Spiritual tax and reciprocation.

 

Basic survival depends on meeting basic needs: oxygen, water, food, love, and shelter. When these necessities are taken away, it can create inner turmoil for most individuals, regardless of their level of civilization or upbringing.

As I have mentioned before, law and order, religious or social morals, ethics, customs, traditions, a sense of belonging, and even belief in God are secondary to a full stomach. All these values take a back seat when an ordinary individual goes without food for a few days and has no hope of finding it.

As societies, we must recognize that if a community, nation, or religion cannot care for its sick and weak, it is not healthy, even for itself. Our laws and constitutions should be designed to resist the extremes of both political polarities and, most importantly, to uphold equal human rights.

Community matters to all of us, both collectively and individually. However, when you haven’t eaten for a while, all bets are off whether we like it or not. The trouble is that we can develop habits; thus, being selfish can thrust you into a dog-eat-dog world. From individuals committing social crimes to entire communities warring against each other, these are social habits we need to shake off to elevate our civilization.

In today’s governing systems, our societies collect taxes to manage our affairs. If you have more, you give to the government instead of directly to the poor because personal insecurities can dry up your contributions. If you earn less, you automatically cut your expenses, and your giving is the first to go. Governments collect and run programs for the less fortunate and other daily upkeep to provide an easier life for citizens. Logically and spiritually, we should all contribute happily, but this is not always the case. We often vote for political parties that promise to cut taxes, yet we want our communities to run smoothly. We demand everything from police to roads to crime-free societies from the government. If the government cuts programs, life can become harder and more insecure for the ordinary individual, placing political parties in a difficult position. If they don’t keep their promises, they are out in the next election. We all need to be educated about taxes and the spiritual nature of human individuals.

We want everything from our governments: free healthcare, old-age pensions and security, affordable living, and other securities during vulnerable times. If everything costs money, where does that money come from? Taxes are the simple answer, but if you live in a dog-eat-dog world, you won’t be happy to pay your taxes. This is where I believe individuals need spiritual help to understand human nature and our dependency on each other, much like helping dependents in a family. Without education on spirituality, we are confused as individuals and suffer as communities, falling behind those who understand it. Politically, we have been bombarded with the notion that taxes are part of socialism, so even our so-called religious leaders, who are supposed to preach spirituality, engage in non-spiritual actions. These confusions are created by powerful political propaganda aimed at gaining power, with conservatives or Republicans portraying socialism as a villain. While socialism has its drawbacks, particularly related to those in power, it offers more spirituality than the dog-eat-dog philosophy.

I may sound like I am advocating for socialism, but I am actually advocating for taking the best from all human knowledge to promote spirituality. Firstly, spirituality is against individual injustice. If you prioritize the masses over the individual, it is spiritual injustice. Thus, I view the masses as a single entity or corporation that can be taken to court if it commits injustice against an individual. Spirituality is more like a justice system that cannot be infiltrated by political influences. If tainted, it becomes a modern-day religion or a politically influenced biased justice system. Interestingly, today’s political parties appoint Supreme Court judges, which shows how politics taints everything. No wonder we are in such chaos.

Logically and personally, let’s consider an example: say I am eighty years old, can’t eat much, sleep much, do much, and can’t take anything with me when I go, yet I still complain about the taxes I pay. The real problem is not the taxes, because by nature, we want to help individuals in need. Being in a position to help makes us feel good and brings spiritual satisfaction. So, what is the problem? It certainly is not that we are becoming spiritually bankrupt, as a large segment of the population votes against conservatives or Republicans. The issue is the feeling of injustice. In daily life, we consider a government, a corporation, or even another individual as entities that should be taken to court if they commit acts of injustice. This cannot be painted politically; it should be painted spiritually. For instance, if an individual is perfectly capable of working and helping but tries to milk the system, it is spiritually wrong. This wrong should be addressed spiritually. If a group is cheating and using collected taxes for their political agendas, it is against spiritual values as well. This discussion should be open to the public without political influences.

We have been oscillating in our progress, especially concerning social issues and religious extremes. Humans have been experimenting and evolving with social rules for thousands of years, but the hunger for power and political control has remained consistent. Sometimes, this desire is cloaked in religion and hidden behind what is supposed to be plain and simple spirituality, but unfortunately, this has not been the case.

Even in today’s democratic era, democracy calls for individual education. For instance, a voter has the responsibility to use their right to vote wisely. Understanding why, how, and who to vote for requires personal awareness and knowledge of communal issues. If you lack individual strength, you could be herded like a sheep and used for the political agendas of a few. You shouldn’t vote for someone just because they are a relative or friend. You must consider the character of the individual, understand your personal values, and assess whether the party you are voting for aligns with your values. If you are the CEO of your life, you can’t be easily influenced one way or another. To become the CEO of your life, you need a well-rounded education. Your spiritual values should guide you when voting for a political party. If religions are entering politics, it is too dirty for a spiritual path, so religions should be kept out of our political systems.

