The Forces of History - Part 4

 

Jesus most certainly opposed the Pharisees. (See Matthew 3:7, 5:20, 9:14,34, 12:2,24, 15:12, 16:6,11-12, 19:3, 21:45, 22:15,34,41, specially 23:13-33). There cannot be any doubt that these Pharisees had perverted the Mosaic Law which in fact Jesus had to come to fulfil. (Matthew 5:17). But Jesus was put to death by the Romans at the insistence of the Pharisees as in the past the Persian King had been persuaded to let the Jews return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple. And in Modern days the British and US Governments were persuaded to set up and support the Jewish State of Israel as an irritant in the Middle East.

In fact, Jesus was not even recognised as a Jew - He was a citizen of Galilee which was distinct from Judea and the husband of his mother Mary, even if he was descended from King David and Judah, was not his father. But Christians think so, and accept the Old Testament as genuine on the grounds that Jesus accepted it. Some Christians think that the Kingdom of God would be a Christian Kingdom or that it is a place in heaven or paradise, sometimes conceived of as a place on another planet. In fact it refers to spiritual regeneration of a people, and the condition created when people are righteous because they obey God. That is, they lead a virtuous life based on objective principles in harmony with their own and universal nature. It does not have to do with any sect. Jesus said: "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21. But some people wish to change this to " The Kingdom of God is among you"

This narrow attitude, which was probably essential in the past when life was much more precarious and survival in a hostile environment depended on solidarity, should have died out in more enlightened people. Though Jesus had a much more universal message, even he came only to the Jews. (Matthew 15:24-26, 10:6). It is only with the coming of Islam that Universalism, objectivity and impartial judgement was established as an ideal. (Quran 4:79, 7:158, 34:28, 21:107)

"Unto every nation have We given sacred rites which they are to perform; so let them not then dispute about the matter, but summon you unto your Lord; verily, you (Muhammad) indeed follow right guidance." 22:67

"O you who believe! Be you steadfast in justice, witnesses for Allah, though it is against yourselves, or your parents, or your kindred, be it rich or poor, for Allah is nearer both than either. Follow not, then, lusts (prejudices, superstitions, passions), so as to act unjustly (or with bias); but if you swerve or turn aside, Allah is well Aware of what you do." 4:135

We can see these events as particular instances of a General Process, of cycles of degeneration and regeneration. A dispensation of Religion, of a Spiritual Impulse produces spiritual awakening and this gradually deteriorates by mixture with the more primitive human impulses. This makes the introduction of a new spiritual impulse necessary. This too deteriorates and so on. On the whole, History shows an upward spiral. We have to distinguish between (a) the Universal Spiritual Stream, (b) The Original particular instances of Hebrewism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam etc. and (c) the Altered forms of these religions.

As a result of the preaching of the Disciples of Jesus the number of Christians rapidly spread. But Christianity divided into numerous sects, each having its own gospel and other writings. Jesus did not leave his teachings in writing. But many people did write reports of what he said and did. Not all were direct witnesses but based their writings on the reports of others. Much alteration of the original message must have occurred owing to misunderstanding, recompilation and translation from the Aramaic to the Greek and then to other languages. In fact we see the influence of Greek Philosophy as in idea of the Word (Logos in Plato's Philosophy). There were about 20 different Gospels and the account about Jesus and his teachings varies considerably and contradict each other. The Gospel of Thomas, Philips and Magdalene give a completely different picture of Jesus than the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These do not appear to be genuinely the works of those to whom they are attributed. In fact, they indicate that the originals are missing. They also vary because of the events they selected and the point of view, and there are contradictions between them. It was therefore, necessary later in order to establish unity under an established Church to remove the contradictions by suppressing the variations. In fact, these other excluded, so called Apocryphal Gospels, contain teaching much more like those of Islam. The crucifixion and death of Jesus is denied and he was considered neither a god nor a man. According to the Quran Jesus was a Spirit and Word from God who was taken up to heaven, not crucified or killed.

