Why We War Over Religion

We go to war to defend our religion. It has happened throughout history and is happening now. Once we label ourselves as a Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Jew, we feel that this label must be defended. This is a separation, where those who don't believe as we believe become the enemy, and it has been going on since religion was established.

We just can't seem to figure out how to end this separation. Actually, there is a possibility that we don't want to end it, because we become identified with our religion and our religion becomes an integral part of who we are, our ego-identity.

Ego is the problem, not our religions. When we identify with our religious organizations more strongly than the virtues that our religions profess, we are admitting that virtue cannot stroke our self-esteem or our positive image. This ego building is a higher priority than virtue because ego makes us feel superior to others. Ego building is done by tearing down the other, as well as judging the other as something less than ourselves. This all boosts our own self-esteem and presents the illusion that we are better than they are, and that our ego is stronger. This is of course a psychological illusion built up in our minds, and is the result of a basic and entrenched insecurity.

Mainstream religions talk about love, understanding, peace, and all kinds of compassionate virtues that naturally connect people, but the religion itself becomes our possession, rather than virtue. "I am a Buddhist," or "I am a Christian," is the common response, not "I am compassionate, peaceful and loving." Why is this? It is because the ego is diminished by confessing that one is actually sensitive to the feelings of others, and puffed up when separating itself. Therefore, it becomes more important to build our own egos than to become religious. We mouth the words and platitudes, but our actions and attitudes tell the complete story of who and what we really are.

The statement, "I am a Buddhist" smacks of pride. We are proud of what we are. On the other hand, it's difficult to be proud of being loving, or caring, or peaceful. The ego only builds itself through creating conflict, and then winning that conflict, therefore, conflict is the important thing. This is why religions have always resulted in conflict; it's not the religion's fault, but the nature of ego.

Guilt naturally follows when one tries to practice their religion. The guilt develops when instead of becoming virtuous, which goes against our natural egoistic tendencies, we create conflict so that we can maintain our egos. Then we end up "permanent works in progress" because virtue remains the goal. In reality, however, we hate virtue because virtue diminishes the ego. This is a Catch 22 that cannot be resolved within the present understanding of religion; the understanding being that we should be virtuous, and if we aren't, we are sinners. This creates tremendous guilt and confusion.
Guilt in turn, becomes resentment and anger. This is a perfect storm for the ego because it can then utilize this anger in separating itself and creating further conflict with opposing religions. This is all too predictable, and will only continue and worsen because we don't understand the mechanisms of what is happening to us.

How do we wake up from all of this confusion? First, it's entirely possible for people to become virtuous outside of organized religion, maybe easier in some ways. Without the burden of maintaining a hypocrisy of contrived virtue for appearances, an unaffiliated spiritual person can concentrate on virtue itself, and in quiet contemplation, can see where virtue is present or not present in their lives, and where their natural egos, which thirst for conflict, develop and thrive.

This kind of internal investigation goes against everything that the ego believes in, and therefore the ego hates it, but anyone who is serious about changing themselves, from self-righteousness and judgmentalism, into compassion and caring, must become aware of the ego's natural tendencies and then initially fight against them. This is conflict at a deeper level and for a good purpose.

The founders of our great religions worked in this manner. The Buddha spent six long years in the forest coming to terms with these kinds of things and calming his ego. Christ spent much of His time in solitude and prayer as well. They didn't spend their time in the synagogue or in the temple; they were in the wilde
ess by themselves. They sacrificed. We must sacrifice as well; we must sacrifice our inflated egos.

The only way that I know of to sacrifice our egos is to not allow our egos to control us. Our egos are nothing but our thoughts, many don't know this, and our religions are remiss in pointing this out. Our thoughts, in turn, are not our fundamental being, they are only thoughts that build an ego. Our fundamental being, on the other hand, is where we find the natural virtues. Therefore, if the ego is the natural receptacle for conflict, our fundamental being is our natural home for virtue.

This clearly describes how we can become virtuous without conflict, without the guilt, fear and anger of ego clashing. We simply refuse to buy into our thoughts and let them go, with faith that something else will replace them, something that will finally change our confused lives.

This becomes a new identity, where instead of a being a "Christian," or a "Buddhist," we become a true human being. Christ was not a Christian, Christ was conscious. The Buddha was not a Buddhist, the Buddha was awake, and when we finally awaken from what has been a long and dreadful nightmare, then our lives, our cultures, and the world will change so dramatically that this present era will be seen as the darkest of ages. nn