Religious Revival & A Lack of Metaphysics.

1.

Although the use and application of a prepackaged religion seems to be of a lesser necessity these days, the strict adherence to fundamental religious and dogmatic views, practices and actions seems to have risen. Pick any view and there are those who preach it. Pick any underlying metaphysics behind any theory and witness imaginary invocations and assumptions—I would even call these “gods”. This is, of course, the nature of human understanding and language—we are a species with over 7billion different perspectives and interpretations—but once these perspectives band together, form a set of fundamental principles and express these views as absolute truth above all others, we watch the birth of religious man in all his glory.

There is a religious revival occurring—not insofar as people are heading back to the typical religions, but that they are acting and behaving more religious than ever. The idolatry of success, the bowing and subservience to “higher-powers” such as corporations, countries and brands, the cult of celebrity and wealth, the deification of authority, people praying to their televisions, their video games, their simulations and simulated selves on the internet—all these false and imaginary worlds conjured into existence by those who play in them. Like all religions, egotism to the highest degree—“Let’s label ourselves so that we may become that label”.

2.

There is no such thing as an “economy”, and anyone who says “the economy will work itself out” is invoking some mythical being that would fear us into submission. There is no “market”; there is only humans trading things for pieces of paper. There is no “state”, there is only humans drawing lines in the sand. There is no “democracy”, no “nation”, no “party”, no ideal political structure worth killing and dying for; it is people labelling themselves a certain way and acting in accordance with these labels, even to the point of forgetting exactly who they are. This seems mild-mannered superstition. Such it is with every abstraction.

3.

Because of such loose use of abstract reasoning, we often see “math and science” used in this nefarious way, especially when it is applied to abstract versions and models of concrete phenomena. Out of these numerological abstractions, out of combinations of numbers, arise a multitude of theories of everything (and there are many of them), which amounts to the same desire posited by the age old religions—a description of the universe, a metaphysics, a prevailing “world-view”, a “purpose”, a look behind what we can see, a theory written in a certain language of our choosing, and an explanation to a first cause—which, like any cause, is over the very moment it begins.

Quantum theory has followed suit, patching up the mathematics where classical physics has faltered. People looking at numbers, playing language games, developing complex theories regarding complex explanations of the smallest phenomena—phenomena they have never laid their eyes upon—are to tell us the physis of the universe. But what was once human ingenuity and elegance in the pursuit of explanation turned to an excuse for religious revival, a re-stirring of the metaphysical pot so to speak, so that the implications and interpretations of quantum mechanics gave those with a feverous lust for absolute truth some fantasies to hold on to. A wave function is exactly a mathematical function, nothing else. The Planck constant is a mathematical trick, a purely linguistic assumption, devised to turn the seemingly continuous universe into a digital one, something our on/off, stop/go, binary, dualistic and digital minds can make sense of.

If only the universe were composed of numbers and values, the numerologists, the neo-pythagoreans would have something to rationally believe in. There are even those who look at the time and believe they see something called “synchronicity” within the base 60 system, but they only witness how the Babylonians used to count to 60 with their fingers. Notches on bones are their gods.

4.

And how we love our mystics. Their insights into what happens when a human starves himself, overexerts himself, sleeps, ingests entheogens (which is a polite way of saying psychoactive substances), or otherwise limits his own human faculties to make sense of the universe, are always filled with hopeful rhetoric. Their experiences and desire for altered-states are valuable to them, and thus valuable to all of us, for we can simply take their word for it without trying to escape from life ourselves.

5.

Reincarnation, afterlives, dimensions, gods, states, nations, success, money, property, matter, mind, ego, good, evil, purpose, meaning—what are these but a long list of deities composed of the exact same properties: Human beings trying to understand themselves? .

6.

My point?

These metaphysical world-views are all beautiful. Someone not unlike ourselves created these. Someone conceived it, worked it out, and in the process produced a work of art for all to see. In our most inquisitive episodes, in our most mystical experiences, in our most harrowing of moments, in the darkest despair, any one of them may help us get through our lives. It is the entire history of human ideas culminating up until now, a long lineage of human expression, far older than anyone can imagine, at our very fingertips.

