Hi Sensei Tony - What is True Religion? This is Miguel.

Hi Miguel - An honest question. After all, knowing whether something is true is always pertinent to deciding how we want to live our lives. So let’s unpack the word “true” first. The word true comes from the Old English triewe or treowe, meaning "faithful”. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic treuwaz, which relates to the idea of reliance, integrity, help, protection, support and is originally from the Proto-Indo-European root deru-, meaning "to be firm or rooted and it is associated with meanings related to the image of “tree."

So, if we understand the deepest meaning, something is true if it gives us faith in something that integrates and grounds us in a way that we can rely on to be protective, helpful and supportive. Contrary to pedestrian parlance, what is “true” is not so much about facts but foundations and fruit. An apple tree with good roots will bring forth good fruits. And so it is with what is true, especially when it comes to religion.

It is very popular today to lift up the word “spiritual” and denigrate the word “religious”, but the etymology of the word is similar to our word for “ligament”. And what does a ligament do? It connects bones to other bones and stabilizes joints, allowing for movement while preventing destructive motion. Ligaments, like good religion, reveal our interconnectedness and play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and stability of the body of life.

So, putting it all together, True Religion is that which reconnects us as sentient beings, overcoming the sense of soulful separation and provides a fruitful, foundational refuge for flourishing.

As I so often say, “compassion is compassion and wisdom is wisdom.” What is true will be universal. Our faith traditions are at their best when they point to what is universal. As an ordained minister, heuristically rooted in the universal legacy of the Buddha, I do my best to share what is universally helpful to all. And just as I believe that behind every human persona  is a shared spirit, I believe that there is a universal spirit or consciousness from which all things emanate, from clusters of grapes to clusters of stars. And this spirit shows us what we call the Three Principles of Oneness. These principles arise miraculously in a mysterious manner, magically transforming everything into its fullness. And while I’ve written at length about this (https://www.asksenseitony.com/store) I will summarize as we present them in our shared sacred liturgy:

1. Suffering begets compassion.

2. Constant change births creative renewal.

3. Our self consciousness, when mindfully transformed, leads naturally to our inherent interconnectedness; a universal consciousness of oneness, wisdom and love.

This Miguel, is what I call, True Religion. I hope you found this useful.