Democracy, as a governing system, is arguably the best humanity has to offer—at least so far. This model closely represents equal human rights better than kingdoms, dictatorships, socialism, communism, and even religions.
Is it perfect? No, I don’t think so. Even though it allows and advocates for one vote per person, it still lacks the education of individual responsibility. People often vote emotionally and elect undeserving individuals into office. Since humanity is still in the process of progress, democracy gets my vote as the best system thus far.
The education and understanding of power politics and an emotional sense of belonging should be critically examined. The politics of belonging has the power to persuade even an educated voter to vote with race, gender bias, or religion in mind. Until the ordinary individual understands this, responsible voting will remain compromised. Regardless of how you slice it, if we as groups and individuals fail to appreciate the need for unbiased education in voting, we will always have imperfect governing systems and leaders who believe they can deceive the public.
The fundamental problem is that most of our population is entrenched in the politics of belonging to groups, such as political parties and religions. They would rather vote based on millennia-old ideologies than address present-day social demands. If you can’t acknowledge the need for change, you risk being seen as prejudiced and discriminatory. Being proud of prejudice and discrimination is not only non-spiritual but also against the laws of most human societies. Those who oppose prejudice and discrimination are aligned with humanity, spirituality, and God; they vote based on merit, not religious affiliation, race, or group loyalty.
What’s right and wrong evolves with spiritual awareness. If equal human rights are becoming a trend, should one still vote based solely on group affiliation? Personally, I believe such a vote perpetuates prejudice and discrimination because it excludes rather than includes. Change is happening, albeit slowly. We’re moving towards asking political parties about their agendas, but emotions still dominate our voting behavior. Perhaps one day, we’ll vote for humanity as a whole—prioritizing global poverty, climate change, infectious diseases, and global health.
Today, the internet exposes both the good and the bad humanity has to offer. Equality is a fundamental right for all human beings, and most people worldwide desire it. No one likes prejudice and discrimination, especially when they are its victims.
If a corporation, nation, or religion is considered an entity, they must be held accountable if they violate individual rights. In an ideal world, an individual could hold a group accountable in court and win. In an era of equal rights, prejudice and discrimination are viewed as reprehensible, and people increasingly reject such labels. Groups cannot assert dominance arbitrarily because doing so is prejudiced and discriminatory, thus contrary to spirituality. Our world is far from ideal and will remain so unless we actively seek improvement.
How quickly can humans learn new things? Nowadays, individuals can learn complex subjects simultaneously, so striving for equal rights and democracy isn’t impossible. From mathematics to science to medicine, humans are continually learning and evolving. However, when it comes to politics and group identity, even the most educated individuals succumb to pressure. This is why we continue to engage in behavior that diminishes our capacity to love one another. What drives the politics of belonging? Prejudice and discrimination.
Throughout history and today, every race, nation, religion, and gender perpetuates prejudice and discrimination. As individuals, we choose whether to support or reject these behaviors. If you believe in equality and respect for all, embracing your individuality is crucial. Reject the idea that your group is always right, regardless of personal convictions or justice. If you commit acts of prejudice or discrimination under the banner of your group, your insecurities govern you.
Groups often claim superiority over others, and individuals who buy into this notion hide their insecurities and inferiority complexes. Ask yourself: would you do to others what you wouldn’t want done to yourself or your loved ones, in the name of group politics? If the answer is yes, remember that all individuals possess free will and personal justice. Recognize your role in life and avoid being a sheep herded by political forces. Strive to be the CEO of your life, not a follower.
From the beginning, as thinking and aware creatures, we recognized that other creatures possess natural weapons, leaving us feeling vulnerable. We not only had to contend with other creatures but also our own kind, which led us to entrust great power to group politics and tribal belonging. In the bush or cave, solitude wasn’t an option, so group belonging became ingrained in us, passed down through knowledge and even genetically. Yet, we all possess free will and a sense of personal justice spiritually. This unique combination enables us to manifest spiritual ideals into physical reality. Yet, it also tempts us to commit spiritual crimes without remorse.
Our group affiliations can reduce us to mere physical creatures or regress us to base instincts, prompting mob attacks on innocent individuals merely for belonging to another group. For some, membership in a different group is reason enough for condemnation or violence.
As thinking, aware, and spiritual beings, we each bear responsibility for preserving our spirituality over our baser instincts. While we need our bodies to live and act physically and spiritually, with evolution and civilization, we should transcend our animal instincts. Understanding human nature requires acknowledging both sides, and understanding the reasons behind our individuality, free will, personal justice, and capacity for compassion and sacrifice.
