Entries in the 'Religion' Category

In 2070, Islam Will Be The Leading Religion In The World

Laitman_182_02In the News (from PewResearchCenter): “The expected growth of Islam around the world is perhaps the most striking finding in the recent Pew Research Center report projecting the future of religious groups. Indeed, Muslims will grow more than twice as fast as the overall world population between 2010 and 2050 and, in the second half of this century, will likely surpass Christians as the world’s largest religious group. …

“While the world’s population is projected to grow 35% in the coming decades, the number of Muslims is expected to increase by 73% – from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.8 billion in 2050. In 2010, Muslims made up 23.2% of the global population. Four decades later, they are expected to make up about three-in-ten of the world’s people (29.7%). …

“More than a third of Muslims are concentrated in Africa and the Middle East, regions that are projected to have the biggest population increases.”

My Comment: It is said in Kabbalah that before the coming of the Messiah (enlightenment of humanity), Islam will dominate the world and foment wars on all continents. See the book At The End Of Days.

This is a prerequisite for manifestation of darkness before the light, as it is written that light is revealed out of darkness, and how the liberation of collective egoism took place in Egyptian darkness.
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laitman_229Confucianism, Religion and Society

Question: Today, Singapore, Macao, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, countries where the majority of the population are Chinese, is a rapidly developing area. Is it related to special psychological attributes or philosophies of the Chinese people? After all, Confucianism is the basis of their philosophy, which includes loyalty to the nation, moderation, and keeping the law.

Answer: Yes, it is relevant and significant to some extent since Confucianism replaces the religions that are the basis of religious ritual in the other countries in Asia and Europe. Confucianism is the religion of the society. The state and the society become a person’s god, and the person becomes their servant. Confucius laid the foundation of a serious system that matches the nature of the nation that is expressed in unlimited loyalty to society and one’s readiness to give up everything he has for its sake.

The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Confucianism

Question: Can we see any connection between Confucianism and the wisdom of Kabbalah in any way, in that one of the important components of this psychology or philosophy is the ability to postpone consumption to the next day? Even today, there are rigid laws in Singapore that regulate consumption. If you make more than a certain sum of money, you cannot spend it on yourself, but must give it to some special fund that saves it for your education, health care, and future pension. This means that everything comes down to norms of wise consumption.

Answer: That’s true. You have brought up a very important point: the connection between the wisdom of Kabbalah and Confucianism. The wisdom of Kabbalah calls for love thy friend as thyself. If we dig more deeply into Confucianism, we will see that it also aspires to the unity of the people and to providing its basic, normal needs, while everything that exceeds a person’s normal needs must be directed to the benefit of society.

Question: It is actually thanks to such funds that the economy in Singapore is flourishing so rapidly. You invest your money for your future, and it is invested in developing the economy, which, in its turn, leads to raising the standard of living of every member in society.

Answer: Unfortunately, the attempts made in China, Singapore, and other countries will collapse eventually because they are disconnected from nature. Their current situation is temporary, and it will hold on until the egoism in society grows to such an extent that they will not be able to remain in the old frameworks and existing laws. This will lead to large-scale bribery and thefts that we haven’t seen even in Russia and in the US.

Question: However, there are still people among the leaders of these countries who understand the impending danger. The current Chinese president, for example, is fighting corruption like no one before him ever did.

Answer: They will not be able to do anything unless they renew the educational values of the nation. It isn’t about a new Chinese education, but Kabbalistic education. A person should feel that he can reach a new level of development through education and at the same time he earns his eternal state. If he doesn’t, he will rot like an animal. It is one of the two. People gladly will agree to limit themselves on the corporeal level for such a reward because it promises only positive outcomes, being the sensible form of consumption, and will be more considerate of others since they will feel that it is in the connection with others that they can acquire the agreement, the framework, in which they will feel the next dimension.

The Constitution of Israel: Love Thy Friend As Thyself

Question: I didn’t bring up these countries as a random example. It is because it is easier to illustrate certain benefits in a small geographical area. Can your idea be demonstrated in Israel first?

Answer: I would be glad to implement this idea among the Chinese and in other remote places, but it can only work in Israel with its egoistic, stubborn people. Because it is from this nation that such ideas will pass on to the entire world. I believe that it is only by working with our people that we will feel the urgent need for a change in paradigm, of the actual basis of our world view and our attitude to ourselves, to the state, to the nation, and to the world. At the moment, we don’t have all that; at the moment there is no nation and no state.

