Logically, if you use your ability to choose with free will, you are — and at the very least, should believe that you are — the CEO of your life. Not taking responsibility for your life can be attributed to other factors, like the politics of belonging, so you can’t simply blame God for not being blessed with everything like others. Interestingly, from the very beginning, we all have to deal with the powerful and highly preached sense of belonging to our groups. However, there has always been, is, and will always be a segment of the population that thinks independently and takes responsibility for their actions. The sense of belonging not only affects us politically, but it also has long-reaching effects that penetrate deeply into our psyche and physicality. Only spiritually are we safe from its influence; in all other ways, we are compelled to respond emotionally and physically due to our education, thoughts, and the hormonal secretions that follow.
If you don’t understand, you can’t think, and if you can’t think, you can’t find solutions. You may even believe there is nothing wrong with your behavior simply because you are surrounded by people who think and believe like you. A group of people can have a tremendous effect on individuals who belong to it by birth. The brainwashing power of the politics of belonging molds people into puppets and useful fuel for the war machine. If something is popular in society, as children, we would idolize it and naturally desire to follow it because it comes to us from our authority figures.
Logically, we’ve been around for millions of years, so in the time of living in bushes or caves, no one would have conceived of becoming a lawyer, doctor, politician, businessperson, or professional athlete. We are born into today’s times, so our automatic desire will be to pursue whatever is popular now. Since we are blessed with free will, we can choose to work hard, starve ourselves, and suffer endlessly in the pursuit of fitting in, impressing others, or dying with the desire to be admired by those around us.
The blessing of free will gets overlooked and compromised if you don’t personally assume the responsibility of being the CEO of your life. It’s all about cause and effect, so if you can’t go far back and understand the causes of your extreme behaviors, you won’t even acknowledge that you have a problem. For instance, if you don’t understand the importance of balancing the sense of belonging with the sense of freedom, you won’t recognize that your health and happiness are connected to your thoughts. You wouldn’t even think to search for solutions to problems like body dysmorphia, bulimia, anorexia, anxiety, depression, or even suicidal thoughts. Whether this self-destruction stems from mental health issues, the acceptance of personal weaknesses, or fiery, inspiring speeches from leaders of belonging groups, it is still your personal duty to understand the cause or causes of your radical behaviors. Never forget that your free will has been given to you so you can make independent decisions to stay balanced. Having free will and the ability to use it makes us responsible for all our actions. It’s not about making extreme choices; it’s about creating balance.
Remember, if you have lost your self-esteem due to your imbalances, you won’t even consider yourself an independent entity, let alone the CEO of your life. Now, look at your decisions — are you taking destructive chances for the sake of others? If you don’t stand up for yourself, who will? How far are you willing to go for a sense of belonging? Will you hurt yourself, or on the flip side, hurt others and end up in jail, thus hurting yourself in more ways than one? Regardless of which extreme you lean toward, you will end up harming yourself. Interestingly, you are the most important part of this picture, yet you are openly and proudly hurting yourself — by choice. As the CEO, your best bet is to create balance; otherwise, you may be hurting without even knowing the causes. There’s nothing wrong with having a sense of belonging until it goes too far and you start hurting others or even yourself because of it.
Individually understanding the importance of becoming the CEO of your life is crucial because the sense of belonging might be the most formidable challenge to your personal sense of freedom. From individual health problems all the way to political and even holy wars — and everything in between — is tainted by the politics of belonging. Its tentacles extend into everything humanity has to offer, both good, bad, and ugly.
As an individual, you may think you are strong-willed, but your actions reveal the real picture. If you push your limits to fit in and sacrifice everything for the approval of those you belong to, remember that this makes others strong, not you. As the CEO of your mortal life, you know that your time is limited, and you must create balance to take care of yourself.
Whether you believe in God or not, whether God exists somewhere in space or within every cell of your body, or whether you feel strongly influenced by your hormones and suppress your intellect to follow what your group says, one thing remains clear: you are an incredibly complex and constantly evolving being. Therefore, logically, nothing should ever be considered ultimate knowledge. Whether it relates to society, medicine, science, technology, or even God, as human individuals, we are never done learning.
