Faith in Organization
Every true seeker knows, intuitively, that spiritual fellowship represents a great blessing, and can provide great spiritual advantage for spiritual progress. Still, members of religious groups can be disappointed, emotionally and spiritually, by the quality of their fellowship.
It is not surprising when repetitive disappointment breeds skepticism. It is natural to quit trying to solve a problem when attempted solutions fail. Even so:
The most conclusive failure of all is the decision that no solution exists.
When we are disappointed, we sometimes assume that by lowering our expectations for spiritual fellowship, we can make an essentially flat and spiritually uninspired existence bearable. That is not true. Let us be very clear about this: The blueprint of the Life Divine has been installed in every child of God — by no less an authority than God Himself! From that blueprint, our highest hopes and dreams irrepressibly arise. Those dreams always include fellowship.
Let us not forget our own spirit values. Let us not sell ourselves short by abandoning our hopes for fellowship. There is an extended family to which we all belong. If we seek sincerely and persistently enough, we will find our spiritual kin. And if we accept them when we find them, then we will have them.
List of Issues
I am very suspicious of any church or spiritual organization because of bad experiences in the past.
I’ve tried to apply myself to living the teachings, techniques, and/or scriptures recommended in my church or spiritual organization, but they just don’t work for me.
I have a lot of anger and misgivings towards my church or spiritual organization because I feel I have been hurt by my membership in it. I don’t know what to do with these feelings.
Shouldn’t I blow the whistle on the bad things that are happening in my church or spiritual organization? If I don’t, others may be hurt the way I have been hurt.