Month: January 2018

Human beings are inherently driven to evolve, which means that no matter what we have, it will never feel like enough. If money can buy things, then people will relentlessly pursue it, regardless of the lengths they have to go to obtain it. Interestingly, it doesn’t matter what we accumulate during our mortal lives, but rather what we consume during our temporary existence.

In a previous blog titled “Five Bucks,” I discussed how politics within social groups can devalue individuals, leading them to believe in their own insignificance. This belief makes it easier for groups to exert control over individuals.

When you buy into this political narrative, you lose your individual power and value to your social groups. The fear of having no money can drive individuals to commit crimes against their fellow humans or even to worship God. Though these actions are opposite, the driving force behind both is individual insecurity. Social crimes, from robberies to prostitution to murder, are committed out of personal insecurities. Similarly, the development and display of weapons of mass destruction are rooted in our collective insecurities.

On national days, many nations proudly display their weapons to impress or intimidate others, using this as a political tactic.

Our social, political, and religious education often emphasizes individual insignificance and collective strength. Political groups demand more from individuals, yet this contradicts the message that strength lies in numbers. This kind of political education and the accumulation of weapons are linked to collective insecurities. If we continue this way, we are following traditional methods of securing ourselves, which are tied to our animalistic and non-spiritual sides.

Historically, religious wars have been driven by insecurity and the politics of survival. Traditions that favor having more wives and children, regardless of resources, are also politically motivated contributions to groups with higher numbers, again tied to insecurities.

Why do even our religions have insecurities? If they claim that God is with them, why do they impose strict and harsh punishments for even minor social crimes? These punishments are about control. While social control is necessary, if we truly believe in God’s will, what message does strict social control send? It implies that humans have all the control and are solely responsible for their actions, which contradicts the concept of God’s will.

If everyone is totally responsible for their actions, including accidents and natural disasters, where does God’s will fit in? The purpose of a belief system is to help individuals with insecurities so they can live a comfortable mortal life. Strict punishments are about total control, which suggests a lack of belief in God.

Total belief in God is uncommon in most human societies, regardless of religion. Harsh punishments, even the death penalty, are often associated with religious societies. If you believe in “you do the crime, you pay the fine,” it has its merits, but today’s evolving times are changing everything. Past crimes are no longer crimes, and harsh punishments are increasingly seen as crimes themselves because we are learning to prioritize individual human rights. Strength in numbers remains popular, but we are learning not to do to others what we wouldn’t want done to ourselves. Humanity may be losing the politics of religion, but spirituality lives on in all human societies.

When you get a job, you get paid for your work. This reciprocal relationship is a game we all play, but we often forget to be thankful for being alive, which is beyond our control due to our mortality.

I believe in reciprocation and evolution. We need to change with time and use compassion, which is often preached but not always followed by religions. Religions have merits, particularly in their spiritual aspects.

Spirituality has been traded for the politics of belonging, both individually and collectively. In essence, God has been traded for security, and individuals have given their power to social groups. These groups use God’s name to make individuals feel inferior and easier to control. “Who Flipped My Triangle” is based on the idea that the individual is important and not inferior or superior. This makes individuals significant, which is something governing bodies may not like.

As long as we are influenced by the politics of our social groups, we will always feel insecure. This need for security leads to the formation of groups, which brings about politics, bigotry, prejudice, and racism. Religions have value because they have been around for thousands of years. Humans will always have insecurities because of mortality and will always want more. This is why God has been, is, and will continue to be consistent, regardless of our education and evolution, unless we all suddenly become secure in our own skin.

Insecurities are consistent, whether you believe in God or not. The proof lies in the existence of guns and weapons of mass destruction on one hand and more worship than personal effort on the other.

A mortal human will always live with some form of insecurity unless we all have a spiritual belief system that helps us surpass the boundaries of political religions or nationalism. A reasonable plan allows individuals to live a mortal life regardless of the years. A belief system centered around God can be spiritually healthy. Letting go of control is not easy, especially when religions tell you to believe in God and take total control, or else you will be punished or even killed for your actions.

You can personally and individually elevate your mortal life above politically controlling religious traditions, customs, and rules by connecting directly to God through personal reciprocation. Choose to put “com” back into your passion, which has been separated by the politics of belonging, even within religions. Do all the good things preached by the spiritual side of religions. This alone has the potential to bring peace and unity to humanity, something we have longed for for thousands of years. If you can separate the politics of belonging from your belief system, regardless of your religion, you will be able to live comfortably with inner peace in your mortal skin.

