Mysticism: A Global Epidemic
An exception of the book Professional Nomad Maurice Marwood. View www.trafford.com/08-0776
Faith is believing what you know is not that of Mark Twain-cas.
Religion is based, I think, first of all in fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown and partly, as I have words, the desire to feel they have some kind of older brother who keep his side in all your troubles and disputes. A good world needs knowledge, kindness and courage, he did not need a desire to regret after the last or an obstacle to the free intelligence by the words long ago by men ignorants.-Bertrand Russell
Throughout my youth, my mother exposed to Protestant doctrines of Christian theology, beliefs and rituals. We attended church camps, Sunday school and church this summer. As a young adult, he taught me Sunday school and Bible study groups, and my brother, Curtis, became pastor of United Church Canada. During the first 30 years of my life that was immersed in Christianity and its teachings. I read the Bible, sang songs and performed rituals.
It was painful. According to the Christian message, which was condemned as guilty sinner from the moment where I left the uterus and could not explain how he got this sentence [1].
They said they had been made of clay or dust for what seemed like a bad mood and threatening that God does not even show up. I love God with an attitude of submission, fear and gratitude eternal gratitude for what?
They told me my life on this earth was a short period of time during which I was preparing for an eternal life after unknown death could win if I have sacrificed enough for the benefit of others [2]. The so-called "eternal life" has never been more of a premium, because no one could describe in a way that sounded interesting. God has promised at least a bevy of virgins simply sending a few infidels hell during the transition to paradise. (I wonder what women could win the chance to be virgins?)
I wanted a productive career, rewarding and prosperous, comfortable and interesting life but Christianity has defended the denial, humility and self sacrifice as virtues, and those who practice these virtues are held in high esteem. Mother Teresa is admired for their sacrifice and charity work that much is Thomas Edison, and yet, in my opinion, Thomas Edison has contributed greatly to the good of humanity than Mother Teresa never did.
I said he should bow down and kneel on the ground in humility. I wanted to talk and touch the sky with pride, however, classified Christianity pride as one of the seven deadly sins, and the Bible says: [3] "Pride goes before destruction."
From an early age that instinctively liked and admired by some, but certainly not all Christianity preaches love agape love for all the world blind. According to the Sermon on the Mount, which had to love my neighbors, regardless of their character. This seems to suggest that there may be much disagree with the actions of Hitler, but still give a strong embrace, forgive his actions, and invite him to lunch with family and friends.
Since childhood, Christianity has taught me to share, once again, indiscriminately but there were those who clearly had not earned or deserved me.
Christian doctrine contradicts my aspirations and the meaning of life in every way. These contradictions haunted me as I have studied Christianity Sunday and struggled to live a secular life than the rest of the week. Religious leaders have been without the aid, irritated with my persistent questions and simply said "have faith" that God was beyond the power of understanding.
In In the beginning, as most, I smiled, practice self-deception, contradictions repressed, harmony and maintained to prevent surface the risk of alienating others. No But self-deception did not work, the contradictions continued to harass and created a level of anxiety that rises and falls. I wanted clarity, comprehensibility, consistency, and resolution, so he continued searching for answers. I was the devil incarnate?
Later I came to understand the doctrine of the three major religions is essentially the same monotheistic, Christianity was not unique. The common thread in all forms of mysticism was the warning from the practice of obedience and supply selflessness. They differ only in details, purpose and beneficiary of the sacrifice, the choice of deity worship only true and legitimate standards of conduct proposed by the prophets, and if the Messiah has come or to come. It is worth noting that tens of millions of people died during the fighting and stuff that are dying every day.
At a relatively young age, after a simple existence in North America suddenly I was immersed in tribalism and mysticism around Africa and the Middle East. My sense of the contradictions became especially intense I have gained exposure to many cultures, religions, witchcraft, tribal beliefs and superstitions and observe first hand the disastrous consequences in the lives of people. The many beliefs and practices I have encountered have bombarded my brain shaped my thinking, and validated my thoughts on the meaning and implications of mysticism in all its forms.
Began in Nigeria. During the ceremony Official opening a new training center Kano, we discovered that several students from other parts of the country do not attend school for fear of being attacked by competitors "Tribes" who were also attending classes. These tribes were students, young educated middle class in Nigeria at the beginning of their new careers as service technicians. They were not savages, but members of each tribe practiced different customs and rituals, mystical, according to the teachings of their leaders, warlords and wizards.
