SPIRITUAL ARTICLES

What is the true core of every religion? What is God?
The impact of the anti-religion movement.

by Taty

"The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity."
Albert Einstein

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."
Buddha

Throughout time there have been two different interpretations of religion and the concept of God. One is formed by a group of inquiring individuals who get together in an attempt to do good, learn about their own spiritual growth without judgement of the paths of others and to create positive transformation in the form of acceptance, charity and understanding. The other is a simplistic and allegorical ideal of an egocentric man in a place called heaven who constantly challenges humanity with the most horrendous of tests and who decides who goes to heaven (sky) and who goes to hell (center of the earth). This man supposedly requires that people follow his lead without any kind of judgement and that they listen to the leaders of the religions that preach his words blindly and literally. It is also expected that they donate money for their causes as a way of buying their place in heaven and that they see groups with different interpretations as enemies to be destroyed.
This view of religion relies on some external force, dictated by other humans to help you guide your life. It is also the core of the current anti-religion movement criticism, since these groups use their members as a way of gaining political power and manipulating the lives of people in a very individual way by selecting sectors of books that suit the personal interests of these "leaders". In their naïveté, they are manipulated like puppets, controlled by the interest of these vastly wealthy organizations.

"A donkey with a load of holy books is still a donkey."
Traditional (Essential Sufism)

A truly benevolent God could not be the same one that would destroy millions of innocent people for not converting to a particular man-made religion, or the one who would send to hell any who did not fear him. These are power greedy concepts created by those in power within those religious communities to control and manipulate people's free will and put ritual ahead of true compassion and charity and power ahead of love, humility and equality. It is imperative to be wary of any religious group that pretends to know all the answers, that preaches separatism or hatred for anyone who is not part of their group.

The Four Reliances
First, rely on the spirit and meaning of the teachings, not on the words;
Second, rely on the teachings, not on the personality of the teacher;
Third, rely on real wisdom, not superficial interpretation;
And fourth, rely on the essence of your pure Wisdom Mind, not on judgmental perceptions.
Buddha

The current proposed understanding is that God (however you interpret the conscious energy we call God here) cannot hate anything we do or are since we are him and he is us and cannot require suffering and pain from us, punish us or cause us any suffering for his own happiness, since in making us suffer he would be bringing pain upon himself.

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Genesis

There is also a deep debate about a painfully erroneous idea called "Intelligent Design" which attempts to disprove evolution and has made the gap between spirituality and science even broader. There is not an argument between design or evolution. There is a design FOR evolution.

And God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light"
"The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep"
"Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear."
"Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures..."
Genesis

There Devas dwell, made of mind, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, traversing the air, continuing in glory; and thus they remain for a long, long period of time...comes also a time, Vasettha, when sooner or later this world begins to re-evolve. Now at that time, all had become one world of water, dark, and of darkness that maketh blind. No moon nor sun appeared, no stars were seen, nor constellations, neither was night manifest nor day, neither months nor half-months, neither years nor seasons, neither female nor male. Beings were reckoned just as beings only. And to those beings, Vasettha, sooner or later after a long time, earth with its savours was spread out in the waters, even as a scum forms on the surface of boiled milky rice that is cooling, so did the earth appear." 
Aggañña Sutta

The obvious re-interpretation on the order of the facts in the bible and the time frame in which they occur has been debated by all educated religious authorities. The time frame between the seven days of creation (and the acceptance that each day could have been millions of years) and the order of the events should not mask the fact that the ideas are very similar to all of the evolutionary books. Intelligent design is nothing but yet another literal interepretation of symbolic writings meant to inspire, not limit human understanding.

The abusive use of symbolism is a limited and uneducated view of the spiritual search, but one that has been used throughout history to try to explain ideals to people who weren't ready for the introspection and advanced concepts that the spiritual search represents. The basis of most religions has been the same. Ideals of equality, a sense of community, self development, the understanding that we are all one and as such must care for one another as we would treat ourselves. The symbolism simply represents very advanced concepts in relation to human traits and the universe.

What is missed from several of these religions is the concept of self discovery and the sense of unity that is necessary for a deeper understanding of the spiritual experience.

Similarities between the Akasha in Hinduism, Indra Net in Buddhism, Taoism and the concept of reality in most mystical traditions match uncannily most quantum concepts of nonlocality and particle wave dualities and the illusion of our perception of reality. Indra's Net proposes that we are all connected as if by a giant net, each person representing one diamond reflecting upon another, and when light shines upon on of these diamonds, that light spreads throughout the net, but when darkness takes over one, all of the diamonds experience a dimming of their own lights, though subtle. It also proposes that the conscious power that connects us all cannot be named or defined, but that all come from it, return to it, are affected by it and affect it in return. Taoism follows a similar view, though expressed slightly differently, and ironically, now also do most quantum physicists.

