E24040

     One of the pet pronouncements of scholars of religion make when they discuss their subject these days is that any faith which aims to bestow material benefits is low-level. The whole idea of material benefits in religion is dismissed and instead, lofty theories and dogma are paraded about, and the further separated from every day living those extolled theories are, the more authoritative, they are taken to be. From our viewpoint, these fallacious arguments are, frankly speaking, only pastimes and amusements that play with theories and dogma. Think about it. The purpose of religion has been and should continue to be to save all human beings from suffering and make the world a pleasant, peaceful place in which to live. Religion should not have any other purpose.
     Objectively speaking, unless completely mentally disturbed, there should be no one in the world today, whether of high or low birth, rich or poor, who does not harbor a desire for health and property. Anyone who says they do not probably had such extravagant goals with no possibility of being realized to begin with that they have given up their desires, or else are the kind of so-called scholars who strive to show off how high-minded they are. When we look into the causes of why such resignation and self-delusion come about, the reality is that until today believers who have embraced a religion, no matter how much they devote themselves to a faith, no matter how much of their material possessions they give, and no matter how enthusiastically they may continue to practice their faith, find that their life and affairs do not proceed as they desire, they do not receive as much material benefit as they wish for, they or their loved ones are afflicted with disease or meet with death, and that poverty is not unavoidable. Faced with the choice of either quitting religion or being resigned to the situation such as it is, most are unable to make a clean break with their faith. Somehow they are able to maintain a certain level of material prosperity and they feel it better to resign themselves to suffering with faith rather than to continue living without some kind of belief. Such are the candid sentiments of those who struggle with suffering even while continuing in their belief. Apart from the zealot, when we look at the kind of person who belongs to a certain class of intellectual, it appears that these individuals think that faith or the divine should be expected to provide only so much benefit and merely offer a faint sense of spiritual mental ease. Faith is taken to be only one kind of a way of thinking out of many. Oddly though, while such intellectuals praise in the most flattering terms the words, deeds, and writings of the founders of religions, at the same time, conceited criticism of these religious figures are inserted into their remarks. These critics of course have no spiritual discernment, so their attacks are based only on the materialistic. These people are only concerned with making sure their voices continue to be heard, and their superficial manner has no power to impress those who read their words.
     As we observe the individuals who interpret our work in this negative manner, we cannot suppress our feelings of pity, but at the same time, we find it difficult not being intoxicated by our own sense of happiness. Since the moment we join this faith, we obtain the health we desire, are blessed with material resources, and in all aspects are bathed in material benefits. Most people in the world, however, probably find it impossible to understand this viewpoint as they have no such experience. Thus, these people look at the happiness we experience in receiving material benefit and call it superstition, while actually, it can only be said that it is these individuals who believe in one form of superstition. Their only pillar is spiritual resignation, which offers only a small measure of benefit, and they are unable to escape the sickness, poverty, and conflict that occupies most of their lives. The view of life of such people and that of ourselves differs fundamentally, naturally so. When all is said and done, irrespective of the magnificence of the theory extolled, theories alone cannot heal disease, part us from poverty, or end conflict, so we cannot be said to be truly saved. Ah, will the day ever come when these people become aware of their ignorance and are able to experience true spiritual exaltation?

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