The big question is, what is spiritual freedom? Spiritual freedom is freedom from religion. So, the path of spiritual freedom is not available to everyone. Real spiritual freedom is not free. See how you can ensure your freedom and help others gain theirs.
The confusion starts with confusing freedom of thought with the desire to impose your thinking on others. So, is it okay to think of any thoughts? Freedom of thought allows one to think thoughts that may harm oneself or others. So, although we should be free to think about any thought we desire, we should also use discretion in our thinking, which is the freedom to choose what is right.
Here’s the problem: religion steps in to tell what people are right and what is wrong. Religion intentionally confuses right and wrong with prejudices, biased doctrines, and backward ideologies. They attempt to confuse their religion with real spirituality. If you ask the question, are spirituality and religion the same thing, many people will say they are the same. But, it is wrong. Spirituality and religion are two different things. This false assumption also taints the framework of freedom.
Real Spiritual Freedom is Not Free
Spirituality is an individualized journey. It is about achieving clarity of thought, living with recognition of forces beyond the superficial elements of popular culture, and practicing techniques for exploring consciousness and developing our potential.
Religion creates a collective delusion in myth and superstition. Religion substitutes mythology and superstition for facts and evidence. Religion is about creating an illusion to create customers. So, are spirituality and religion the same thing? The answer is absolutely not. Spiritual freedom is freedom from religion.
The Path of Spiritual Freedom
Freedom starts “in the mind.” Real spiritual freedom is the freedom to choose what you believe. It means freedom to be free from religion if that is what you choose. It is the freedom to love whom you choose regardless of race or gender. Freedom starts with having full autonomy over your body to make decisions that affect your life and health without interference, overt religious prejudice, or governmental intrusion.
Sadly, real spiritual freedom is not free for everyone. Many people live under some oppression from society which limits their right to be free. Being free to make these kinds of choices is the beginning of autonomy. If you can’t make decisions about what you believe and what you do with your body, you aren’t free.
Because we are spiritual beings, spiritual freedom is freedom from religion. This choice is not available to many. Children are indoctrinated into religions at an early age. They have no choice; there isn’t a path of spiritual freedom available. Some people live in societies where religion has control over the culture. They must adhere to the dictates of the religion or suffer severe consequences.
So, what is spiritual freedom? It means having the freedom to choose to live without religious beliefs or to join a religion. Religious freedom is on a sliding scale, depending on where you are.
Religions By Population
Below is a chart listing religion by population (1). These estimates are from 2018. Nearly half the population follows the Abrahamic traditions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These systems have the most significant impact on the cultural narrative. They promote philosophies and values from the Dark Ages—sectarian idealism, bias, and prejudice.
Concerns of Western Religion
The Abrahamic traditions dominate Western culture. They portray themselves as the path to spiritual freedom, but this is just part of their bait-and-switch tactics to make you a customer.
They have a substantial social mass, so even if you aren’t a follower, you feel the effects of their influence because of their colossal social reach. They dictate values and policies to integrate their doctrines into the dominant cultures. Maintaining this paradigm in the modern world takes a lot of work. It’s why you see them carrying guns. Sure, they believe in God but don’t expect him to help perpetuate the dogma they have created.
Unbelief is necessary to protect the boundaries of their beliefs. They learn to reject all the facts that contradict their superstitions. The ongoing use of groupthink manipulation tactics makes the belief system its identity. Some live in cultures immersed in mythology, making a living without religious beliefs nearly impossible.
They are all significant for the absence of any tools for true self-development. It’s all about establishing folklore as truth. These religions aren’t new; they are copies. They combine Egyptian, Babylonian, Persian, and Assyrian mystery religions. Instead of developing or exploring consciousness, they offer mythology and superstition. They are cash-flow systems that camouflage their true intentions. These beliefs have three primary tactics:
1) Mandatory membership and allegiance to a Supreme Being (God or Gods)
2) The justification for what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior and values
3) Belief in the afterlife, or life after death with corresponding rewards and punishments
These concerns and tactics are the opposite of true spiritual freedom. Exclusivity gives them a sense of superiority and justification for backward, prejudiced ideals. They use group and self-hypnosis, causing a state of delusion.
“Religion can no longer rest its claims on a dogmatic supernaturalism because any dogma that is irreconcilable with tested knowledge must be rejected… One sentence … sums up the dark and deadly pages of Christian history: “If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities.” — Herbert J. Muller
Open the Doorway to True Spiritual Freedom
Our original state is happiness and joy. We begin life with a blank slate, innocent and curious; it’s a perspective that allows us to experience life with an open mind.
