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The internet is never short of controversial and misleading content.

Expressive opinions are never in short supply, but most opinions are incorrect and narrow.

Opinions have floated around the world since men carried what they heard as they traveled from place to place.

What is a myth for some people is a fact for others, and vice versa.

Interestingly, what has always been held as a matter of fact is nowadays popularly considered folklore and myth.

Consider the belief in God, or the belief that there is a God, and all other ideas that come to mind when considering the term 'God' and what that term means.

Does thinking of the term 'God' bother you inside or does something else?

When an idea, concept or notion, whether fake or real, seems to be a recent issue, read about what propaganda now is and what that word was previously.

If the information sounds wrong, or unbelievable, then the truthfulness of the information won't initially matter to the doubting ears.

How can something, even ancient an belief, be proven true (or false)?

Depends on who is propagating the information, and whether proof with evidence can be provided.

Notice for a moment the difference between the meanings (and historical etymologies) of the two words 'propaganda' and 'propagate'.

One carries a negative connotation, while the other one seems neutral.

Yet most likely the vast majority of people the world over not only believe certain propaganda to be 'true', they unwittingly forward propaganda to others on a daily basis.

Many are propagating propaganda, while believing themselves to be forwarding (propagating) something truthful.

Misinformation and purposely misleading things are a typical element of the internet, sadly.

Much of what is false or cloudy is simply the forwarded opinions of others.

From these have sprouted ideas that cause more doubt than faith, strife rather than peace, and division rather than unity.

Regarding the things people believe in when thinking of God, one could find notions that may be very appealing to man's logic, while also falling short of encompassing what God has established and already provided long ago.

The thoughts that gravitate toward God come along ideas expressing a grand purpose to humanity's existence, pointing to a settling notion that everything seems to have evolved, not by chance and out of chaos, but according to a design... similar to the vast array of design we see all around us in nature.

Some would argue than certain rituals, or rules, must be adhered to in order to “please God”.

These are the activities that religions are made of.

The further one would explore these external efforts, the deeper condition of the heart is typically ignored, overseen or never fully impacted.

This is why Christ is quoted to have said “the kingdom of God is within you”.

No matter the myriad of ways this phrase can be interpreted, every single way has you thinking.

So how does one know for sure that what they believe in, or follow, or 'do', is exactly what God has ordained for them?

Some would argue that praying a certain number of times every day, at certain fixed times, means you are doing something 'good' or 'right' or are showing your 'obedience' to God... and God is happy with you and accepts your effort.

But don't we also see people kneeling and bowing down in prayer one minute, and then screaming bloody murder (or committing it) another minute?

Buddhists killing Muslims.

Muslims killing Christians.

Christians killing Jews.

Atheists killing the religious and the religious killing everyone.

Prayer produces peace in some, while no matter how much one repeats 'prayers' or recites certain phrases, Peace seems to be very far from them.

This is problematic, for some would argue that 'knowing' certain things is what would distinguish you from those who do not 'know'... and thus you could 'know God' by knowing certain things.

But this is what gnosticism and mysticism argues about, even philosophies absent the notion of 'God' praise this line of thinking, yet it can be argued that these efforts are found to be yet another esoteric effort to bring inside the logical efforts of the mind.

People seek transformation, and aside from surrendering to God all what you cognitively understand, the human effort may fall short God's calling... which is perfection.

But to split hairs isn't the effort, while some would demand it to be the very effort.

What can be understood by a child, and that child not being able to put it into words, is love.

What emanates from the hearts of the old and young alike, is love... and it can be felt with a glance, a smile, a word or two, or witnessing an action of love.

It is love that God places in the hearts of people... while many people go to great lengths to 'know' this God that gifts out love, they seem to fill their hearts and minds with information, but not with love.

And without this gift of love, no amount of external (or internal contemplation) will render the peace that this love provides.

May the God of love bless you, the reader, with this gift of love... and may this love overflow onto those near and far from you.

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