Good

"To be good and to do good is the whole of religion."

-- Swami Vivekananda

The most important element of religion is not belief but action. I don't give a damn about your beliefs! Beliefs are like assholes -- everyone's got them, and most of them stink! I want to know your character, your soul, and I want to see it in action. How do you treat people? How do you spend your time? How do use your resources, both personal and financial? And what do your actions say about your values?

We all know all the Bumper Sticker Wisdom phrases:

Actions speak louder than words.
The proof of the pudding is in the tasting.
Walk your talk.

They're so commonplace that we forget that they express real, profound truth.

Are you good? Do you do good? Those are two of the most important questions that you can ask yourself. And only you can answer them.

Be and do nourish each other. Your actions grow out of your character, but then they, in turn, help mold the ongoing development of your character. Having is tertiary. And beliefs -- they just get in the way.

Do you need to believe that Jesus is the one and only Son of God in order to do good? Do you need to believe that Moses schlepped the 10 Commandments down from Mount Sinai, or that the Koran is the primo holy book on the planet, or that Krishna cavorted with the Gopis, or that you will be reincarnated over and over and over until you reach nirvana in order to be a good person? Hell no! Thats stuff's irrelevant.

You know how to be good, and it has nothing to do with beliefs, or even external codes. Being good has everything to do with trusting your intuition, listening to the voice within you that speaks not in words but with a knowingness that rings oh so true.

So, go there. Go within, and do what they taught us to do as kids before we crossed the street -- stop, look and listen. And then act with the deepest goodness that you can muster. Each day, everyday. Now and now and now. On and on and on. Goodness without end. Amen.