We begin life as explorers. It is our nature to seek answers to the unknown. This desire to investigate is what makes us excellent spiritual explorers. All we need is the proper tools and guidance. We are already perfect in all of our imperfections.
“I do not need to defend my path. I have no religious beliefs, just tools for exploring consciousness. These tools with all who are ready to receive them.” — Guru Tua
I wish everyone could find a teacher like Guru Tua. I hope you find a resource that provides tools for developing your path. You don’t need beliefs to bind you or blind you. You only need tools to enlighten. Happiness is living life with the tools to explore.
Happiness is the state of being that gives us positive feelings such as joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment. It’s essential to find out what exactly makes you happy and why. To be satisfied, we need to balance body, mind, and spirit. Walking the path to real spiritual freedom is essential for this equation.
Most people talk about happiness in terms of their current situation or circumstances. Our experiences impact our immediate mindset, but these often fall short of lasting happiness.
For example, you purchase a new car and feel “good” about your purchase and how it feels to drive the vehicle. But as time goes on, your enjoyment dwindles. Then the car has a major costly problem, and suddenly, your feelings about the car change.
On the other hand, happiness is a mindset that enables you to balance the positive and negative. So, you can be happy but still have a broken-down car. Happiness is living life with a realistic mindset that balances emotions.
What is Spiritual Freedom in Your Life?
Religion always comes with boundaries, which are nothing more than prejudice and bias. As mentioned above, children are trusting and extremely susceptible to religious programming. Our families and cultures often reinforce sectarian ideologies. We believe what people tell us is the truth. They accept prejudices as truth, which is how racism infects society.
So, now you are an adult, at least chronologically. You are responsible for correcting your programming for the sake of future generations. Religion robs us of our natural state of innocence and well-being. If we are lucky enough to choose a different path, we can escape this trap. Ask yourself, what is spiritual freedom in my life? Is it a reality, or am I settling for the boundaries of religion?
“Religion is a belief in invisible beings, inaudible voices, intangible entities, undetectable forces, and events and judgments that happen after we die. It, therefore, has no reality check. And it is therefore uniquely armored against criticism, questioning, and self-correction. It is uniquely armored against anything that might stop it from spinning into extreme absurdity, extreme denial of reality, and extreme, grotesque immorality.” — Greta Christina
Create Your Own Path
At the beginning of this article, we asserted that spiritual freedom is freedom from religion. You have the right to believe anything as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others. The path of spiritual freedom respects the rights of others.
One way to show religious freedom is to express humor in their absurdities and inconsistencies. Making fun of something does not prevent someone from believing. For example, if I assert that the God Oden is alive and well, you can make jokes about how silly it is. You have the right to point out the errors in my thinking.
“We don’t really have to make fun of religion – it makes fun of itself.” — Bill Maher
“Religion should be made fun of; it’s quite ridiculous, isn’t it. Think about how people spend their lives, they have no idea. They go around as if this is a fact. It’s so insane you know. If I really believed that stuff I’d keep it to myself. Lest somebody think I was out of my mind.” — Larry David
“Religion itself is an absurdity and an anomaly, and paganism is acceptable only because it represents that purely orgiastic phase of religion farthest from reality.” — H. P. Lovecraft?
The Path of Awakening
Everyone has their way of awakening. Many people think real spiritual freedom is only possible when we awaken. And each of us has spiritual gifts to aid in this quest. These are gifts from our ancestors, which we carry in our spiritual DNA. We awaken as we open these doors of consciousness. It requires autonomy and freedom to explore your inner world at your own pace.
Many ancient cultures spent considerable effort to develop techniques for exploring the inner world, and we benefit from generations of their research. They are the storehouses of methods and processes we call spiritual technologies.
Living life free from religion is preferable. With fewer boundaries to get in the way, you are free to explore your spiritual truths. All you need are the right tools. Many Eastern traditions contain the processes for exploring and developing awareness.
In Conclusion
The path of spiritual freedom lies outside the boundaries of organized religion. It is not only a hindrance to your spiritual walk but a stumbling block to the health of our societies. So, ridicule the absurdities of religion, but be mindful of your audience.
“In this climate — with belief in guardian angels and creationism becoming commonplace — making fun of religion is as risky as burning a flag in an American Legion Hall.” — Wendy Kaminer
Take up the practice of spiritual technologies that expand your awareness. Don’t fall for the counterfeit of organized religion.
References
(1) List of religious populations by proportion, Wikipedia