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A Choice Of New Religion

by Edgar Santos

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Half an hour past seven, Friday night, November 14, 2003. I was lying down on my bed with my Nokia 7210 mobile unit tuned to an English radio station. While listening to a soft slow music, I accidentally have pressed a key which changed the frequency. I was about to tune it back when I heard a woman's voice whom with her accent I recognized as obviously a Filipina. She was talking in English in that very familiar Filipino accent giving her testimony as a convert to Islam. She was Mikhail Sacramento who claimed to be a Manilan.

I was surprised when on public Arabian radio station she was talking about how she has changed for the better after being converted from Catholicism. I do not condemn people converting from one religion to another. I respect every individual's free choice. However, I would like to convey the important message ... a choice of religion is not a choice of salvation, neither a way to renewal and consequent moral transition. An individual's change in doctrine and turning back from evils must not be regarded to the religion he chose but to himself. A change emanates from one's within self and not from the religion. Though religion instills evil doings, dogmas simply manifest all possible approaches to holiness and being God's good servant.

The real act of holiness must initiate from sole self as dictated by the heart over the mind. An intelligent mind can be diabolically assaulted and overpowered but not an spiritually cleansed heart. As all religions commonly impart good spiritual service to mankind and to one God, it is just in the issue of "who is one God?" they differ. Muslims claim prophet Muhammad as their saviour and way to Allah, Christians assert Jesus as the true son of God and Buddhists believe in Buddha as their saviour. The belief of who is the real God is the only solitary argument of all these religions. Despite this, all believers commonly agree to one teaching of respective gods, that is, to evade evil and follow God's good will. It is therefore not imperative to convert to or from a certain recognized religion to witness a transition and renewal in order to be saved after death. Moreso, the world does not forbid to disavow an outgrown faith to realize that an inviting religion will assume salvation. Yet I just suddenly surmised and asked "Isn't renouncement a religious form of treason?"

It is or not, I assure that a journey to paradise is neither guaranteed by a choice of new religion. The truth that is leading to a real salvation is a recourse with initiative and spiritual will to be good rather than be evil.