 

Soon after the departure of Jesus and the suicide of one of the 12 Apostles, Judas who had betrayed him, the number 12 was made up by the conversion of Paul. He had been persecuting the Christians until his conversion. He had never met Jesus but claimed to have had a vision of him on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20). He then began preaching Christianity and the New Testament contains many of his letters to the various Churches. These appear to have assumed greater importance in Christianity than the teachings of Jesus. Paul, in fact had quarrelled with Peter (Galatians 2:7-14) on whom the Church was to be built (Matthew 16:14-20. But "this rock" could refer not to Peter but to faith that Jesus was the Christ.) According to some scholars the Alternate Christianity can be attributed to him. Paul noted that the teaching had already been corrupted.

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. "Galatians 1:4-7

"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen." Romans 1:22-25

According to some scholars Paul was sent by the Jewish authorities to deliberately corrupt the teachings of Jesus. But if this was meant to destroy Christianity and re-establish the authority of the Pharisees, this certainly proved counter-productive. Instead Christianity became the established Church of the Roman Empire and Jews were persecuted for centuries.

However, there are certainly differences between the teachings of Jesus and that of Paul. Whereas Jesus taught that he had come to fulfil the Jewish Law, not one jot or title of which would pass away (Matthew 5:17-18), Paul is said to have abolished it in favour of faith (Romans 3). But he did later admit that man reaped what he had sown (Gala. 6:7-9) Whereas Jesus had come only to the Jews, Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles and to do this he adopted Greek and Pagan ideas rather than the Jewish. This probably made it appealing to the Romans especially as the Roman religion, Mithraism has a similar mythology that could be transferred to Christianity. Jesus and his followers were Jews and as such they were circumcised, but Paul abolished circumcision. Whereas Jesus centred his doctrines around God and spoke about obedience to God (Matthew 6:33, Matthew 7:21-23, John 12:49, John 17:3, 12), Paul centred his doctrine around the person of Jesus and his crucifixion, death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). It is probably the suffering of the people particularly under the cruel Roman rule that made Pauline Christianity appealing to them - in suffering there lay salvation and death was followed by the triumph of resurrection. He appears to have made Jesus into a god equal to God (Philippians 2:6) contrary to the Jewish monotheism and the words of Jesus (John 5:18-19, John 13:16 and John 16:28). However, elsewhere he recognises that only the Father in Heaven is God (1 Cor. 8:61, 3:23, Eph. 4:7, and Tim 2:5). Note that it is under the influence of Paul that the followers of Jesus, formerly known as Nazarites, were first known as Christians (Acts 11:25-26).

"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." Romans 1:3-4

"If Christ is not risen from the dead, our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:14

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without he deeds of the Law." Romans 3:28. But he admits that "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea we establish the Law." Romans 3:31

"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." 1 Corinthians 1:22-24

"But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. . . they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. . . But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. . .Barnabas was also carried away with their dissimulation. . .But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all: If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? . . . knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ." Acts 2:7-16

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. 15:21-22

Whereas it is true that Spiritual death comes through sin and spiritual resurrection comes from obedience to the word of God and that a certain amount of difficulties have to suffered to overcome one's sinful habits, there appears to be a misunderstanding in the way these Paul's words have been understood. They have been taken in a literal physical sense.

But note that Peter, though Paul had quarrelled with him, had a vision and admitted:

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: Of a Truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; But in every nation he that fears Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him" Acts 10:34-35

This is the same as Quran 2:64

After his death the religious movement Jesus gave rise to split into two distinct branches:- That based on his teachings (TJ), which should be regarded as the real Christianity (RC). This was headed by James, the brother of Jesus who had been his companion since the beginning and became the first Bishop. This remained faithful to the Jewish Law, but was opposed and persecuted by both Jews and Gentiles and then became a secret or esoteric organisation. This is most probably referred to in the Book of Revelations chapter 12 which speaks of Religion giving birth to a child (Prophet) "who was to rule all nations", but owing to the persecution by Satan, fled into the wilderness for "a time, times and a half time". However, traces of its teaching are still to be found scattered in the New Testament Gospels and in the letters of James and Jude. Islam is a continuation and restoration of this Religion.

