Sectarian religion implies a closed soceity - Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are such closed religions

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" Some people believe that religion is based on eternal truth, and

therefore, it will always be useful for mankind. Others believe

religion to be useless because it has grown old and rusted, and so

there is no sense in sticking to it. Who shall we believe?

There are two forms of religion: religion as such and

institutionalized religion. Religion in its essence is limitless

and open, but when it assumes the form of a sect it becomes

institutionalized and closed. Religion is like the open sky.

Institutionalized religion is like the sky bound within a building

and its rooms; it becomes sectarian, and therefore dogmatic.

 

People have an emotional attachment to dogmas. Everyone can move

freely in the open sky, but the sky enclosed within a room becomes

something like a private property. The owner of the room can

prohibit anybody's entry into it. Sectarian religion implies a

closed society. Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity and

Islam are such closed religions because they have been

institutionalized. They have caused division between men. They

have taken heretics as aliens and have denied them the status of

human beings. Institutionalized religion has neither done nor is it

likely to do any good to humanity. It is in the light of the evils

of institutionalized religions that some people have denounced

religion itself. Such people have come to feel strongly that

religion has deluded mankind and has denied them their legitimate

claim to the primary necessities of life. As religion came to be

viewed as a hindrance to the fulfillment of the basic needs of man,

it came to be totally rejected.

 

I would not enter into the controversy about the desirability of

religion, but I would like to remind the reader that although food,

clothing and shelter are the basic needs of man, manliness cannot be

confined to these necessities only. It commands a much wider field

of operation. Manliness consists in the search for and practice of

truth. It is also true that we are governed by faith in matters of

religion, but faith alone is not enough. We must also exercise our

critical faculty and examine things for ourselves. Religion has

got to be enlivened by the combined operation of faith and reason.

 

It is natural for us to ask why religion has lost its essence and

why its body has become deceased. The answer to this question is

that the scriptures have belied our faith and that an irrational

attitude towards religion has vitiated its form. Followers of all

religions swear by the scriptures. We have come to treat Gita,

the AGAMs, the PITAKAs, the Koran and the Bible as the first and the

last words of truth. Nobody asks whether the scriptures from

thousands of years ago still hold good. Moreover, do we understand

the scriptures correctly? Have we ourselves perceived the truths

enunciated in them?

 

How can we believe that the truth preached by the scriptures is the

same truth that is attained in the depths of spiritual

experience? As far as we are concerned, we have never experienced

it, never perceived it and never experimented upon it. Poetry

written in an emotionally surcharged language is no doubt soothing,

but spiritual truths expressed in the language of scriptures can in

no way benefit us (for we may not be able to comprehend them

properly). One who sings praises of the drink known as SOMA cannot

enhance the prestige of scriptures. One who is perpetually

involved in quarrels and fans the fire of strife can never be

blessed by paying lip service to AHIMSA. Many a time I have asked

people if they could assert on the basis of their personal

experience whether AHIMSA and non-possessiveness are

good. Everyone denies having had any such experience. One

simply tries to justify one's beliefs by quoting the

scriptures. It is these devils quoting the scriptures who have

lowered the prestige of nonviolence and non-possessiveness, and have

painted the face of religion black. On one hand, religion has lost

its luster and the freshness of its experience in ages dominated by

the scriptures. In such ages the scriptures come to assume the

position of supreme authority and religion is relegated to a

subordinate position. On the other hand, the scriptures command

little importance in an age rich with spiritual experience. It is

legitimate to ask whether the advocates of religion have discovered

some new truth.

 

People fail to understand that religion should be judged by critical

standards in this age of science andrationalism. Today nobody can

afford to live in darkness and uncertainty. Instead of carrying

the burden of the darkness of the past and remaining unconcerned

with the uncertainty of the future, we would naturally prefer to

construct our lives on reliable foundations in the present.

Religion will have to be relevant to the realities of today.

 

Ours is not the age of individualism. We are living in a world

society characterized by experiments carried out on a mass scale.

People lived in tiny villages in the bygone ages. We are now

living in huge cities like Kolkata and Mumbai. Primitive means of

transport like the camel and horses have been replaced by the means

of mass transport like railways. Collective farming, collective

trade and commerce, and communal residential houses are the new

realities we have to face. Individuality is being replaced by

collectivity. Even religion has come to assume a social

character. It serves both the individual and society. Religion

may be said to be a personal affair from the point of view of

SAADHANA (spiritual uplift), but let us not forget that it has

social implications also. Those who practice religion as a personal

affair would like to reap the maximum benefit for themselves and

leave the society to suffer the consequences of their

malpractice. It is a queer attitude. The spirit of religion is

quite opposite of this. Religion implies that the benefits derived

from it should be shared by the whole of society and that the

consequences of one's evil deeds should be suffered by the evildoer

himself. Society is not concerned with how you worship your God

but it is concerned with how the individual conducts himself/

herself. The conduct of a truly religious man will always be

pure. A current of water does not produce sparks of fire. A

religious man, who behaves immorally, cannot strengthen and inspire

religious faith in others.

