Some questions from David - response from Marjorie

[Guest guest]

Response from Marjorie -------------------

 

A few thoughts for David, who asks such important questions:

 

(1) What is idol worship anyhow? Idols are symbols of deeper spiritual

realities which can only be expressed metaphorically until they are

experienced directly. Idol worship got a bad reputation early on in

monotheistic religions, e.g., when Moses came down from Mt.Sinai to find his

people worshipping a golden calf. Moses was rightly incensed: he had just

been given a higher teaching, a teaching of moral principles (the 10

Commandments) and here were the people worshiping an inert " thing " . Swami

Vivekananda taught that humanity progresses from truth to higher truth. The

teachings given to Moses were higher truths than the superstitious worship

of

a golden calf. However, Hindus have always understood that the " idol " or

image they worship is a symbol of a higher reality which is beyond the

physical image but which in some way is represented by the image. And

because Hindus understand that the divine is within all forms (whether this

form be an image or your neighbor or yourself!), there is no problem in

worshiping that divine in a form that appeals to them. When a person

transcends his or her OWN form, as a particular & limited individual, then

he

or she simultaneously transcends the form of his/her chosen deity. The

prohibition against " idolatry " in the Judeo-Christian tradition is a

prohibition against limiting the unlimited divine. If you understand that

the image your worship as god is a symbol of the universal, unlimited

god....then there's no " idolatry " and no problem!

 

(2) I like to think of " Maya " as a kind of optical illusion. Sometimes

you

see a chalice, sometimes you see two faces. Does it make any sense to ask,

" But what is is really? "

It is one thing, seen differently from different perspectives. Much has

been

written in the Hindu tradition about the concept of Maya. My favorite

comment was made by Shankara when he was asked, " if Maya is a misperception

(or illusion), then whose Maya (illusion) is it? " Sharkara replied,

" whosever has it " . This reply is extremely subtle, extremely brilliant, and

warrants a good deal of contemplation.

 

The Western religions have a real problem with Evil: If God is

all-knowing, all-powerful and all-good, how can evil exist? Many

philosophers grappled with this question, but none were able to resolve it.

My favorite argument was that of William James, who said " Well, if we have

to

sacrifice one of God's powers, let's sacrifice His omnipotence...He is all

knowing and all good, but He just can't do anything about evil " . This

argument at least retains God's goodness....Like a Father who loves his

children but can't in good faith control their behavior.

 

My understanding of the philosophical Hindu perspective is this: If you

perceive Evil, then something is wrong with your perception, and you would

be

well advised to continue to meditate and practice in order to perceive the

real reality beyond good and evil.

So long as you perceive good and evil, you must do good and avoid evil, but

don't think you are in touch with the deepest, truest reality, which is

beyond good and evil.

 

(3) Oh, here is the problem of evil again! How about this: Why don't you

practice seeing everything as divine, worshiping everything as divine,

feeling your own divinity...and then, after you have experienced the

universal divinity which is proposed by monism, if you still see evil, then

you can set about trying to understand the problem of evil. But perhaps at

that point there will be no evil, or problem of evil.....So why not practice

and see what remains?

 

I wish you great achievement in your struggle to realize and understand,

David. Never stop asking questions!!!!!!!

 

Best Wishes to a fellow traveler,

 

Marjorie