As long as we continue to evolve, everything will always be open to question, because we are learning new things every day. When it comes to the politics of belonging to our groups, regardless of their authenticity, there is a lot of room for assumptions regarding traditions, customs, rituals, and rules. Our arguments often transcend individual intellect, yet, being mortal, it’s all about how individuals live their lives—whether they benefit from or are harmed by believing what their group believes. It’s not about real rewards in heaven or punishments in hell. It’s not even about the physicality of life after death or the world we’ve been taught to believe in. It’s about how we live during our time on Earth. If we become good people because of our religious knowledge, then having a belief system is an asset. If we commit spiritual crimes in the name of religion or God, that’s due to the politics of belonging—spirituality has nothing to do with it. If you’re thinking politically for the survival of your group, say so. Don’t bring God or religion into it.
To me, it’s all about what a belief system can do for the individual during their living years. Did they live their life as a good and decent person, or did they kill and rob love from others in the name of their group? In short, our living years are our physical reality, and life beyond them is a metaphorical reality. If you place metaphorical reality above your own or others’ physical reality, you’ve taken a political path and strayed from spirituality. You risk becoming an extension of a cult, losing your individuality. You remove all responsibility from yourself and undermine your humanity. Every human being has a spark of autonomy and can use free will and personal justice to become reasonable, compassionate, and loving. This isn’t just for individual peace but for collective harmony as well.
The world is where it is today because we’ve been discovering what makes sense to us. To me, not believing in God means everything happened randomly. The so-called scientific explanation of the universe beginning with an exploding marble that is continually expanding is not a clear enough answer, even if it comes from the scientific community. We should ask, where did the marble come from, and why did it explode? The organization we see in the chaos may seem random, but even dissecting a worm shows that life thrives on order. Since life surrounds us, we should respect it while we are alive, instead of killing each other over who is right about the beginning or end of life. Wisdom is recognizing and respecting even the smallest, simplest forms of life, like a worm or a virus. There is great sophistication, wisdom, and order in how they function, so not believing is just as questionable as believing. If we can remove the politics of belonging, we’d be more open to questioning, which is the foundation of learning and growth.
The problem is that the politics of belonging has overtaken our religious beliefs, tainting our spirituality. Religions have left their spiritual messages behind and become political authorities. They’ve traded God for political power and control, succumbing to the lucrative business of governance. They’ve used individuals, God, and everything in between to maintain political relevance.
They’ve even waged wars, destroying the beauty of spiritual belief systems and converting them into ugly political realities. Our group politics of belonging has overridden spiritual principles. If religions had stuck to spirituality, we would all be praying and worshipping God under one roof, regardless of our differences and group affiliations. Who am I kidding? This is just my dream—that people will overcome their divisions, especially when it comes to our metaphorical realities. God and spirituality should always be above the politics of belonging, but that’s not the way it is. So, I strive to work against the extreme politics of religious beliefs. My dream is to bring the beauty of spirituality and equal justice for all to the forefront, so people see humanity as one organism, or dare I say, God. Different colors, sizes, and shapes, but one humanity with equal human rights and justice for all.
It’s not about who has the right or wrong opinion regarding what happens before or after life. It’s about who lives an internally and externally successful mortal life.
Unfortunately, even our best scientists haven’t been able to prove everything beyond a doubt, yet they take pride in repeatable facts. They haven’t been able to break down and explain our repeatable metaphorical realities like love, compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, honor, pride, the reasons for our hormonal responses, the placebo effect of healing, and many everyday truths and lies. So, no one should dismiss others’ spiritual beliefs unless their knowledge is unquestionably correct and free from assumptions. What came before the Big Bang, and why did the Big Bang happen?
