Is truth relative?

[old3bob]

9 hours ago, Daniel said:

 

Well, you may not be... but many are.  Allow me to try to explain?

 

All the world religions can be ( in general ) separated into two main categories:  Those who seek inward, and those who seek outward.  The western approach is generally outward, where the locus of control is external to themselves.  The eastern approach is generally inward, where the locus of control is internal inside themselves.  Western devotes itself to a God or Gods, Eastern devotes itself to Realization of the Self.  In general

 

Devotion to a deity requires service.  I cannot think of a single example to the contrary.  Each deity has its own preferences and desires for its devotees.  And if a person chooses this deity and consents to the service/ritual/rules that govern conduct as prescribed by the deity then it doesn't appear as slavery.  It appears as servitude.  The only difference is consent.

 

If the individual has never been exposed to the underlying concepts of Self realization, or worse, they are taught to fear it, then that person is essentially in servitude without consent.  If the individual comes from a family where generation after generation is ignorant of the inward seeking religions and practices, then the result is essentially a culture of people who are being born into a family that is devoted to deity without the individual's consent.  This family/culture therefore propagates and advocates for slavery:  Service without consent.

 

Thus, without real consent, a child born into a family of "Believers" can be accurately described as a slave.  That's the logical chain that describes why a label of "slave" can be accurately applied to many modern spiritual people.  It's because their service is not offered freely.  Even if the individual thinks they are consenting to the religious practice, it's a false choice.  The choice is made without having full knowledge of all the choices and their ramifications ( if there are any at all ).   The result becomes very much like slavery when viewed from the outside.

 

{{ ... That said, there's an equally compelling argument that can be made that describes an ignorant fearful person as free and clear and happy.  It involves redirecting fear into awe and into excitement, and combining it with elements of love and surrender... etc.. }}

 

Does that help clarify this idea that many humans are slaves until they accomplish/achieve Self-realization?  Without knowledge and understanding of Self, an individual cannot make a true choice, a free choice, whether or not to be devoted to a deity.  Thus the many people who are not enlightened to themselves are not truly consenting to the preferences of their deity, and that makes them a slave out of ignorance and fear of retribution.

 

 

with some parallels to Plato's cave...