Our challenge lies in managing the pain of lost love. Even enlightened individuals sometimes regress, seeking revenge and perpetuating cycles of aggression. Understanding the pain of lost love should elevate us, not regress us to primal instincts, perpetuating conflict and robbing us of love. This perpetual cycle maintains our politics of group belonging.
Time calls for us to unite as humanity. Issues like global warming, infectious diseases, the need for space exploration, and the invention of the internet underscore the need for global collaboration. Individually, our stresses and their health impacts compound our troubles. Aware of our mortality, we must reconcile ourselves with group allegiances, regardless of the cost.
Observing mega-cities, it’s clear we gravitate towards community not just for convenience, but as social creatures. We form, join, donate, and even sacrifice our personal justice for our political parties, often with pride. Committing spiritual crimes, like killing innocents, becomes acceptable in group conflicts. We remain entrenched in the business of robbing love from each other.
Ordinary individuals seldom find respite from their group affiliations. From social crimes within groups to inter-group warfare, individuals bear the brunt of suffering and sacrifice. Religion exacerbates these issues, leading to passionate debates and conflicts over God’s existence and divine favor.
Personally, I believe religion affects humans psychologically in the same manner as music. We often react passionately to religious rituals, traditions, and customs, sometimes without questioning, as if hypnotized. While it’s natural to like or love something, killing over religious differences defies education and reason. Should we kill each other over religious politics? We all possess free will and personal justice, so blindly following group dictates is wrong. We fail to honor divine gifts like free will and personal justice when we prioritize group politics. Religious teachings emphasize spiritual virtues like compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, and love, yet these principles often go unpracticed. It’s perplexing how we embrace conflict, making religious wars the bloodiest and longest in human history.
Politics and spirituality must remain separate because politics often involve prejudice and discrimination against others. Justice and spirituality embody simple truths, devoid of deception. If one lies, they forsake spirituality for politics. The simple truth of spirituality and justice is treating others as you wish to be treated, without exception.
God, spirituality, and justice must remain untainted by political agendas, for there is no room for injustice. If you believe God favors certain groups, you’re embracing a political stance. Remember, God cannot be biased; God transcends humanity. Spirituality transcends group boundaries; it’s universal. Our justice systems should serve all humanity, not just a subset of people or corporations.
Politics should never justify violence. Evolved and civilized individuals should rise above animal instincts. Despite teachings or beliefs, each of us bears personal responsibility for our actions. Killing should be restricted to survival situations, not political agendas.
If you, as a thinking and aware creature, don’t believe in God, it’s your prerogative. You may say, “I don’t see miracles happening, so God must not exist.” To me, it’s like two cells deep inside the body debating whether the body exists or not. The body is a reality, but the cells’ ability to think, see, and feel can be limited. They must think about themselves first. As human beings, we must look at ourselves and ponder how we are alive, how we function, and how we can think.
It’s not just what exists, but how we see, think, and figure things out. It’s not the outer space and science that matter, but the space within us. It’s not just what you see, but your ability to see. It’s not just what you know, but the functioning that allows you to know what you know. It’s not just what happens around you while you live, but what goes on within you as you live.
If you learn something new every day, claiming to know everything is egotistic. The reality is, the more you know, the more you should realize how much you don’t know. Unfortunately, when we learn something, we often put some letters in front of our name to impress others, so the politics of our sense of belonging are always there to bias us. Regardless of our level of education, we struggle to overcome our prejudices and discriminations, leaving us as unfinished products, incomplete buildings, or individuals who have yet to reach their potential. Boasting about anything is egotistic; it may be satisfying but can also be a spiritual flaw.
When religious scholars argue passionately, disagree, and put each other down, they claim to know everything there is to know. They believe that whatever is written in holy books is the final truth from God. I won’t mention specific religions; my goal isn’t to deny or fail to acknowledge spiritual knowledge. I’m fine with the idea that God may have written more than one book. My issue is with the fighting over them. Does this mean God is making us kill each other? Yes, if you believe in not crossing boundaries. I believe evolution is ingrained in our genetic makeup. If that’s the case, then I believe this is the knowledge that religious people have been denying. Breaking boundaries is in our genes, coming from God, and can’t be denied or stopped. Look around; despite political powers, evolution has never stopped. God didn’t create an environment for us to kill each other; our politics of belonging to our groups have robbed spirituality from our religions.