The other branch is "About Jesus" (AJ) and can be regarded as corrupted Christianity (CC), led by Paul, a Roman citizen. This established itself in Rome, and absorbed some of the elements and legends of Mithraism and other pagan religions prevalent in the Roman Empire. Some Buddhist influences can also be discerned. Later Theology was based on ideas derived from Islamic sources.

The difference between the Original and Alternate Christianity can be seen from the fact that the Gospels even in the present form do not support the basic teachings of the Churches. There is no Divinity of Jesus, no Trinity and no Vicarious Atonement.

(1) Jesus was sent by God (John 5:30, 6:38, 57, 7:16, 8:28, 10:37-38, 12:49 Matthew 27:46, 19:17 John 14:28 "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John 5:30).

(2) There is only one God, whom Jesus calls the Father in Heaven (John 1:18, 5:37, 6:29,46, 13:16 15:1-2, 4:28 17:3, 20:17 Romans 15:6 1Corinthians 1:3, 3:22-23, 8:5-6, 11:3, 12:4-6 2Corinthians 1:2-3, 11:31, 13:14 Ephesians 1:2-3, 17 6:23, 4:4-6 Galatians 4:4-6 Philippians 1:2, 4:19-20 Colossians 1:2-3 etc.

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" 1 Tim 2:5

"There is actually to us one God the Father,...and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ" 1 Cor 8:6

(3) Salvation depends on obedience to God.

"Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but He THAT DOETH THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. Many will say to me in that Day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophecied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY." Matthew 7:21-23.

It is only at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD under the orders of the Roman Emperor Constantine that Paul's version of Christianity became the official Religion of the Roman Empire. The doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus, the Trinity, and Vicarious Atonement that characterises the Alternate Christianity were confirmed by a minority of the Bishops and the Unitarian and other doctrines were declared heretical and thereafter persecuted. Out of all the numerous Gospels and Letters only a certain set were selected for inclusion in the Canonical Bible. Christianity became a religion "about Jesus" and ceased to be "about the teachings of Jesus". It is likely that the popular mind at the time was only able to grasp the concept of an anthropomorphic god, a human being, and that the Trinity was invented as a transitional concept that combined the human and the transcendental by adding a spiritual link. The idea seems to have been borrowed from the Egyptian Pharaohs and Roman Caesars who used to be regarded as gods on earth and representatives or sons of the gods in heaven. A concept of an all pervading transcendental God was tried in Ancient Egypt by Pharaoh Akhenaton with disastrous results and even the Hebrews who were selected to carry the concept and escape Egyptian persecution found it difficult to live by as their recorded history shows.

Though Christianity was persecuted by Jews and then by the Romans, it continued to gain converts probably as an antidote and counterbalance to the callousness and cruelty of the Romans, whose power steadily declined. When Constantine consolidated his power over the Roman Empire he realised that military power was not enough to keep the Empire united but that common culture and ideology was also required. He saw Christianity as an aid to power and government and made it into the official Religion of the Roman Empire, replacing Mithraism. Under his direction the Christian doctrine was standardized and the New Testament as we find it today was created by selecting only some of the many accounts, comments and books which were in existence and is biased in favour of Paul's teachings. Under his rule those Christians who, like the Jews, believed in the absolute Oneness of God were persecuted. More than a thousand Christian priests were summoned to the General Council at Nicea, but only three hundred and eighteen persons agreed to the decisions of the Council. The Ministers of the Arian Creed were deposed or banished, their religious books suppressed, and their churches seized and handed over to the Trinitarian bishops and priests and filled with idols - statues, icons and pictures of Saints. The merciless legions in every province were placed at the disposal of the ecclesiastical authorities. The regime of terror and war against the Unitarians lasted for three centuries and a half in the East. In order to establish unity all other religions and versions of Christianity were regarded as heretical and suppressed. The Roman Catholic Church having gained Political Power also gained in authority, wealth and prestige and guarded all three jealously, persecuting all other religions and Christian deviations in doctrines or practices as heresies. Later Crusades were also mounted against Islam.