Yet there is a religious revival, an erroneous desire to see this lineage of ideas cut and divided into “materialism vs. idealism”, “skeptic vs believer”, “christian vs. atheist”, democrat vs. republican, man vs. man, once again satisfying that need to quantize, separate bit by bit the universe and ourselves into this or that label, and in the process, breeding contempt for the labels we do not share, and those who rally beneath them.

This is what modern metaphysics has become. It awaits a time for when everyone becomes a metaphysician, and interpreters of their own lives, rather than to live in the shadow of another's, as in all religions.

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A+ S&F

Cause,












effect.

darkbake
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A+ S&F

edit on 16amThu, 16 Jan 2014 02:06:36 -0600kbamkAmerica/Chicago by darkbake because: (no reason given)

Why did you edit out your comment about things that fill the Vacuum, Darkbake?
I rather liked it, and thought it opened up things for further discussion.


Mike

reply to post by Aphorism


S&F for a thinking post. You put into words something that was bothering me after speaking to a couple of my neighbours who called into introduce themselves. They had led interesting careers and lives which they have carved out for themselves yet, these individuals seemed to think that as they were noticing the signs of ageing, they should be looking for some kind of religion to observe.

Initially I thought it was because they were worrying about arriving at the Pearly Gates etc but it seemed more than that, it is almost as though they considered they had used their own ingenuity and now it was time to simply sidle into the norm with the rest of the congregation - only which one to choose? When I asked why did they think a religion, which they had managed without very well would alter or enrich their lives further, it seemed almost 'conditioned' into their psyche was all their replies seemed to infer.

You focused on the external things - Gods - people today seem to worship and I am wondering if this turning off their successful track they had followed, for my neighbours, is really a returning to the conditioning they could not escape from as children during their informative years.

What has always puzzled me is the real meaning of 'worship'. I seem to have a personal problem with the whole concept of worship. Its always portrayed as man kneeling before something bigger than man but not defined so easily if one looks with one's preconditioned eyes at the object of worship. I understand how: I love, I admire and the principles I wish to emanate but worship seems something else that eludes me - I can't put it down to ego because I know there are others out there who are far better than I at things . I appreciate - but worship as through the Desert religions which is the root of my conditioning doesn't arouse any concept or urge to worship.

The inner peace I seem to have learned to settle into, especially if I go to my local henge is something coming from inside me, when I was part of a 'worshipping' congregation that was not about peace or spiritual fulfillment, it was about what was going on and the ritual which, once finished, we then had a cup of tea and went off. This revival you see seems as though the 'collective we' are going backwards. The Chinese have a saying, 'wherever you go there you are again', its almost as though we were once 'programmed' into going round and round only.

Interesting topic, i was actually thinking about this recently.
By removing metaphysical self appreciation from the ritual of most modern practices, you lose one of the redeeming qualites of religion, worse than reduce it to a social convention. It becomes nothing more than a sham of spiritual learning.

Think for a moment what this world would be like without religion.. seems nice?
Despite the horrors religious fanaticism has bestowed upon the planet,
i FIRMLY believe that religion is for humanity much like the angst and pain and loneliness of being a teenager.

Only by being purged in the fires of indecison can we truly decide who and what we are.

Aphorism

This is what modern metaphysics has become. It awaits a time for when everyone becomes a metaphysician, and interpreters of their own lives, rather than to live in the shadow of another's, as in all religions.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I have enjoyed the post.
I like how you closed it with the above statement.

reply to post by Aphorism


Good thinking batboy! Enjoyed that.

Had to do a survey yesterday. One of the questions was 'Religion' with only the barest options and an 'other' with text. This caused serious CPU over locking on my side!

Religion? NOOOO not that. Living , rich, direct experience and learning from of so many useful half truths scattered amongst all the major and many minor traditions? Sure. But a paragraph won't do.....