Your life is your personal project. God made you the chief executive officer of your life by blessing you with the power of free will. You are in charge of every aspect of your mortal life. If you deeply believe in this, you will set yourself free and self-regulate. You don’t need a carrot-and-stick philosophy to be controlled like animals. You don’t have to fear hell or worship out of greed for heaven or more security and material possessions in this life. If you understand reciprocation, you are doing your job and cannot be punished.

If you are told you have to follow strict rules and be a puppet, it has nothing to do with spirituality. It’s all politics, because your social groups need to control individuals for political purposes.

From God, it’s pure reciprocation and spirituality, nothing else. Without human beings, God is like a ghost town—no one is there to take care of it or give it value.

If you are working and helping other human beings, you are reciprocating with God. From cleaner to astronaut and everything in between, regardless of religious opinions, it is all reciprocation to God. An evolved and strong individual is better at reciprocating with God than a cave dweller.

Our past and present politics want us to grow collectively but not individually, which is why oppressive governing systems and religions have been around for so long.

These days, things are changing rapidly, especially with the internet and instant news. Humanity is at a crossroads and is forced to work together. Extremists and conservatives are fighting for their survival. Protectionism is common, but the majority of humanity has become tolerant and accepts equal human rights for all. We are able to live together regardless of our differences in evolved societies.

Religious extremism is not related to spirituality; it’s politically driven. The spiritual side of religions and most human societies call for compassion, forgiveness, love, and tolerance. Politically driven religious groups rob religion and nations of spirituality and lead them to commit spiritual crimes in the name of God.

In Islam, it is said that killing even one innocent person is equal to killing all of humanity. How many innocent lives have been taken by extreme religious wars? How many humanities have been killed in the name of politics? This is a harsh price for any individual to pay for membership in social groups. Every killer should ask this question before joining and going to extremes in the name of the group they choose to follow. One must take charge and own their God-given free will.

I believe that the meaning of human life is reciprocation—whether with God, your partner, family, or community. Just as a clap requires two hands to make a sound, God without human beings would be like a ghost town. Regardless of the abilities one might possess, they would be of no benefit to anyone and thus hold no value.

Life’s troubles arise when we let our untamed, animalistic dominance traits overshadow our spiritual side. In the animal kingdom, the domination game is constant, but if humans aren’t careful, it can dominate them too.

Dominating others for personal comfort and gain has led to wars throughout history. The politics of personal and collective life often overpower our sense of justice, leading to individual sufferings and perpetual revenge killings.

If everyone could understand our animalistic urge to dominate and become aware of the personal sense of injustice that arises when we attack other groups, we might begin to see where these actions lead. Living a simple mortal life has the potential to create collective peace.

A personal sense of justice is not hard to achieve if you follow two spiritual rules: first, do not do to others what you would not want done to you; and second, walk a mile in another person’s shoes to understand their perspective.

When politics infiltrates a spiritual system like religion, we find excuses to dominate the conquered. From looting to degrading and committing spiritual crimes in the name of religion, these actions contradict the teachings of spirituality. Just look at history and present-day conflicts for proof. This pattern has been consistent, and I hope it doesn’t continue into the future.

If we recognize our belonging to chosen groups and politics continues to guide our actions, we will perpetuate the same behaviors. However, if we emerge as responsible individuals, evolving into a single humanity, we can shed our animalistic behaviors. The difference between other animals and humans boils down to inhibitions. When we let our animal side take over, whether through substances or emotions, we let the animal dominate our actions, preventing spiritual evolution.

The politics of our sense of belonging to groups has damaged religious spirituality. It’s time to separate politics from our sense of belonging and appreciate the true essence of religion—spirituality—which directly connects the individual to God and humanity. If spirituality takes precedence, humanity can unite as a whole. Otherwise, politics will keep us divided.

If we treat each other as working hands of God, we can join together despite our differences. If religions remove the politics of belonging to one group, spirituality will flourish. Otherwise, religions will lose credibility. Today, many nations and religions teach that they are superior to others, fostering prejudice and ignorance, leading to injustice in the name of group loyalty.

Humanity, equal human rights, and equal justice for all are more important than any religious rule, tradition, or ritual because of spirituality. Crossing these lines and respecting the individual as God’s working hand will lead to true spirituality. Otherwise, politics will continue to drive us as it has for thousands of years.

If we don’t change, we face a future filled with weapons of mass destruction. Religious passion can be deadly for humanity and God’s existence. To be spiritual rather than politically religious is essential.

In spirituality, there is no room for injustice. A group cannot violate even one individual’s human rights. Religion’s spiritual side has been compromised to establish a successful political system. If we want true justice, spirituality should be the foundation of all justice systems. Religions or any group-based systems cannot function as governing systems. The best way to address this is to keep religions spiritual and free from political governance.

