The argument of whether there is or is not a god, and the same over the existence of heaven, should not be the goal, as much as the goal should be the journey for what is within. The ultimate journey of knowing thyself is what frees one from the bondages of a mundane existence, an existence of what has been called illusion...this everyday life of dualities, of the ego, of suffering, pain, death...and although there is indeed the opposite, i.e., times of joy, times of health, moments of knowing a sense of freedom, these moments are but passing....but when we learn to accept life in its present moment, the now, we allow ourselves an ultimate freedom from our ego life, one that does not bother with the mind games of dualities, the comparisons of one against another. Being in the 'now' does not allow the mind to become us, but rather a tool to assist in defining existence.
The argument for or against 'god' may be endless, but a state of 'godliness' is attainable...freedom in its full manifestation...a transcendence of the mundane, the illusional...the attainment of not religion, but religiosity, that swells within, and opens all doors of perception, and releases us to full consciousness. This state can be called 'heavenly' without great distortion or without any religious conotations - heavenly is a state that anyone can attain with or without the use of a religion.
Religion has no ownership over heaven or hell, or even god... these words are defining states of mind which is within each and every person, although finding these 'places of mind' may be aided by religion. To become aware of our true being, our original face, our individuality that begs to begift us is a journey that religion, in its purest sense, should guide us to these goals, but unfortunately religion, as it has become for most, is more of a barrier to finding the true Self.
Religion itself is not to blame but the priestly caste that controls the strings of religion. They as a whole are not much better, and sometimes even worse, than politicians - both seek control over others. Priests seek control over people's moral and private lives... Politicians seek control over people's social, outward lives.
The sad thing about this is that the majority of priests (no matter what religion they belong) and the majority of politicians (no matter their party) do not fully understand what they are doing to people. Only those in the heirarchy of religion or politics understand the power they wield and they will hold it tightly and by doing so, hold those followers tightly to their belief systems.
It is always the few that wreak havoc upon the many - politicians call for war, priests call for fear and guilt. The flocks are obedient. They have been convinced that they, the majority... the lesser in comparison to the priest or politician, must rely upon the way of these same priests and politicians. It has been the way for mankind since the beginning... and the people keep eating the words in hope of finding something called salvation.
What the majority do not understand is that god is their god - it lies within them. What the majority do not understand is that Heaven & Hell are within them.... frames of mind, not geographical locations. Do loyal followers of religion not know that their Jesus, their Mohammed, their Moses, their religious founders are but human beings that found the light within their own selves? Do not loyal followers of one political thought know that whatever system that they blindly follow is but a theory based upon a thought process of a man or a group of people passing around their own thoughts regarding what is best for the society which they politically control?
Obviously, we know the answer to these questions - majorities have no clue. They have no clue because they were never given the tools to find their own voice, their own path. They were told and told again that they had to do what the priest said, what the politician said. That in turn weaken the majority and strengthened the priest and politician... something that they enjoy!
Power is an addictive thing. Give anyone a bit of power and they will want more. It doesn't matter where the power comes from - money or authority, but we humans like that... it feels good to become powerful in even just a small way - the supervisor of a group of sales people in Walmart, an assistant manager of a convenience store... all the way up to a General of a military base. Whatever we have been elevated to, we have been elevated by a person.. a living, breathing, error-making, imperfect human, just like ourselves. These power positions are only as permanent as the loyality to the more powerful.
But the real power is within us. The power of this quality that has been called God, that has been called Allah, nirvana, emptiness... whatever the word is it is referring to a state achieve where realization of our true being is found.
There are many that walk the Earth that have found their individuality, their own voice, their own god and with that finding a new essence of compassion comes with it.
Compassion is the highest form of love and with it those that have found themselves no longer desire to fight and disagree with the priest and politician.. no longer do they seek to confront those that don't get it... they are free from that pettiness. Those that have found their voice now speak peacefully. Those that have found the light within now see that same light in others, no matter their lot in life. Those that have found the heavenly now bask in its radiance and no of no other love but the true love for all of life. They have become what the Bible has called the meek... they have inherited not just Earth but Life.
These enlightened souls no longer need priests or politicians to guide them. They walk the path of understanding and acceptance of those that do not yet understand.
Cecil
15 Mayo 2005
Is there beauty where there are no eyes?