Question: There is still no constitution in Israel.

Answer: There is actually an old constitution. It is concealed in the basics of the wisdom of Kabbalah: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” I believe that we will be able to fulfill it in our lives when we approach all the sectors of the nation, to meet with them, talk to them, not through approaching the government.
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From KabTV’s “Conversations with Michael Laitman” 4/1/15

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True Religion And The Religion Of Exile

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: As I understand it, the wisdom of Kabbalah came from Judaism and all of the Kabbalists of the past were very religious. What is the real connection between the wisdom of Kabbalah and religion?

Answer: The wisdom of Kabbalah is the foundation of true “religion.” Baal HaSulam writes about this in the article, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose.”

The three major religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are based upon the teachings of our father Abraham. But Abraham specifically discovered the wisdom of Kabbalah, which is the foundation of all religions, and he described his discovery in the Kabbalistic book, Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation).

The main principle of the religion that was discovered by Abraham is “And you shall love your friend as yourself.” So it is also written, “And you shall love your friend as yourself is the great general rule of the Torah.” In principle, this is meant in every sense. Or minimally: “What is hateful to you, don’t do to your friend.”

The entire Torah speaks about good relationships between people. Relationships of this kind existed among the people of Israel before the destruction of the second Beit HaMikdash (Temple) 2,000 years ago, which was destroyed because of the sudden eruption of unfounded hatred.

Everything revolves around only one point: Good or bad attitudes among the Jews determine what will happen with them and the entire world in general. This is precisely the reason for anti-Semitism; it is because the Jewish people cannot reach agreement among themselves and because of this the whole world suffers.

The wisdom of Kabbalah is involved only with how to attain the right connection between us, and this is the foundation of the entire religion. And what has been considered religion in the last 2,000 years is the maintenance of all kinds of traditions that seem to be enough for people.

This is the form religion takes in exile when we were separated from the principle of “And you shall love your friend as yourself,” from the yearning to unite. This is the form in which the Jewish people had to ripen for 2,000 years, to go out to the nations of the world and be mingled with them, and after that to return to their land.

But after we physically returned to the land of Israel, we needed to revive the wisdom of Kabbalah, so that it would live among us and help us build a people and a nation in the same form as it once was: with love and unity between us.

There are no restrictions on this. If a person studies the method of connection, it makes no difference if he is religious or secular, what country or community he came from, or if a person is a man or a woman. Everyone must study this method and as soon as possible because our good future depends upon this.

The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches us how to realize this unity, and in a practical manner makes feeling this possible during the workshops and in the connection in the discussion circles that we have brought everywhere. Thousands of people have already participated in our roundtables, and they feel that within half an hour of discussion according to the method of the wisdom of Kabbalah, they suddenly experienced an unusual feeling, an illuminating, an awakening of inspiration and warmth. And this feeling spreads to all the participants.

Comment: I was able to participate in these roundtable workshops that were transmitted according to the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. And I remember that in the beginning the people who gathered were very skeptical and even cynical, they regretted the time they were wasting. But at the end of the evening, people simply floated from excitement and emotion, they were moved to tears and embraced each other. This was an outbreak of vital force and warmth that melted all of the ice and indifference that separates our hearts.
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From Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 2/15/15

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Love Expands This Narrow World

Laitman_712_03Question: You said that the wisdom of Kabbalah is an internal part of the Torah. Does this mean that Kabbalah refers to religion?

Answer: Due to the study of Kabbalah, a person completely changes one’s perception of reality and begins to take a different attitude to one’s familiar concepts. The Torah refers to the use of force of the Inner Light, its correction, and rise above the current perception of reality.

The fact that a person reaches the love of neighbor, takes one out of his limited and confined world into a spacious, eternal, and higher world. This technique allows a person to really begin to live in a completely new world, and not just to psychologically calm oneself. A person moves from one world to another, changes one’s organs of perception that depict one’s entire worldview.
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From the Radio Program Israeli 103FM, 2/8/15

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How To Succeed In The School Of Life

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I am a real practical person, one that does not believe in any higher power or  in anything else. I just want to know how to gain power over luck.

Answer: You can rule over luck if you change yourself to be like the power of luck.

Question: What if I am an atheist, can I rule over the good fortune according to your method?

Answer: It is not related to faith. It is a technique by which practical, pragmatic people who want to succeed in life reach a result much quicker.