Not breaking boundaries inhibits evolution, and luckily, evolution isn’t learned knowledge; it’s within us from before birth. So, with or without religion, we will evolve. The world functions, progresses, and evolves constantly, so whether or not you believe in God, life will continue. However, what happens within you is what matters, because you are here on a visit. If you believe the body exists and care while performing tasks, you are valuable. You help God function to enjoy your temporary journey. Just as the human body functions with cells and cells function with the body while alive, it’s not about the cells or the body but the functioning. Understanding this reveals the spiritual reciprocation secret of Godly balance, granting the ultimate self-esteem and self-respect. The politics of belonging may make you feel inferior and insignificant, leading to an eternal need to belong to your group. That’s political, yet spiritually, God helps you help yourself, allowing God to exist.
God doesn’t emerge from you to say, “I am the one doing it all.” God acknowledges that as an individual, your physicality allows spirituality to exist. Even God would respect living, breathing human individuals so that the human race can continue. It’s groups of people who are hell-bent on killing each other because of their politics of belonging. That’s why our towns aren’t ghost towns; we survive and thrive despite difficulties, even harsh weather.
Yet, we need to evolve according to the times. For instance, we’re adapting to new technology-related issues not previously known. The internet spreads news worldwide instantly, exposing various kinds of racism, oppression, prejudice, discrimination, and political injustice done in the name of belonging groups. Such practices face criticism worldwide, giving a voice to oppressed populations that didn’t exist before. Present practices are proven not just wrong, but criminal. If we don’t keep up with changing times, we’re left behind.
Life was harder in the past, so thinking the past was better isn’t just a sign of dissatisfaction; it hints at depression. That’s one reason we’ve been given free will. Should you be left behind? Should religious beliefs hinder progress? To me, progress is inevitable; evolution will break boundaries set by political religions. Spirituality is ingrained within us, consistent throughout human history, despite political changes or shifts in power. Humanity and its societies universally wear spiritual jewels of compassion, sacrifice, forgiveness, and love. While political evil exists, both sides thrive based on individual choices.
Comfortable people, especially those in power, resist change. I wonder why religious people often vote for conservative or Republican parties, even though their agendas are far from spiritual. Universal health care, welfare systems, and other social programs typically come from the left, labeled as socialist and godless. To me, if principles based on spirituality come from godless people, it’s unfortunate for the Godly and religious because they favor politics over spirituality. Extreme right or left leave spirituality behind when individuals become insignificant. For instance, to suppress left-leaning individuals, one can resort to voter suppression, fear-based propaganda, or influence the judiciary, all for political power. If you belong to the left and give all power to the masses, it denies human individual rights and can restrict freedom of speech. In the internet era, anything against equal human rights will be criticized.
The changing and mixed populations of the world embrace equal human rights. People don’t want discrimination or prejudice, so they desire equal human rights in their local justice systems. In the near future, group politics will need to take a back seat. The world is changing; extreme right and left are adapting to survive by moving toward the center. For instance, conservatives avoid discussing abortion and gay marriage, topics that were once their primary agendas. The extreme left tries to give business people tax breaks, straying from core principles. What remains in the middle is what everyone must do to gain power. There’s nothing wrong with politics, but when it comes to social programs and spirituality, it transcends politics—it’s the essence of humanity.
As I mentioned, evolution is ingrained in us genetically, and we will evolve one way or another. Trying to forcibly stop evolution through politics has consequences. Saudi Arabia, considered conservative, recently allowed women to drive. Some may see that as progress, but I view it as evolution related to the internet and equal human rights. Everything goes on the internet; any political oppression is criticized globally, not just by the world but also by the population. Today, people can’t hide behind God’s words and harshly punish individuals for minor crimes. Personally, I believe God and religions are personal beliefs, so it’s possible to believe and obey, as well as disbelieve and reject. Religions fail to provide justice for all; logically, justice should be universal, like spirituality. Mixing religious traditions, customs, rituals as rules or laws becomes prejudicial and discriminatory for those who don’t share the religion of the land. God, spirituality, and equal human rights surpass our political religions; they’re consistent worldwide, regardless of the group.
If you halfheartedly believe in God, you won’t trust God’s will and may implement political rules as religious principles based on popular demand. How can we believe in harsh punishments and blame God for them? Keeping crimes is a political agenda; we need a justice system to govern tasks. But believing God is involved in punishments is like thinking for God or believing God is human-like.