Another issue societies face is the politics of belonging, which infiltrates everything we do. Yes, we are progressing, but our evolution in science and technology hasn’t helped resolve our social and moral issues. Our politically influenced and imbalanced evolution raises more questions than answers. As individuals, we must overcome the lure of group politics. As governing authorities, we should rise above the politics of belonging to specific groups. In today’s world of equal human rights, our governing authorities should adopt a justice system that treats everyone equally. Since spirituality and justice don’t mix with politics, the majority’s beliefs shouldn’t matter when it comes to justice and spirituality. Whether it’s science-based or religion-based, if it serves only some people and not all, it’s potentially prejudicial, discriminatory, and political. Even if it’s democratic, it must uphold equal justice. Humanity has suffered enough from the loss of individuality in the name of belonging to groups. It’s time to change the way we think and govern. Whatever groups preach and practice, whether they are based on race, nation, or religion, they should never bypass equal spiritual justice.
We have been, and are still, openly taught to feel superior to others. If you succeed in making others feel inferior, it is even better. The question is: Is that political or not? The same politics have been used by religions to make even their own followers feel inferior, irrelevant, and meaningless in comparison to God and the Devil. The purpose behind such openly preached education is to have power and control over ordinary individuals so they can be easily governed. The root causes of individual low self-respect and self-esteem are deeply tied to the politics of belonging, especially when it comes to religious affiliations.
It’s clear to see why ordinary people are often preached not to have confidence, self-respect, or self-esteem, particularly concerning matters of the afterlife. The fear of hell’s punishment and the greed for heaven’s rewards are taught as if they are absolute truths, yet no one has ever returned to provide evidence. If you question these teachings, you’re labeled a non-believer, as if you’re responsible for their shortcomings. Let’s look at how political figures can twist, turn, and hide unclear truths and still get away with it. If you give people a task, they might follow it for a while, but a high percentage will eventually fail, similar to a New Year’s resolution. Instead of blaming the program, they silently accept it as their own shortcoming.
We believe in our religions wholeheartedly, so rather than questioning or blaming their practices, we assume there is nothing wrong with them. But when spiritual problems arise, if God can’t be responsible, then you—the individual—must be. This leaves the religious group free from blame and enjoying a position of trust. Since you already believe you’re irrelevant and have accepted yourself as a sinner, you take the blame. What an easy way for religions to continue their politics without being questioned. Even if you challenge the authenticity of their traditions, customs, rituals, and rules, you’re threatened with being shunned and told that you’re committing an even bigger sin. Yet, despite these politically tainted belief systems, the ordinary individual still believes their religion is a spiritual and true path to God.
Over the centuries, religions have resisted scientifically proven facts to remain politically relevant. They’ve opposed everything from blood transfusions to legal abortion, genetic coding, stem cell research, and more. Medical advancements that save lives are often criticized by religious groups. Yet, interestingly, when it comes to personal health, many of these same people shamelessly use the modern medical procedures they criticize. Despite this hypocrisy, they continue to believe in whatever their religion preaches.
To me, saving lives is the ultimate spiritual act because it preserves the “working hand” of God, helping to convert spirituality into physical actions. People are quick to judge and say we’re meddling in God’s work, but remember to ask: How does God’s work get done? You may not get a clear answer. It’s fascinating that nearly every other type of human knowledge has been rigorously questioned, yet religious knowledge—despite its brutal history—is largely exempt from this scrutiny.
Using the “carrot and stick” philosophy may work for other creatures—what we call animals. But applying this philosophy to humans equates us with animals. While we may have an animalistic side, we also carry a spiritual side, which sets us apart. Treating humans as mere animals is degrading and contradicts spiritual truth. Our “atom of autonomy” allows us to self-regulate and evolve to higher levels of existence. Physically, we may function like animals, but spiritually, we transcend them.
Our compassion, sense of justice, ability to forgive, willingness to sacrifice, and capacity for unconditional love have nothing to do with being animals but everything to do with being human. So, treating humans with the carrot-and-stick approach is a spiritual mistake. Some may not clearly understand this concept of the atom of autonomy, but these spiritual qualities are not just learned behaviors—they are potential gifts we bring into the world from before birth.
