7 posts shown.
hiddenpuma75, it’s pretty clear you haven't actually read that book by Scott Peck.
If you had, you would know he's discussing levels of "spiritual or religious" growth rather than the evolution of consciousness that the three authors mentioned here are focusing on. So, I guess the link you posted and your subsequent comment don't really align with this topic; they are simply addressing different things altogether.
Adura, once again you are just parroting claims based entirely on faith, lacking any rational or historical foundation.
If the Quran were truly the word of God, the book would be perfect enough that we wouldn't need all these different sects constantly interpreting the same passages in conflicting ways.
I have read the Quran, and my conclusion is that it is simply an imperfect book. While some parts possess spiritual value, there are many sections where that claim just doesn't hold up.
When reading the Quran, one should probably apply some critical thinking—focusing on the elements that actually serve as useful life guidance while ignoring the absurd constructs, like the 72 virgins or the stories regarding "martyrs."
Just as one might choose to ignore Leviticus when reading the Bible, one should arguably ignore Sharia law within the Quran, because those laws clearly lack anything divine. They seem to reflect nothing but human malice and cruelty.
Your insistence that the Quran contains no contradictions and that Muhammad received everything directly from God seems less like an objective observation and more like a case of believing what you want (or are required) to believe.
I regret to note that you aren't much different from the other Quran and Bible fanatics; your spirituality appears to be mostly the rote repetition of taught dogmas without any rational analysis of their various aspects.👎
Much like the Lukićevac crowd, the Christians, and almost every Muslim on this forum, you seem to possess Level 2 qualities.😢
Is this guy joking, or does 😕 actually believe what he's saying?
He’s probably just one of those Level 2 fanatics.
Scott Nguyen2:
"The judgment you pass will be the judgment you receive."
I certainly hope so.😁 😁
By the way, Scott Nguyen2, I’m going to ask you a quick question to determine if you’re a dogmatic person or a reasonable one (I think I already know the answer based on your posts, but I suppose I should ask just to be sure):
1. Do you truly believe the entire Quran is the word of God received by Muhammad from God (including Sharia laws)?
If the answer is yes, then you are definitely at Level 2. That means instead of 72 virgins waiting for you after death, you'll likely face 72 new reincarnations until you finally wake up and achieve some spiritual progress.
It seems to me that Level 2 is the easiest group to decipher:
Here is my assessment of which users fall into Level 2:
Lukić (though he could easily be Level 1 😁), the Lukićevac crowd (doshljak, znanac, passenger, submarine, and the rest), krschanin, Gorčin, Shady, Adura, and the other Muslims.
As for Adura, there might be some hope for upward mobility; I get the impression he's constantly battling between logic and rigid religious dogma.
Baphomet is most likely at Level 3, while semargl would be my top candidate for Level 4.
I have no idea where I would even place pesek 😕 😕
Spiritual development levels aren't strictly defined; there are naturally transitional stages involved. I suppose you could say roughly 60% of people fall into distinct categories, while the remaining 40% occupy those middle ground phases.
Where would I place myself? Maybe two or three years ago, I would have categorized myself at level 3—back when I was an atheist—but today, I think I could reasonably claim level 4.
Based on the book mentioned, and certainly according to my own convictions, the whole point of life is spiritual growth.
One might view this development as a process of constant refinement, involving the acquisition of new insights along with ethical and moral principles.
We are all placed within specific life circumstances so that, through certain events and situations, we can gain new experiences and evolve spiritually.
Ultimately, the goal of spiritual growth is to realize Eternal Truth and move closer to the perfection of God by overcoming the ego.
Level 1—chaotic/antisocial.
I guess we're looking at the bottom tier, which accounts for roughly 20% of the population.
Characteristics:
A lack of spirituality, a lack of morality, and a total absence of empathy.
People don't seem to give much thought to the existence of God or the spiritual realm, nor do they particularly care to.
Relationships with others are driven exclusively by one's own selfish interests. They are built on manipulation—something people are often quite efficient at concealing.
They’re chaotic, I suppose, mostly because a total lack of morality leaves them drifting on nothing but raw impulse.
They frequently find themselves in compromising situations, spiraling into criminality, sexual deviancy, assault, or even murder. I guess the path toward misconduct remains wide open for them, since a total lack of morality or conscience does nothing to deter their actions.
I suppose some people at this stage of spiritual development actually manage to achieve self-discipline, though they mostly just use it as a tool to further their own personal ambitions.
They’re completely unscrupulous when it comes to their own ambitions; I suppose they'll do just about anything to reach their goals.
This frequently allows individuals to climb the ladder toward positions of power and personal prestige, which I guess is why so many people eventually become household names.
