We can build a community out of seekers of truth,
but not out of possessors of truth ...
I now understand that my welfare is only possible if I acknowledge
my unity with all the people of the world without exception. *** Leo Tolstoy
A Sickness - A Hollowness - Insanity
QUESTION:
Where does religious fundamentalism come
from? What is the psychology behind it, and
how does that psychology change in relation
to other forms of religion that seem to be
more tolerant and loving?
Religion is a very complex phenomenon, and its complexity has
to be understood. There are seven types of religions in the world. The first type is ignorance-oriented.
Because people cannot tolerate their igno- rance, they hide it. Because it is difficult to accept that one does not
know, it is against the ego, people believe. Their belief systems function to protect their egos. The beliefs seem to be
helpful, but in the long range they are very harmful. In the beginning they seem to be protective, but finally they
are very destructive. The very orientation lies in ignorance. A major part of humanity remains in
the first type of religion. It is simply to avoid the reality, to avoid the gap that one feels in one's own being, to
avoid the black hole of ignorance. The people of the first type are the fanatics. They cannot even tolerate that there
can be other sorts of religions in the world. Their religion is the religion. Because they are so afraid of their ignorance,
if there is some other religion besides theirs, then they might become sus- picious, then doubt might arise. Then they
will not be so certain. To gain certainty they become stubborn, madly stubborn. They cannot read others' scriptures,
they cannot listen to other nuances of truth, they cannot be tolerant to other revelations of God. Their revelation
is the only revelation, and their prophet is the only prophet. Everything else is absolutely false. These people talk in
terms of absolutes, while a person of understanding is always relative. These people have done great
harm to religion. Because of these people, religion itself looks a little stupid. Remember not to be a victim of this
first sort. Almost 90 percent of humanity lives in this first sort of religion, and that is in no way better than being
irreligious. Maybe it is worse, because an irreligious person is not a fanatic. An irreligious person is more open, at
least ready to listen, ready to talk things out, ready to argue, ready to seek and inquire. But the first type of religious
person is not even ready to listen. * This is the first type of religion. Always remain, alert, because this
stubborn man exists in everybody. It exists in Hindus, it exists in Mohammedans, it exists in Christians, Buddhists,
Jains--it ex- ists in everybody. And everybody has to be aware not to get caught. Only then can you rise
to higher sorts of religion. The problem with this first type of religion is that we are al- most
always brought up in it. We are conditioned in it, so it looks almost normal. A Hindu is brought up with the idea
that others are wrong. Even if he is taught to be tolerant, that tolerance is of one who knows towards others
who don't know. A Jain is brought up with the belief that only he is right; others are all ignorant, stumbling and groping
in darkness. This conditioning can become so deep that you may forget that it is a conditioning and that you have to
go above it. One can become used to a certain conditioning, and one can start thinking it is one's nature, or it is the
truth. So one has to be very alert and watchful to find this lowest possibility in oneself and not get caught in it.
Sometimes we go on working hard in transforming our lives, yet we go on believing in the first type of religion. The transforma- tion
is not possible, because you are trying in a context that is so low that it cannot be really religious. The first type
of religion is just religion in name; it should not be called religion. The characteristic of the
first type is imitation. It insists on imitation: imitate Buddha,, imitate Christ, imitate Mahavira--but imitate somebody.
Don't be yourself, be somebody else. And if you are very stubborn you can force yourself to be somebody else.
You will never be somebody else. Deep down you cannot be. You will remain yourself, but you can force so much that you
al- most start looking like somebody else. Each person is born with a unique individuality, and each
per- son has a destiny of his or her own. Imitation is crime, it is crimi- nal. If you try to become a Christ, you may
look like Christ, you may walk like him, you may talk like him, but you will miss. You will miss all that life
was ready to deliver to you. Christ happens only once. It is not in the nature of things to repeat. Existence
is so creative that it never repeats anything. You cannot find another human being in the present, in the
past, or in the future who is going to resemble you exactly. It has never happened. The human being is not
a mechanism like Ford cars on an assembly line. You are a soul, individual. Imitation is poisonous. Never imitate
any- body, otherwise you will be a victim of the first sort of religion,
{Fundamentalism} which is not religion at all.
Then there is the second type. The second type is fear-oriented. { To be continued }
***
Fundamentalist Criticism {Critics} & their empty memorized robotic quotes
from scripture {much of which now is in question to its authenticity} are a dime a dozen. Everyone is a champion
at it. Be a champion at something else. Become a cheerleader."A man of peace does not criticize find fault blame damn pick
apart other religions or ways of being; a man of peace is simply a pool of silence. He pulsates a new kind of energy into
the world, he sings a new song. He lives in a totally new way. His very way of life is that of grace, that of prayer, that
of compassion. Whomsoever he touches, he creates more love-energy. The man of peace is creative. He is not against other
religions other ways of being {he understands God's Universal Law Of Allowance}, because to be against anything is to
be at war. He is not against anyone; he simply understands why we exists. And out of that understanding he becomes peaceful.
Only when there are many people who are pools of peace, silence, understanding, will the war with each other disappear."
+ Most of all, everyone does not have to be like you. You are not so pleased with yourself either. We could safely
say that you are hard to please. What if you were easy to please, what then? + What if everything is okay the way it
is? What if you do not have to fix anything? What if you do not have to fix other religions other ways of being - the world!
When you do not feel impelled to fix the world, you are admirably letting go of control. What are you controlling anyway when
it is hard to control yourself? + Let go of control. Let go of the need for control. Life has a mind of its own. You
can let life be.
Have faith in yourself and the power of God that lies within
you at your essence that all is and will be well. Remember that always and you will always be well. Forget that and you will
be separate from your Source of all your supply and well being. * The measure of a souls worth is by the degree to which
that soul can share its love. Love is the motivation behind all acts of kindness asking nothing in return. Yet whatever one
gives out is returned through the Law of Attraction. At a time when the needs of others are mounting, the presence of those
of the Light is a blessing, and those who wish to serve will find plenty of opportunity. Our reading of the situation is that
there are now many more such willing people, than at any previous occasion in recent times. The Oneness of all souls is being
recognized, and once the differences in politics and religion are overcome, there will be a great coming together that will
lead your civilization forward in unity, and in a common purpose to bring harmony and balance back to Earth. * Only
love can be just because only love can understand. Without love there is no understanding and without understanding how can
there be any justice? If you want to understand the truth you have to be very loving. If you really want to understand
the whole of life in all its dimensions, you have to approach it with great love and care. You have to be very tender, soft.
And then a new phenomenom arises in you: your life becomes full of justice. You cannot be unjust then; you cannot be unfair
then - it is impossible. A loving person cannot be unfair. And love is always protected by God. Only those who are not
in love are unprotected; those who are not in love are always in insecurity. The moment you enter love, you enter absolute
security, safety, because love is another name of God and God is protection. The ordinary man lives in fear, anxiety, selfishness.
He tries to protect himself, hence he becomes very tense, very cunning. Once God is known, tasted, death disappears. Death
exists only for those who have not known love. Those who have known love are beyond death.
* And, so, now you discover that you are not a drifter
but rather a messenger from the One God who sent you here to hear His call and to repeat it softly so that all may hear: "Love
is here now.” Avail yourself of love. Pass it around like an hors' d'oeuvre. Help yourself, and pass it around, for
you are each an honored servant of God, and now you Serve.