In general, these warlords were trained in large institutions in North America and Europe. Had experienced freedom and prosperity of societies Western civilized, and even knowledge and understanding, he returned to his home and quickly began to oppress their own people and the bankruptcy of their country. They used mysticism and magic to instill fear and loyalty and obedience to raise their tribesmen.
According to The Economist, corruption side the people of Nigeria over $ 400 million about two-thirds of all aid to Africa every year since 1960 [4]. In the past 25 years, income per capita has declined significantly. Is a poor country only because the warlords looted military oil revenues for their own benefit, instead of using it to improve the quality of life of people. Nigeria is one of several African countries gradually making its way back to the dark ages in this way.
In Zimbabwe, before Rhodesia, Robert Mugabe took over power after independence and has led the country with a brutal abuse of human rights, and created a disastrous economic situation World Bank has called "unprecedented for a country not at war." Over the years, Mugabe has been almost a millions of Zimbabweans of their homes and disrupted the education of thousands of children, forcing many of them in school and confiscated the passports of persons considered "Harm the national interest." Mugabe's brand of mysticism has led the country to the brink of collapse.
The Congo is not better. Dictator Mobutu Sese Seko has launched a nationalization plan in 1973 and looted cases of personal enrichment. Over the past three decades, malpractice, corruption and tribal mysticism by Mobutu and kleptocrats Parliament composed of former warlords, have left the infrastructure in the disorder. In a survey 2005, the World Bank estimated in the Congo with the worst companies.
In 2007, several African countries had the audacity to ask the World Bank and others to forgive international loans and help them out of their early existence. The leaders of the civilized world have shown empathy to this request, and stupid enough likely to fall for the scam and give more money to workers warlords plunder. As oil revenues, the most of this money, money could have been used to pay the loan forgiveness, no doubt, end up in private accounts in foreign banks.
When my colleagues and I traveled to Saudi Arabia, Libya and Sudan, immigration and customs searched our luggage still looking for an excuse to harass, they were the "infidels" and "non-believers therefore, the enemies of God. Time and Newsweek magazines Playboy has been systematically confiscated, these publications have been considered too bold for religious norms. However, our local contacts we have received and read these publications because it was passed surreptitiously from one official to another. In particular, there were searched for copies of Playboy magazine in the studio, and a look from time to time to the other for the free world again.
Saudi Saudi women could not leave our people alone to shop or visit friends. They could not drive cars or clothes that bare skin. In Jeddah, I witnessed men be flogged in public for the consumption of alcohol, and women persecuted for not being adequately addressed or a breach of the rules for the conduct of many others. The mystics and the Saudi Wahhabis Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice religious police forced the U.S. rules of behavior and religious Islamic punishes non-believers and infidels. [5]
Advance rapidly until 2007, Saudi authorities sentenced a married woman from the city of Qatif, that she was raped by seven men, six months in prison and 200 lashes, yes, she was the victim of rape is not the author. What has he done to deserve this barbaric treatment? She was in a public car park to retrieve a picture from a friend. Under Islamic law, women are not allowed out in public with men unless they are with their male relatives. Wahhabism Islamic mysticism still has strict laws on segregation of the sexes. [6] Obviously, nothing significant has changed since my first trip to the region 25 years ago.
Of course, the ruling classes, political leaders and clerics exempted from these rules when the situation makes it desirable. Saudi businessmen have been very welcoming, and home visits, we shared cocktails and snacks in the fully stocked bar with a variety of alcoholic drinks own country, which officially banned alcohol, according to Islamic law.
customers Arabia to attend a Product seminar Malaga, Spain, were treated to the best champagne and Spanish women money could buy, despite the rules of conduct the law Islamic. I was there, was an unforgettable experience.
One day while I was flying from Jeddah to London on British Airways, my neighbor, wearing a full burka, retired in silence to the bathroom. [7] A few minutes later, the Arab woman turned to look like a Vogue model, was wearing a skirt Short, sheer nylon stockings four-inch heels, long hair, and lots of jewels and cleavage. It was a transformation. Without a doubt, arrived in London and mixed in the crowd Piccadilly Circus fashion unnoticed. Of course, the return flight to Saudi Arabia, which would change costume and set again wear the burka. Obviously, the rules mysticism of Islam is flexible, if necessary, at least for some. I guess if we have the power to make rules, we have the power to ignore them.
