When Copernicus first introduced the heliocentric theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun, it shook the very foundation of religious belief and became an issue in the courts of inquisition.
People believed that it threatened the idea that an almighty God had created nature, that it threatened their firm conviction that the glories of the heavens revolved around the Earth, with man at the centre of the universe.
But it was Galileo Galilei with his telescope and innovative scientific methods who became the real victim of their prejudices, for he believed that the laws governing the universe and life must be the same. In the Starry Messenger, the 1610 publication of his astronomical observations, he sought to prove that Copernicus was right.
Caught up in the religious conflict and struggle for authority and power of that time, Galileo was prosecuted, threatened with torture and forbidden to ever speak of his beliefs again. It would take almost 370 years for the church to officially absolve him of his “guilt”.
There is imbalance between the discoveries of the physical sciences and the discoveries of the spirit. For a long time now, great emphasis has been placed on technological advances, while spiritual growth has been ignored.
This enormous gap must somehow be narrowed for the universal mechanisms to operate smoothly on this earth. These must be balanced. The two factors, the physical and the spiritual, must feed each other and work together in harmony.
It is our belief that the physical sciences may be advanced for the enrichment of humanity, rather than its destruction.
Only through further developing the science of the subconscious mind and of the spirit can this be possible.
Moderation is the key principle that should govern our thinking and actions.
I have said this in one of my previous articles, that the individual creates his or her own heaven and hell right here on this earth. The universe is the masterpiece of God. We should understand that all things in it are a reflection of God’s greatness.
As a matter of fact, the future of humanity depends on such wisdom. Prayers for peace and prosperity will be answered if we understand creation as a reflection of God. The closeness of God to us has been vividly illustrated in the Quran (Qaf:16).
Unfortunately, it would appear that the spiritual development of humanity has fallen far behind its intellectual growth. It would seem, looking back through the annals of history, that our greatest search for knowledge has been for destructive knowledge, and our greatest discoveries are the result of an all-consuming greed for power.
The influence of technology can be harsh and brutal. The technologies of today have a powerful influence not only on our attitudes and lifestyles, but also on our changing human behaviour. At the same time that technology enriches, its excessive use is destroying human ability and the environment.
One may be a traditionalist in this regard, but it is important to note that in our selfishness and haste, we have ignored process. We challenge creation and try to alter its nature.
Seduced by the more comfortable life that technological advancement has made possible, we seem to ignore the power of the individual’s body and spirit.
We have at our disposal more free time than ever before, but instead of using it creatively for personal study and inner growth, we lean back in the controlled comfort of our living rooms and demand to be entertained, hypnotised by the endless parade of animated figures on a television screen.
Children no longer need to create games; it is done for them electronically. We are a spectator society, voyeurs rarely experiencing the peace that comes from physical expression and personal accomplishment. We seek a life of ease and comfort, believing that this is the way to happiness, and then wonder why life has lost its flavour.
Physical happiness is born out of adversity. Without the experience of hardship, all the joys, beauty and blessings of life are taken for granted. If your stomach is always full, food becomes uninteresting; but after experiencing the gnawing pain of hunger, a bowl of rice is cause for rejoicing.
Maybe we will never understand the true meaning of peace and harmony until all that remains of our earth is a charred cinder of destruction and death. Happiness is nourished by security, not material security, but the security of self-trust, confidence and independence.
Seen from space, our planet is a harmonious jewel of glowing blues and greens. There is no red line of separation. There are no borders.
God has given no person, no organisation, no nation territorial permission.
I recall an article my parents used to read to me. It was about an astronaut’s journey into space. During a worldwide tour after his flight into space, American astronaut John Glenn was interviewed about his impressions and thoughts as he travelled through space.
Glenn replied that as he looked at Earth and the cosmos that surrounded him, he deeply believed that this universe was God’s living garden. I understand that spiritual teachings and modern science are exactly the same. Science bears witness to the power of God.
I do hope that this new year will bring us better prospects in life. We should strive to find meaning in our lives and contribute to goodness as much as we can.
Moderation should become our guiding principle. Excessiveness and exploitation is condemned in our religion, we should avoid this and learn a lesson from the verse foretold about people misled due to excessiveness (Quran: al-Ma’idah: 80).
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