Since the advent of religions, wars should have ceased, but the opposite has occurred. We fight and kill each other with great passion, believing we are doing the right thing in the name of God. It becomes especially ridiculous when people kill each other in the name of the same religion and the same God.

Personally, I think it has never been about God or spirituality. It has always been about the politics of belonging, whether for revenge, territory, or collective ego. All these reasons are related to everything but God or spirituality.

There was an old movie about Russia and communism, whose title I have forgotten. When the revolution came, people’s big houses were taken by the government, and they were forced to share their homes with strangers. It was a noble act to help the homeless, but clearly at the expense of individual suffering and human rights violations.

I believe there is always a reaction. If you go too far in capitalism without boundaries, you will end up in the reaction zone, which leads to socialism or even worse, communism. In the American election, Bernie Sanders garnered many followers, a clear sign of discontentment and a potential rise of socialism in a capitalist nation, driven by extreme capitalism. Both extremes cause the pendulum to swing back and forth.

Capitalism allows the rich to get richer through freewheeling and dealing. Depending on an individual’s insecurity level, money gets accumulated regardless. People invest and reinvest, but spending depends on personal insecurities. Thus, money gets taken out of circulation and turns into properties and land, making the poor poorer. In this technological age, the gap is widening faster than in the past.

For example, if I am a farmer with fifty workers during the harvest, and my neighbor offers to harvest my farm with a machine at a tenth of the cost, I will let my workers go to save money and time. Legally, there is nothing wrong with this, but society loses its spiritual aspect and swings to an extreme, until the pendulum swings back.

This back and forth is detrimental to humanity. As humanity, we should constantly evolve in all aspects of life. Finance alone is not enough to run a country. The proof is that countries with social networks and universal healthcare score higher than America, despite its superpower status.

If this trend continues, a population of unemployed and hungry people can turn on the governing authorities or become one, because they can’t afford food or meet basic necessities. If everyone has a gun, the one percent of powerful people is a very low number to hold all the power, and they can lose more than they bargain for.

Socialism and communism are reactionary systems to capitalism, and capitalism is a reaction to the restrictions imposed by socialism or communism.

The preference for capitalism by individuals is closely related to personal insecurities, stemming from the knowledge of mortality. This knowledge should logically lead individuals to the opposite of hoarding, but we love to compete and succeed, so we hoard to fit in, compete, impress, or be admired. However, eventually, we all leave everything behind.

A while back, a rich man died in Toronto, leaving behind fifteen billion dollars. One of his friends mentioned on TV that he was excited to buy a freezer full of hot dogs on sale, despite living in an old house.

You can accumulate as much as you want, but you can only consume a limited amount during your limited time. Living with an extreme desire to fit in, compete, impress, or be admired is unhealthy because you are doing it for others. It is your out-of-control sense of belonging compelling you to save and make more than you consume. In reality, what matters in a mortal life is what you have consumed during your temporary visit.

If you live in a tax-evading system, avoiding taxes and hoarding will come back to haunt you. By holding back, you can make life harder for the less fortunate, who may turn against you or vote against you. The government is forced to be divided, as they need to uphold the promises made to the taxpayers who hold back. This division leads to inefficiency and corruption, eventually causing the downfall of a superpower or empire.

If the tax system were taught in schools with an experiment, imagine this scenario: a teacher wants to give each of his twenty students ten dollars, but he later discovers he lost two ten-dollar bills. As he distributes ten dollars to each student, he realizes he is short by twenty dollars. To ensure fairness, he asks each student to contribute one dollar to help the two who didn’t receive any money. I bet my bottom dollar that, out of human decency, they would gladly chip in. Now everyone has nine dollars each. This situation may hint at socialism, but I’m not referring to socialism or communism. I’m highlighting the innate sense of fairness and generosity in human beings. When insecurities cloud our judgment, we tend to adopt a mentality of “what’s mine is mine,” forgetting that the money originally came from the teacher, who aimed to treat all students equally.

Children see this fairness clearly in their innocence, yet as adults, we often descend into a competitive, dog-eat-dog world where moral responsibility takes a backseat to personal pride. Personally, I believe that helping others is an ingrained human trait connected to our inherent goodness. This innate goodness is why spirituality persists even in today’s world. It’s why we pay taxes—to establish supportive systems in our societies, regardless of their prosperity. Thus, paying taxes should be taught as a positive, spiritual act from an early age. If we grew up with this understanding, perhaps we wouldn’t complain as much; we would see taxes as part of our spiritual responsibility.

