I'm not the most knowledgeable about religion or their practices. My parents rose me in an episcopal church until I was about 20 I went at the behest of my stern father (also a lawyer like you and judge in recent years). Here is something I wrote as I was thinking on religion and I believe I'm still similar in my feelings. But, everyone experiences different things and I can accept that and enjoy hearing other perspectives when people keep emotions out and logic in. Here follows some words of my perspective to a degree..as I re-read it I'm nodding and shaking my head at times: I am something like a New Thought Taoist maybe? I believe that all matter is of God and therefore is inherently good, but can become corrupted by negative thought and action. I believe that God continues to work in the world through the spirit energy He created within all life. I believe that many prophets have come and gone to help break the pattern of negative thinking and free us from mental prisons. These prophets were more in tune with the divine energy of God. I believe in energy, love, and a divine balance. We did not exist until we were born and we will no longer exist when we die. Our energy may remain in some form, but no one will know until their body dies. Our purpose is to help each other live with joy and love in our minds and to continue the advancements of scientific truth to uncover deeper meanings in this life. I believe that we can change what we believe as new information becomes clear and true to our minds. I believe in karma, right and good action will bring the same back into the world and negative action will bring that negativity into the world. Nothing is real until we decide that it is real. God is good, God is energy and love.
There's a lot for me to like in what you said. I'm of the belief that rather than being bodies with souls, we're souls with bodies. William Blake wrote once about how "that call'd Body is a portion of Soul discern'd by the five Senses, the chief inlets of Soul in this age." I think my theology may be more traditionally Christian in some respects (I do think there's an afterlife of some sort, for example), but I also really enjoy the Daoist idea of balance that you mentioned. I'm definitely pro-science, and I also agree with the role of prophets and our responsibility to bring good.
I'm really back and forth on the afterlife issue. I hope that there is one, because there are so many people (AND PETS!!!) that I'd love to see again. But, I find it hard to wrap my head around, since I don't remember anything before this life. Maybe someone here does? That would be an interesting story. Something similar to...was it Ramantha?...that the lady channeled in 'What the Bleep Do We Know?". I often wonder about spiritual mediums and that sort of thing. I Have had some unexplained experiences, that others explain away as psychosis or something similar. (No aliens or anything like that as far as I know). But, there is some kind of awe inspiring energy out there in this existence and who am I to say what it can do. I'll still most likely be a bit skeptical until I die and find out, hopefully not too soon.
I know what you mean, and hope is a big part of it for me too. But I too have had weird experiences that aren't quite explained away so easily. As for remembering things from the past, I dunno, but wouldn't presume to say for sure. What I do find interesting is how often small children seem to maintain some weird connection to another part of the universe. My daughter has on a couple of occasions had conversations with "mee maw" (what my wife called her grandmother, who died years before my daughter was born), despite never being told that name. It was kind of eerie. I wonder when we lose that?