Ode To The Atheist

[Luminous]

The Pillars of Religion (Let it Fall)
A great religious persecution broke out in the land and the tree pillars of religion: Scripture, Worship, and Charity appeared before God to express their fear that I religion was stamped out they would cease to exist.
“Not to worry,” said the Lord, “I plan to send One to earth that is greater than religion."
“By what name is this Great One called?”
“Self-knowledge,” said God. “It will do greater things than religion ever has.”

 

[DeepShadow]

...self-knowledge will do greater things than charity?

That's almost funny.

 

[Darkwater]

Know thyself.

 

[Luminous]

Know thyself.

Dharma
A woman in a coma was dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the Judgment Seat.
“Who are you?” a voice said to her.
She said her name.
“I did not ask you for your name but who you are,” The voice responded.
“I’m the wife of the mayor,” she replied.
“I did not ask you whose wife you are, but who you are.”
“I’m the mother of four children.”
“I did not ask you whose mother you are, but who you are.”
“I’m a schoolteacher.”
“I did not ask what your profession is, but who you are.”
And so it went. No matter what she replied, she did not seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, “Who are you?’
“I’m a Christian.”
“I did not ask what your religion is, but who you are.”
“I’m the one who went to church every day and always helped the poor and needy.”
“I did not ask you what you did, but who you are.”
She evidently failed the examination for she was sent back to earth. When she recovered from her illness she determined to find out who she was. And that made all the difference.

-Your duty is to be. Not to be somebody, not to be nobody
For therein lies greed and ambition
not to be this or that (and thus become conditioned) but just to be.

-To know things is to be learned
To know others is to be wise.
To know the self is to be enlightened.

 

[DeepShadow]

-To know things is to be learned
To know others is to be wise.
To know the self is to be enlightened.

All true, but it's not greater than charity.

 

[Halcyon]

All true, but it's not greater than charity.

It could be argued though that true charity comes only after self-understanding.

If we look at the motivations for charity we have charity from a sense of duty, as we find in some religions, this form of charity is all well and good, but I wouldn't say it's real charity, not if you feel obliged or even forced to do so.

Another is compassion, or if we're honest, pity. "I have all this wealth, but oh look at those poor wretches, I feel so bad seeing them in such poverty, I'll give my money/time to help them out." Admirable for sure, but is it real charity, or is it more the alleviation of guilt?

Then there is charity because "it makes me feel good to help others". But where does that good feeling usually come from? It often comes from the feedback people give you, "how kind you are", "what a good person s/he is for helping out". Would these people be so charitable if their good work was all but ignored?

I theorise that the only true charity comes from empathy, helping others because you can imagine yourself in their shoes, and the only way to imagine yourself in another's shoes (and there are plenty of people incapable of doing so) is to have a well developed theory of self. The better you understand your own nature, your own self, the better position you will be in to empathise and thus the more likely you would be to be charitable for charity's own sake, not from guilt, nor obligation, nor from emotional reward.

 

[Darkwater]

All true, but it's not greater than charity.

Charity begins at home,know thyself........& don't believe in a guy with a big book either,although this is a nice illustration with great intent.