Religious Balance

Finding a balance in religion does not mean that we have to partake of each religion in equal measure. Consider the ingredients used to make a food dish. We seldom use equal proportions of salt, flour, milk, and sugar, or any other ingredient. Most dishes have a main ingredient and the others add flavor, or in some cases, reduce an overpowering flavor. Each ingredient has a function, and we use them all in different degrees to balance one another.

Most people have a main religion they were born into or chose on their own. Fine. That’s just the way things are. But, danger can arise if we exclude all the other religious flavors available to us. We don’t have to balance religion by attempting to have an equal portion of each available one. That’s silly and impossible. But, we can balance the words of the Buddha with the words of Jesus and find a new understanding and a new religious dish that is to our liking. We can balance the words of Muhammad and the words of Krishna.

Every ingredient in a food dish has meaning and value — something to add to the overall success of the final dish. Most religions also have meaning and value — something to add to the overall success of the final spiritual dish that sustains us for the journey home.