A New Personal-Development

Maybe self-improvement isn't the answer.... Maybe self-destruction is the answer.  ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

How do you partake in personal development, if self-destruction is the answer? Eckhart Tolle’s spiritual insight and Owen Cook’s ‘Real Social Dynamics’ seem to be part of a new genre of personal development where the goal is actually to destroy the ‘self’.

The old models of self-improvement seem to emphasize self-esteem through building up the ego. Eckhart Tolle, in his books “The Power of Now” and “A New Earth”, is quick to determine the ego as the target of destruction. In his books, the ego represents a ‘false self’ constructed by social conditioning upon which the identity of the individual rests. This identification is said to be the root of all human struggles; we are constantly trying to reinforce our positive sense of self by reacting against all those who threaten the boundaries of our ‘self' concept’.

What does it mean to enact self-destruction? Rather than trying to build up a sense of self by collecting more and more STUFF (material possessions, physical characteristics, belief-systems, and ideologies), the act of self-destruction says “screw it all".

The things you own end up owning you.  It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything.  ~Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

How does this relate to spiritual belief-systems? Having a belief-system is like owning a material possession. They say you are not complete without one; therefore, ‘dissatisfied lack’ is the default state of ones constructed reality. In the same way consumer culture constructs our desire to be ‘complete’ through commodities, spiritual belief-systems construct a reality where ‘lack’ characterizes the individual who is not able to identify themselves under a specific tradition.

The good news is that this reality does not apply to you if you are simply aware that it exists. This will also allow you to understand why so many religious people are quick to defend their faith; their sense of self depends on it.

Attacking someone's belief system is like attacking their sense of self in the same way that insulting their clothing may offend them. This is not to say we should avoid dialogue with religious people in fear of offending them; the opposite is the case. We should engage in conversations about spiritually more often. But remember, don’t be a dick.

The socially conditioned ‘self’ does not dissolve without a fight; attacking it will only make it stronger. The ‘self’ will sense threat, pump itself up, and come back bigger and stronger than before. Rather than setting up this reality of ‘battle’, the method of seduction is far more effective.

Be the change you want to see. Only when your own ego is dealt with will you be able to offer complete value to all you encounter. This state of being is the art of seduction (weather it be in the context of work, family-life, or dating). Arguing with religious persons for the sake of being right only builds your own sense of identity as superior. Rather than taking value in the form of argument, one must provide value in the form of careful dialogue. 

If value is light, taking value leads to darkness. We can not get rid of darkness with more darkness. When your sense of ‘self’ is not the measure of your value, the value you offer provides the basis for your happiness.

Beyond Atheism

You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. – Tyler Durden

You are not your belief system. You are not even your lack of a belief system. In the same way theists gain a sense of identity through their display of a belief system, atheists gain a sense of identity through their opposition to belief systems. Doesn’t this sound absurd?

I understand the word ‘atheist’ has served well in mobilizing an opposition to the harmful side of religion, but I say lets evolve.

Fuck off with your sofa units and string green stripe patterns, I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let... lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may. – Tyler Durden

Only when we can stop messing with the tasteless decor of outdated belief-systems, can we design a masterpiece. Lets focus on what we stand for, rather than what we don’t find fashionable. By fixating on the belief systems of others, we’re being drawn into their reality of identification. With identification comes boundaries, opposition, and a world full of resentment.

It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything. – Tyler Durden

It is not enough to lose rigid belief systems. Oppositional identities maintain the same belief as the failing “war on drugs”, “war on terror”, “war on crime” mentality; the belief that “we” have the truth, “they” are wrong and now we must stomp them out.

The days of “militant atheism” must come to an end before atheists spark the next ‘religious war’.

Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace... – John Lennon

When John Lennon talks about no countries and no religion, he is talking about no boundaries. Having “no religion” can not mean a world of atheists since atheists can only maintain their identity so long as theists still exist; an ‘us vs. them’ mentality is vital to defining yourself in opposition to an ‘other’.