So finally I settled for 'Dzogchen Gnostism' but that is such a small part of the story.

People may believe what they want. After all their path's are theirs and we have our own while the may intertwine and mingle one thing for all these people is certain. Death. An end to their road. This fear of death is what leads some people into religion. Not always because they care about the greater good but because they see it as insurance, a way to be like all those who believe, a chance to be normal and go with the flow instead of finding what's right for them.

This is not a utopian society. Division will continue to be weaponized until we no longer feel the need to conquer.

Why are you trying to link metaphysics to religion? There are PLENTY of people who believe in pursuing metaphysical knowledge who have no interest in "religion" or "God."

Just because someone believes in reincarnation, an eternal soul, does NOT make them "religious", nor does it have anything necessarily to do with God.

It's just PHYSICS.

wildtimes
Why are you trying to link metaphysics to religion? There are PLENTY of people who believe in pursuing metaphysical knowledge who have no interest in "religion" or "God."

I think you are, once again, trying to pick a fight.

Just because someone believes in reincarnation, an eternal soul, does NOT make them "religious", nor does it have anything necessarily to do with God.

It's just PHYSICS.

On the contrary, I think Aphorism is giving us a reason NOT to fight. Regardless of what disagreements lie between this form of spirituality and that form, they were both made by someone who had a heart, a mind, who had free will, who had dreams and hopes and fears. Someone, in other words, like you and me. Someone who dared to find meaning. And even if they paint a Mona Lisa and you paint The Last Supper, both paintings are worth something. Both were made with the paint of metaphysics on the canvas of imagination. Both are products of vision. Both paintings remind us that there is something beautiful in the world, if you know how to look. Who cares if you looked in that bush while I look under this rock and someone else looks to the sky? If we all come back with something to share and delight over, we've done something. We've succeeded, in some way.

I might be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that was the point Aphorism was trying to make.

reply to post by Aphorism


Whoop ~ Whoop!!! S n F~

deleted

Aphorism

Yet there is a religious revival, an erroneous desire to see this lineage of ideas cut and divided into “materialism vs. idealism”, “skeptic vs believer”, “christian vs. atheist”, democrat vs. republican, man vs. man, once again satisfying that need to quantize, separate bit by bit the universe and ourselves into this or that label, and in the process, breeding contempt for the labels we do not share, and those who rally beneath them.

It's isn't erroneous, and it isn't a desire. Conflict is part of nature, and conflicting ideas are natural. They arise, they conflict, and they evolve whether we desire it or not. You yourself take a side and contribute to this conflict every time you make one of your anti-spirituality threads or posts regardless of how subtle they are. So, this thread might be a tad bit hypocritical.

reply to post by wildtimes

Why are you trying to link metaphysics to religion? There are PLENTY of people who believe in pursuing metaphysical knowledge who have no interest in "religion" or "God."

I think you are, once again, trying to pick a fight.

Just because someone believes in reincarnation, an eternal soul, does NOT make them "religious", nor does it have anything necessarily to do with God.

It's just PHYSICS.

I think you are picking the fight. Why so? These are my views, and they have no bearing on yours.

If your "truths" don't make you religious, why are you acting so religious about them?

I clearly stated that all metaphysical endeavours are beautiful. But they become marred by their advocates, who do not see them as artistic expression, but "truth" above all others.

reply to post by Aphorism


I deleted the offending sentence. About 3 hours ago.

Carry on.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Dead-on. It is refreshing to be understood.

reply to post by BlueMule

It's isn't erroneous, and it isn't a desire. Conflict is part of nature, and conflicting ideas are natural. They arise, they conflict, and they evolve whether we desire it or not. You yourself take a side and contribute to this conflict every time you make one of your anti-spirituality threads or posts regardless of how subtle they are. So, this thread might be a tad bit hypocritical.

Hypocrisy too is natural.

My anti-spiritual threads are pro-spiritual. Hows that for a contradiction?