People at Level 1 occasionally face the chaos within their own being. It’s a painful experience, and I suppose they might try to simply reject it, though if they fail to process it, it can even lead to suicide. Sometimes, however, this friction serves as a catalyst for spiritual growth toward Level 2. You see this quite often with notorious criminals who, while serving time in prison, encounter a religion and suddenly transform into fanatic believers.
Level 2—formal institutional.
This represents the next level of spiritual development.
It’s been labeled institutional because people at this level tend to have a deep-seated attachment to whatever authority oversees them. For some, that might be an entity like the U.S. military, though for most, I suppose it's more likely a formal religion.
People at this level tend to cling tightly to their religious institutions. I suppose it provides them with a sense of stability, preventing the kind of chaotic existence seen in those living at Level 1.
Most of their moral values seem to be heavily shaped by their religious beliefs, I suppose.
People at this level tend to rely heavily on religious institutions for protection and oversight. They seem particularly attached to the outward formalities of faith—things like rituals, ceremonies, scheduled prayers, specific rites, and the constant reading of "sacred" texts. I guess that's just how they operate.
They regularly believe that God will punish those who fail to respect the commandments and rituals prescribed by their religion—their "divine laws," if you will.
They seem convinced that only believers within their specific faith will make it into heaven, while everyone else is destined for purgatory or hell.
People operating at Level 2 are exceptionally sensitive to any shifts in religious structure. This is because they rely entirely on that specific framework to escape chaos. Consequently, most attempts at religious reform inevitably lead to schisms. Because of this pattern, many religions have failed to evolve for centuries, leaving them stuck at lower stages of civilizational development.
Level 2 visions of God are honestly quite childish. People constantly imagine God as some entity sitting high above in the clouds, wielding massive power and waiting for the opportunity to punish them for their sins.
It is a vision of God acting as a Master and a policeman—a figure that Level 2 individuals feel compelled to obey out of sheer fear. In this mindset, there is very little understanding of the other half of the divine: the part that resides within us, or the divinity present in the human spirit. I suppose this kind of tyrant-like God is actually necessary for people at Level 2 to achieve any spiritual growth. That specific fear of God keeps them from sliding into sin and immorality, while their religion provides the basic framework for distinguishing right from wrong.
Apparently, they insist on viewing God through a strictly masculine lens. It seems they struggle to conceive of a universal entity, let alone a female one, God forbid.
Level 3—Skeptical/Individualist
I suppose people at this level tend to distance themselves from formal religion, viewing it instead through a lens of critical reasoning and logic.
They seem to operate under their own private moral code, one that isn't particularly influenced by religion, I guess.
They place unconditional faith in the power of reason, trusting only what can be truly perceived and proven. Consequently, I suppose they generally don't even subscribe to the existence of God.
- They frequently assume that believing in God is a regressive relic of the past, suggesting that believers are somehow intellectually inferior to them.
- They rely strictly on scientific explanations for life and the cosmos, yet they rarely consider the possibility that there might be parts of the universe entirely beyond human comprehension.
Level 4: Rational Gnostic
This represents the highest stage of spiritual development.
People at this level share certain traits with those at Level 3—specifically, a distance from organized religion, a tendency toward critical inquiry, and a well-defined moral framework.
However, what distinguishes them from Level 3 individuals is as follows:
- They believe in the power of reason and objective knowledge, though certainly not unconditionally.
- Those at Level 4 maintain open minds; they don't reject anything out of hand. No matter how improbable a phenomenon may seem, they analyze it from multiple perspectives without prejudice before reaching a conclusion.
- Their capacity for open, rational thought leads them to insights that remain incomprehensible to those at Level 3, particularly regarding the potential to perceive the spiritual realm and God. It is quite common for Level 3 individuals to wonder how someone so educated and intelligent could possibly believe in such things.
- People at Level 4 are acutely aware of the inherent limitations of human sensory perception. Rather than dismissing scientific findings, they typically integrate them with their own spiritual insights, creating a worldview that feels like one cohesive, meaningful whole.
- The vision of God held by those at Level 4 bears almost no resemblance to the view held by Level 2: God is not some separate entity or a master to whom one must submit. Instead, God is an abstract essence—the all-pervading spirit of the universe, the order and meaning of existence, a part of which resides within us as well.
- Even though Level 4 individuals aren't tied to religious institutions, they may still choose to follow a specific formal religion if they feel it aligns most closely with the Eternal Truth.
From the book by Scott S. Peck: “The Road Less Traveled”
People claiming to be spiritual leaders like that aren't actually spiritualists; they're just playing a part.
As for the ultimate spiritual truth, I suppose everyone will discover it at the moment of their death.
We'll see then, Ryan Wilson2, who was actually right—those self-proclaimed spiritualists or the blunt materialists.