Evolve. When boundaries are dissolved, the identity you hold will stop holding onto you.

Sam Richards: A radical experiment in empathy

Video and description from TEDTalks April 2011

By leading the Americans in his audience at TED step by step through the thought process, sociologist Sam Richards sets an extraordinary challenge: can they understand -- not approve of, but understand -- the motivations of an Iraqi insurgent? And by extension, can anyone truly understand and empathize with another?

Dalai Lama on Religion

"Developing love and compassion and reducing anger and spite is a universal activity which requires no faith in any religion whatsoever." - Dalai Lama

In a previous post I talked about the problem with modern religion in order to consider the potential ‘religion’ may hold as an institution. This quote from the Dalai Lama adds another layer to that critique. Don’t you find it ironic when you hear stories about angry religious people who are full of spite? I don’t think religion is inherently bad, but I find many people either miss the point or move away from it since they don’t see a point. Those who miss the point – at the most extreme level – are out protesting in anger and burning the holy books of other religions groups (See Terry Jones). Those who don’t see the point have most likely been turned off by religious extremists, or have been brought up in sterile traditions which shove morality down your throat – or both. So what’s this point I’m talking about.

The point is increasing happiness – what we all look for anyway – through cultivating ‘love’ –Basically learning how to love harder. Now If you’re skeptical, let me explain. As Plato’s Socrates said, the highest purpose of love is to become a lover of wisdom – for him this is equivalent to becoming a philosopher. Wisdom, in its mystic sense, can be found at the core of each religion – hence the term ‘wisdom tradition’. If you strip religion of all its doctrine, hierarchies, and ‘unwavering’ laws, you will be left with its core ‘wisdom’.

By wisdom I don’t mean hidden rules or knowledge; I mean practices – particularly, practices which cultivate love. The benefits of specific practices can be seen in within the field of positive pychology (click to view insights into Buddhist practices). Loving-kindness meditation is actually considered a practice of Buddhism. This is not limited to Buddhism, but can also be found in Christian monasticism and several other religions. When you get down to this level of religion, it begins to lose its strong attachment to faith, authority, and other modern institutional structures.

So how does this relate to the Dalai Lama’s quote? He says love and compassion “requires no faith in any religion whatsoever." He has also said “kindness is my religion”. By equating religion with kindness, this eliminates the institutional structure altogether. If religion becomes ‘kindness’, where is the need for faith? The alternative to focusing on faith – which presupposes knowledge and laws – is the focus is on practices which are a tool for growth. Of course, this is a break from ‘religion’ as we commonly know it.

Rather than being a mere part of the flock, over-determined by the laws of a master, one must make religion into ‘kindness’; only then can freedom and individual growth begin to occur. On that note, I will end this post with another quote:

“All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness, the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.” – Dalai Lama

A Peaceful Stand Against Pastor Terry Jones

Photo Credit: Ian Kushnir

Hundreds of people from different faiths came together Thursday afternoon to take part in the opposition against Florida Pastor Terry Jones. The InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit organized the event, held at Dearborn's Islamic Center of America.

The ICA hosting committee greeted visitors at the door and provided head scarves for women upon entrance. Just before entering the main hall, a large white banner that covered a long table had a number of attendee signatures written on it. In the center of the hall laid a red carpet that led to center stage of the religious panelists. 

As people filed in to take their seats, smiles were exchanged and hugs were shared, giving the gathering a peaceful atmosphere. The attendees, though diverse in the faiths they practice, were unified in their message.
Exerpt from The Dearborn Patch

This is a sight I like to see: unity in difference. But here is a different perspective on the recent events. ‘Spirited Atheist’ Susan Jacoby Writes:

Respect for religion—any religion—is not required under American law, despite the wrongheaded idea that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. You can burn copies of the Torah, the New Testament, or the Koran…

There is absolutely no moral equivalency between the symbolic act of one demented pastor—who apparently commands a congregation of only 30 warped souls—and revenge killings abetted by the voices of so-called religious leaders in Afghanistan
Exerpt from The Washington Post

This is a reaction to the claims of those who blame Pastor Terry Jones for the revenge killings which resulted from his actions.