However, it allowed Christianity to spread throughout Europe and later with the migrants into the Americas. Though it tended to convert by absorbing, adapting, and making compromises with pagan ideas and practices that also corrupted it, Christianity had a civilizing effect on the West. It created monasteries in which learning and civilized values were preserved when the Roman Empire collapsed under barbarian onslaught and the Dark Ages Descended. However, several attempts to revive it were made later by, among others, Charlemagne (Charles the Great of the Franks), Napoleon and Hitler. The creation of a European Union is a more recent attempt to do this.

 

Religion was purified and renewed in the form of a revelation through the Archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). It was presented in its simplest form - Allah was the creator of the creator and maintainer of the Universe and all things in it; creation had a purpose and all things obeyed Allah and man was required to obey Allah also consciously for his own welfare. The Word of God, instead of being represented by a short lived man was to be preserved in an unalterable form as the Quran, having sufficient depth and comprehensiveness to be a guardian and criterion over the truth in past scriptures and a permanent guide to mankind. Its purpose was to liberate man, bring him to maturity and enable him to live by his own perfected faculties. Though it confirmed the Law and Justice as in Hebrewism and Love and Compassion as in Christianity, the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad completed religion by its emphasis on Truth, and its method was the arousal of awareness. The true religion was to be called Islam which means "Surrender (or Submission to Allah - the ultimate Reality or Source of Existence)" rather than after the name of a prophet, thereby universalizing it. This name refers to the nature, the goal as well as to the method of the religion. It also refers to the nature of the Cosmos - its submission to the laws of Allah, the return to Allah and ultimate Unity. Another meaning is "Peace" which is the result of the cessation of all inner and outer conflicts and contradictions because of this unification.

Islam expanded rapidly owing to several factors:- (a) Partly due to the simplicity and power of the religion; (b) Partly because it was consistent with the nature and experiences of people; (c) Partly because it gave hope to those who were subject to oppression, injustice, and corruption; partly because it offered a purpose in life, a nobler self image and solutions to life problems, both inner and outer. (d) Partly because the old religious and political order everywhere had become rotten and oppressive and had begun to crumble and decay. Islam offered a way of escape and regeneration. (e) Partly through teaching and example (f) Partly through trade (g) Partly through military means - Although there were some aggressive invasions, some military actions were pre-emptive, others were retaliatory or defensive. Many people failed to defend their regimes and even invited Muslim armies in, and many had converted to Islam. Islam created new empires and civilizations stretching from Spain in the West, through many parts of Africa, the Middle East, India to Indonesia and China in the East. But the responsibility for this cannot be laid wholly to large military invasions, especially not in China or Indonesia. Indeed, the Mongols who nearly destroyed the Muslim Civilization by military means were themselves converted to Islam and then, like others, contributed to its expansion.

The emphasis on truth in Islam led Muslims to gather knowledge and ideas from east and West, including that of the Babylonians, Persians and Greeks, and to study, comment and elaborate on these. Many sciences, arts and crafts were developed, and several centres of learning were created to which students from Europe also came. Trade expanded into all quarters of the earth, including, it is claimed, the Americas, carrying not only goods but also ideas and motives. The diffusion and cross-fertilization of ideas caused by all these means also led to reformations in other religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity and caused changes in their society and culture. But ideas and attitudes from these and Greek sources also entered into Islam causing changes in it. Islam produced the greatest Empires and highest civilization of the time, which lasted approximately 1000 years. Centres of Culture were established in many places including Baghdad and also in Spain.

