To: United Nations Security Counsel;
THE GIANT STEP
FOR MANKIND
We probably live in a world that
has no resemblance to the one our maker envisioned. A world marred by terror,
strife, hatred, poverty, wars, economic upheavals, leadership in-fighting and complacency.
We have made enormous strides in science and technology. Some of our technological
accomplishments are almost beyond human comprehension. A minuscule example is
the GPS. If you have used one, you would agree that it is indeed an astonishing
tiny technological devise. The GPS is tiny. Consider the space shuttle or the
computer----the mastermind of modern technology. I wonder if you ever wonder
how a small hard drive in an encased hardware can allow you access any kind of information
in the speed of light. It is a school, a linkage of millions of people, the
biggest commercial hub, employer and employee, information highway and inexhaustible
other capabilities. Despite this unimaginative scientific discovery, human
wellbeing is continues to be threatened by our neglect, misuse, and wrongful
interpretation of the matters of conscience and soul---the fabrics of existence.
Religion has failed humanity and left a gapping void between science and
spirituality. We are so focused on Religion-a set of dogmas that we have
forgotten the next step which is spiritualism and its advanced version called
enlightenment. The devastating consequence is that we are have become fragmented
by hatred, depression, hatred,
competition, greed, failed relationships, empty lives, purposeless living, war,
terrorism, and poverty. Our spiritual wellbeing is civilization is in peril. Change
is imperative. Our leaders must change and we the people must change. Africa-must change, Asia – must change, North
America –must change, South America- must change, Australia-
must change, and my 11-year old daughter added, the Middle East must undergo
GIGANTUOS CHANGE.
The horrifying terrorist standoff in
Mumbai was the last straw for me. With my eyes glued to the TV as I watched in
horror, I pictured innocent blood dripping down the halls and walls of Taj
Hotel. I imagined innocent men, women and children being scared to death. Faces
of those being choked to death by smoke tormented me emotionally... Their only
fault? Being humans in a world mared by
strife, anger, mistrust and hatred. I grappled with the idea that it could be
any of me, my children, my parents; my friends, my neighbors. My soul quickly
interjected with a reminder that it’s me, us, all of us, the human family. We are
individual expressions of the one universal intelligence. We are one. Separateness
is an illusion-----and the culprit of the hatred that fueling our hatred and
the spilling of innocent blood.
Its’ time to transcend post-attack investigations
that never bring back innocent lives or repair wounded souls. Again, and again,
we watch in horror as innocent humans perish for no wrong doings of their own.
We watch as economies are destabilized. We watch as our trust for each other
perish, while hatred gains momentum. We
watch in horror, in tears, in anger and in confusion. We are confused as to why
human beings at the prime of live would choose death and destruction as “their
life’s purpose.” We
surmise that they have wounded souls that lack conscience. But
why? We know that they are engulfed by hate, anger and mistrust. But why? We
know that some brainwashing and indoctrination may have taken place. But why?
We know that they have an erroneous definition of heroism? We know all these
things and more --- but why? On the contemplation of life, Max Lucado once
wrote, “Sometimes I want to stand at the corner of the street and yell; doesn’t
anyone want to know why?” Why don’t we
want to know if someone rejected them, abandoned them, mistreated them, lied to
them, deprived them of love, hope, or abused them? What led to their conviction
that their lives and that of others were worthless? What created the vacuum in their
souls that made it possible for hate and terror to find easy occupancy? Do they
have loved ones they left behind? How would their families describe them? Do
they have any abnormal traits, behaviors, habits, personalities? Were they born
with a conscience that evaporated along the way? Did they have normal growth
and development? What kind of environment, culture, and up bringing helped mold
them? Did they ever love a parent, a sibling, a girlfriend, a pet or wife? Did
they think, talk, walk or look like the rest of us? Were they students, school
dropouts, or young professionals? How did death, destruction, tragedy, terror and
blood bath become their eulogy? What is their definition of an enemy and did
all those killed in Mumbai fit that definition? What lesson do they want us to
learn ---- any notes, e-mails, text messages, or clues? If they don’t tell us
what’s wrong, how are we supposed to fix it? Who are their relatives? Can they
give us any insights? What could be going through the minds of their families, neighbors,
friends, and communities? Did they know before the rest of the world found out?