Question: How can I rule over luck?

Answer: The force that moves you throughout life does not change. You have to become like the force. Just like a child who does not want to go to school has to change his view, his direction.

A child needs to see that if he changes himself to fit the grade he is in, does not want to change the grade according to him, but, if he sits quietly and studies, does his homework, then he can achieve a great goal as a result.

Question: As I understand it, the purpose of this whole school of life is to teach me to love?

Answer: It is true; there is nothing other than that. It is written, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” is the main rule of the entire Torah.”

What can one gain by doing this? While reaching the properties of love you connect to a higher power and reach the same state in which this power resides in eternity and perfection, without any restrictions.

Question: Who is the supreme power in your example about school? Is it the principal?

Answer: Imagine that there is someone above the school principal, eternal and perfect. And he wishes for you to reach the same condition as him, to become eternal and perfect, at the expense of his internal changes, its internal transformation. When? Here and now! After all, there is no time and  everything depends on your effort and perseverance.

Question: What is a higher power?

Answer: A higher power is the comprehensive, sole force of nature, in addition to which there is nothing. And we are all in it. We exist only because this force is the power of love and bestowal, and we should reach the same state in which it resides.

We will reach it, since due to this force, we receive the Torah, the so-called Light that Reforms, a Kabbalah methodology, by which we can easily change ourselves to become like the power of luck.

Anyone who wants to gain power over the good fortune has to come to Kabbalah, and learn how to have good luck all the time.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/08/15

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On The Ocean Of Wisdom

Laitman_083Cloud Storage?

Question: Recently, we hear more and more about how to communicate with higher powers, with the information field of the universe.

One of the modern approaches that promise such a communication channel is called “channeling.” It is based, by definition, on the concept of a higher reality with which we establish contact.

By analogy, we can refer to the example of cloud storage data with remote access to its content.

This opens up a rich field for imagination, a real “virgin land,” which is cultivated in front of us.

Dozens of books have been written on this subject and it has attracted considerable interest. Is there a grain of truth in it? Are there any “clouds” of a higher order? Can I enter the password and enter into a system of global knowledge?

Answer: The place where we exist, of course, contains a huge amount of knowledge. As we are developing, we connect to this “storage,” become fueled by it and get ahead in life.

At the same time, we discover something new for ourselves, what we did not know previously. But, from an objective point of view, these phenomena are not new. They have existed in nature since the formation of the Universe or the later stages of development. We do not invent novelties, but perceive what exists.

That is why Newton compared himself to a child who is playing on the seashore, “…I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” Such is the measure of our knowledge of the universe. All our science is tiny attempts to communicate with the ocean of wisdom.

Tunnel Vision of Our Own Nature

In fact, we know almost nothing about ourselves; we do not know the mechanism of our perception of reality. We understand only that the picture that appears before our eyes is extremely limited by our senses.

This range is so narrow that even we cannot imagine qualitatively different sensations. We would like to expand the horizons, but, by its nature, we do not just need the “supplements,” like a dog does not need a fifth leg.

Sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch restrict me by their apparent sufficiency. As a result, I see a tiny fragment of the magnificent painting imbued with infinite frequencies and infinite information. Numerous “curtains” distort even this piece before it appears in my sensation.

In fact, it is not about external reality. When I see a tree in front of my eyes, my eyes perceive not even it, but the waves, the data of which passes within me through electrical and chemical “converters,” until they outline as the form that is called a “tree.” I have no idea what is outside, outside of me, and if there is something at all or that the “tree” is a part of me.

The theme of communication with certain forces or phenomena is full of unanswered questions. The problem is that there is nothing to investigate, nothing to discuss, because we are not able to be outside of our sense organs.

Therefore, “channeling” is what is called a “wild area,” where everyone can declare what he wants and no one’s correctness is provable “by definition.”

There have been many people searching for channels of communication with the higher forces. Compared with the previous periods of prosperity, today this sphere looks modest, but still it brings revenue.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/29/15

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The Angel Fights

laitman_628_3A Good Angel

Question: Is it possible to somehow “make” a “good angel” that will protect me?

Answer: Yes, you can do it if you start changing and establishing good relationships with others. In this case, you are activating “good angels,” which will be around you and you will be protected.

Question: How can I contact these “good angels”?

Answer:  This is your own strength. You find them inside yourself, replacing the negativity towards the others that is inherent within you.

