Blog #148--True Messengers Don't Want Personal Glory

Every generation produces false prophets eager to tell us what to do and whom to believe. We can tell who they are because they always want something in return for their messages. Foremost among their wants is personal recognition, which guarantees power and wealth in abundance. And many natural followers provide them with their needs.

Those not deceived by charismatic charlatans or books that exaggerate their stories to gain a larger following wonder how anyone could be foolish enough to believe and follow them. But many of us need someone to follow. Who we follow depends in large part on our self-confidence and ability to see through obvious falsehoods. Those born with minimal self-trust rely on others for their belief systems and become dependent upon them. These people will defend the messenger regardless of the message because they fear having to find another leader.

If any religious followers read this blog, they will complain about it vociferously for daring to discredit their heroes. I have no desire to do that. Rather, I wish to relieve the burden masters face when confronted with followers who will settle for nothing less than miraculous events to rationalize their devotion. When alive, they have bodies just like the rest of us. They have imperfections as well. They should be respected for what they share with the world, but they shouldn’t be placed on a pedestal so high even they can’t reach it.

We are all connected. We are all one with our creator and exist eternally. But we are not all equally developed on a spiritual level. Many of us love to hear about miraculous events and special qualities of exceptional individuals upon whom our religion is based because they represent “proof” our religion is superior to others. This is a natural, instinctive reaction by followers everywhere. Followers depend on their religious leaders and especially the person credited with originating that religion for their survival both while they reside in bodies and in the spirit realm upon their passing from this world.

Whether Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna and other acknowledged masters wanted personal glory is a mystery since so little information created during their lifetimes is available, and what is available has been edited, mistranslated and otherwise changed to meet the self-interests of those who wished to use their religions for self-serving purposes. Chances are good they are being misrepresented by at least some of their modern followers. There is considerable evidence that the Christian religion has undergone numerous major changes since its inception, and the likelihood is strong the same has occurred with the other world religions.

I refer mostly to the Christian religion since I was born into a Christian family. Certainly, some people have been transformed through their study of the Christian religion. The inspiration to create beautiful music and artwork reflecting the power and majesty of the belief system is obvious. If someone becomes more spiritually aware and is capable of applying that knowledge practically to aid others, then their beliefs have validity to them, whether those beliefs are based on fact or not. All paths lead to the same perfected conclusion, regardless of their veracity.

So we shouldn’t criticize people for believing details of their religions that might not stand up to scrutiny. What difference does it make whether someone walked on water or fed the masses with a mere five fish and five loaves of bread? Does it really matter whether someone was born of a virgin, was celibate throughout his life or was resurrected upon his death? There are multiple identical stories about a number of masters over time. Does it matter whether these stories were all real or merely copied from an original source?

If our strength comes from miraculous deeds described for our masters rather than the information they shared that might help us rise up and become one with those masters, then we have limited our potential. True strength comes from a knowingness that we are doing exactly what we are supposed to be doing, learning from opportunities our individual life paths offer us, and recognizing that we are all one with our creator and are perfect and eternal. We are what we were made to be and doing what we are meant to do. Accepting that while embracing a master’s teachings and then applying them in our daily lives gives us strength that blind faith alone cannot provide.

False prophets will continue to rise up and gain strong followings. Their messages won’t stand the test of time, and their followers will have to learn the hard way what is incorrect so they can be better prepared to recognize a true messenger when he or she comes along. It may seem easier for us to go from one teacher to another, one religion to another, in a desperate attempt to be “saved” and not suffer eternal damnation as so many false prophets claim will happen to non-believers. But in the long run, thinking for ourselves helps distinguish truth from lies. After all, that truth must exist within all of us because we are all created the same way.

If we need glorious stories of monumental events to give us peace of mind and love in our hearts, then we have them in abundance. But the most evolved humans are usually those who have gone beyond a dependence on any specific religion but still accept and love those who have not yet reached that level.

True messengers don’t want or need personal glory; they are uplifted by knowing and embracing their connection with the infinite. And whatever talents and special abilities they may demonstrate while alive, they know they are no better or worse than anyone else who has ever lived. Like I state in my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life,” the message is far more important than the messenger.

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