Did anyone attempt to discourage them or stop them? Can the lives of those they
left behind reveal anything? Do they feel wounded and violated like the rest of
us? Are they rejoicing or horrified liked the rest of the world? Can they help
answer a question my young daughter asked? “Mom, what makes a human born as a
little angel turn into a devil? I don’t
know the answer. But this I know ----it’s time for collective soul searching. Asking
why is a good starting point ,but our “whys” must be followed by unrelenting pursuit
of answers.
Following each attack, leaders of
those terrorized and traumatized quickly lunch post attack investigations,
arrests, and punishments. They issue a call for healing and continuation of life---a
life whose fabric gets weaker and more fragile with each attack. As we move on
in the mist of uncertainties, we can’t help but wonder where, who, how, and when
the next deadly attack will take place. We wonder how many lives must be lost,
how much we must endure, before a global outrage, outcry, and action for world
peace.
I believe that the time for global action is now, today,
this moment. The question is how and where do we begin? Any lasting solution
must begin with a rigorous articulation of the root causes of the violence
threatening the fabrics of global economy and infrastructure. The analysis
should reveal the clues to our “why” questions and help formulate solutions (preventive
solutions) and implementation strategies.
MY VIEW ON WHAT WENT WRONG
Education is the culprit. Precisely,
the void in the world’s formal education systems is largely the root cause of our
ills. I arrived at this conclusion from experience---the so called best teacher.
Two years ago, I had a rare and strange experience that compelled me to embark on
a quest for spiritual enlightenment. I practically invested every waking moment
studying countless ancient and modern spiritual classics. The books and CDs touched
on every major religion known to man. Some of the contents run counter to
everything I had internalized about a supreme being and yet made more sense
than everything I have been told about a supreme being. Within two years of
intense study and practice, life started making sense and my life metamorphed
into love and faith. The song, I can see
clearly now the rain is gone acquired a new meaning. The unimaginable
outcome is a fifth degree in Enlightenment.
A degree acquired outside the four walls of an academic institution. A
degree that surpasses all my man made degrees and rewards beyond human imagination.
According to Aldous Huxely, Enlightenment “opens the doors of perception.” In The Confession,
St Augustine distinguished
scientific knowledge from spiritual enlightenment: “Learning and intelligence
has not led to any sense of truth but has only taught me to question and doubt.
Intelligence must be lightened by another light.”
The road to Enlightenment has convinced
me that the void in our formal education system is the root cause of the ills
plaguing our universe. To substantiate this profound discovery, here are excerpts
from the writings of four contemporary spiritual icons.
First is Ken Wilber, the author of,
A Theory of Everything. He postulates
that the world celebrates each new scientific discovery as another giant step
towards a full explanation of the universe. Yet scientific knowledge, he argues,
only deals with the physical world, therefore offering partial explanations of
the universe. He asks, “What about the mind, soul, and spirit that actually
infuses life and matter with meaning.” He, like many others, argue, and
convincingly so, that we are paying the price of a universe void of human
consciousness. He theorizes that the true evolution of the species will occur
only when we give equal recognition to consciousness as we have done with
manipulation of matter.
Like Wilbur, Richard Maurice Burck,
in his book, The Cosmic Consciousness describes spiritually enlightened beings as
those who possess cosmic consciousness. They are acutely aware of the ordered
nature of things and the existence of universal energy. Their oneness with
supreme intelligence brings them astounding joyousness stemming from the lifting
of the veils of misperception. If people see that the nature of the universe is
love, and that we are all part of an undying conscious life force, they can no
longer experience fear or doubt.
Another renowned philosopher J. Krishnamurthy,
in his book Think on these things, taught
his Indian Students that the real purpose of education is to help people identify
what one would love to do and to help us understand the whole process of life.
He added, education is about how to love, how to live simply, how to free our
mind from prejudice, superstition, and fear. If the mind remains trapped within
its boundaries, there is misery. Minds are enriched by tapping into the vast intelligence
of the universe. Schools produce technicians. Technicians produce outcomes. A
creator, by the nature of their being and their focus on the public good,
improves the world around them. He advocates the rejection of existing ways of
seeing and thinking. On the ultimate byproduct of enlightenment (love and
happiness), he wrote, “Happiness cannot be found; it is the offspring of
meaning and occurs in the absence of fear. He states that the ambitious seek
power, and in their quest are blind to the fact that love is the greatest power
known to mankind.
