Spiritual Materialism.

Bad, bad, bad! But material spiritualism is good, good, good! Do you know what the difference is? I shall try to flesh this out. The neoliberal department of spiritual propaganda has instituted spiritual materialism throughout every culture they have their tentacles in. In general, these sects and cults instituted by these propagandists offer up traditional mythologies as spiritual fact and they are always wrapped up in capitalist dogma. This is severe manipulation of populations!

Now material spiritualism in distinction understands religion is a myth and that god, as understood in mythology, is false. But what it does do and add is the understanding that spirituality is a foundational value of human experience and it seeks to integrate healthy spiritual values into the modern societal sphere. There is no New-age woo-woo here; no false religious claims, just the understanding that spirituality can and should be a healthy part of the human experience. I think Sam Harris* has this understanding; I think Wilber, did, to a degree, too, but he blew it when insisting his preferred spiritual path was the absolute path to truth. He also misrepresents science. I think Jordan Peterson might fall into this group, too.

So, empathy, equanimity, compassion, loving-kindness, humility, long-suffering, patience, etc., are all the best qualities of our religious mythologies and it’s these that humanity dismisses at its peril.

As for me: I sit somewhere in this spectrum: agnostic theism to material spiritualist. I think these are valid positions in 2016. I think gnostic atheism and gnostic theism are overreaches.

I think politically and economically these ideas are in desperate need of being embraced. These would be Golden Rule type economies and politics; or, Human Decency politics and economics; or, what I am calling The New Earth Commons Economy. All based on spiritual values that don’t unnecessarily exploit or coerce people, animals, and resources.

NOTE* When it comes to 911 Mr. Harris is either our right lying practicing a code of silence or he’s being woefully ignorant. Some of the strongest buildings ever made do not turn to dust in 10 seconds! But by no means was Israel in this alone! Neocons and Saudi’s were also involved…..

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