When the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, it’s not due to the system but individual insecurities that operate at different levels. Find your level of insecurity and work on freeing yourself from it; this can reduce stress and related physical ailments.

Either extreme—whether extreme selfishness or complete reliance on handouts—elicits an extreme reaction, which is never a good position to be in. If you avoid paying taxes and move your business abroad to maximize profits, it reflects a lack of understanding about using your resources for the greater good, which is tied to your spiritual outlook.

Similarly, if you always seek handouts without reciprocating, you’re also going against spiritual principles. As human beings, we’ve been given everything by nature: oxygen, health, and the ability to contribute our share. Refusing to do so may seem clever in the short term, akin to Donald Trump’s statement about not paying taxes, but spiritually, failing to reciprocate harms only oneself. Helping others isn’t just beneficial for the recipient; it also boosts the helper’s self-worth and spiritual well-being.

At a societal level, exploiting systems without contributing back can breed resentment among taxpayers. Former President Obama once noted that we are born into a world where infrastructure like roads and bridges are already in place. If individuals or corporations refuse to pay their fair share of taxes while reaping substantial benefits, it undermines societal health in the long run.

We need a system that strikes a balance—you can pursue success and enjoy your journey through life, but hoarding resources or perpetually relying on assistance is unsustainable. Programs like food stamps, welfare, and universal healthcare are pillars of a compassionate society and should not be viewed as burdens. Religious teachings often advocate for selflessness and aiding the less fortunate, yet they sometimes align with conservative or Republican policies that oppose such social safety nets, which are funded by tax dollars.

I was taught in Islam that if your neighbor goes hungry, your food is not blessed. Yet, during elections, many religious individuals vote for parties that oppose measures like universal healthcare or welfare. This paradox reveals how politics often overrides spirituality when it comes to voting choices.

It baffles me how religious individuals, who are supposed to seek spirituality, can stray so far. Why do supposedly godly people often reject measures that align with spiritual principles? Their actions suggest a prioritization of political ideology over spirituality.

If you’ve been told that supporting social programs through taxes is a godless act, you’ve been misled. Consider whether your allegiance to a political party or religious group influences your beliefs more than your understanding of spirituality. If so, question your allegiance and seek answers beyond political rhetoric.

Regardless of whether these actions are endorsed by religious groups or not, they are undeniably tied to spirituality. Individuals with free will should be able to discern the political agendas behind such rhetoric. At the very least, they should refrain from opposing measures that benefit the greater good.

Understanding the politics of belonging is part of self-governance—it’s your responsibility to vote based on informed decisions rather than blind allegiance to religious teachings or party platforms. Once you see through this political veneer, you may realize that your true allegiance lies with humanity as a whole. Only then can you spiritually mature beyond the confines of group politics and embrace a broader perspective.

It may feel safe to remain in a shallow pond with clear boundaries, but true security lies beyond such limitations. Politically drawn lines divide our world into hundreds of such ponds, yet physically, our planet has none. On the other hand, humanity continues to explore and discover new frontiers, even beyond our solar system.

Your allegiance to groups may reassure you of security, but these groups cannot provide true security for mortal beings. No family, community, nation, or religion supplies the oxygen essential for life; that comes from an entity beyond our comprehension. Our existence is not a random accident; it is a gift with a finite lifespan that should not be squandered on extreme and egotistical beliefs.

Religions often talk about this, but they often emphasize group identity over humanity as a whole. For centuries, wars have been fought over nationalism and religion, resulting in countless deaths—all in the name of security provided by these groups. Yet, they fail to deliver on this promise. Instead, they perpetuate division and spiritual crimes while failing to evolve in tandem with human progress in other areas.

Progress in science, technology, and global communication transcends these artificial boundaries. Global warming, rising sea levels, and the internet’s expansion are global challenges that defy national or religious borders. Political leaders advocate protectionism to preserve their nation’s interests, but we cannot ignore these global issues under the false assumption that divine providence will protect us.

I believe that divinity is entwined with these challenges, urging humanity to unite and take collective responsibility. The protectionism preached by religions and nationalism is rooted in group politics, which confines them to isolated ponds. In contrast, spirituality, divinity, and humanity are interconnected like the internet—they transcend any political or governing system.

To address looming challenges like environmental migration caused by our own actions, we must unite as humanity. Imagine if everyone worked together to advance humanity—where could we be? Unfortunately, we’ve often deprived each other of such progress, whether through conflict or brain drain, which weakens us collectively.

Religious followers should consider whether rejecting knowledge from non-religious sources is justified. I firmly believe it’s not; knowledge becomes wisdom only when practiced. Religious texts may offer wisdom, but without practical application, we only grasp half of what divinity intends to teach us. Supporting initiatives like universal healthcare and welfare is a spiritual duty because they uplift those in need, embodying spiritual values that religious rhetoric sometimes contradicts.