All the Middle East is a boiling pot dysfunctional mysticism and has been for over 2,000 years. Three of the dominant religions in the world of the Middle East. The city of Jerusalem states that it is sacred to all three in their quest to achieve eternal salvation. [8] can not explain the murder of a man who was held in the name of these religions over the years. The fundamentalists of all three contributed to the slaughter, including Christians. The three share a common idea is that they and only they, have "true" religion and therefore should be on the exclusive "afterlife." Each of them believe that their God is the one true God and their faith must reign teacher. The slaughter of men will remain as long as the masses continue to accept the lessons that their version of truth is "exclusive" version.
While world attention focuses mainly on the Arab-Israeli conflict, the majority of slaughter was not involved Israel. For example, Syria has killed to 20,000 Arab Muslims, while crushing an uprising in Hama in 1982, Saddam Hussein has killed more Muslims than many Arabs and Israelis do not consider a hero, the 10-year war between Iran and Iraq have killed more than a million Arabs and Persians, [9] and more than 2 million Sudanese have died in war ongoing civil. The outrage of Israel and the Palestinians continues, while the Arabs kill Arabs and the weakness of their societies and political systems are neglected.
Obviously, murder suicide more money and power as the supreme law of the true religion. Muslim clerics have tied bombs and martyr murder suicide or your child to go to Benefit Glorious in heaven with 71 virgins. Instead, send your child to the U.S. or the United Kingdom to get a good education. Suicides are outcasts, orphans, arrears and young hotheads. suicide murder is simply a cruel form of terrorism, a weapon used by those seeking wealth and power, and mysticism is the tool used to get there.
India is particularly full of mysticism. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism were born there, and the country has more Muslims than any other country in Indonesia [10]. Religion is a fundamental part of the nation. I found mark Hindu mysticism, particularly surprising. According to National Geographic magazine, the ranks of this company comes from a legend major groups have emerged from a primordial being. A group called the Untouchables, is considered too impure, too polluted, to rank as worthy beings. Subject defines the life of the 160 million people, especially in rural areas. Untouchables are rejected, insulted, banned from temples and houses of upper caste, is eating and drinking separate utensils in public places and in extreme cases, are raped, burned, lynched and shot. [11]
Mystical religious persuasion Hindu expect these people to accept their misery and the practice of self-sacrifice that could place them in a higher class of society when they are reincarnated, always, of course, that their sacrifice is sufficient. I saw this breed children begging for scraps of food out of four star hotels in Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Meanwhile, cows roamed freely in the market, eating whatever they wanted and usually destroying all obtained in their own way. [12] Where is the virtue in a brand of the mystique that the values of the cows in children and preaches the basic precept that all men are created unequal?
More which illustrates the shocking nature of Hindu mysticism, fast forward again to 2005 and read the story of a young man whose grandfather arranged his marriage at the age of three to a neighborhood boy who had five years. The marriage was blessed by the advice of caste caste panchayat, a powerful group of local leaders. In 2005, the girl, now 22, had broken the rules of marriage and refused to move with her husband. By continuing, you may be exposed, prosecuted, ostracized, tortured and perhaps death. Once again, the mystique of the Hindu caste panchayat ruled people's lives. His religious affiliation has become a matter of life or death [13].
After moving to Hong Kong in 1979, I had the opportunity to visit China shortly after the death of Chairman Mao. In China, there was a mystic religious singer's voice 30 years, was a mystic of muscle-Chairman Mao. God created nature itself, the altar where the Chinese people to worship. Even equipped with a "sacred" Little Red Book text. In the context of monotheism Mao, people had to confess their sins to the scheme and sacrificed their lives to Communist ideology with such fervor presentation and that the followers of any religious mysticism. the mystique of Chairman Mao killed muscular more than 50 million of its own Chinese people by the mass hunger and persecution during his reign of terror. Mao is not unique, many other strong men of history have understood the power of the mystique and fear to control the masses, Adolf Hitler, Lenin, Stalin, Saddam Hussein, Pol Pot and Fidel Castro, to name a few. [14] Chairman Mao, who had total control over the lives of people and demanded blind obedience to dogma and doctrine of ideology and personality cult of deified.
