rites and rituals don't cut it

Submitted by the Grand Infidel of Kaffiristan (Australia), Feb 19, 2009 at 00:16

Keith W, in response to a readers comment - 'One big difference'

"......sounds easy. I can do what i want as long as i believe. cool. sign me up. "

Those rabidly devoted Muslims shouting 'Allah Akbar' as they slice the head off a living human being have this understanding. Just because they believe and follow the Islamic precepts that suit them gives them carte blanche to do whatever they want - so they think. And perception is everything.

So in that sense Keith, you don't have to sign up to anything - you can do what you want now.

All religions aren't bad, but practising some particular religions are obviously a retrograde step.
Nevertheless, people miss the point about religion - any religion - if they get stuck in its rites and rituals and their imaginations of what God is or isn't .

The point that genuine spiritual masters made , and make, again and again - is that people whose consciousness is enmeshed in the world and are caught in illusion, maya, samsara etc. Those most caught up in it are automatically disconnected from themselves - and in a form of suffering.

The aim of the game is to awaken - not get caught up in an institution.

"To say that man dwells in a state of psychic sleep is not simply a figure of speech. The evidence is plain, if only we will face it. Would an awakened man burn himself up with angers and hatreds, with egotistical sufferings, with stupid ambitions?" - Vernon Howard

'The Kingdom of heaven is within you' - Jesus Christ

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".