Another contemporary philosophical writer
is Gary Zukav, author of: The Seat of the
Soul. He asserts, “It is the health of the soul that is the true purpose of
the human experience.” He differentiates
between two types of power, authentic and inauthentic power. For people who
rely on their five senses, survival is the prime motive for evolution. They
measure power by their ability to control the environment, nature, other people
or economies. This type of power is always external. On the other hand, the
power wielded by the great figures credited with transforming the way we think
is internal. Zukav asks us to consider that the words and actions of a
carpenter (Jesus) became more powerful than the might of the Roman
Empire. A leader with authentic power is one who has achieved an
alignment of their soul and their personality—the power of one. Authentic power
is based on love, humility, compassion, and clarity of intentions. He adds that
the world of science and logic marginalizes conscience and emotions, yet people
whose lives are void of the deeper meaning of life, end up in despair and emptiness.
He proclaims that “for our world to evolve, humans must have greater awareness
of the soul, as opposed to the personality.”
An
author who undoubtedly possesses a deep awareness of the soul is Neale Donald
Walsch. His masterpiece titled Conversations
with God, superbly simplifies most ambiguities surrounding our lives. Though
the title is somewhat shocking, keep an open mind. For Christians, the Bible is
believed to be written by humans under divine inspiration. Other holy books like
the Koran may also have similar origin. God is still in business and still
inspires receptive messengers. Be prepared to be hypnotized by the power of the
uncensored truth.
Conversations
with God embodies the most thought provoking questions humans always wished
they could ask God. Questions about love, fear, religion, soul, poverty,
wealth, health, happiness, violence, war, and so on. The answers embody the
most profound and revealing explanations of life ever written or spoken.
Walsch, a disgruntled, depressed, angry man was demanding explanations from God
as to why his life was a total failure. Unexpectedly, the most profound answers
about life were revealed to him, by God--- the All Knowing. The answers are so
far fetched, so extra-ordinary, so revealing, so captivating, so unheard-of, and
provocative---- that you know for sure that their origin is divine. I have intentionally
chosen not to paraphrase these excerpts in order not to risk diminishing the impact
of the answers.
When Walsch asked about collective
consciousness and its significance, God gave these answers:
“Your world, and the condition it
is in, is a reflection of the total, combined consciousness of everyone living
there. Most people are satisfied with a World in which survival is for the
fittest, “might is right,” competition is required, and wining is called the
highest good. Your fear of unification and your planets glorification of all
that separates produce division, disharmony, and discord – yet you do not seem
to have the ability even to learn from your experiences, and so you continue
your behaviors, with the same results. It is important to understand the lesson
here. A group consciousness which speaks constantly of separation and
superiority produces loss of compassion on a massive scale, and loss of
compassion is inevitability followed by loss of conscience. A collective
concept rooted in strict nationalism ignores the plights of others, yet makes
everyone else responsible for yours, thus justifying war. Auschwitz
was the Nazi solution to --- an attempt to “rectify” --- the “Jewish problem.”
The horror of the Hitler Experience was not that he perpetrated it on the human
race, but that the human race allowed him to. The astonishment is not only that
Hitler came along, but also that so many others went along. The shame is not
only that Hitler killed millions of Jews, but also that millions of Jews had to
be killed before Hitler was stopped. The thing to remember is: consciousness is
everything, and creates your experience. Group consciousness is powerful and
produces outcomes of unspeakable beauty or ugliness. The choice is always
yours. The consciousness of separation, segregation, superiority ----- of “we”
versus “they,” of “us” and “them”---- is what creates the Hitler experience.” (And
if I may add, 9/11, Mumbai, Rwandan massacre, Kurdish genocide, Sudan massacre, Serbian massacre, Cambodian
genocide, Somalia
massacre and the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian endless tragedy).
Walsch continued: “Is there any way out of this mess?
“Yes! It is in your school! It is
in the education of your young! Your hope is in the next generation, and the
next! But you must stop immersing them in the ways of the past. Those ways have
not worked. They have not taken you where you say you want to go. Take time to
create the grandest vision you ever had about yourselves as a human race. Then,
take the values and concepts which undergird such a vision and teach them in
your schools. Why not courses such as:
Understanding Power Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Elements of Loving Relationships Personal and Self creation
Body, Mind and Spirit: How They Function Engaging Creativity
Tolerance, Fairness Diversity and Similarities
Ethical Economics Creative Consciousness and Mind
Power
Science and Spirituality
Right now your schools exist
primarily to provide answers. It would be far more beneficial if their primary
function was to ask questions. What does it mean to be honest, or what does it
mean that 2+2=4? What are the implications? Highly evolved societies encourage
all children to discover and create those answers for themselves. I invite you
to look at your actions. You’ve been deeply involved in your physical life.