Of course there is no moral equivalency between disrespect and killings. Although respect for religion is not required by law, I stand for earned respect – those in Dearborn have earned respect and deserved to have been shown it. But lack of respect is not the main issue here; the issue is Jones’s hateful speech and actions. His actions are a perpetuation of a cycle of hate. Hate and anger only leads to more hate and anger.

But what about the interfaith gathering? This breaks from my logic of harm begetting harm. The gathering is significant because it is an example of a hateful action causing a positive reaction: a diverse community uniting. These are the reactions we need to see more often.

In the end, Paster Terry Jones is an example of a hateful person who will merely create more hate in those he is against – this is the downward spiral we need to watch out. Rather than engaging in negative reactions, we must first consider the harm we may be perpetuating. The interfaith response is an example of a path one must consider before engaging in protest.

Perhaps one day responses like this will not only be ‘interfaith’, but inter-faith/non-faith. What a day it will be when atheists will be welcome with arms-wide-open in a country were they are currently its #1 hated minority. Until then, all I can say is this: always consider your reactions; they can be part of the problem or part of the solution.

Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook

The Problem With Modern Religion

“For of the fast stage of this cultural development, it might well be truly said: ‘Specialists without spirit, sensualists without heart’” – Max Weber

Why keep talking about religion? Well, I think it has something to offer. There is something to be said about a regular collective gatherings which encourage states of intoxication. That’s right, states of group intoxication – and I’m not talking about the bar! This doesn't sound like the religion you know? Well that’s because modern religion has been sterilized, sanitized, and stripped away all the fun stuff – the bliss.

Max Weber’s quote appears in his book Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1908). It was written in response to a dramatic rise of modern ‘work ethic’. Basically, this ‘ethic’ consists of working as hard as you can to please God; but there’s a catch (there’s alllways a catch with God): you can’t enjoy any of the profit you earn from your work; it must be strictly invested and never used for pleasure. This is the modern ‘ascetic ideal’ – the same ideal Nietzsche hated. This ideal boils down to one thing: being completely rational and disciplined all the time wile avoiding any kind of pleasures.

So what’s wrong with being rational? Well, this is not you’re ordinary type of ‘rational’, this is extreme rationality where every action must be reflected upon for its instrumental utility. In pushing ones self so far in this direction one grossly neglects some of the most important things: passion, sensation, and emotion.

Now I’m not trying to get all ‘new agey’ here. I really think we need to start paying more attention to these other parts of the human experience. The protestant ethic did not disappear; it is alive and well in almost all religious and corporate institutions. The difference is that we no longer place God at the top (Nietzsche was right when he said God is dead). Money is our new object of worship.

So now what. How can we bring back passion to institutions that have been hollowed out? How can we bring meaning back to a sterilized zombie religion and a psychopathic corporate world? We don’t need a new God to save us; we need passion. We can learn a thing or two from the pre-modern world. We once thought of them an unhappy ‘primitive’ world which needed happy civilizing. I’m starting to wonder if we had it backwards.

Here are some clips to consider. Enjoy!

Human Planet: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12618167

Gross National Happiness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zqdqa4YNvI

What is Atheist Spirituality?

After a year and a half of writing on this seemingly oxymoronic subject, this question continuously arises. Although many past posts have attempted to clarify this concept, there has been constant development in my understanding.

How can there be an ‘atheist spirituality’? An answer can be developed through looking at the preconceptions we may have about the word ‘spirituality’. The word ‘spirituality’ is strongly, and unnecessarily, bound to ideas of religion, dualistic philosophies of transcendence, and dogmas demanding faith. In the modern era, spiritual practices have been largely institutionalized into formal faith categorizations. Spirituality has become the prime commodity of the religious institution. This association between religion an spirituality has become intensely entrenched in most modern cultures.