In a good justice system, the weakest can win against the strongest, embodying spirituality-related justice.

In relationships, politics of domination leads to problems because we no longer live in caves where security was different. Today, we rely on a “big brother” system for security, but it often fails the individual. Politics has always favored the mass over the individual, resulting in injustice for individuals. Since the individual is the essence of humanity, they should be respected and given justice. No one, not even governing powers or religions, should be above the law.

Being mortal makes it crucial for us to take responsibility for our happiness. Reliance on “big brother” has not brought the justice, happiness, and contentment we seek. Increased guns, wars, and related problems like death, depression, and anxiety are more common now than in the past. Unfulfilled expectations lead to personal weaknesses and a lack of belief in personal value.

As individuals, we work with, not for, God or our groups, as reciprocating authorities. This places us on equal footing as subcontractors, not servants. If you carry your load honestly, whether as a partner, family member, community member, or reciprocating to God, you will have less stress and more self-respect and self-esteem. Being comfortable in your skin is closely related to your personal input and sense of justice.

If you receive free oxygen and have good health, your thanksgiving should be more than once a year. Your ability to live is not in your control nor in your family’s, community’s, nation’s, or religion’s control. It is directly connected to the source, or God. Living on Earth, in a chaotic yet organized space, is complex. You have a say, but only after all the complexities align for you personally. If you think you are functioning solely on your own will, just look around and see how vulnerable a mortal being is.

When you believe everything happening in your life is your doing, you miss the importance of personal justice. Educating yourself to avoid situations causing anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues is crucial. It takes away the importance of individual happiness in a mortal life, making us puppets and slaves to our groups because we feel weak, fragile, and insignificant.

We are mortal, so this temporary life should be lived fearlessly, collecting every happy moment. If you must sacrifice your happiness, it should be scrutinized with your personal sense of justice.

I am not preaching selfishness. I am stating that mortality requires spirituality more than political religions. No one should shirk personal responsibilities and hide behind the politics of their group. If individuals do not question their groups, the groups become too strong to be questioned. The story of individual weakness and unfulfilled life begins if you don’t take charge of your life. Do you have a say? Ask yourself this question, and the answer will point to your God-given free will.

Two things are common to all human beings regardless of differences: oxygen and free will. Do you appreciate them? If not, do you believe you are the human being God meant for you to be? Since you are not programmed to be a weak puppet or slave to your groups or even to God, how can you let it happen?

If you are a human being born in this era, you are born with a lot more responsibilities than were required in the past. You don’t have the luxury to hide behind the politics of belonging to your groups. You are the chief executive officer of your life, with a cell phone in your hand that connects you directly to humanity. You can’t claim ignorance about what is going on in the world. This knowledge means you possess a great deal of information and are much more responsible than our ancestors were.

You need to know that equal human rights and the status of being the chief executive of your life go hand in hand. If you don’t want anyone telling you how to think, you must give others the same rights. This awareness can put you in a situation where you are seeking equal human rights but not granting them to others who think differently. Always remember rule number one of spirituality: “Don’t do to anyone what you don’t like done to yourself.” If we all honestly follow this rule as individuals, there would be a lot of inner peace, which can help achieve the elusive world peace as well.

Not only is it a matter of individual responsibility, but it’s also our collective responsibility. Understanding spirituality versus the politics of belonging to our respective groups is a personal responsibility.

If you don’t know how far you are willing to go to the extreme, don’t go to the extreme. Don’t live the way the community you have agreed to follow unless it conforms to the dream you have chosen for your life. Your life, as an individual, is directly between you and God. The proof is that your group can’t save you from illnesses, can’t provide you oxygen, nor can it keep you alive. So choose God and humanity over the politics of belonging to your groups. If your community could save you from all this, then and only then, could you be willing to kill and die for it. Otherwise, seek something bigger than that, and that is God himself.

Your community groups may have ingrained into your mind that they are followers of God and may have told you that they are directly related in some way. Ask them to prove this to you. If you are doing God’s will, would you do anything whatever the community leaders want done? I think not. There is not one religion or any governing system out there that is not political. For example, the Buddhists, who preach to be the most peaceful monks, are killing Rohingya Muslims. Is this what their God asks them to do?

The world has hundreds of societies at different levels of awareness in different areas of life. Some may be good with science and technology but poor in spiritual aspects of sociology. Some may have a great understanding of spirituality but be poor in science and technology. You don’t need to put each other’s knowledge down but should complement each other for being human beings.

It may not look like it, but we are all one organism. We are just like the coral reef at the bottom of the ocean. Regardless of the differences in colors, we all live and die the same way. If one gets hurt and feels the same way, so does the other, thus the same organism.