You’ve paid very little attention to your soul.
WHY THE HUGE VOID
My thinking is that it was assumed
that world religions would handle matters of the soul. To a very large extent,
they have failed. They have been preoccupied with dogma, separatism, superiority,
and brainwashing. My Christian religion portrays God (love) as an angry father
that will burn his children if they don’t meet his stringent rules. Each
religion claims soul mastery of righteousness and the only one fit for heaven. I
wonder if God forgot to tell the rest of His children what “the right religion”
is so He can watch them perish on judgment day. Even worse, Islamic extremists
and Christian fundamentalists are ready to wipe the rest of us off the face of
the planet for “refusing to be like them.” All of this hatred, anger, hostility
and rage in the name of God, in the name of Allah, in the name of Religion. No
wonder the world is in turmoil, confused and in search of truth. By the way I
am a Christian and still go to church on Sundays. I have young children and the
church is still the traditional way to introduce the concept of God. I filter out
a lot of garbage, an easy task for soul seekers.
SOLUTIONS
The solutions I propose are two
fold----short and long term. First, short term solutions. The violent nature of
our modern world warrants the formation of a RAPID RETALIATORY FORCE by the
United Nations. The force should be so formidable that its existence alone will
deter violence and rarely be put to actual use. Terrorist groups and dictatorial
regimes must know that the force will be massively deployed against any
aggressor and that annihilation will be the end result. Aggressors must be made
aware that an attack on any member nation will be viewed as an attack on all
members. The fear of extinction must make aggressors think twice before
lunching an attack.
The world should know that any
group that decides to topple an elected government, commit genocide, or carry
any act of terrorism will be “crushed.” The force should be so formidable that
its presence will do what nuclear weapons did for the Cold War---- deterrence.
Secondly, there needs to be a GLOBAL
CONFERENCE ON PEACE. The goal would be to have an honest dialogue on ways to sow
the seeds of peace, love, and tolerance. The conference should include the
leaders of terrorist groups so they can air their grievances and offer
suggestions that if rectified would hold them accountable for compliance.
LONG-TERM SOLUNTIONS
World leaders must act to fill the VACUM
IN FORMAL EDUCATION that’s about to derail our civilization. The course should
be titled INTRODUCTION TO ENLIGHTEMENT. It should be a mandatory philosophy
course in the sophomore year of college. The content should help students
answer questions like:
Who am I?
How do I discover my life’s purpose?
Who am I in relationship to other humans and the universe?
Why do we have different races, religions, colors, countries
etc?
What’s the difference between religion and spirituality?
Why do we humans have to suffer, sometimes so much?
Why does God allow bad things to happen?
What is the meaning of life?
What happens when we die? Is there really heaven and hell?
What’s the best way(s) to cope with life’s challenges?
What is the key to happiness?
How can we avoid suffering?
Why are some people so rich and others so poor?
Why so many differences among humans?
And much more plus the ones suggested under Walsch
I plan to formulate such a course
for the schools in my community. We also need a simplified version of it for
the final year of high school to benefit those who may not go to college.
You may be wondering how possible it
is to implement these suggestions? Very possible. The task is nowhere near the giant
leaps we have made scientifically. The scientific community is inhabited by few
humans and yet their contributions stretch to all the four corners of the
universe and up to the sky. There are a multitude of humans that can spearhead
matters of the soul and conscience, which by-the-way is inherent in all of us. There
are no billions or trillions of financial investments involved. For instance,
the education part would only involve a policy mandating one new philosophy
course in schools. The tuition for the course would actually increase revenue
for schools. It is interesting to note that the Quarker School chosen by
president and Mrs. Obama (a school where many children of American leaders
graduated) is modeled after the kind of course I am proposing. At the Quarker
school, teachers and students are jointly engaged in a search for truth.
Teacher work to ensure that student’s personal gift, the gift of our minds, is
used in a generous spirit for worthy goals. The school’s philosophy is based on
the belief that “God is in each person.” If such knowledge is good for
privileged kids, it may even be a life-saver for the less privileged in need of
more guidance, motivation, and inspiration.
