Looking into issues of the spiritual ego
Hate me or love me, but I personally feel, without any remorse, that if there is most misunderstood thing in the whole world is Spirituality. A lot of people, Christians and Muslims alike, erroneously relate Spirituality to Religion. This is misleading and indeed an insult on our own conscience, integrity and the spiritual self that is within and without us.
Today we live in a world where the concept of religion takes centre stage in people’s day to day life. Since time immemorial, society has been engulfed with the emergency of different religious institutions which, in one way or the other, have influenced the way people live their lives. But one thing for sure, though a lot of people mostly Christians deny it, is the fact that religion has brought so much harm than good both on society as a whole and on an individual.
But given all material and/or emotional circumstances, religion does not entail spirituality. People are being misled into believing that if they commit themselves to the dictates and doctrines of their church’s then God would bless them abundantly. They are being robbed in daylight. No wonder that most, but not all, religions centre on money and handy giving to the church. They tell people that when you give more to the church, God gives you more in return. What religion is robbing from the poor and rich souls is being used by greedy individuals who, in their trick and greedy minds, thought of establishing their own church so as to easily rob people. A lot of us do not realise this!
If giving is anything to attain more in life then why don’t we just go in the remotest parts of our society and give generously to the poor, the needy so to say? Had Christ been greedy like today’s men of the collar, he could have been the richest man the world has ever had. What he could have done, upon seeing that he had all the power to heal and bring back to life the dead, he could have just established his own religion. In this way, he could have surely amassed so much wealth which no man has ever had since time immemorial.
In the name of religion, as a matter of fact, ego roots itself in men. This is no ordinary ego per se, but the ultimate form of ego termed “Spiritual Ego.” This is a kind of ego that attacks the soul and blinds the heart, killing the sense of divinity which every human being possesses within them. When we see people who are under the influence of spiritual ego, we think they are greatly favoured; they are the anointed ones so to say. But this is inane and hypocritical of us!
Ever wondered why we have many denominations today? I personally believe that the only way spiritual ego can rise and shine forth is by way of establishing itself in the highest ranks where everyone would be able to see and praise it. This is why those obsessed with spiritual ego always think of establishing their own churches or ministries. “How are people going to know that I have special powers to heal, and how are they going to award me for this if I stay like an ordinary member of this church?” They ask themselves. The next thing that crosses their minds is to setup their own church and rob humanity. No wonder that they are after numbers in their church membership and not true spirituality.
When you see people starting up their own churches whilst they belonged to a particular church, just realise that spiritual ego has engulfed their integrity and sense of true spirituality. They are not establishing those churches in good faith, but merely to rob from humanity.
In the case of Jesus Christ, whenever he healed the sick and/or brought back to life the dead, he could always tell people around him not to tell anyone of and/or about what they had seen him doing.
But today, when a man of God, as they are being called, heals the sick or performs any sort of miracle, goes to a radio station and television, pays a lot of money there only to have the whole world know what he is doing. In so doing, winning a lot of following and amassing a lot of wealth in the process. If what we have today, Christianity, follows the footsteps of Christ, why then do our preachers, pastors and the church authority that be have a highly placed ego within them? I thought Christ himself instructed everyone who wanted to follow him to first be humble and small among the world? He said, if my memory serves me well, that “every one of you must be like these children if you are to enter into the kingdom of God.”
To be like children means that you do not give yourself all kinds of labels like “Rev Dr, Bishop, Major Prophet, Pastor” or what have you. Labelling is a manifestation of the ego within you. These people practice pseudo Christianity. Christ was humble and did not rob any coin from his followers, but his followers today are doing the opposite. Are they true followers? It is not in my spirit to answer.
I am not against any church or Christianity as a whole. What am personally against is the spiritual ego that has come with today’s Christianity, religion as a whole. This ego is what is making it hard for us to realise that we don’t necessarily need religion. What we need is “Pure Spirituality.” Spirituality is what bridges humanity with the ultimate being, God.
A priest named Pable once argued that spirituality, unlike religion, is not simply a set of concepts or beliefs to keep in our head. It is both a vision of life and a way of living in accord with that vision. In other words, it involves choice and it is action-oriented. Spirituality gives direction not only to our thinking, but also to our decision-making and actions.
Spiritual ego is real, it continues to destruct our perception of true spirituality. It detaches us from our connectedness with God, but we do not realise this. When all is said and done, Spiritual Awareness remains the only weapon to liberate us, our souls to be more precise.
*The author is a student with the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College. He writes in his personal capacity.
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