In Beijing in 1979, engineers who attend our training seminars were not allowed to enter the hotel without the permission of the Communist Party. Not allowed inspect our team in the country without travel documents giving them permission. Control over individual choice and personal behavior was so extreme, it was hard to tell the men and women because they were all forced to wear the same uniform opaque blue Mao. Fortunately, several economic freedoms have been granted since then, but political freedom in China remains virtually nonexistent.
The outbreak of mysticism is not limited to the least developed countries. In Northern Ireland, Catholics and Protestants killed each other for years in different beliefs, doctrines and rituals. The same thing happened occurred in the Balkans during the breakup of the Republic Yugoslavia, where the chaos of a company once modern. To be Christian is to be Croatian Catholic and Christian Orthodox Serbia. Here, Serbian Slobodan Milosevic Orthodox Christian practice run by the Holocaust as a religious or ethnic cleansing against Croats in the battles for religious, cultural and ethnic Christians killing Christians [15].
radical mysticism is also beginning to show his face in the United States, particularly in the delusions of Christians Fundamentalists advocating law and break the constitutional separation of church and state and government to become a Christian theocracy. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary State, advocates of mixing politics and religion to help solve world problems, [16] and President George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden believes that "God is on our side. "
Canada in 1960, the Federation for the Liberation of Quebec (FLQ) use of violence and intimidation to try to extend their control over Quebec "infidels" who were not the same "tribe", which often do not share the same religion and disagree with the FLQ plan of "hello" to the province. Fortunately, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau declared martial law and took the army to restore order before the situation worsened.
My wife tells the stories of their persecution as a child to be educated by the Quebec Catholic Church. Religious mystics of the Christian faith told what to read, what to think and how to live their personal lives. Young students under the religious were not allowed to read the Bible independently until they were about 20 years, are not sufficiently brainwashed with the doctrine and dogma to resist the temptations and contradictions that may arise. Meanwhile, Church Catholic priests were a golden age of sexually abusing young boys in the local orphanages-tragic events speaks only 20 years later. Today, my wife is a recovering Catholic. She personally has applied methods of intimidation and control of the mind similar to those used to brainwash of Muslim children to become suicide bombers in the name of Allah, the supreme Muslim mystical faith.
It is no coincidence that free societies are relatively prosperous and enjoy a good life, while race fear totalitarian societies theocracy, ignorance and hatred in their struggle to meet the needs basic survival, even countries that have abundant oil wealth. The cycle of despair is not caused by poverty and is caused by repression and ignorance creates vulnerability fanatical beliefs in ancient tribal mysticism. The mystics do not want their followers to be educated, independent thinkers, like they are ignorant and fearful, so blindly follow the tribal leader who is committed to care for them in exchange for loyalty and self sacrifice.
Israel is the only country in the Middle East having a legitimate interest in multi-ethnic, plural form of government that protects individual liberties to a significant degree. Israel has only 1 / 1000 of the population world, yet its 100 billion economy is larger than all its immediate neighbors combined. Israel has the average standard of living higher in the Middle East, and in 2000, per capita income has surpassed the United Kingdom, however, their neighbors, religious totalitarian practices in one country or another and form a large number of people is functionally illiterate. Totalitarianism and illiteracy often seem to go hand-a coincidence, perhaps? I do not think.
India has some 150 million Muslims practitioners, who are generally productive and quietly making a better life for themselves. It is the second largest community of Muslims around the world, but not heard about them kill us or destroy America. [17] It may be because, like Israel, living under a political system (a form of democracy, perhaps) that, though fragile, disorganized and corrupt, it is also multi-ethnic and pluralistic. Furthermore, secular primary education is widely available and have more economic opportunities and political voice at your disposal. In addition, most individual freedoms are recognized, this allows complaints to be voiced and addressed, most often without having to resort to violence.
So what's the point? The fact is that mysticism in all its forms is a worldwide epidemic. Whether a muscle or a self-proclaimed mystic mystical religion, both have a common denominator: the demand for self-sacrifice, submission and unquestioning obedience. The result This outbreak is always the same: millions of people who live and die in ignorance, poverty, conflict and despair. [18] I see no virtue in moral altruism. My experiences have convinced me that only part of a secular political system and the protection of individual liberty and maintenance of an independent judiciary to enforce the separation of church and state can people with different beliefs and value systems and enjoy the freedom to coexist peacefully.