To me, God is like a tree producing billions or trillions of seeds, each capable of becoming a tree and producing more seeds, though there’s no resemblance between the tree and its seeds. However, both function similarly, like human cells in the body. The body emerges from cells and produces cells that nurture and draw power from the cells. To me, we are God’s cells; we regenerate God and related goodness. For example, everything spiritual only becomes real through the physical actions, backs, and shoulders of living, breathing human beings. Look around and see how many good things are happening and taking physical form. Spiritual things are like your thoughts; they can only become real with your physical effort.
God is a real human being facilitator. In his/her mortal life, human beings are good for God, and God is good for the human being as an individual. The trouble is that we serve the same reality with the devil in the same way. The devil would be impotent without human help; no matter how you cut it, human individuals are the main characters in this holy picture. We’ve been blessed with free will; any good or bad comes from human intervention. If we give physical powers to God and the devil, shouldn’t we use our free will to choose spirituality over devilish political religions used to oppress populations?
If God created human beings to function, then God is the essence of human beings, and human beings are the essence of God, just like the seeds of a tree or the cells of the body. As they say, the Devil is in the details, and our detail is that we are influenced by our politics of belonging to our groups. We commit devilish acts for our groups, often with pride. So, where is the disconnection?
Just start looking at your makeup, functioning, and actions, and you will discover that your free will has always been consistent and available to choose. Since we are highly influenced by the politics of our group affiliations, our choices depend on our free will. As individuals, we all have the power and authority to choose God, spirituality, and humanity over nationalism and religions. If you can cleanse your belief system of political pollution, you will find comfort in spirituality and in your mortal skin. Otherwise, you may spend thousands of years seeking, only to find yourself bogged down in deep prejudice and discrimination.
We can continue down this path and one day create the day of destruction predicted in holy books, or we can take charge, grow, and evolve beyond group politics to confront the causes of our prejudice and discrimination. We must recognize that global warming and infectious diseases cannot be fought through group rivalry. Examples abound; remember the Ebola crisis or the Zika virus scare. Extreme weather events caused by global warming cross all political boundaries. Humanity needs to build bridges, not walls, to secure our future—not just for specific groups, but for all.
There is a need to evolve and take the next step in evolution: to transcend barriers of color, race, gender, nationality, and religion, and embrace the paradigm of equal human rights and humanity as a whole. This change will not come from the top down, as our group affiliations often hinder progress. Instead, it must come from the bottom up. Individuals must change from within to join humanity, rather than being beholden to group politics.
As individuals, we empower God, the Devil, and our modern-day Big Brother—they are our realities, yet invisible. We give them meaning with our physical actions—our hands, backs, and shoulders. As individuals, we should recognize our value and importance, remembering that our existence as cells depends on the overall functioning of the body, which keeps us humble. The lifeblood of humanity or community may be individual, but both sides need the harmony of functioning.
Personally, I don’t care if you are a scientist, doctor, colorful, colorless, mullah, priest, rabbi, rich, poor, male, female, or any other gender. If you get sick, grow old, and die, you are just like me—a mere visitor who eventually has to leave. If you believe that following your own path makes you better, then strive to be better. Overcome your prejudices and avoid doing to others what you would not want done to you or your loved ones.
If you work hard to achieve higher status, gain better education, build a stronger body at the gym, or acquire bigger and better possessions, always ask yourself why. If you’re trying to fit in, impress others, or seek admiration, ensure your sense of belonging aligns with your sense of freedom. If there’s an imbalance, remember that you have bigger priorities, such as personal happiness and understanding mortal nature. Losing happiness in mortal life isn’t just a loss; it reflects an inferiority complex because your motives are driven by approval-seeking behaviors.
Knowing mortality is crucial; fooling oneself into believing it won’t happen is futile. We aren’t genetically programmed like worker bees or soldier ants. While we must contribute to humanity with our talents, acknowledging mortality is a personal choice. Our actions often reveal our insecurities and control-related inferiority complexes. Seeking security in numbers within a group is traditional and conventional wisdom, but real security and insecurity lie within the individual.
The bitter truth is that even as a group, we cannot save lives or change our mortal nature. We may pray for the sick and dying, but we can’t alter the outcome. Living with deep-seated insecurities and inferiority complexes, you may gain self-esteem by belonging to a larger, stronger community, but it’s illusory. True self-esteem comes from connecting with the God within, following a spiritual path rather than political-religious rituals, and choosing humanity over group affiliations.
I’ll conclude with a quote from the Dalai Lama:
“There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.”
Now, strive to overcome prejudice and discrimination, as they work against your own interests from within. Regardless of your education—whether you’re a religious scholar, atheist, scientist, medical doctor, or witch doctor—you are a mortal being who cannot afford to rob yourself of happiness and contentment.