Muslim traders brought silk, pottery and spices from the Far East to Europe, thereby expanding there consciousness about the world and creating an appetite for adventure. But the conquest of Constantinople, the seat of Eastern Christianity in 1453 by Muslim forces, closed the overland route to the East. European explorers, who had also learnt about the spherical nature of the earth and the use of the compass, then sought a Western route to the East. This led to the discovery of the Americas and Australia and the mass migration of Europeans to these new lands, where vast new resources were found which stimulating the Industrial Revolution. The congestion in the countries of origin was also relieved, their oppressive culture, social, political and economic systems was escaped from and new experiments in social and political organisation could now take place. It is true that originally the establishment of the USA was like a new birth - it did not resemble the kind of political systems that existed in Europe but much more like Islam. Indeed, it can be stated with confidence that the establishment of the USA was directly linked with the flow of Islamic influences into Europe.

The Islamic civilization declined owing to several factors:- partly because of the setting in of mental and social stagnation, spiritual fatigue and erosion of values, conditioning by tradition, as a result of which intelligent adaptability was lost; partly because the spirit of Islam was adulterated and corrupted by the infiltration of foreign ideas, particularly Indian, Geek and Roman ones that were inadequately understood, criticised, processed and integrated. The Christian Church, feeling itself under threat, mounted several Crusades against Islam. Muslim countries because of their splendour, prosperity and cultural treasures (which probably caused ease and weakening) tempted Mongol invaders under Genghis Khan who assaulted, looted and destroyed Muslim countries. All these onslaughts stopped the expansion of Islam and weakened the Muslims. But Muslim opposition and conversion of the invaders to Islam saved the destruction of Europe. These external threats also narrowed down aims and legitimized regimentation and conformity to authority. Islam did not recover from these onslaughts.

The speed of the expansion of Islam outran the ability to develop adequate administrative techniques. It increased the temptation to use Islam as a means to Political power. Some of those who had been bitter enemies of Islam in the beginning joined it, caused divisions and conflicts, and eventually took control after the death of the four Righteous Caliphs who had succeeded the Prophet. These rulers and their supporters introduced a great amount of misinterpretation and corruption into Islam. But the fact that Islam created no official priesthood or organized Church (no doubt, deliberately) but substituted this with an unalterable Quran which people could study independently, allowed Islam to flourish for a thousand years. This allowed certain irreversible transformations in the evolution of mankind to be effected.

Though the Muslim peoples themselves stagnated, the spiritual impulse was transmitted to Europe just as a billiard ball propelled by a player collides with another, to which it transfers its energy and forward motion. Spain was re-conquered by Christian forces and a kind of Ethnic Cleansing took place by the expulsion, execution or forced conversion of Muslims. But the clash with Islam allowed Islamic influences to gradually flow into Europe where it stimulated the Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment. The ideas that caused transformation include the scientific attitude, religious universality and tolerance, personal responsibility and political system based on mutual consultation. Without the Reformation the power of the Catholic Church over the minds and lives of the people could not have been broken and neither Science nor commerce nor democracy could have made any headway. The major influence of Islam on the West were the notion of nature, objectivity and the idea and desire for freedom of thought and conscience, coupled with personal responsibility and the need for mutual consultation and agreements.

The result of the Reformation was the establishment of Protestant Churches, which also later forced the Catholic Church into a Counter-reformation. However, it led to the disintegration of Christianity into many sects. Much conflict and many bloody and brutal wars were fought between Catholics and Protestants and there was much persecution. These conflicts also led to a greater desire to get away from each other, to expand living room. Exploration led to the discovery of America and Australia. The Churches became weaker and the Secular powers became stronger. Having obtained liberty from the Organized Church and its Priests, the people fell under the domination of the Princes and Aristocracy whose power was based on the force of arms. In England the King Henry VIII broke away to form an independent English Church which also led to greater freedom of thought, action and enterprise. The beginnings of the next World Empire, the British, was laid down. The discovery of the wealth in the East and in the new world fired the imagination and desires and led to migration and trade.