 

We will have to evaluate religion in the context of the contemporary

situation. We will have to see that one who claims to be a

religious person does not indulge in undesirable activities but

subdues evil. We will have to emphasize the supremacy of good

conduct as against formal worship. If we afford worship or prayer

the primary place and conduct a secondary place, religion will be

perverted. I am not denouncing worship or prayer; I am simply

trying to suggest what place it should occupy in social life. In

the words of the great poet Kalidas, we should not reverse the order

in which the pious man comes first and everything else next.

Mere prayer or worship cut off from the social context in which the

worshiper or the man who prays lives, assumes a shallow form of

religion. The essence of religion can be preserved only by

combining worship and prayer with morality. Good moral conduct

makes prayers and worships worthwhile. Let us take an example.

A certain gentleman wanted to dig a well. Underground water was at

a depth of fifty yards. He dug a pit five yards deep. There was

no water. One after the other, he dug ten pits each five yards

deep, but could not get any water. He gave up digging any more

pits in despair. Had he dug a single pit fifty yards deep, he would

have been successful. Worships and prayers devoid of morality are

like digging such shallow pits, though such exploits do bring

recognition and praise. However, it is only purity of conduct

coupled with such celebrations that brings social harmony and peace.

 

We need a pure and unmitigated religion. We need a religion for

all rather than a religion for the privileged few. Religion that

is not controlled by vested interests is the crying need of the

hour. To use a paradox, religion not belonging to anyone belongs

to all. "

 

Acharya Shri Mahaprajna

 

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Let's carry battle to the very gates of these religious fortresses!

Sun Mar 8, 2009 8:02 am

Dear All,

 

i have updated the www.adishakti.org/ site. The heading now reads:

 

“Shri Adi Shakti

The Divine Feminine

 

Since November 1993 the spiritual experiences of children's souls

meeting the Divine Feminine thousands of times over the years have

been recorded. All have independently corroborated and identified

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi to be the incarnation of the Divine Feminine

sent to deliver and explain in detail the Primordial Being's Divine

Message of the promised General Resurrection and evolution into the

eternal spirit. The eschatology of Judaism, Christianity and Islam—

final events in history, Resurrection, fulfillment of a divine plan

for humanity, and the immortality of the human soul—is harmoniously

and collectively fulfilled by Devi.”

 

http://www.adishakti.org/

 

i feel very good about these two changes/addition:

 

i) " Shri Adi Shakti The Divine Feminine " instead of " The Divine

Feminine: The Kingdom of God " ;

 

i think we must concentrate on the Divine Feminine of all traditions

and Holy Scriptures as Shri Mataji has said that " the principle of

Mother is in every, every scripture - has to be there! " i hope we can

get help here. So go and get books that support the Divine Feminine.

By posting quotes about the Great Mother we will have the best site

in the world that supports Her ....... if that is not the case yet!

 

ii) " The eschatology of Judaism, Christianity and Islam—final events

in history, Resurrection, fulfillment of a divine plan for humanity,

and the immortality of the human soul—is harmoniously and

collectively fulfilled by Devi. "

 

i believe these are the massive, indestructible pillars of faith that

have for millennia supported the very foundation of Judaism,

Christianity and Islam - " final events in history, Resurrection,

fulfillment of a divine plan for humanity, and the immortality of the

human soul " . Both the Great Mother and Her incarnation, Shri Mataji

Nirmala Devi, have given irrefutable evidence, detailed knowledge and

Sure Signs about the very heart and soul of Judaism, Christianity and

Islam i.e., the promised eschatology that have sustained and

nourished the faithful of these religions over the millennia. So much

is at stake that it defies comprehension!

 

However—despite all the selfless sacrifice and decades of devotion by

Shri Mataji to get out that eschatological message to humanity—Her

efforts have been in vain as the vast majority of Her devotees, the

so-called Sahaja Yogis, have long abandoned and fled from the Blossom

Time. There are only a few of us left here to complete the task of

ushering the Blossom Time—final events in history, Resurrection,

fulfillment of a divine plan for humanity, and the immortality of the

human soul—onto human consciousness.

 

But we have with us the Devi and all Her indisputable proof, detailed

facts and divine Sure Signs about the very heart and soul of Judaism,

Christianity and Islam. The latest update declares that, and should

further strengthen our resolve, desire and determination to carry the

battle to the very gates of these religious fortresses!

 

regards to all,

 

jagbir

 

 

Mon Mar 9, 2009 7:25 am

Dear All,

 

i have improved the heading, and feel even better:

 

" Shri Adi Shakti

The Divine Feminine

 

Since November 1993 the spiritual experiences of children's souls

meeting the Divine Feminine thousands of times over the years have

been recorded. All have independently corroborated and identified

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi to be the incarnation of the Divine Feminine

sent to deliver and explain in detail the Primordial Being's Divine

Message of the promised General Resurrection and evolution into the

eternal spirit. The eschatology that binds Judaism, Christianity and

Islam as one—final events in history, Resurrection, fulfillment of a

divine plan for humanity, and the immortality of the human soul—is

harmoniously and collectively fulfilled by Devi. "

 

http://www.adishakti.org/

 

i believe this sounds better, given the biiter rivalry between the

three faiths stretching back for centuries:

 

" The eschatology that binds Judaism, Christianity and Islam as one—

final events in history, Resurrection, fulfillment of a divine plan

for humanity, and the immortality of the human soul—is harmoniously

and collectively fulfilled by Devi. "