What about people claiming they are ‘spiritual but not religious’? Aside from increasing fundamentalism, there is a widespread lack of trust in religious institutions. The world is becoming more dichotomous; as fundamentalists become increasingly rebellious when faced with modern ideals. This influences modern individuals who are loosely religious to become sceptical of these institutions since they increasingly seen as being harmful. While continuing to practice spirituality on a personal level, many are disassociating themselves from religions which are developing a poor reputation. This personal belief or practice may still be entrenched in the dualisms of religion; therefore, it does not answer the question of an atheist spirituality.

What makes an atheist spirituality different? An atheist spirituality departs from the mainstream paradigm. It goes beyond ‘spiritual but not religious’ by rebelling against religious constructions. The philosophical shift from dualism to materialism can be illustrated by following historical ideas about the ‘soul’. Socrates can be noted as arriving at the necessity of the soul through questioning what is the user vs. the used. We may use a pen to write; therefore, the pen is the object (used) and the person is the subject (user). Socrates continues by asking: but isn't the hand used as well? and what about the eyes? Eventually, we may realize that everything on our body can be used – even our brains may be used to contemplate the process. This is where Socrates concludes that the user must be an immaterial soul. Fast forwarding, we can look at Cartesian dualism associating the soul with the ‘mind’. Descartes thinking-being of mind is the subject who acts on the objects of the profane bodies and earth. Fast forwarding again, we can see imminent conceptions of ‘God’ in the materialist philosophy of Spinoza. See his Ethics for extensive elaboration on this philosophical position. Deleuze, the most contemporary and my personal favourite, has written extensively on materialist philosophies of life; click ‘here’ to see a former post on Deleuze.

What does the materialist paradigm mean for ‘spiritual’ practice? This shift revolutionizes the dominate western conceptions of spirituality by changing all former definitions. The definition of ‘God’ is transformed into a pantheistic ‘God’ which Rickard Dawkins claims to be a “sexed up atheism”. Sin is no longer bound to transcendental judgment, but rather, becomes an individually autonomous ethics. Spiritual experiences of awe and wonder are no longer attributed to the presence of a divine entity, but rather, can be experienced through the glory of nature, evolution, and contemplating ones part in an infinitely unthinkable unfolding of life. Mystery of ‘God’ becomes the mystery of nature – a mystery which may infinitely extent its reach past our momentary understanding. Ritual becomes more than mere compliance for the sake of salvation, but a practice of affecting the mind-body (regarded as one) for the sake of happiness. Spirit is no longer the magic entity hovering somewhere in or around us, but rather, it is the human spirit: the spirit of love, joy, happiness, and peace. Although these virtues resemble those of Christianity, they are not seen as given by a God as a reward for good behaviour; rather, they are seen as virtues which come from within and can only be achieved in the present moment, not requiring a specific set of predetermined beliefs or rituals. Beliefs may be held, but are held loosely and not bound with one’s identity. Specific practices may be used, but their use is regarded as a way of changing one’s mental state. Mental states are also regarded as material since they rely on complex material interactions. An atheistic spiritual life is one of nomadic being, not clinging to fixed identity templates.

With all this said, openness to discovery may lead spiritual atheists in a multitude of directions. Since the joy is in the journey, future posts clarifying ‘atheist spirituality’ may differ from this one. Openness to experience is the way to ‘salvation’ in this search for spiritual complexity and life-fulfilling atheism.

Slavoj Zizek: Materialism and Theology (Series)

God Hates Haiti?

        With the recent horrible disaster in Haiti, some Christians feel it is the fault of the Haitian people for Practicing Voodoo. According to Lisa Miller at Newsweek, about half of Haitians practice Voodoo as a result of their African ancestry. The televangelist Pat Robertson, as well as a local priest in my area, and numerous others who hold fundamentalist beliefs maintain that the best explanation for this natural disaster is the sinful ways of the people themselves. This position is justified on the basis of the first commandment in the Bible. Pat Robertson claims:

“When the God of Israel thunders from his mountaintop that ‘you shall have no other gods before me,’ he means it. This God rains down disaster—floods and so forth—on those who disobey.

