Huston Smith’s Wonderful Life

In reading Huston Smith???s Wonderful Life, I was struck by the argument, presented by way of balance, that ???the academy today??? holds that religions are not ???at base the same,??? as Smith states, in that they differ in ???religious ritual, practice and culture.??? However, this does not refute Smith???s complete point: ???Esoterically, religions are identical. Exoterically, they are different.??? In fact, his critics??? position confirms the second half of Smith???s statement while completely ignoring the first half, the esoteric, without which, religion is empty.

The ramifications of such scholarship, which only takes into account the externals of religion, must be examined to appreciate the true shallowness of such an approach. As the purpose of every religion is to unite the soul to God, does ???the academy today??? hold that each religion ultimately encounters a different God, a neo-Polytheism? If each religion is not serviced by an exclusive God, does only one religion have it right? Or perhaps there is no God to be attained through religion? I can???t help but believe that God is too large to be repelled into a sulking silence by the wrong ritual, costume, or language.

Those who have broken through the surface and experienced the ineffable through different religious approaches, in different ages, and different cultures have struggled to communicate their understanding to the rest of humanity; and those who, like Huston Smith, are attuned have looked past the superficial: ???ritual, practice and culture,??? and heard them express similar understandings of the nature of God and the effects of that understanding on the individual.

The root of a thing is almost always the essense of a thing. Religions roots are based on superstition and fear. The usefullness of that fear has been a means of controling man and of course power that controling man bring with it.

The spiritual aspect of religion is quite another thing, that comes from within and may or may not have anything to do with the makeup of which ever religion is being practiced. Simply, man may (or not) have the capacity to manufacture inner satisfaction that has been associated with a god experience.

While it is obvius that the theologies of all religions cannot be true, the spiritual paths and practices of all religions can definetly be true. The spiritual practices of prayer, contemplative meditation, compassion and helping of the downtroden etc all have the same transformative effect on the human irrespective of the religion a person belongs too.

The claim that the spiritual paths of all religions can be true is also Hinduism's perspective.
In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna states: "Many are the paths of Men O' Arjuna, they all lead to me".

Whileit is obvious that the theologies of all religions are not the same and hence cannot all (even if one) be true, the spiritual practices of all religions can be considered valid. The practices of prayer, contemplative medidation, helping the downtrodden have the same transformative effect on a human irrespective of religion. The divine source is transdential..and the transdential divine source has ensured that spiritual practices of all faiths are true irrespective of the claimed theologies.

Hence all religions are valid in terms of their spiritual paths (spiritual practices being valid). This is also Hinduism's perspective. In the Bhagavad Gita, God has proclaimed "Many are the paths men travel, they all lead to me'

I've personally known Huston for more than a decade, and have been influenced by his writing and thinking for more than 40 years. For those who have no connection to religion, it will all seem nonsense. But, if you've had any personal religious experience (not just dogmatic mouthing of church doctrine), you will understand what he talks about.

It is a misunderstanding to say that Huston proposes that all religions are the same; they are not. What he argues for is that the Ultimate mystical experience of each of the religions is the same. This is why the mystics of all the religions describe the same experience (as much as can be put into words). He likes to quote, "All that rises must converge."

He also quotes from the Upanishads, To know the properties of clay is to know all things made of clay, the only difference being name and form. To know the properties of gold is to know all things made of gold, the only difference being name and form. And to know that knowledge by which all things are known, That Thou Art. Tat Twam Asi.

This philosophy has nothing to do with doctrine and dogma of the various institutions of religions - or superstitious fears. It only has to do with know your true self.

NOTICE to SUE, or to File, in U.S.FEDERAL COURT;. Against Mr. MURDOCH, The New York Post, aka NEWSCORP. & NEWSWEEK & WASHINGTON POST {aka 'WAPO' via their Bloggs at "onfaith" & "postglobal"} et al! Please know that the "POST" (NY et al) are thieves, of "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Rights" includes Ones [preacious] TIME. They set "BOTS" to acsually Spoof, addict, Follow, prejudice & Sensor in order to Steal a persons original Contents, Writings, Genuine ideas etc.., with-out duly givng credit or Compensation! Further Note: I was forced to Change Monikers from JOZEVZ.US, INTERFAITHNATION & BEFOREGOD..!

NOTICE to SUE, or to File, in U.S.FEDERAL COURT;. Against Mr. MURDOCH, The New York Post, aka NEWSCORP. & NEWSWEEK & WASHINGTON POST {aka 'WAPO' via their Bloggs at "onfaith" & "postglobal"} et al! Please know that the "POST" (NY et al) are thieves, of "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Rights" includes Ones [preacious] TIME. They set "BOTS" to acsually Spoof, addict, Follow, prejudice & Sensor in order to Steal a persons original Contents, Writings, Genuine ideas etc.., with-out duly givng credit or Compensation! Further Note: I was forced to Change Monikers from JOZEVZ.US, INTERFAITHNATION & BEFOREGOD..!