Spirituality cannot be Imposed

… it is a Choice

By Apolinario Villalobos

Spirituality cannot be imposed, instead, it can only be manifested to inspire and give guidance. It is a choice…unfortunately, the most difficult option.

A clear indication that it cannot be imposed is the failure of baptism given at a young age. The new born or young child is helpless and cannot resist the imposed rite being administered as a pre-requisite for acceptance to a sect or religion. As he grows, the child becomes exposed to other faiths and inadvertently, he develops the tendency to compare what he already has with those around him.

Patient evangelization also plays a great role in the decision of the faith bearer to choose what is aptly right for him. Sometimes the imposed faith is overwhelmed, most especially, if his family has a weak spiritual foundation.

For the faith to develop, the faith bearer should be helped with testimonies, with the most effective as the pious acts of the people around him. If a person is a baptized Christian for instance, he should see Christians doing acts expected of them to confirm that indeed, what is in his heart is the right faith. If the faith bearer sees the contrary, then there is a great probability that he will decide to be converted into a more meaningful faith.

With the proliferation of different “faiths”, the fundamental ones, especially, the monotheistic, should work hard to show their worth. Unnecessary competition that results to badmouthing should be avoided, as they are preaching THE SAME GOD, anyway.