the US. While studying Karate in Okinawa I was introduced to some of the concepts of Buddhism and although it is considered a practice as opposed to a religion and is compatible with many religions it has its own philosophy.  Karate do taught me bunkai which is the actual philosophy behind the various styles and techniques as well as Bushido which is the art of war.

As I traipsed about the world as a member of the US Government forces and later as an engineer I learned about many different beliefs. The think I took from most of them is that there Is a common thread among them.  Most often we refer to these beliefs as the Golden Rule or the Ten Commandments but these are universal truths almost everything else is a human construct.  I found my supreme being in an ambush where I came under heavy fire. My driver was killed, the car was riddled with bullet holes and out of nowhere there appeared loyalist forces and I was rescued through no effort on my part! This scenario happened several times and I began to notice that I had a connection. I was surviving things I had no right to survive: it really felt like some entity was actually looking out for me.  So I reached out and started a conversation.  Not surprisingly during a debriefing session that included a psychologist I was told that I am bordering on schizophrenia (in those days no one knew what bi-polar meant) I respectfully disagreed and the conversation quickly went down hill.  At that point I learned to keep my beliefs to my self.

I studied engineering which gave me a sense of order and I studied philosophy which allowed me to understand more of what was going on. I came to the conclusion if I just stayed with the few universal truths like the ten commandments, most everything else in religion was man made trappings. Trappings that retained the faithful and excoriated the wayward.  Religion was designed to retain its base that provided the means of expansion of the religion.  It really came to light when I spent time in Mexico for the Government.  There I learned that the revolution between the Christeros and the Mexican Federal Government.  The Christeros were the supporters of the Church in Mexico.  The Government made the practice of “diesmos” Illegal.  Before in Mexico it was required that 10% of your production be given to the Church.  That practice was no longer enforced by the Government.  The Christeros were extremely militant and murdered a l of people and had their own troops. Mexico finally confiscated Church property and made them Government owned museums for the pleasure of the citizens. The Church was allowed to practice their religion in the churches but they were no longer church property.

So I am a Deist, no formal religion, I talk directly to God and it is efficient! Who made priests and their superiors interpreters of Divine intention?