REVELATION, REASON, REALIZATION

Revelation must fulfil reason, not contradict it. If it runs contrary to reason and is exclusive in its occurrence, reject it, for truth must have validity either in universal experience or in enlightenment which must be open to all. This is the only way past dogmatic adherence to irrational beliefs, founded on so-called revelations, and their foster-child, fanaticism. If peace and prosperity in their highest sense are to prevail on earth, archaic superstitions must be given up and rationality upheld as worthy of being integral to the human pursuit for truth and excellence. This, however, does in no way mean that religious practices pertaining to cultivation of the inner life of man have no place in the future renascent order of things. Rather, reason is to be the safeguard against falling into the pitfalls of magic and mummery and absolutist assertions of the chosen ones of an arbitrary God who speaks only to the ignorant that dare not contradict Him in terms of enlightened reason. Reason that is chastened in the crucible of renunciation and purity where the least contamination of lust, lucre, power or pelf is assiduously avoided to attain to the subtlest of nervous evolution whereby the higher truths of the spirit may be perceived, such sublimation of the mental faculties are in conformity with the pursuit of truth without a tinge of external imposition or internal presupposition. Such is the rational way of the spirit as it obtains in enlightened India which in no way contradicts the investigative, evidential methodology of science as applied to the inner world and is free of dogma, doctrine, diktat or mental imposition of any kind, for freedom being the goal of this search after truth, freedom is held as the means to it as well. The Abrahamic religions have much to learn from the democracy of spirit as obtains in Hinduism and if they do so, they stand a moderate chance of surviving the onslaughts of modern science. Else, they will dwindle in course of time, for an increasingly educated humanity will refuse to abide by archaic irrational prescriptions of scriptures or absolutist assertions of messiahs or messengers. Man is on the rise and only the spiritual traditions of India that collectively go by the name of the Sanatan Dharma or, popularly, Hinduism can accommodate the rising aspirations of the human soul that will brook no opposition as it manifests progressively its godhead. Only Hinduism and its derivative schools of religious thinking such as Jainism and Buddhism allow this fullest bloom of the human soul and only these will survive the ravages of time. Grounded in the scientific spirit as these are, they are in perfect compatibility with the findings of modern science and are being strengthened by the mathematical formulations of science unlike the Abrahamic religions which are forever in conflict with science and, as such, are threatened with extinction at the hands of science. Either they reform their ways, become tolerant of other faiths and learn to harmoniously co-exist with all, or they will go down the way other ancient religions have at their hands, for, in the very words of Christ, ''Whosoever shall liveth by the sword, shall perish by it." Long live the meek Hindus and all those who choose to emulate them in civility of behaviour, catholicity of culture and universality of acceptance! Om!