       This statement would have to conclude ‘God’ is vengeful and belligerent since the majority of those who died were Christian; many of them young children or infants. This gets to the heart of one of the bible’s most paradoxical assertions on the ‘nature of God’. If one accepts that God is omnipresent, all-powerful, and caring, it is imposable that any bad thing would happen to a good or innocent person. The only way to maintain a similar belief is to eliminate one of the three attributes and be left with a God that is:

Everywhere, Powerful, Does not care 
Not everywhere, Powerful, Does care 
Everywhere, Not powerful, Does care

This logic is found in the philosophical problem of evil when Epicurus States:

If a perfectly good god exists, then evil does not.
There is evil in the world.
Therefore, a perfectly good god does not exist.

       One must ask these questions before blindly accepting what some consider ‘the true nature of god’. In the face of such horrific disasters I am only reminded that the nature does not have a mind, bad things happen to good people in this chaotic world, and the only compelling case for God appears to be a deistic explanation (non-interventionist God). In times of hardship some people get angry at god; I get annoyed by those who believe there is a God to be angry with.

      With all this said, humans should not think they have figured out the true nature of God. Faith is the opposite of certainty, therefore if someone chooses to have faith, they must be willing to admit they are not certain. People like Pat Robertson need to stop pretending they know the divine reason why random events occur. Here’s a video on his claims, and the Haitian response:

       Here is a recent news update that further emphasizes how out of touch with reality religious groups can be:

Link: Solar-powered Bibles sent to Haiti

Technorati Tags: Haiti,Religion,Voodoo,Christianity,Philosophy

A Step in the Right Direction for Religion

The description of the book is as follows:

It's Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian

Millions of us look at religion and say, "No thanks, I’d rather be spiritual than religious." For those of us who feel like this, religion has been losing its credibility and relevance. But our departure from religion is simultaneously a departure from its rich treasures of spiritual practice, community, organized action, and hard lessons learned, often leaving us isolated, incoherent, and ill-equipped for our spiritual journeys. It’s Really All About God is a very personal story and a thrilling exploration of a redeeming, dynamic, and radically different way to hold one’s religion. Readers will deepen their religious identities while discovering God, goodness, and grace beyond their own religious boundaries.

Christmas is for Everyone

Here’s O’Reilly on recent Atheist Bus Ads:

 

Rather than Atheists having a problem with Christmas, as suggested by O’Reilly, they have a problem with being the #1 hated minority in America.  These Ad’s clearly suggest Atheists are merely trying to gain acceptance into a culture that is  full of misconceptions about them. Weather this was the best way to go about it is another question.  Backlash reports such as O’Reilly’s will only further deepen the negative image of Atheists.  If they are at all ‘anti Jesus’, their tactics would probably look a lot more like the aggressive anti-America displays of the Westborough Baptist Church. These atheist Ad’s couldn't be more passive in their approach with  inoffensive language and images suggesting holiday festivities. They are not telling Christians they are wrong for celebrating Christmas, but rather, they are trying to alter the cultural close-mindedness surrounding Atheists and their values. 

 

Here’s what atheists have to celebrate:

 

Although life should be a daily calibration of mere existence, Celebrating Christmas,  Hanukkah, the winter solstice, or any other religious or secular tradition, all represent this shared meaning of joy. Christmas (being the must dominant in America) is not necessarily a religious calibration, but rather, its origins suggest it is a secular festival built on Christian adaptations to a pagan tradition.  Call it what you want, its meaning amongst individuals who recognize the holiday is the only real measure of its worth. As Shakespeare said; “Does a rose by any other name not smell just as sweet?”  Understanding our shared humanity is the true meaning of Christmas.

Peace, Joy, and Love

Reactions: Problems with the Soul theory

The original post can be found at: Philo-Psycho Freedom.

          This critique of a specific dualist theory by Philo-Psycho Freedom gives us insight into several fundamental problems with many peoples idea of soul. Although, this critique is too narrow in its view on dualism. It addresses the most common dualist stance found in western religious teachings: that the soul being unique to humans, it has influence over ones personality, and it has a specific role in the afterlife. To begin contemplating the nature of the soul we must first recognize the several possible ways  in which it may exist.

