Can You Live by Grace Without Religion?

Can a non-believer discover that mysterious, spiritual essence within themselves?

Grace is often spoken of in the same sanctified breath as God, exalting it as something supremely special. Traditionally, we thank God, believed to be the Creator of the universe, for the gift of grace. It’s customarily considered as something He bestows upon us if He decides we’re worthy. The old patriarchs say that grace emanates from the very footsteps of God’s favored saints, prophets, and the deeply devout as if they perpetually walked amongst lilies or lotus blossoms.

If these holy ones truly carried grace as the elder teachers said, was their religious belief a necessary prerequisite? Could they have discovered something inherent within the human mechanism, akin to our DNA, that could be called a state of grace without their religious faith? Can a non-believer, with a little-practiced awareness, discover that mysterious, spiritual essence within themselves?

Some years ago, I stepped away from the belief in a separate father figure God that decreed who was worthy and who wasn’t. There are a number of issues I have with the foundational religious beliefs of my society. Chief among them is the idea of an all-loving, all-powerful being who only offers the glorious gift of grace to a few believers, then turns around and punishes countless others, many of whom were pretty nice people, banishing them into an everlasting, fiery Hell. Seems severe (obviously not referring to ax murderers here).

It’s the ultimate cruelty to sentence a good person to eternal (forever and ever) suffering and damnation for basically minor infractions, like believing in the wrong religion, or no religion. If that is truly who God was, then I didn’t stand a chance. My sins weren’t too bad, but bad enough, according to the old patriarchs. I have enjoyed beautiful and passionate sex outside of marriage and I occasionally used God’s name in vain, especially when stubbing a toe or paying my monthly bills. That’s why I walked away. It felt like the whole thing was rigged to control me through guilt and…

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