How Faith Destroys the World
No matter how I look at it, Christianity is the most popular pagan cult of today. Not that a religion being a pagan cult should be something surprising — both Abrahamic brethren of Christianity as well as all other world religions are de facto, and intrinsically, pagan cults too — but the blind spots of people who defer to faith and theology is interesting especially in the context of the Judeo-Christo-Islamic crusade against paganism (or in other words, non-believers).
Which is, however, just a roundabout way of saying that Christians, but basically spirito-religious folks in general, are the most hypocritical people I know of. Maybe I singled out Christians only because I predominantly meet with people who grew up in Christian(-rooted) societies and perhaps the hypocrisy can be seen simply as a form of some comforting self-delusion — in any case, I see a clear correlation between spirito-religiosity and twisted human character.
Frankly, I would probably just shake my head, but this is the reason why we got an American president calling himself chosen one while winking toward sky, Russian tsar openly stating that Russia is ruled by god, prime-minister of India posturing without irony as a royal priest, or Chinese emperor discreetly, though sincerely, believing in having the “heaven’s mandate.”
And, of course, let’s not forget those ruthlessly brutal clashes of various groups of clerical nationalist fanatics in the region of Near East with leaders on all sides alluding to, or outright proclaiming, their religious significance. In case you have missed it, they are mere manifestation of the will of people, perfect reflection of their beliefs. Simply, banners to gather under and idols to follow — symbols.
Well, it’s what you get when you have people literally following a book of fiction. Sure, a book that is inspiring, with a deeper message and a twist on history while, at the same time, also potentially enlightening.
But still a book of fiction nonetheless. To be fair, calling it magical realism rather than fiction would probably be a better fit. Still, take the book away from the “worshipers of the Book” and they have nothing left. Without the book, they are lost. On the other hand, the ability to suspend their disbelief (and stick with it!) is certainly remarkable.
However, it’s also the result of the rest of all believers being pragmatists. That is to say, their priority is, in the end, money. Or at least some equivalent of it. The book, if any, plays the second violin at best. You would call them normal people, citizens, the silent majority. Spiritual but not religious, deconstructing, converts, folks with an indistinct private concept of supernatural — you get the picture.
Thankfully, all those pragmatic people, those who excuse their love of money by being rational toward all aspects of life, are at least (and to an extent) reasonable.
But. Combine any amount of dependency on an externally provided manual, whether in the form of a book or a charismatic leader, with any amount of love (or preference, if you will) for personal gain (or at least urge to avoid loss even if it’s at the expense of others), and you get an easily swayed motivation. And that, in turn, manifests (also) in leaders who try their best to avoid being scapegoats and still eat the cake.
Just like the people who put them in power. After all, it’s those leaders’ job to get the cake for their people. Or at least promise to. Ultimately, that’s what the people demand, because that’s what their easily swayed motivation is telling them.
Yet, the seekers know very well. You cannot believe other people, you cannot believe your thoughts, you cannot believe your emotions, and you cannot even believe your raw experience. Yes, you cannot believe your “lying eye,” even though you have nothing better to see the world with. It’s probably this uncertainty that drives people toward dogmatic adherence to random books, not so random leaders, but predominantly money and (comfortable) survival at all cost.
We see the ambiguity of universe, crave a fixed point of reference, so we choose to have faith and believe. Yet neither pragmatism nor blind eternal faith provides any solace. The former is by definition transient and unpredictable and the latter always puts the resolution just one more step ahead. In extreme cases, it postpones it until after death, but that’s clearly already too late. Especially after a lifetime of questionable behavior blinded and fueled by (religious) dogma, per chance, even combined with firm conviction that the world as such does not matter one bit.
Clearly, said fixed point of reference cannot be found there, because it does not reside in pragmatic survival strategy or strict adherence to tradition. No wonder, because neither can validate that they deliver what they may try to promise. That being lasting, in other words eternal, satisfaction. After all, eternal satisfaction and/or salvation means that also right now…hm.
Well, what can I say. Despite everything, that point of reference does exist. It’s called self-knowledge. Knowledge, because obviously only knowledge gives knowledge, that unshakable certainty of truth beyond any doubt. And self, because you can only ever truly know yourself. The rest is, indeed, (sort of) meaningless and utterly relative without any real definitive landmarks or answers. Sans death, that is.
So, the only thing you have to do now is believe me that you can know. Lol. In any case — and obviously — the choice is yours. On the other hand, it’s also the only thing you will ever have to believe me until you eventually find out (everything).
Afterwards, you simply know. Right?
