A Statement: The Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, Jonathan Sacks, wrote a book on “How to Avoid the Clash of Civilizations.” According to Rabbi Sacks, all religions should be recognized as genuine. Of course, fundamentalists anathematized the book, and charged Rabbi Sacks with heresy.

My Opinion: All this happens because people consider religions to be “genuine,” possessing absolute higher knowledge, instead of an expression of culture and peoples’ way of life. Religions were invented by people. There’s no reason to credit them as being anything more than clubs, which people turn to for psychological help in our unstable lives. There’s good in them, but nothing divine or genuine!

Article by Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose” (note that in this article, when Baal HaSulam says “religion,” he means Kabbalah)

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Question for ML: While in exile, Kabbalists kept the secrets of Kabbalah hidden on the account of society not being ready for them. As a result, upshots of egoism generated religion within society, in order to save the nation. I have been studying with you for two years via the Internet and books, and the more I study, the more I understand, especially when I repeat.

Why did Kabbalists lead humanity to a way of thinking that is opposite to Kabbalah? As a religious person, I live by the principles of faith, physical commandments, and putting my soul into this work, and I suddenly come to understand that all our definitions are based on egoism? Is that not deceit? I feel myself cheated and betrayed. I don’t want to write too much, I hope that my question is clear…

My Answer: The purpose of creation is to create the ego and grow it to an unbearable limit, at which moment we realize the need to rise above our ego, and build new relationships of bestowal and love by OURSELVES (in ourselves and our surroundings). Kabbalists look painfully (the suffering of Shechina) upon humanity’s suffering, and help as much as they can without interfering in the independence of correction. In general, Kabbalists needed to wait until humanity matured, in our era, to disclose Kabbalah to everyone. Today, anyone can learn about the purpose of creation, the reason for our present situation, and about our final, already-existing goal. We have free will only from toward onward, and our free will lies in choosing one of two paths (either allowing suffering to push us against our will, or through a conscious desire) to reach the purpose of creation – equivalence with the Creator.

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The Crisis of Buddhism in Japan

“‘Many of us priests share the sense of crisis, and a need to do something to reach out to people,’ said Kosuke Kikkawa, a 37 year old priest. ‘We won’t change Buddha’s teachings, but perhaps we need a different presentation that can touch the feelings of the people today.’

More than 1,200 years after it first arrived from mainland Asia, Buddhism in Japan is in crisis, priests say.

Almost three-quarters of Japan’s population of 120 million are registered as Buddhist, but for many, the only time they enter a temple is to attend a funeral. That has sent many of the country’s 75,000 temples into financial trouble.”

What’s your opinion? Aren’t all of the world’s religions and faiths currently in the same situation?

My Current Mood: satisfied

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