Each of us comes from a broken vessel from the shattering of the “sin of the Tree of Knowledge.” That’s why we have 613 corrupt, selfish desires. We must re-build these desires to the best of our ability and improve them as much as possible.

So far, we are unable to identify, list, or find each base egoistic desire separately. However, with the help of the wisdom of Kabbalah, we can learn how to relate to each other in a positive friendly way.

Getting to Paradise

By acting so, you change your reality. In other words, all of a sudden we begin sensing that we live in a wonderful world, in real paradise! In order to get to paradise, we don’t have to die. A state of being in paradise doesn’t have anything to do with corporeal life or death. In order to get to the “Garden of Eden,” we have to recreate it ourselves. Each one of us is capable of doing so.

We must transform our bad, egoistic powers into bestowal. At least, we should try not to hurt our neighbors. Even though we are yet incapable of giving them our love, the state of “positive neutrality” allows us to rise to the level of paradise that in Kabbalah is called Bina, desire of mercy (Hafetz Hesed): I don’t need anything from anybody, nor do I want to hurt anybody.

Thus, I transform my “bad angels” to “good ones.” I am full of desires and thoughts that constantly come and go. I have to permanently maintain a major aspiration: converting my desires from evil to benevolent. At the same time, the scale of what’s good or bad should be based solely on my attitude to my neighbors.

In order to transform bad “angels” to good ones, meaning to re-orient our egoistic impulses and make them beneficial for others, we have to trigger the upper force. For that, we have to work in a special group of Kabbalists who interact with the Light since it is the force that changes our selfish urges from negative to positive.

Spiritual Firewall

Question: Is it possible to control a general system, “a network of angels”?

Answer: There are people who can easily influence you. They are capable of scaring you or using you in a certain way.

General systems in which we all are interconnected as one whole act this way. This phenomenon allows each person to impact others.

As an example, an elementary school teacher who has a big influence over his students can cause various sensations in them. He can either agitate or calm them down. It depends on the difference between the conditions he creates for them that in their eyes are either psychologically advantageous or disadvantageous. Generally speaking, we are talking about materialistic psychology. Kabbalah is its continuation.

Question: So, does it mean that I still have to be cautious of these things? Is there anybody out there who is capable of influencing the nodes in the general system that are directly connected with me?

Answer: Of course, there are people who by nature possess tremendous powers. We can bring totally negative examples such as Hitler or Stalin. Besides, some individuals really possess the ability to predict the future. Through them, the upper force activates a general historic process. They never act on their own. Moreover, they often feel that they are being used without having any freedom of will.

On the other hand, we can defend ourselves from evil influences by activating benevolent forces. In this case, we form a “protective shell” around us.

Our security depends on the degree of positivism we bring to others. No matter how much “poison,” hatred, or filth is around us, we remain out of their reach since we rise to the level of Hafetz Hesed and do not wish bad things to others. All we aspire to is bestowal. It is our “secure firewall.”
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/18/15

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laitman_232_05The Evil Eye of Egoism

Question: Can using the powers that are associated with the wisdom of Kabbalah be harmful in any way? Can we hurt anyone by implementing these powers, let’s say, “jinx or curse” anyone?

Answer: No, never! These forces are always benevolent. We want to become better and use positive energy to influence the Light’s system. The latter impacts us and corrects our ego.

If our intentions are bad, we won’t be capable of influencing the system of the Light since we are completely opposite to it. All we can do is mercenarily (selfishly) use the structure that is built-in us. Accordingly, if we use wicked, egoistic powers against the still, vegetative, and animate nature or people, our actions would be called “the evil eye.” Our desire to profit at the expense of others or simply to hurt someone is the real “curse.”

The wisdom of Kabbalah explains that there are two options:

  • We act to the detriment of others
  • We act for the benefit of others.

We implement the first option “by default”; a powerful negative desire can actually damage others. Let’s say, I want someone to feel bad. This desire activates my wicked connection and amplifies negative energy.

The Kingdom of Angels

Question: Let’s say, one person wants bad to happen to me, but another one wishes me good. What will come out of this?

Answer: The result depends on many factors, but they will have two kinds of effects on you, both good and bad at the same time. Events that take place in our lives are the results of the confrontation among numerous forces that act within a general network. These forces can be named differently, but often they are called “angels.” No matter how they are named, the essence remains the same.

