Religious misconceptions

clipped from deepakchopra.com […] Externalized, literal interpretation of scripture is the main misunderstanding in all religions. Discussions of God, heavens, hells, gods, goddesses, demons, angels, etc….are really about the journey of awakening in our own consciousness. These words describe the dynamic evolution of our spirit, not an external world we are supposed to dogmatically believe in. The original pagans around the world also seemed to have held an integrated view of Nature and their consciousness. The spirit that embodied the mountains, rivers, or fire was an aspect of their own spirit and it was all a reflection of the universal spirit that pervaded the entire universe.