In the West we have a few things that we hold sacred. We don’t tend to have a lot of respect for what others hold sacred. The idea that a cow could be a sacred symbol of life in the Eastern religion of Hinduism, or that ancient religions worshiped the sun or animals seems strange to most Westerners. Yet the stories of the Western/Abrahamic religions seem just as bizarre to one that wasn’t raised in those religion.
I am not a religious person, nor am I an atheist either. I wouldn’t consider myself to be an agnostic either. Perhaps in my past I was one of these, but I’ve moved on to the point where I don’t really care. I think whatever brings people peace and hope, as long as it isn’t interfering with another’s sense of peace and hope, is fine. It is a tough and weird world that is only advancing in degrees. So whatever helps you get through this life with a bit more comfort has utility.
The religious practices and traditions of the East are not given the same credence in the West as the Western/Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Western religions largely seeing your spiritual journey as an adherence to an outside force. These religions base most of their dogma and ideology on the assumption that there is one true god – their god. This god is all-knowing and powerful. Those that don’t believe this god to be the one and only true god are wrong.
Growth of the individual in these religions is tied to one’s relationship with their version of the Almighty. They see growth as being something that happens from without and not something that happens from within. One must do something outside themselves to find salvation. Be that needing the fear of a spiteful and vengeful god to keep them afraid from pursuing actions and behaviors outside the religion’s rules – Or – think of the Puritan ethos that still flows below the surface of most of American life. This Puritan idea being that only back-breaking work and a denial of our animal instincts is the path to salvation.
In contrast to that idea many of the Eastern religions have a focus on spiritual growth coming from within. So much so that a lot of Eastern religion is as much philosophy as it is religion. For example Buddhists have the Four Noble Truths at the foundation of their religion/philosophy. These are 1) Pain and suffering are universal and a guaranteed part of life, 2) the suffering is from our unexamined desires and ignorance, 3) there can be an end to that suffering – be that in this realm or the next, and 4) there is an established pathway to that salvation.
There is a lot more to it than just that, but even in that we can see the difference between the West and the East. In the Buddhist faith it is up to the individual to transcend worldly desires and find truth. There are texts and guides, but the transformation must come from within. There is no outside force, savior, or Almighty that will absolve you of your pain and deliver you to salvation. One can only be shown the path. The individual must walk it and do the work. Kind of like how most physical ailments can be cured by a lifestyle change, but a lot of people in the West still prefer a pill – even if that pill comes with a slew of unwanted side-effects.
The way to do this ‘self-work’ in the Eastern religions is through meditation and mindfulness practices – a quieting of the outside world. Putting in perspective the stream of thought associated with the modern world so that you can find your center and experience your true being. These methods and ancient practices facilitate connection to the natural world and order. They are called a ‘practice’ for a reason. This type of spiritual journey takes work and effort.
When done with intention and devotion these methods allow one to glimpse, or even touch, our natural state of connection to our planet and the beings we share it with. It does this by silencing the constant stream of thoughts we’ve been conditioned to believe are normal. In so doing we get to experience our natural state of being through temporary detachments from the story we tell ourselves about ourselves – the Ego or Self. It also pulls one deep into the present moment.
Another core tenet of Eastern religions is the connectedness of all beings and especially their universal connection with nature. The Eastern religions put a lot of stock in nature. The beauty and mystery of the natural world informs their beliefs, but it is largely ignored by the Western religions in favor of dogma and ritual that has been coopted by powerful people and institutions – kings and governments – to further their levels of control.
Very little about nature is stressed in these Western religions. I recall a faint alluding to being ‘brothers and sisters’ or being ‘good stewards of the earth’ in my Catholic past, but they were not of the first order. This concept of interconnectedness or being in harmony with nature are not major aspects of our Western religions.
The Eastern religions also tend to believe in the concept of reincarnation, which most in the west consider to be absolute nonsense. I believe subscribing to any absolutism is dangerous. This is particularly true with something like death in which we could never truly know what happens until we experience it is. The point here being that the Western religions and their devotees believe in one death story that is unable to be verified, but consider any other interpretation of the unknown to be inconceivable or barbaric.
This isn’t to say that the messiahs of the Western religions were wrong. The enlightened few that have been given the title of messiah have been spreading the same message of unity, respect, gratitude, love, and goodwill. Their message has just been hijacked by opportunists throughout history. Opportunists that want to morph these high ideals into a tool to further consolidate or increase their power and influence.
There is a path to salvation and it is unlikely that any of these religions of the East or West have it completely right. Together they are all pointing to one thing and that one thing is – respect and love for everyone. It seems to me that the Eastern religions are closer to realizing this than the Western ones could ever be.
I appreciate your attention and hope you’ve found value in this.
Thanks for reading and take care of each other.
Billy's Briefs 