Article: Sexual Orientation Does Not Affect Spirituality

In the history of the United States, for the first time an openly gay man is running for the office of the president. Pete Buttigieg is a Rhodes scholar and Afghanistan war veteran and served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

During many of his campaign speeches, Mayor Pete, as he is referred to, has been heckled by a few individuals for being gay. Over the ages, religious leaders have denounced being gay as a sin and an abomination.

Regardless of whether you are a Democrat or Republican, and whether you agree with Buttigieg’s political views, he is a war veteran who offered his services and life to the country. That deserves respect, appreciation, and deep gratitude.

By any standards of God or man, war veterans who serve selflessly do not deserve to be labeled as sinners. Where, then, does that leave religious leaders and their admonishments?

It leads us to the contradictions and inconsistencies, that have saddled religion over the years. People have done their best to interpret the Universal Truths shared by the prophets and messiahs. Unfortunately, they have done it colored by their personal bias and to the level of their understanding and then proceeded to it declare it as the truth. There was no search for the Truth, no desire for the Truth. It was an eagerness to declare, perhaps, to serve a personal or political purpose.

So, what is the Truth? The Truth is sexual orientation does not affect your spiritual quest. Religious leaders may judge you, but every person, regardless of sexual orientation, can make spiritual progress.

Spirituality — in its simplest and grandest definition — is about experiencing your own life-force. This life-force, which we also call the soul, is present in everyone of us. Spirituality is about connecting with our own soul. When our mind is completely quiet, the soul automatically and naturally reveals itself. Quiet the mind, and you will connect with your soul. You can test for yourself.

The body and mind may be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual, or hypersexual. The soul is unaffected by the mind or the body. The soul does not care about sexual orientation.

Spirituality does not discriminate. It cannot!

— Ravi Kathuria, Author, “Happy Soul. Hungry Mind.”