#1 ·
I frequently encounter individuals who pose profound questions and claim to be searching for the ultimate truth, and it seems to me that these spiritual seekers, caught up in the modern American trend of spirituality, actually suffer from a profound lack of identity.
One must wonder how much of a struggle this truly poses for them, and which category they might fall into when viewed through a spiritual lens. They persist in this relentless pursuit of truth and God, attempting to justify their supposed insights—which they can never quite articulate in plain language—by leaning instead on abstract concepts like love and the path of Jesus, using such terms merely to bolster an otherwise hollow spiritual existence.
“We must transcend this purely material perception of reality,” is a sentiment one often hears whispered among these spiritual circles, accompanied by claims that the yearning of our spiritual essence is insatiable and demands the truth.
But is this truly a search for truth?
Or is it perhaps nothing more than a series of frantic efforts to flee from it?
Given the infinite sea of subjective experiences born from our own infantile characters, this supposed quest—which looks much more like an escape—actually detaches us from the real world. Not only do we cease to belong to that tangible reality, but we find ourselves lost, wandering with empty minds while waiting for some "messiah," some "guru," or some enlightened figure to come along and direct our now overly spiritualized bodies, effectively turning the human character into a faceless entity driven by some supposed "higher" purpose.
As the most advanced beings on this planet, we humans strive to rise above the animal kingdom by pursuing spirituality, thereby moving one step closer to God, which allows us to view the world through a different lens.
In this view, one who commits evil is not seen as a criminal or a threat, because his underlying desire is perceived as good, even if he cannot resist his own sinful nature; such a person should be loved and given chances not just seven times, but seven times seventy, because the more one sins, the more forgiveness will be extended.
A step toward the Divinity involves rediscovering those long-lost qualities within ourselves that were nearly smothered by primitive traditions; we find our Divine self and muster the courage to admit to the world, without fear, exactly who and what we are, because God loves us just as we are.
“I am an Alcoholic, ...I am gay... ...I am a criminal... but God loves us.”
The world is certainly entering a "new era," a turning point where humanity moves toward a higher stage of evolution.
Things that would have once led to being stoned are now considered privileges; today, they say, "confess halfway and you are forgiven." To confess openly today is to be blessed, because everyone loves a sinner who returns to the fold like a lost sheep coming back to the flock.
I find myself wondering if Christianity did not simply turn individuals into fools so that great leaders could manipulate them more easily, and where is that powerful God who used to crush everything in His path?
Was it not for whose name people died, gaining strength and motivation, that the idea of a God who protects us with His hand was replaced by a crucified God whom we now feel we must assist? We adorn ourselves with crosses depicting a crucified God because we believe we are finally free to do whatever we please. Meanwhile, a slightly wiser faction looks further ahead, knowing that God has risen, yet questioning who exactly a long-haired hippie will help by tossing out words about "love" toward an enemy.
Is loving one's enemies not merely making it easier for them to destroy us? It seems a difficult kind of wisdom to embrace if it only results in harming oneself.
One must wonder how much of a struggle this truly poses for them, and which category they might fall into when viewed through a spiritual lens. They persist in this relentless pursuit of truth and God, attempting to justify their supposed insights—which they can never quite articulate in plain language—by leaning instead on abstract concepts like love and the path of Jesus, using such terms merely to bolster an otherwise hollow spiritual existence.
“We must transcend this purely material perception of reality,” is a sentiment one often hears whispered among these spiritual circles, accompanied by claims that the yearning of our spiritual essence is insatiable and demands the truth.
But is this truly a search for truth?
Or is it perhaps nothing more than a series of frantic efforts to flee from it?
Given the infinite sea of subjective experiences born from our own infantile characters, this supposed quest—which looks much more like an escape—actually detaches us from the real world. Not only do we cease to belong to that tangible reality, but we find ourselves lost, wandering with empty minds while waiting for some "messiah," some "guru," or some enlightened figure to come along and direct our now overly spiritualized bodies, effectively turning the human character into a faceless entity driven by some supposed "higher" purpose.
As the most advanced beings on this planet, we humans strive to rise above the animal kingdom by pursuing spirituality, thereby moving one step closer to God, which allows us to view the world through a different lens.
In this view, one who commits evil is not seen as a criminal or a threat, because his underlying desire is perceived as good, even if he cannot resist his own sinful nature; such a person should be loved and given chances not just seven times, but seven times seventy, because the more one sins, the more forgiveness will be extended.
A step toward the Divinity involves rediscovering those long-lost qualities within ourselves that were nearly smothered by primitive traditions; we find our Divine self and muster the courage to admit to the world, without fear, exactly who and what we are, because God loves us just as we are.
“I am an Alcoholic, ...I am gay... ...I am a criminal... but God loves us.”
The world is certainly entering a "new era," a turning point where humanity moves toward a higher stage of evolution.
Things that would have once led to being stoned are now considered privileges; today, they say, "confess halfway and you are forgiven." To confess openly today is to be blessed, because everyone loves a sinner who returns to the fold like a lost sheep coming back to the flock.
I find myself wondering if Christianity did not simply turn individuals into fools so that great leaders could manipulate them more easily, and where is that powerful God who used to crush everything in His path?
Was it not for whose name people died, gaining strength and motivation, that the idea of a God who protects us with His hand was replaced by a crucified God whom we now feel we must assist? We adorn ourselves with crosses depicting a crucified God because we believe we are finally free to do whatever we please. Meanwhile, a slightly wiser faction looks further ahead, knowing that God has risen, yet questioning who exactly a long-haired hippie will help by tossing out words about "love" toward an enemy.
Is loving one's enemies not merely making it easier for them to destroy us? It seems a difficult kind of wisdom to embrace if it only results in harming oneself.