          First of all, we should not limit the conversation to only one soul for each individual since some cultures believe we possess several souls. Second, we must contemplate the interaction between the soul and mind. I agree with Philo-Psycho Freedom in the assertion that the soul does not affect the mind. Though, we must consider whether the soul/ mind interaction is only one way; the mind affecting the soul, but soul not affecting the mind. Third, we must ponder the question of where the soul resides. Does it reside in a specific place within, outside, or fully immersing the body? Philo-Psycho Freedom raises a very important question about whether the soul is unique to humans. I personally like the idea that a soul exists in every living organism; we are merely highly developed minds possessing the rare ability to contemplate  what has eternally existed in the essence of all things.   Lastly, we must ask the question that gets to the heart of spiritual contemplation: what is the soul after death to the body? Does it die with the body, transcend with in-tact memory, transcend with no memory, or become the essence of another living organism?  These are the questions we must ask when contemplating the soul theory.

          There are a lot of questions with no simple answers. Although Philo-Psycho Freedom targets only a fraction of this complex topic, they provide a logical and compelling critique of the dominant cultural stance of the west on the nature of the soul. 

Tomorow's Spirituality

Ken Wilber talks about states and stages of the spiritual experience.

Whatever Works

This Woody Allan film does an amazing job illustrating the role random chance plays in our lives.

"... whatever love you can get and give, whatever happiness you can filtch or provide, every temporary measure of grace -- whatever works! Don't kid yourself, it is by no means up to your human ingenuity, a bigger part of your existence is luck. Christ, you know the odds of your father's one sperm from the billions finding the single egg that made you? Don't think about it or you'll have a panic attack!"
- Boris Yelnikoff, Whatever Works

*Special thanks to my girlfriend Adeline for recommending this film

God; the reflection of humanity

I come across many people who feel God created man in his image and who never considered that he may actually be created in ours. I will never get into the debate on whether God exists because I feel it is missing the point. I know no more than you, and you know no more than me whether there is a creator behind the universe. Everyone is entitled to their own personal belief (emphasizing the word personal). A problem only comes about when people say their God has specific characteristics and wants us to follow his perfect carefully laid out rules. Even worse, these 'divine morals' usually make their way into politics and encourage the subjugation of out-groups. This is clearly seen in protests by religious groups against gay marriage.

The fact that Gods from various religions have different morals tells us that it is society creating their God in order to suit value system of their own cultural context. Weather inspired by spirituality or maliciously calculated, humans create their god in a human image.

Religious moralizing of a culture is a reflection of what that culture holds valuable or sacred. We are socialized by our families, education, and religious affiliations; but the issue appears when this socialization becomes an iron cage of hollow morals. In some Islamic sects, deviating from certain religious beliefs can be punishable by death. This puts the person at a position to conform out of fear and defend their morals by appealing to authority. I like to call this eggshell moral syndrome.

Morals without attached personal meaning are like an eggshell without the whites and yolk: empty and fragile. When this type of person breaks away from the authority of their parents, or begin to question the objectivity of their religion, their moral compass loses its magnetic poles. Their moral captivity prevents them from developing meaningful moral beliefs.

Being encouraged to critically analyze our cultural value system is essential. It is necessary to take what is personally valued and attach meaning to it. Living a life of purpose and meaning consists of more than a simple appeal to authority.

The evolution of Ideas

Religion often resists evolution/ criticism, and serves a cultural bubble of outdated beliefs and ideologies. The appeal to divine authority allows this institution to avoid any criticism in justifying its actions that are unjust or unfit for modern society. The purpose of the blog is to debunk the common idea that religion and spirituality are inseparable. I will propose ideas on living a spiritual life without having to appeal to a theistic God. The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it. I hope you enjoy my evolving commentary on this path of discovery. 


The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. --  Marcel Proust