It’s incredible to see that the majority of people are content to be on the outside. They listen to the platitudes repeated over and over and are satisfied. Even though the existential angst that accompanies them remains unresolved. They call out to the god in their imagination, expecting this old man in the sky to answer their requests. Sometimes he does, but there is so much anguish when he doesn’t.

 

By Angel Roberto Puente

 

Can preaching change the world?

I don’t see proof of that anywhere, but people seem to love it. It gets them teary eyed and makes them feel emotional. They will agree, “yeah, that’s what we need” then it’s back to the usual. This has been going on for thousands of years. People like this will go into their place of worship to hear the message of brotherly love, non-violence and compassion after they park and block your car in.

Am I cynical? No. I’m just observant of the world around me and tired of wishful thinking. That’s why, after trying out various denominations of Christianity, I found a home in Zen.

Although I never heard it expressed in words by any teacher, I got right away that Zen was about changing from the inside out. Listening to preaching is like trying to achieve change by wearing a cloak of words.

The real change-making—the contemplative exercises, have been swept out of the Christian life. In Zen they are everything, “A special transmission outside the scriptures; No dependence upon words and letters; Direct pointing at the soul of man; Seeing into one’s nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.”

The strange thing is that a practice like Zen will open the eyes to the mysteries of life.

Precisely, those mysteries that all religions have as a basis. For me, attaining Buddhahood is the same as revealing the Spirit that has been given to us at birth. It’s knowing God.

It’s incredible to see that the majority of people are content to be on the outside. They listen to the platitudes repeated over and over and are satisfied. Even though the existential angst that accompanies them remains unresolved. They call out to the god in their imagination, expecting this old man in the sky to answer their requests. Sometimes he does, but there is so much anguish when he doesn’t.

The preaching continues day after day; forgiveness, peace, non-violence, love, the litany of positives. Of course the evil things that other people do are also preached about, murder, treacherous envy, and hatred.

In Zen we learn about all these things, when we look into our hearts.

They are all there. We have to face them all. We learn, if our practice is sincere and completely open, that God is always with us. But so is the devil, present in feelings of shame, unworthiness and negative criticism. If you don’t shine a light on the totality of the interior life there will always be inaccessible shadows.

The preaching will not help, except perhaps to create a vocabulary for the things you will have to face. But still, preaching remains on the outside. The first real application of forgiveness, peace, non-violence, and love will be toward yourself. The only real cure for the ugliness we carry is to accept it fully.

That’s what contemplative practice does best.

I was led to Zen but it’s not the only method. My prayer is that humanity will open to the contemplative side of any religion or humanistic view they hold. That the work of healing extends over the whole planet. But for now, please, please, enough with the preaching.

 

Photo: Pixabay

Editor: Dana Gornall

 

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