It’s not about our belief in “guardian angels”; rather, it’s about the scientific study of actual forces that act in nature. The wisdom of Kabbalah explores them as other scientific disciplines study atomic structure, climate, etc. One way or the other, all sciences engage in exploring numerous forces.

So, an “angel” in Kabbalah is “a force.” For example, there is an “angel” who attracts objects to Earth. It is called gravity.

The forces of the still, vegetative, and animate nature, both material and spiritual, are called “angels” (Malachim). The word derives from “Malchut,” which means a specific power (a Kingdom). According to their functions, “angels” can be quite different. They have numerous titles including “demons” and “spirits.” All of them represent our properties and basic internal qualities.

A human soul is higher than angels. Thus, a human being (Adam) is higher than “angels” because people are capable of changing if they engage in self-correction and develop above their basic, built-in limitations.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/18/15

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laitman_207Witchcraft Forgery

Question: Our understanding of magic and witchcraft seriously expanded at the beginning of this era. Many people believe in or actively refute these issues. It confirms their interest in the topic.

How does the wisdom of Kabbalah relate to these issues? Can we implement benevolent, positive forces by using witchcraft or magic? Can we make our lives better with their help?

Answer: First of all, if not for the wisdom of Kabbalah, we would never have a modern-day understanding of what witchcraft or supernatural phenomena are. They are “borrowed” and then re-structured from the wisdom of Kabbalah and its exploration of how desires that represent the power of a human soul can be used.

The Network’s Enchantment

Let’s get to the point. We are interconnected with each other in a corrupt way. In general, our connection is pure egoism. As a result, evil forces generate the overall system of human relationships: Each one of us pursues personal benefit and doesn’t care about the society. We always try to take advantage of everything that surrounds us.

Humans are not to blame for being selfish since to begin with we are completely submerged in an egoistic nature. However, we are guilty of not using the wisdom of Kabbalah. The Jews should be remorseful more than others since we neglect the science of Kabbalah, whereas with the help of this wisdom we would be able to transform our connection from an evil network to a benevolent one.

According to Kabbalah, this is a positive way of using “supernatural powers,” i.e., transforming relationships between us from negative to positive. We cannot turn them “upside down” since it is an external system for us. Nowadays, the way we are connected make us treat each other quite poorly.

In order to change the current state of affairs and establish good relationships between all of us, we have to use a special force called “the Upper Force,” “the Creator,” “God,” or “Nature.” The impact of the force that we are trying to trigger in the wisdom of Kabbalah is called the “Light.”

It is said: “I created the evil inclination and I created the Torah as a spice.” In other words, egoism governs us; still there is a way to take advantage of the system that can correct our relationships. The power of the Light descends to our egoistic structure and improves it. As a result, a benevolent network appears among us.

This is exactly how we should use the wisdom of Kabbalah and the Torah, the essence of which lies in the principle “love thy neighbor as thyself,” i.e., creating benevolent relationships between all people.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/11/15

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Access To The Fate Control Console

laitman_277Question: How do I get access to a console that controls the film of life?

Answer: It is necessary to rise above your egoism to where your thoughts, desires, forces, and actions all aimed at bestowal are and not towards their own benefit. A life at such a height requires that you make a restriction of your egoism and acquire an anti-egoistic screen, to enclose yourself with a shield, ensuring that you will never think about any action for your own sake. If you are protected against egoistic intentions, then you will be allowed to enter there.

Question: Whose benefit will I be thinking of if not about my own?

Answer: You will be thinking about the benefit of the whole overall program, its correct, good, and fast implementation for the good of all creatures. If you are going to dream about it, you will be able to come to it. After all, this is when you will be able to join the forces that are called “angels” actively participating in their work.

Question: Is it scary to reveal angels?

Answer: There is nothing to worry about. Angels are just a force, as if all of the powers of this world. You will learn to use them, and they will begin to listen to you. The forces of nature are called angels. The force of gravity is also an angel.

You come into the control room of all creation to participate in its management, along with all the other forces of nature for the benefit of humanity, promoting it to the desired goal. After entering there, you will be obliged to arm yourself with the power of love. Then you will use all available forces there for the benefit of all mankind.

Question: Do I get the power not only over my own destiny, but also the power over the fate of all the others?

Answer: You will not be interested in your personal destiny; you will take care of all of humanity, all souls. You will gain control of the entire program of creation in order to promote it by the Light that is directed towards the good development.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/11/15

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