[lit-ideas] Re: Peace Mystics
- From: "Mike Geary" <atlas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:30:44 -0600
LH:
Mike [wrote]
"...all religions preach universal brotherhood. I can't
think of any that don't." I can't think of any that do, at least not in
the sense I take Mike to be advocating, that is, come as you are with all
your preconceptions and prejudices intact.
I also wrote: "Some religions get silly by insisting the only way to
salvation is only through their doors, but you're
bright enough to separate the chaff from the grain. " Don't make me second
guess you, Lawrence. Dogma, of course, is not religion, it is the
psychological excrescence of the life-frightened. Religion is the need to
be one with the infinite -- infinite being, infinite knowledge, infinite
bliss. Whether there is such a thing and whether it is possible to achieve
is quite beside the point -- the need is there. It is the impulse to give
thanks for existence and the desire to embrace all being. What you describe
as religion is just the shit of close-minded little martinets posing as
clerics. You're old enough to know that.
Hindu: There is nothing in the aspects of Hindu religion I am familiar
with to promote the idea that "all men will be brothers" in a practical
this-world sense.
A "practical this-world sense"? You're describing a business, not religion.
Granted, many religions have turned themselves into businesses, but the
originating, underlying impulse is anything but. Hinduism as I understand
it (and I don't) does not disdain such pursuits as hedonism or
self-aggrandizing ambitions or materialic success and fame or any human
drive at all -- it does disdain stupidity in pursuit of them, but not the
drives themselves, they're all facets of the one life force. All trivial
and bound to eventually disappoint, as the satisfactions found in all those
pursuits are soon exhausted and only a fool would keep working etiolated
fields. Wise men move on to the next level calling them. As to
brotherhood, you may remember that Mohandas K. Gandhi was a Hindu. Try to
convince me he didn't believe in the brotherhood of man and that it did not
have its source in his religious belief. Hinduism is, in my opinion, the
most complicated and amazing religion ever conceived. All others pale in
its wisdom, but even Hinduism seems to me an unnecessary add-on to life --
and were I a gambling man, I'd bet that Hinduism would agree with me.
I don't know anything at all about Shintoism except that it is a
polytheistic nature religion without any doctrine or scripture or structure.
That and also that it's idiosyncratic to Japan. That's about it. Maybe
John McCreery would be willing to tell us more.
Eastern Orthodox: I have known a few and debated a few more and they seem
quite convinced that anyone who is not eastern orthodox is going straight
to
hell. You can be their brother only if you become Eastern Orthodox.
Eastern Orthodox is just Roman Catholicism with a grudge. They're all
Mystical Body of Christ boys.
Islam: This has been discussed at considerable length recently. They do
want Islam to cover the earth and after that time all men will be brothers
but all other views will have been eradicated.
Again, you're not talking about religion. You're talking about perversions.
Islam historically has been much more tolerant of other beliefs than
Christianity or Judaism. Its respect for the stranger unmatched by any
religion. Christianity is just Judaism without tribes, Islam is Judaism
and Christianity with an inferiority complex. They all seek union with the
same godhead, they all are scared to death of life forces, but all recognize
that we are one in Yaweh, in Christ, in Allah. The objections you raise
have nothing to do with the religions only with the institutions. I agree
with you that the institutions have lost sight of their raison d'etre and
should be burnt to the ground -- but not the beautiful cathedrals and
mosques they can be made museums, but those stadium size mega churches
should be stuffed with all the clergy and set ablaze -- which will make me
sad, because one of my favorite people is a priest, but we all have to make
sacrifices.
Back to the point at issue: the brotherhood of man -- I don't think you have
any idea what that means, just as you don't seem to understand the
difference between religion and churches and clergy. I'll explain it all
later.
Mike Geary
Memphis
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