Similarly, the UN Rapid Retaliatory
Force would involve assembling the forces and weapons already in existence. Also,
the peace conference can easily be funded with grants and donations. One man is
spending more than a million dollars to help the poor attend President Obama’s
inauguration. When I made my contribution for the inauguration, I saw countless
donations up to $400,000 by individuals and companies. If countless numbers can
donate for a one-day historic celebration, we shouldn’t have a problem
attracting donations for global peace---a cause with wide range positive
implications. We have made astronomical gains in technology. It’s time to
bridge the wide gap between technology and matters of conscience. We may just create
the so called heaven we think is up above-----and if there’s another one up
somewhere, admission will be easier after we acquire the virtues mandatory for
enlightened existence. If the heaven above is anything like what we’ve been
told, we must learn tolerance, love, forgiveness, oneness, unity, peace,
humility, service, and other virtues to be granted entrance. Right now, it looks
like we have some major qualifying work to do hear on earth. Could it be that
God is waiting on us to hurry up and qualify before he opens heaven’s gate?
THINK ON THESE THINGS
“Fashioned from the earth, we are
souls in clay form. We need to remain in rhythm with our inner clay voice and
longing. Yet this voice is no longer audible in the modern world. We are not
even aware of our loss; consequently, the pain of our spiritual exile is more
intense in being largely unintelligible. If we become addicted to the external,
our interiority will haunt us.”
Anam Cara
by Johnson O’Donohue
“We won’t get to the truth about
life by pursuing answers through the rational mind only. Both science and philosophy are maps of the
truth. The sense of fragmentation and alienation come from the world around us,
but concepts were emotionally and spiritually hollow, and in the end made us
less human.”
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
By Robert M. Pirsig
“There is an intelligent force that
moves the universe. This divine order arranges our lives more wisely than any
insurance policy.”
William James: The Varieties of Religious
Experience.
“Choosing love and forgiveness is
the highest lesson to be learned.”
Jonathan L. Seagull by Richard Bach
“Fear is what we have learned. Love
is what we’re born with. The spiritual journey is a return to love.”
A Return to love by Mariam Williamson
“Habits of thinking need not be
forever. One of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty
years is that individuals can choose the way they think.”
Maintin Seligman: Learned Optimism
“In the last analysis, the
essential thing is the life of the individual. This alone makes history, here
alone does the great transformation take place, and the whole history of the
world, ultimately springs as a gigantic summation from these hidden sources in
individuals.”
Carl Gustav Jung
“Law, not confusion, is the
dominant principle in the universe; justice, not injustice, is the soul and
substance of life; and righteousness, not corruption, is the molding and moving
force in the spiritual government of the world. This being so, we have to but
right ourselves to find that the universe is right.”
James Allen: As a Man Thinketh
“People who become great leaders
are those who take time to reflect every day on the big questions: Who am I?
What is my purpose? Who are my heroes in history, mythology, and religion? What
are my unique talents and how did I express them? These are the qualities of
silent reflection that make a great leader like Jesus. With regards to
religion, he states, “Look for the values that are in every religion. The time
is coming when we will go beyond narrow religious confines and embrace a
spirituality that will include the best of all religions and transcend narrow
boundaries. Remember this: beliefs divide, values unite. When we go to the
values that underlie so many religious beliefs, they unite us. I encourage
young people to take the vow of nonviolence in their thoughts, speech, and
actions. As Gandhi said, be the change you want to see in the would.”
Deepak Chopra: Jesus: A story of
Enlightenment
“All things fade into the storied
past, and in a little while are shrouded in oblivion. What, after all, is
immortal fame? An empty, hollow thing. To what then must we aspire? This, and
this alone: the just thought, the unselfish act, the tongue that utters no
falsehood, the temper that greets each passing event as something predestined,
expected, and emanating from the One Source and origin.”
Marcus Aurelius: Meditations
CAN WE CHANGE?
I believe we can.
We can overcome force
by sowing the seeds of peace
We can overcome hatred by sowing the seeds of love
WE can overcome mistrust by sowing the seeds of brotherhood.
WE can overcome war by sowing the seeds of oneness.
WE can overcome anger by sowing the seeds of hope.
We can overcome misery by sowing the seeds of faith.
WE can overcome Intolerance by sowing the seeds of
compassion.
Divided will fall. United will stand
Let’s join president Obama in believing that YES WE CAN.
In the depths of winter, I finally learned
that within me (and us) there
lay
an invincible summer.
Albert Camus
By Ada
Nwankudu