The contact with Islam also encouraged the secret transmission of the original teachings of Moses and Jesus within Christianity, via the Templars and later, the Freemasons. The Templars were a secret society started by Hugues de Payen in 1119 A.D in order to excavate under the ruins of Solomon's Temple for scrolls about the secret teachings of Moses and the real history and teachings of Jesus which were thought to be interred there. Its purpose was to re-establish a New Jerusalem in Europe i.e. a Kingdom of God. This movement at first flourished but its secret beliefs began to leak out. A plot between King Philip of France (who was looking for a way of increasing his wealth) and Pope Clement V led to the arrest, torture and death of a great number of Templars and their property was confiscated. Among the charges brought against them were the following:- They were secret Muslims having more "Mohammadan infidelity than Christian faith"; despising the Pope and the authority of the Church, scorning the sacraments, especially those of penance and confession; that the Order works to put the Holy Land into the hands of the Saracens; that "many statues of the Order are unlawful, profane and contrary to Christianity. Note also that Jesus used the symbolism of "rebirth", but the Quran replaces it with reconstruction as if of a building, a mosque or place of worship. This symbolism reappears among the Templars and the Freemasons.

This persecution brought the movement to an end but not before the secret scrolls had once again been secreted. This was probably done by Robert St. Claire (Sinclair) in Scotland in a place called Rosslyn Chapel. Freemasonry was developed as a method of continuing the transmission of this secret. As the word suggests it appears to have something to do with building, the craft of masonry, but this is an outer symbol for both Social and Spiritual construction. The collision with Islam had led to the inflow into Christianity of Islamic ideas which led to the Reformation and the establishment of the Protestant Churches. The power of the Pope was broken and Freemasonry was then able to flourish. This movement became a powerful force in the development of Western Civilization. Among its members was King James I of England who brought several reforms, Cromwell who tried to establish Religious Puritanism and Parliamentary Democracy instead of Autocracy and Kingly amoral whims in Britain; and Francis Bacon, said to be the Father of Science, who also studied in the Muslim Universities in Spain and was promoted by James I. Later, Freemasons established The Royal Society for the advancement of the Sciences, obtaining official recognition through a charter from King Charles II in 1662. One of its members, also a freemason, among many other famous scientists, was Sir Isaac Newton, a follower of Pythagoras.

The establishment of the USA appears to be another result of the indirect influence of Islam. Several of the first members, who drew up its constitution, including George Washington, and many later statesmen, were Freemasons. They wished to establish an ideal God-centred nation. Freemasons were also responsible for the establishment of many industries and political, civil and charitable institutions. Certainly the American political system as originally conceived is quite unlike the Christian Church or the Monarchies which flourished in Europe, but much more like Islam in the following respects:- The recognition of God and an objective ideal (though somewhat vaguely understood); the notion of a written Constitution; the supremacy of the law rather than human rulers; An elected Head of State rather than hereditary kings and aristocracies; mutual consultation and consent (3:159) instead of regimentation and authoritarianism; religious tolerance (5:69, 2:256 etc.); equality of peoples, races and the sexes; abolition of slavery (90:13, 4:92, 5:89, 58:3); the acceptance of differences of culture and habits (22:67); desire for freedom ("oppression is worse than slaughter" 2:191), human dignity and individualism in the sense of personal responsibility ("Ye have charge of your own souls" 5:105), and the acceptance of no authority but God (5:44, 6:56); unlike Christianity, the need for retaliation (2:178), striving for justice and against evil in the world (2:218, 5:35, 3:104); morality and law rather than expediency (4:58, 135), respect for knowledge, natural truths and reason, rather than speculation (17:37); the idea that knowledge should not only be sought, but it should be applied for useful purposes. There are a greater number of scientists and scientific research establishments in the USA and it is the greater application of science to the various aspects of life which has ensured their position in the world. Though a number of new religious sects and syncretic "new age cults" have appeared, there is also a great amount of research into meditation, prayer and other religious and spiritual practices gathered from the rest of the world and new powerful techniques of development are emerging which, being increasingly applied by an increasing percentage of the population, points to a new phase in human evolution.