If something is endangering us in any way, it’s not God-related. It’s our politics of belonging to our groups that is hurting us the most. Even though they may claim they can provide some things for us, our groups can’t provide security from mortality. They are even unable to control the social crimes committed against individuals by the belonging group itself or by its own people. Most of the killings and human rights violations are committed by the belonging groups, not by the bogeyman they are trying to scare you with.

In this era, we have bigger fish to fry. We need to worry about global warming and related problems. We need to understand the ramifications of following our belonging group in the things we are asked to do and how they can affect our lives. We must learn how to set our differences aside and work together as humanity or as an organism. God meant for humanity to constantly evolve to understand the abilities and importance of the human individual. Since we are God’s working hands, our ignorance is not only degrading to human individuals but to God as well. If we keep creating boundaries for political refugees, how are we going to deal with climate or environmental issues that are related to refugees? If we need a bigger heart now, we may need a heart of gold in the future. We will need to be spiritual to deal with the problems that humanity is going to face as the climate turns things upside down. Governments, like Trump’s, will have to learn not only the real science of climate but also all about spirituality.

As an individual, do you have inner peace? If not, it is time to reflect to achieve it. A mortal life without peace lacks the wisdom of living a temporary life. A person with inner peace is able to reflect peace outward and all around themselves. When this inner peace is shared with the surrounding environment, it can spread like an infection, in a good way, especially today through the internet and then onto all of humanity.

The United Nations and its infrastructure are already there, but it has a veto power to block progress. Its veto system is robbing many people and countries of democratic values. Humanity can’t do justice to everyone, nor can it come together under one umbrella as humanity. If a few groups of people can deny justice to certain groups of humanity with the power to veto things they do not like, then, as a whole world, we shall always be divided.

If we as individuals can learn to live with each other on one planet as home, we can learn to deal with real issues such as human survival instead of extinction with nuclear weapons. Our political systems are in the business of sanctions. Through the United Nations, we enforce sanctions against certain nations. All it does is make the human individual suffer. We seem to think it is to make the group bow down to pressure, but it doesn’t work other than to spread the sufferings of the human individual. This often strengthens the resolve of individuals to stick with the politics of the group they follow. If we spread the idea that free education for the world’s populations will enhance individuals, and with this newfound knowledge, they can move forward in a positive manner to make life better for all humankind. Education for all is the key if individuals learn to self-regulate.

If individual suffering is related to the politics of the groups we belong to, the individual should be aware of it. If the individual is not educated, it should be the responsibility of the United Nations to spread education for free. This free knowledge can help people understand the need to belong to humanity as a whole. The United Nations has failed against the politics of belonging because of the biased policies of the veto system. If individuals are educated with equal human rights and a sense of justice, it can bring changes from the bottom up instead of the top down.

The democracy-preaching nations should look deep into their policies and see if they are really preaching democracy. Look at the United Nations—is it effective democracy? The United States of America went to Iraq, disregarding the will of the United Nations, which had voted not to send troops to Iraq. The United Nations can be an impotent organization when it comes to real democratic values, but using the veto system is not democratic. We need to have educated human beings run the show, but working against individuals’ human rights and causes. Instead of preventing wars, the United Nations is political regardless of education, so the knowledge of the politics of belonging should be critically examined. That is why, regardless of the level of education, people are still identifying themselves as Muslims, Christians, Jews, Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Red, Indian, Pakistani, American, Canadian, Gay, Straight, or any other gender-based identity. A human being is what we are before all the above categories of people.

We need education that brings individuals to think above and beyond the politics of belonging to a group of human beings. It is already happening; just look into the melting pot societies. For example, people can learn to live together under the umbrella of one government regardless of color, gender, nation, or religion. So why is this happening? They understand that humanity is one organism.

If our good and bad are related to God and the Devil, it is actually related to human beings using politics to hide their good and bad actions behind God and the Devil. This makes the human individual insignificant. This insignificance is not created by God. It is related to the politics of belonging to our groups, and yes, it is not just running into our communities; it goes all the way up to nationalism and our religions as well. We need to know the real reason why each and every one of us is capable of using free will, regardless of our level of education. The importance of the individual having free will is a wisdom of God himself. Before making choices, we all need to know the personal responsibilities we acquired when we were blessed with free will.

All the best of spirituality needs physicality to be effective, so the importance of the human individual can’t be underestimated. It is the end of the year 2017, so let’s learn to be important from now on and let us own our actions as individuals instead of hiding behind God and the Devil. We must do this not only individually but as groups so we can become peaceful human individuals and humanity as well.