You may question this, considering the crimes we commit against each other, and conclude that we are similar to animals. Unfortunately, humans are often compared to animals when discussing behavior, so those who commit crimes are treated like animals. But this comparison is flawed. Unlike animals, humans can learn, grow, and change over time. The carrot-and-stick philosophy doesn’t work for humans in the long run. We evolve, but other creatures do not. So, comparing humans to animals is simply wrong, and applying the same philosophy to everyone should be questioned.
I was curious about crime rates in different societies, so I looked for answers on Google. The country with the lowest crime rate, at seven per 100,000, is Switzerland. The safest countries in the world to raise a family are:
- Iceland
- New Zealand
- Austria
- Portugal
- Denmark
- Canada
- Czech Republic
- Singapore
Interestingly, with the exception of Singapore, most of these nations are not exclusively religious. Why didn’t more religious nations make the list? This is a question for all religious people, as many believe that a religious person is morally superior to a non-religious one. Where’s the disconnect? Why can’t religious societies maintain low crime rates? Why are people generally less happy in religious nations? Should religious societies be doing some soul-searching and cleaning up their act?
According to a UN-sponsored report, the happiest places in the world for four consecutive years were:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Switzerland
- Iceland
- Netherlands
As I mentioned, these findings raise questions about the governing systems of religious nations. These societies were supposed to be connected directly to God, providing human beings with spiritual satisfaction, happiness, and contentment. If you want to solve this puzzle, the key is to question, question, and question.
Personally, I believe if religions had treated individuals with dignity, kept spirituality as the true path to God, and avoided the politics of belonging, they would have the happiest people with the lowest crime rates. If you examine the success of these societies, you’ll find fascinating insights. Whether you believe in God or not, you’ll find all the spirituality you need in these nations, which we often label as “godless” or “non-religious.” If they are better places to raise families, then religious societies must learn to question themselves. You may take pride in being religious, but you should also question why religious societies fail to achieve low crime rates and high individual happiness.
Even if you remain loyal to your group, you must still ask yourself: Why?
A society with religion but no success in reducing crime or promoting individual happiness and contentment is a concern we all should have. People don’t follow religious rules because their religion may be tainted by hidden politics, spiritually impotent, or because individuals are not valued and respected. You have to find your own reasons and question everything. Remember, it’s not all about the afterlife. It’s about how you live now. If you are not happy in this life and are in the habit of being unhappy, how will you find happiness even after death? It’s not the sacrifices you make in life that will earn you a place in heaven, but the help and support you give to others. It’s not about your prayers or fasting—it’s about turning spiritual thoughts into physical actions.
If I were to choose one known function of life and examine its accuracy and sophistication, it wouldn’t be fair to focus solely on that. In general, when we look at the functioning of our bodies and our ability to act independently, using compassion, justice, and love, we see what sets us apart from other animals. I emphasize “known functions” because we are still evolving and don’t know everything about ourselves yet. If you start to examine yourself critically, you’ll not only begin to believe in God, but you’ll also gain respect for other human beings and yourself.
All the known and unknown abilities of an individual are wasted when someone is killed or kills in the name of group politics. Killing or being killed for a cause is common in many societies, and much of this is tied to the politics of belonging. We affiliate with groups to fit in, and sometimes, we go to great lengths to impress others in order to feel accepted. Our sense of admiration and acceptance is tied to this need to belong. If your sense of belonging is distorted, you must awaken your sense of freedom to align it with your true self, allowing you to make decisions that prioritize the importance of your life.
Throwing away a perfectly functioning body in the name of a cause or just to fit in with others is a clear sign of personal weakness. Stand up to your potential as a human being. Every individual has two sides, and with these two sides, they must commit to creating balance. Our spiritual and physical sides are connected and influence our behavior. The physical side seeks security because it recognizes mortality, while the spiritual side finds inner peace by connecting to the divine source. Extremes of either side are harmful because, as mortals, we seek to experience life in the physical world. Going to extremes is unwise and unspiritual because we are still evolving. When you are an unfinished product, you cannot claim to know everything, no matter how many books you’ve read. You are still learning, so extreme decisions, like killing or getting killed, are ill-advised.
