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[singhbj]

Choose freely, but don’t moralise choice

Common confusion of thought: that of equating life-choices with morality.

I can freely choose my beliefs, or lack of them. The problem arises when i seek to justify my choice by claiming for it a moral superiority over someone else’s choice.

Similarly, the neo-atheist who condemns all religion in the name of a secular morality is making the same mistake.

In a civilised society freedom of life-choice can be subject only to one moral injunction: that this life-choice is not harmful to others.

Marcus Aurelius said “Life is flux; all is opinion.” I can hold whatever opinion i choose, whether it’s on matters of religion, or ideology, or anything else, provided that my opinion does not cause injury to others. However, i cannot, or ought not to, try and justify my life-choice by adducing to it a moral legitimacy greater than that of other life-choices.

It is the conflation of life-choice with morality which is the root cause of the spiritual disease of intolerance which increasingly is afflicting societies the world over.

The moral of the story? Freely make your own life-choice. But don’t make it a standard of morality for everyone else.


Choose freely, but don’t moralise choice

 

[singhbj]

Why experience is greater than knowledge
Spirituality begins the moment we become curious.

Every day, we benefit from the knowledge of others. We use smartphones and GPS systems created by engineers. We eat food cultivated by farmers. We drive on roads and bridges that others have built and maintain. To thrive in modern society, we have to rely on others’ knowledge and expertise. When it comes to spirituality, however, a different modality applies. In spirituality, it is impossible to derive benefit from another person’s knowledge and experience. In spirituality, all will have to learn and experience for themselves.

We may study scriptures; we may listen to the wise words of various gurus. But words, though sometimes charming and inspiring, are yet powerless to transform us. They cannot make us experience the true state, embodied in the revered personalities of the past. If such is our aim, we must adopt a practical approach. Knowing about great truths will not help us. We must experience those truths for ourselves.

Until we experience something, it is natural to have doubts. But doubt should lead to curiosity. Instead, many of us repress our doubts out of shame or fear, replacing them with belief systems. Spirituality begins in the moment that we become curious. It begins when we face our doubts with courage. It is for those adventurous souls who declare, “Never mind what others may say — let me discover the truth for myself!” That is the attitude of a true seeker. For such seekers, Heartfulness is waiting. The message of Heartfulness is clear: experience is greater than knowledge. A practical path, its methods facilitate an infinite voyage of inner discovery.

Why experience is greater than knowledge