A Gorgeous Life
Abstract:
The world has had many great teachers who have planted a seed for the spiritual transformation of society. People largely ignored their call, or, worse, persecuted them. Most are simply not ready to hear that the very fabric of the society which they work so hard to sustain, is faulty. Those most likely to take offense at this proposition are, of course, the ones who profit from the status quo, either financially or from their prestige. People do not want to hear truths which are subversive.
Speaking of happiness, perhaps one of the greatest messages of spiritual teachers—when you boil their teachings down to the essence—can be paraphrased by the colloquial, “Lighten up and enjoy life.” Jesus was quoted to have called men and women to a more “abundant life.” After all, is not the fundamental purpose of religion: enlightenment and happiness? Buddha’s teachings were designed to diminish suffering and engender spiritual liberation. Nirvana, the highest level of illumination, is described as a state free from pain. The Vedic Upanishads refer to Brahman (“ultimate reality” or “the highest universal principle”) as truth-consciousness-bliss. Jesus is known to have said: “Seek the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” Freedom, truth, and bliss are of the essence of any spiritual teaching. The great spiritual teachers did not merely intend to impose restrictions and rules.
Religion will most likely continue to be, for better or worse, one of society’s great pillars. Another great pillar, especially in the modern age, is none other than science. Scientific logic is the standard by which we can verify any claim, religious or other. It is constantly updating its concepts and refining its logic. Thanks to the incontrovertible principles of scientific logic, irrational ideas such as racial supremacy and religious sacrosanctity have become untenable. Religious human beings should abandon the latter, with its idolatrous elements and claims to the exclusivity of truth. Any claim put forth by religion should be verified by scientific logic. There is no place in the modern age to designate anointed prophetfounders as having ‘all the answers’ or as being infallible.