We should accept that we are in fact practicing religion; there is nothing wrong with this

Re: 09: Her Mortal Birth

by Rich on Thu 03 May 2007 01:55 PM PDT Profile Permanent Link

RYD writes: In fact, how can such a possibility be ruled out if there is no contrary theory opposing it, a theory based on acceptable empiricism? That could be the merit of putting forward such a point of view in the public sphere, particularly if the public is alert and receptive. That is the hope. It seems that things fall better in their places with the concept of Avatarhood than without it. After all, evolution is not simply the playing back of the process of involution. There are in it new challenges at every stage and there are new surprises—surprises for which we should be really thankful. Imagine how dull the whole process would have been otherwise.

RC: And I would add we are poetically so much richer with an Avatar than without. But again, I will raise my initial assertion, which is if we choose to place our faith in these metaphysical ideals, then we should accept that we are in fact practicing religion. Of course there is nothing wrong with this and since integral yoga is dependent on a metaphysical premise (the descent of the Divine) there is no other way to speak about the yoga except as a religious practice. This in turn means that the to say Integral Yoga is not a religion is no more true than to say Protestantism is not a religion. Of course we could then argue definitions of religion but the real issue for the followers of such religious practices would be to affirm the difference between true religion and what Sri Aurobindo calls religiosity. rc