I am not some conceited narcissist. I do not talk to to hear myself talk. Nor do I write to boast about my own writing. But I have recently started keeping a spiritual journal. I am doing so, because it is actually recommended as a form of prayer by the scholars at the Word on Fire Institute, and also in a book Armchair Mystic by Fr. Mark Thibodeaux S.J. My entry for today, I have entitled “all souls are religious” are thoughts that have been bothering me for quite sometime. I feel compelled to share them, and, I encourage all who share my grief to pass these words on as well. It is marked number 20, because I am numbering all my passage entries.
20. All Souls are “Religious” June 22, 2023.
So, in our present age there is a great debate, or, as some brilliant people sometimes word it: A crisis of philosophy. It is rampant in most, if not all, of our culture. The crisis is one in which a large percentage of the societal world view is being infected by ideologies. — Ideologies, that in turn replace a firm grip on philosophical realism. The laymen vernacular “Keep it real, dude!” comes to mind.
This is the intrinsic flaw in all idealism (and its big brother ideology). Eventually, they reveal the ugly truth that somehow or another completely (or partially) they are disconnected from reality. This, usually accompanied by very real and terrible consequences.
My wife, mother-in-law, and I recently watched the HBO television series Chernobyl. The ideological nightmare of Communism and Marxism is on full display here for all to see. There have been many very wise rebuttals in recorded history, that have been written against the flaws of Communism: Some Popes have written encyclicals outlining them. Let’s not forget the secular work Animal Farm authored by George Orwell. (Animal Farm Cartoon on YT).
These elegant works are far better prose than what I could compose given my current level of grace in my current spiritual condition. However, there is one blatant lie of Communism that was apparent in the Chernobyl series that really bothered me. In my very core.
The way the political pundits dealt with the crises exposes how the Marxist ideology reduces the entire human existence to nothing more than a battery, a fuel, an energy to operate a machine. With the Soviets, the machine was called “Mother Russia” or “The Mother-Land”. This of course another ideology in itself. It’s a form of spiritual idolatry where deep in the hearts of men, they choose to make a god — small g, … a deity, out of their nation. A.k.a Nationalism, or nationalistic pride…
Consider if you will the “Hitler Youth Movement” of Nazi Germany. Young children walking lock step with the military on parade. It’s the same kind of coup against the societal psyche to force one into false ideology. In this case a political one. Which really begs to ask the question what is going on here? … With this “Young Global Leader” movement in the World Economic Forum of our current times — But I digress.
So, now we arrive to the big question then: Many people now a days claim they are “not religious”. Or, they say: “I’m spiritual, not religious”. These souls also tend to become very infuriated when other souls who are in the know correct them and say “all souls (people) are religious”. As Daniel O’Connor puts it, in some of his talks and blog posts: “People tend to get pretty upset when you smash their idols”. We are not saying this to unnerve people. We are not saying this to be condescending. We are not expressing our own opinion or conjecture. We are saying this because it is in the dictionary definition of the word.
Religion: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
The first three words set out the implication clearly. If you don’t acquiesce, humbly submit to; or, chose to accept an institutionalized set of “attitudes, beliefs, and practices… The conclusion then is that you create or define your own personal set as you live your life.
For brevity sake, I am going to summarize quite a rant I go on here where by I explain how there is a distinct point where, a philosopher (if he wishes to remain honest) must clearly delineate, if he crosses over into the realm of theology to explain a personal belief. Vice-versa also applies. Some times a theologian may have to close sacred scripture and enter the realm of philosophy to better clarify a belief. St Thomas Aquinas was given an amazing gift in this realm.
Oh Lord, you have given me to see and contemplate your eternal might through the wisdom you gave souls like St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas. How can I even begin to repay you for such amazing gifts? The words of the song Why me Lord? by Kris Kristofferson come to mind right now.
Now, a person could still argue, and rightly so, whoa! I don’t actively chose to, or develop, formulate, or promulgate, etc… my personal beliefs. I’m not like a narcissist or have a god-complex.
Dr. Evil from Austin Powers has an uncanny sarcastic way of saying “right……….” that is applicable here:
This is unfortunately only partially accurate.
I make an in journal reference to past passage 18, where I illustrate how Medieval Catholic Mysticism, in particular explained in Divine Works by St. Hildegard explain how all human souls are imprinted with a “Holy Longing” for God — Capital G.
So, since Merriam-Webster’s definition of religion allows for religion to be defined as a “personal” set of beliefs… Even though these beliefs never become publicly codified or ratified in into a formal “institutional” type of document i.e.: Canon Law, or The Communist Manifesto. A human being is still left with the daunting task of formulating an adequate and sufficient response to the four great questions of meta-physics in philosophy:
1. A) Who/What am I really?
B) Where did I come from?
2. A) Who are all these other people?
B) What is my relationship to them?
3.) What is the meaning, the purpose of human existence?
4. A) What is my fate/Where do I go when I die?
B) Since I can contemplate things that are immaterial, i.e.: Why is a prime number a prime number?, then is a material death truly final?
C) What then, is the fate? Of that part of my conscious thought, that can contemplate rational ideas above material itself, when my material body dies?
Spoiler Alert: Philosophy, Mathematics, and Modern Science cannot answer them, if they are to remain honest and grounded in reality. They pretend they can unfortunately, via many ideologies. The above questions fuel some of the greatest debates in human history even to this day. This fuel does not need to be one of polemic substance, but it usually does result to this.
The cause of this is due to the fact, that either consciously, (or sub-consciously) a human cannot escape entering the realm of self-formulated or chosen “beliefs” in context to these questions. At least, it is the case, if he or she is willing to remain honest.
Aristotle was Plato’s most promising student, but, he went on to call out and criticize his teacher Plato: “I love my teacher Plato, but I love The Truth, even more”. See, Plato had abandoned pure philosophical reasoning and adopted theological ideas of his present day culture, to retain the societal position he had been provided. In laymen’s terms, following M-W’s definition of religion, Plato “got religious” in the institutional sense. Aristotle said in a personal way, your theological beliefs are false. Plato had entered the realm of polytheistic beliefs. Aristotle, however, ontologically speaking followed causality all the way back to a Mono-Theistic God — Capital G.
So now, hopefully, we can all agree in a very concrete way, using the dictionary definition, we are all religious beings. The word religion applies to everyone, because none of use can escape the four great questions of meta-physics. It is funny how I should chose to end this passage of my journal here. It would be a great place to continue with how St. Thomas Aquinas picks up philosophically exactly where Aristotle left off.
Oh Lord, I am not trying to be as smart as St. Thomas Aquinas, or St. Augustine. You know You have already given these great saints this immense treasury of Your wisdom. But, for clarity sake should another human soul ever read this journal of my inner most thoughts while contemplating You. Please Oh Lord, give me the words to explain the Infinite and Unfathomable Depths that You are.
Amen.
Very well said. The moment I hear someone say: "I'm spritual but not religious", I know Im dealing with an idiot whom I will avoid in future . Didn't need to see Kristofferson's ugly mug, though. I can't stand the guy...he is one of Them.