All this could not have taken place but that America was a new country with enormous unexplored natural resources and vast spaces, which attracted the more intelligent and vigorous from many nations, often with dreams and ideals, seeking freedom to realize them. This caused a mingling and mutual stimulation between many cultures and ideas, and owing to the relative shortage of labour encouraged invention, mechanization, the development and application of the emerging sciences and technology. All this took place at a distant from the congestion, traditions and power structures of Europe, in a place where new ideas could be freely applied. But this did not take place in Central and South America where the Catholic Church held power. Many of the newly emerging ideas, principles and tendencies passed from the USA back to Europe and also to other parts of the World bringing transformation to them also.

However, like all Ideals, these were gradually ignored, forgotten or eroded. Powerful men arose and gradually took control of affairs; an increasing number of laws and institutions created an ever increasingly rigid tradition, and minds came to be controlled by the increasing strength of the media of communication. But the people are still ambitious and motivated by a self-image that strives for success, usually conceived of in monetary, material and social terms. Religion in general has declined. And yet the American may be regarded as having taken a further step on the ladder of evolution. They have developed what has been called nafs-i-ammara (12:53), the commanding or egotistical soul, to a much more general degree than in the past and in other nations where it was confined only to relatively small ruling groups. It is likely that this development must necessarily precede the development of nafs-i-Lawwama (75:2), the self-critical soul, which is the next stage in the spiritual or psychological evolution of humanity.

The Constitution of the United States begins:-

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The US Bill of Rights: Amendment I states:-

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In The Declaration of Independence it is stated:-

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Abraham Lincoln in the famous Gettysburg Address said:-

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honoured dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

The USA was to have a Democracy under God. This is exactly what Islam requires.

In so far as the USA claims to champion freedom it ought to tolerate all Religions as long as they do not attack each other. This is also the Islamic attitude. People should be free to live according to their ideals. Free Speech implies that Criticism of the government is allowed and that people can affirm and propagate their ideals. It is affirmed that the people have the right to change the government. In fact, the above four documents that are, or ought to be, the foundations of the USA can be seen as compatible with Islam. It is even implied that the Creator is Supreme and that all rights are derived from Him.

But the ideology incorporated in these US Foundation Documents is incomplete and lopsided because it leaves out two other factors - the obligations, duties or responsibilities and the consequences, rewards and punishment that also derive from God.

We could say that the ideals on which the USA was founded are Islamic implicitly but only partially so explicitly. The reason for this might be that the Founding Fathers were Free Masons and the roots of Free Masonry lie in Islam, as several researchers have discovered.

 

The dichotomy between Religion and science and between religion and politics and between religion and economics etc. is a Western idea, not an Islamic one and derives from the dichotomy between mind and matter as made by Descartes. Even before that the dichotomy arose when the Christian (Catholic) Church began to loose its control over the population owing to the introduction of new influences mainly from the Islamic world. These concern science, politics and economics.

The scientists, merchants and kings wanted greater power and independence from the Pope, and organized Church (especially after the Reformation). So a compromise was reached whereby the Church agreed to confine its authority to religious and spiritual matters while secular and material matters were left to these others. Values and morality were divorced from science, politics and economics, and facts and truth were excluded from religion.

But this dichotomy dates back even further to nations that were based on slavery, including Greece and Rome. While all the physical work was done by the slaves, the masters, being free of contact with the material, indulged themselves in the things of the mind, to fantasies and abstractions, to games, art, administration, and ideas. In fact, much of their Philosophies tended to be mental games and gymnastics as was their politicking. This class division, therefore, created a division between the physical and the mental activities. In normal human beings the feelings and emotions tend to act as a bridge and reconciling force between the intellect and action. But the class division ensured that normal fellow feelings atrophied. The intellectuals tried to think without feeling (empathy compassion etc.) or action; the workers had to labour without intelligent thought or feeling; the emotions, feelings and motives then became perverted or/and were channelled into the arts.

(Continued in Part 5)

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Contents

 

 

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