Dogma Eat Dogma

I said that each of the three integrating movements (i.e. in religion, in human consciousness, and in society) also creates disintegration and dissension on their level.  Thus, even the unifying universal of the all-encompassing Word of God generates disunity among the religions, as each feels threatened by the authority of the new Word and counter-asserts that it alone has a monopoly on religious truth.  This reaction, too, gets confounded, because dogmatic materialism provokes the same revolt from established religion as centuries ago religion provoked from it, namely, a dogmatic one.   Religion’s spiritual revolt against materialism reverses the original reversal, for materialism, in a real sense, reversed religion’s hold on consciousness and the direction of society.  Actually it absorbed it and made it over into one of its strongest pillars.  In the “west”, especially, the religions themselves have bought into materialism’s distortion of human nature and purpose played out in a secular perspective.  As the document The Prosperity of Humankind puts it: “Burdened by traditions of paternalism, prevailing religious thought seems incapable of translating an expressed faith in the spiritual dimensions of human nature into confidence in humanity's collective capacity to transcend material conditions.” (Bahá’í International Community, 1995 Mar 03, The Prosperity of Humankind. p.1)  But for others there remains a smoldering, burning in their soul that flames up ever more violently.

The violent revolt within religion between faiths is also against materialism as a false faith.  This is the frontal attack upon materialism from the blind fury of fanatical religionists, though often conceived, somewhat legitimately, as against the western way of life.  While materialism is a flame that devours society—Shoghi Effendi calling it “the chief factor in precipitating the dire ordeals and world-shaking crises that must necessarily involve the burning of cities and the spread of terror and consternation in the hearts of men”—the flame of fanatical religious belief is worse, for it immolates the soul in its own ego desires, and only God can cool this liquid fire.  “Religious fanaticism and hatred,” wrote Bahá’u’lláh, “are a world-devouring fire, whose violence none can quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone, deliver mankind from this desolating affliction....” (Gleanings: 288)

We have only to cast a glance at the headlines to see the truth of His assertion today—e.g. 9/11.  But religious fanaticism is allowed to grow when true religion is lost and the manipulation of lower emotions and passions by religious leaders is taken to be religious training.  Indeed, one of the outstanding social phenomena of our time, one that threatens to devour the whole world, is a world-wide resurgence of fanatical religious fervor and intolerance.  Religious fanaticism breeds hatred and violence, engenders civil strife, promotes terror, and increases manifold human suffering, not only between religious communities but also entire nations.  Its pernicious influence can be found at the root of all too many of the wars, conflicts and other ills undermining peace in the world.

Bahá’u’lláh identified the source of this spiritual perversion when He wrote to the divines of His day: "O ye the dawning-places of knowledge!  Beware that ye suffer not yourselves to become changed, for as ye change, most men will, likewise, change. This, verily, is an injustice unto yourselves and unto others.... Ye are even as a spring. If it be changed, so will the streams that branch out from it be changed.  Fear God, and be numbered with the godly.” (Quoted by Shoghi Effendi in The Promised Day is Come:83)

Fanaticism is contrary to the humane teachings brought by the Founders of all the great religions and is directly responsible for the atrocities committed in the name of those same religions.  The violence and disruption associated with religious fanaticism testifies to its spiritual emptiness. Fanaticism destroys the very foundations of human solidarity by dividing the world into contending factions, each believing itself to be superior to others and to have an exclusive claim on religious truth. These actions and attitudes negate the very purpose of religion.

But if all is in a state of maturity, though we might better call religion in a state of senility, then today’s fanatical expressions represent the dying convulsions of doctrines and societies which have openly defied the altruistic teachings of their own faiths.  This is the mind-deadening outcome of imitations creeping into the practice and beliefs of religion.  And when there is no longer any true religion it opens the gates for artificial faiths to make their appearance and usurp the throne of religion located in the heart.  And religion fallen into imitation opens the way for the infection of materialism to gain entry, then move through the body politic to kill the soul.

A lasting solution to our political and economic problems can only be achieved if something is first done to bridge the spiritual gap existing between the followers of the major faiths.  The only way to quiet this inner flame of religious intolerance and fanaticism is through a new outpouring of the religious spirit that unifies the religions.  This is the universal Revelation which will at once reconcile the basic contradictions in major religious beliefs, be consistent with modern scientific and rational principles, and offer to all the people values and a meaning to life that they can accept and apply.

There can be no power of change and development until a new spirit animates religion, one that not just comprehends the realities of today, but also generates them.  Seeing this, though, requires a new state of mind about religion.  Now it is difficult to achieve a new state of mind, not just a greater degree of intelligence, because the chief obstacle to new knowledge is not ignorance, but old knowledge.  Bahá’u’lláh says: “The most grievous of all veils is the veil of knowledge." (The Kitab-i-Iqan: 187) and: “The most grievous veil hath shut out the peoples of the earth from His glory, and hindered them from hearkening to His call.” (Gleanings: 11)

It is not that we don’t know anything, or even something of what we need to know; in this case, religious truth. It is that, either, we don’t know it in the right way but think that we do, or, are veiled from it and, naming our ignorance knowledge, fail to search for it.  Those without the new state of mind think and talk from a consciousness that is really a veil of misunderstanding about spiritual truth. Simple ignorance of spiritual reality is one thing, but arrogance against it, an attitude demonstrated by many scientists and humanists, makes things worse. This union of ignorance and arrogance manifests this statement of Bahá’u’lláh: “Indeed the actions of man himself breed a profusion of satanic power.” (Tablets of Baha'u'llah: 176)  (Remember, the Baha'i teachings state that satan is the human ego.)

In such a state of confusion, man turns his understanding upon his own misunderstandings and, like a dog chasing its own tail, believes he is after something real and objective.  Bahá’u’lláh wrote about such objectors: "And since they are unable to attain to mysteries of knowledge and wisdom from what hath been unravelled by the Source of divine splendour, they rise in protest and burst into clamour. But it is true to say that they object to that which they comprehend, not to the expositions given by the Expounder, nor the truths imparted by the One true God, the Knower of things unseen. Their objections, one and all, turn upon themselves, and I swear by thy life that they are devoid of understanding.” (Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh: 140)

So, while we can rejoice when science and reason demolish religion’s dogmas and imitations, let us not in a fool’s triumphal joy also fail to notice that science and humanistic reason have their own dogmas and prejudices that need demolishing.