We know now, through science, that our view of the world is purely an illusion created by our three senses inability to perceive the at least other 8 dimensions that coexist all around us. We know now that about 96 percent of the universe is made of dark matter or dark energy, which we can't see, measure or even identify. We also know from Einstein's experiment with Boris Podolski and Nathan Rosen in 1935 and later from Alain Aspect that if two particles are separated by large distances and sent in opposite directions, one particle will move exactly the same way as the other whenever one is made to go in one direction or another. The shocking part of that experiment was the fact that they were communicating 20,000 faster than the speed of light. A speed that makes it impossible for any mechanical or physical communication to occur, demonstrating that there was "entanglement" between them, or that they were connected, though separated by an indescribable and unmeasurable force.

There is a reason why every society in history has had religion. There is an essential and undeniable truth in the spiritual search that has been ignored by the masses because they are difficult to grasp and because they require introspection and a real desire to find your own faults and flaws and work on them for the good of all. Basically, it takes a lot of work, a lot of compassion and a switch in the priorities of the materialist lives we currently live in, which tells you that the more you purchase, the happier you'll be.

Several scammers have even been taking advantage of these assumptions with concepts like: "God Wants You To Be Rich" or "The Christian Wealth Accumulation".

Several wars and atrocities have also been justified by their proponents with scriptures from the books they use. The concept that God wants you to do something and he told someone what it was, is accepted by large groups of people as being a very reasonable reason to do horrible things. That can be seen in the current terrorist trends, the inquisition and all kinds of brutalities against women.

"The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr."
"Women are the twin halves of men."
Muhammad

So how did we get to this? And what is the real core of religion and why is it important?

First let's clear up a confusion. Books and rules are NOT written by gods, since they are not an incarnation. Books and rules are written by people. People who might have learned wonderful truths and need to communicate them, but as people, they write from their personal interpretation of their experiences, interests and knowledge. Books like the Bible, the Buddhist writings, the Tao Te Ching, the Qur'an, all have invaluable knowledge, but reading any of them should be done with judgement and an understanding that the fallibility of their writers and manipulatory editing like what happened to the Bible can have altered their essential meaning.

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. "
Buddha

"At first I spoke to you in parables, and you did not understand; now I speak to you openly, and you still do not perceive. Yet, it was you who served me as a parable in parables, and as that which is open in the (words) that are open."
Jesus Christ

The core value of all religions is that we are one force, in different representations. That what we consider reality is nothing but an illusion and that what is done to one is done to all. God is not a man in a place called heaven, but a conscious force that is part of all of us and all of the universe, uniting us in a single consciousness. Those teachings are as relevant and modern as they were when first written.

"That they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us.
When you make the two one, and when you make the inner as the outer and the outer as the inner and the above as the below, and when you make the male and the female into a single one, then you shall enter the kingdom."
Jesus Christ

All of the current religions have their most ancient sectors that have not yet been corrupted by economics and that retain the truth of those lines. They are not as popular as the puppet versions of the teachings because they require more from their followers. They all include meditation, self knowledge, compassion for all and non-violence as the basis for true knowledge. They also don't promise immediate rewards, like the puppet religions do, but an understanding that real knowledge and enlightenment takes time and effort.

A few examples:

Islam's Sufism:

The essence of Being/Truth/God is devoid of every form and quality, and hence unmanifested, yet it is inseparable from every form and phenomenon either material or spiritual. It is often understood to imply that every phenomenon is an aspect of Truth and at the same time attribution of existence to it is false. This apparent paradox of the relationship of creator and created is the basis of Sufi metaphysics. The chief aim of all Sufis then is to let go of all notions of duality, including a conception of an individual self, and to realize the Divine unity.

Sufis generally teach in personal groups, as the counsel of the master is considered necessary for the growth of the pupil. They make extensive use of parable, allegory, and metaphor, and it is held by Sufis that meaning can only be reached through a process of seeking the truth, and knowledge of oneself. Although philosophies vary among different Sufi orders, Sufism as a whole is primarily concerned with direct personal experience.

"I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God".
Sufi Proverb

“He who knoweth his own self, knoweth God. Do you love your creator? Love your fellow-beings first”
Muhammad

Jewish Kabbalah:

A belief that all things are linked to God through the following emanations:

• Atziluth, or "World of Emanations", on this level the light of the Ain Sof (light without end) radiates and is still united with its source.
• Beri'ah or "World of Creation", on this level the first concept of creation ex nihilo (out of nothing).
• Yetzirah or "World of Formation" on this level the created being assumes shape and form.
• Asiyah ' or "World of Actions", on this level the creation is complete, however it is still in a spiritual level.

making us all part of one great chain of beings.