The outbreak of mysticism desperately need a vaccine. Is available, it starts with a quality education that teaches all children are secular sovereign individuals inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of their own happiness. A vaccination program in the world should be implemented to eradicate this epidemic before destroy the companies are still the most civilized time.
Good people do good things and bad things will be bad. But for good people do evil things, that takes the Weinberg, Steven religion.
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[1] According to Christian belief in the concept of original sin;
[2] I always wondered: If that was my purpose in life, what was the purpose of others? They were my slaves and sacrifice his life for me, although I was a complete stranger?
[3] Proverbs 16:18.
[4] "The Good, the Bad and the President, "Economist, January 5, 2008, 36;
[5] Robert Fisk, The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest Middle East (2005). Wahhabism is the strict religious conservative Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Qatar, founded by the eighteenth century religious Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab (1703-1792). Taliban clerics are the product of Wahhabi madrasas, religious schools for Muslims, mainly financed by Saudi Arabia.
[6] Economist, November 24, 2007, 52
[7] Burka: An all-in garment with veiled holes for the eyes, worn by some Muslim women.
[8] It should be noted that King David founded Jerusalem. For over 3,000 years, Jerusalem was the Jewish capital. There is no indication Muhammad has set foot. It has never been the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Even during the government of Jordan, Jerusalem has not been done in the capital. Jews pray towards Jerusalem, Muslims face Mecca.
[9] Persians are those born in Iran and are descendants of people who lived in ancient Persia and founded an empire around 550 BC. Their language is Persian and not Arab. Their dominant religion is Islam.
[10] Edward Luce, In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of modern India (2007).
[11] National Geographic June 2003.
[12] has offered the government of India to import and protect the face slaughter of livestock because of the cow "crazy" that swept Europe in the 1990's.
[13] September Washington Post 6, 2005.
[14] See Robert Gellately, Lenin, Stalin and Hitler: The Age of Social Catastrophe (2007), and Andrew Nagórski, the greatest battle (2007).
[15] In the 1940's, thousands of Catholic Croats of Orthodox Christians massacred or put in camps concentration.
[16] Madeleine Albright, the Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God and World Affairs (2006).
[17] Indonesia has the largest Muslim community in a country.
[18] Christopher Hitchens God Is Not Great (2007), the author provides information detailed documents how the mysticism, religion, faith and superstition destroy civilized society.
About the Author
Maurice E. Marwood grew up after the Second World War as the son of a struggling, part-time farmer in eastern Canada. He eventually escaped the clutches of poverty and earned an MSc in engineering from the University of Guelph and an MBA from the University of Chicago. During his early career, he spent 20 years in increasingly responsible international positions with Caterpillar and, later, an additional 10 years managing two Caterpillar dealer organizations—first, as President of the dealership in the Bahamas, and most recently as Managing Director for the dealership in Taiwan. An expert in corporate turnarounds, he spent several years restructuring and renewing a variety of business organizations struggling for growth and profitability; his executive-level leadership has spanned manufacturing, distribution logistics, marketing, and international sales of industrial equipment and packaged consumer products.
Marwood has served as a Rotarian, Director of the Nassau Institute, Governor/Director of Chambers of Commerce, advisor to the University of Calgary Faculty of Management, and to the Conference Board of Canada’s Operating Council for Business Excellence. He has been a frequent presenter and panel participant at university and industry association gatherings, and published articles on business management, leadership, and social issues in magazines, newspapers, and websites. In 2007, he was the first “foreigner” to receive a special annual award from the Council of Labor Affairs of the government of Taiwan, for innovation in the development of Human Resources.
From a young age, Marwood instinctively knew that life was for living and discovered an insatiable appetite for experiences and ideas. He worked hard to maintain a balance between life’s critical success factors—the material and the spiritual—making time to raise a family and pursue such adventures as climbing the Matterhorn, trekking Nepal, marathoning, skiing, snowboarding, scuba diving, and cruising eastern North America and the Bahamas. Firsthand involvement in a wide variety of events and situations shaped his values, opinions, and philosophy of living that he shares with honesty and passion.
John Chambers & Tom Friedman at Zeitgeist ‘07 (October)
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