A RELIGION OF LIFE

 
The intelligent handling of our individual and social problems is hindered by the materialism of our age. Material progress is indeed a great asset to our civilization; but it should not be allowed to make our vision narrow. We need a drastic revaluation of values and a complete reorientation based upon the perception of the eternal values.

The Great Ones have appeared in our midst to establish human brotherhood and to reveal the Truth. Thus Zoroaster and Krishna, Buddha, Christ and Mohammed did all descend to give us their Teachings. Those, who were ready, understood them. But most followers only built up vast superstructures of religious organisations, which emphasised dogmas, creeds and cults and a number of ceremonies and miracles. In the midst of these inessentials, the Truth, which the Founders brought, came to be utterly neglected or monstrously perverted. According to Meher Baba all this paraphernalia of the "priest-ridden churches" is not only superficial but positively misleading.

Ceremonies and rituals are non-essentials, because they tend to become merely formal and are usually inspired by the desire for Heaven or the fear of Hell. But Heaven and Hell are really "states of mental peace and torture;" and these states are dependent upon whether our action is in accordance with or in defiance of the Law of Karma. We do not want a religion of the other world but a Religion of Life. What, therefore, really matters in not a set of ceremonies or rituals, but the spirit of love and worship.

In the same way, miracles are far less important than the life of the spirit. Meher Baba does not attach any importance to miracles. His real work is in "Spiritual Healing". Meher Baba regards all beliefs, dogmas and cults as unnecessary. He has not come "to establish any cult, society or organization, nor even to establish a new religion." He, however, does not oppose any of the existing historical religions, but wants to "revitalise" them by bringing out the essence of true religion, which is "to realise God within ourselves and in everything we see and meet." And the God which we must thus realise is not to be sought away from life but in life itself.

We must realise Him in the creative activities of Art and Science, in Love and Beauty and in our attitude to our fellowmen and to Nature. True spirituality is not concerned with any part of life but with life in its totality, in all its aspects.