"The pure impulse of dynamic creation is formless; and being formless, the creation it gives rise to can assume any and every form."
Kabbalah Quote

"Whatever takes form is false.
Only the formless endures.
When you understand
The truth of this teaching,
You will not be born again.
For God is infinite,
Within the body and without,
Like a mirror "
Ashtavakra Gita- Hinduism

The basis of Christianity itself, which uses Jesus' teachings (though ignoring all of his real teachings when the bible was build to accommodate the idea of a leadership in reaction to the fear of prosecution by the Romans), uses this basic concept that Jesus was the son of God and that you had to fear him. The messages of love, compassion and equality are often overlooked if the need for power and control is at stake. How could the leaders of the churches manipulate the people if the true ideas of self judgement and acceptance of all as one were taught to people?

Jesus was historically an Essene (in spite of some scholars' denial and mis-interpretation of their lifestyle). They were a mystical group that believed that listening to the God within you was the only way to learn the truth, not by listening to outsiders. And that you are God and God is you, and we are all inseparable. All peoples, living creatures and the universe are part of one great web. That is why Jesus cast out those in the temple in Jerusalem, because it was no longer a place for self reflection, but a place for greed and manipulation.

"O you wretches; O you unfortunates; O you pretenders to the truth; O you falsifiers of knowledge; O you sinners against the One Spirit: can you still bear to listen, when it behooved you to speak from the first person? Can you still bear to sleep?"
Jesus Christ

“Love of the world is the root of all evil "
Muhammad

There is a reason why Jesus is considered a Bodhisatva by Buddhists (who don't even have a concept for the idea of a god, since they are non-theistic), a prophet by Muslims, an avatar by Hindus...The core ideas are the same. Oneness, love, compassion, even when they are distorted by those who preach them.

"Do you dare to spare the flesh, you for whom the Spirit is an encircling wall? You do not understand what spirit is? If you consider how long the world existed before you, and how long it will exist after you, you will find that your life is one single day, and your sufferings one single hour. For the good will not enter into the perceived world. Scorn death, therefore, since it is an illusion, and take thought for life!"
Jesus Christ

The old idea of a heaven and a hell is also the cause of many discussions among the anti-religion groups. Its symbolic idea of good and evil is present in all facets of the universe. Like the idea of Yin and Yang in eastern traditions, most religions embrace dualistic ideals that are equally present in science, politics, and most facets of our human experience and nature as a whole.
Even the concept of a distinct place where heaven or hell are is debated in most religions. The most evolved ideals accept that it is a place created by your own internal dialogue. Your fears and guilt or your love and peaceful thoughts. It is in all interpretations, the expression of an internal place, not an external physical one.

"If those who lead you say to you, "Look, the Kingdom is in the sky, than the birds will get there first.
If they say "It is in the ocean, then the fish will get there first.
But the Kingdom of God is within you and outside of you.
Once you come to know yourselves, you will become known.
And you will know that it is you who are the children of the living Father
for we are one."
Jesus Christ

These are the same concepts of most of the Eastern Religions, Buddhism, Taoism, Cao Dai, Hare Khrisna and all of the over 5000 religions in the world that follow that interpretation of "godliness" as an internal force uniting us all, omnipresent and everlasting.

Science is finally catching up to knowledge from those religions that are over 5000 years old. Most of the current concepts of quantum physics, that are turning the world of science upside down are based on these mystical and religions traditions of reality and the illusion of the self. Noble prizes are going to scientists who are finally making those connections and who, now more than ever, are starting to wonder how people could have known these things for so long. These are good news, because with a more scientific approach to these concepts, the puppet religions based on simplistic interpretations of these ideas will have to evolve. and we all have a lot to gain from the understanding of those spiritual insights. The ridiculous divide between science and spiritual search can evolve into an understanding of the inter permeability of these two branches of study without the separatism that has dictated them both.

We live in illusion and the appearance of things. There is a reality. We are that reality. When you understand this, you see that you are nothing, and being nothing, you are everything. That is all.
Buddha

Many murderous dictators have been atheistic prosecutors of the church, which shows that lack of a religion to follow does not ensure that people won't be manipulated into committing horrendous crimes. A few examples are:

Pol Pot - Cambodia - Banned religions and murdered all Buddhist monks and leaders - 2 million people killed under his regime.
Mao Ze-Dong- China - Banned religions. Take over of Tibet (one of the most peaceful and spiritual countries in the world. Murdered over 1 million Tibetans and over 20 million chinese people died due to his policies. China recently banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission. Tibet is still occupied and people still tortured, imprisoned and murdered for their beliefs.
Stalin - Would only allow science, art and literature that was considered "ideologically safe", similar to fundamentalist religious states. Outlawed and prosecuted religion. Tens of thousands of priests, monks and nuns were persecuted and killed. Over 100,000 were shot during the purges of 1937–1938. 10 million deaths are attributable to his regime.

Until people start looking inwards for a solution to their problems and stop looking for someone else to blame, there won't be peace and real enlightenment in the world. The solution is not to end religion, but to go back as individuals to the search for its core, before we let human greed, laziness, neocentrism, materialism, hatred, discrimination, separatism, self importance and manipulation infiltrate it all.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."
Jesus Christ

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