Religion, medicine, and music have influenced us for millennia, giving us the illusion that we know everything. Yet, despite this, we continue to learn more every day. The idea that we know everything is not to diminish anyone’s knowledge but to highlight the evolving nature of human beings. God gives humans the opportunity to enjoy this mortal life, and the only way to fully enjoy it is through our physical, animal side. Controlling or killing that side is impossible because we are intertwined in such a way that one cannot live without the other. It’s not divine wisdom to suppress or destroy it; it’s often more about fitting in, impressing, or seeking admiration from those around us.
A healthy individual should approach life with balance, reciprocating the gifts of life by contributing to the greater good. Enjoying good food, for example, satisfies the animal side, but being useful to others is equally important. God’s work needs to be done regardless. If everyone became a monk, solely receiving but not giving, society would collapse, as people would depend on others to sustain them. How would humanity function?
You can cover yourself in ashes and walk around naked without showering for years, or wear a hijab and claim to be pure in your social setting. But none of this will stop the Earth from rotating around the sun. Physical and spiritual cleanliness mean little to God if you’re not there to reciprocate. Your prayers, fasting, and personal sacrifices stem from customs passed down by the religious or political groups you’ve chosen to follow.
Your spiritual work is directly between you and God because you are a subcontractor working for Him. If you can help those suffering and praying to God but choose not to, you are not fulfilling your role. You can worship and sacrifice all you want, but if you’re an able person and you don’t help others, you are not reciprocating. In my opinion, everyone who works is reciprocating. Some may argue they are only working for pay, but if you look closely, you’ll see that humans help each other. The actions may seem directed at other humans, but ultimately, they serve God. If you seek God spiritually and cannot find Him, look at the humans helping others, for they are reciprocating to God.
The real filth you should seek to remove is your spiritual filth. If you can pray to God without remorse while committing acts like bombing and killing innocent people, you are disrespecting the identity God has given you. You can have political reasons, but a spiritual crime is still a spiritual crime. You are responsible because you’ve been blessed with free will, which gives you the role of a subcontractor. You may care about physical hygiene, but in truth, it is spiritual hygiene that matters most.
God has blessed us with free will, giving us equal power to make our own decisions. Some may believe this isn’t true, arguing that even leaves don’t move without God’s will. But look around—do we move through life like puppets? We live within families, raised by the same parents, yet we grow into different individuals. We choose different paths, value different things, and even express faith in different ways. Why the differences? Does God truly want us all to be the same? This isn’t about discrediting anyone’s knowledge, but about making sense of our individuality.
If leaves can’t move without God’s will, how can someone abort a child without it? We often place God on a pedestal because we feel so vulnerable—we can’t even breathe without oxygen. God’s will is indeed supreme, but by giving us free will, He made us subcontractors, tasked with fulfilling His work. We choose how we complete the tasks assigned to us, and this should elevate our sense of responsibility.
To illustrate this: a drug lord can help his community so much that people begin to believe it’s their duty to protect him, despite knowing that drugs are killing people elsewhere. If you ignore the damage caused by drugs and keep supporting the drug lord because it benefits your community, is that truly just? This behavior exemplifies the politics of belonging, which often robs individuals of their personal sense of justice. When belonging to a group clouds your judgment, you are not fulfilling your role as an individual. This is the destruction of the individual, and a destroyed individual cannot be a subcontractor for God. Now, take this a step further: replace the drug lord with a prime minister or religious leader. Ask yourself—how are you doing?
God gives us all an equal opportunity to be good or bad. Knowing your own spiritual level of goodness or badness is crucial. If you lack a personal sense of justice, you will follow the rules, rituals, and customs of your group without question. This makes you subservient to people, not a subcontractor for God. The more you preach the politics of your group, the less valuable you become as an individual. If you can’t see how drugs harm people beyond your community, or how your nation or religion mistreats others, your sense of belonging has replaced your sense of justice and reverence for God. You cannot overcome the politics of belonging without personal responsibility and justice.