9. Culture and Conditioning

Veils to the Soul

Culture has many definitions: we discuss values/ethics, religion, and a non-contradictory patchwork of cultural components (art, morality, spirituality/religion, science).
Ethical Systems
What's right and wrong? What do these words mean - right/wrong for purpose, or morally good/bad? Is there an objective truth about moral action, or is it culturally-contingent? Are there universal 'moral laws' ?!
Without answering all these questions (!), we look at Split Will* as the source of suffering. One moral near-Absolute is that disinvestment from Split Will reduces separation, and therefore suffering. However, navigating this pointer in any actual context demands the Intelligence of the ARC* (whch is literally made-to-do-this!).

An Awakened Culture
Culture on a planet of Awakened Beings need not be monolithic. E.g., in terms of economic values, forms of both socialism and capitalism could be present. Moreover, 'Awakening' (at least currently!) describes a variety of different states, and so culture could contain a corresponding variety of religions/spiritualities. And - in fact! - science of a specific kind can also (implicitly!) be a path to Awakening. Finally, ethical behavior need not depend on any code or scientific/spiritual narrative: it can simply arise, in an undistorted Being.
A Non-Contradictory Patchwork
On the way to the Total-Awakening-of-the-Universe* - and a joyful firework-completion of this-Universe-as-'Game'! - humanity must at some point create an enduring/sustainable culture. This would be a patchwork quilt of components, non-contradictory 'horizontally' (with each other) and 'vertically' (with real-Reality!).
Obviously, what we have now, instead, is a fragmented, conflicting, jumble! Sometimes it seems the insanity will go on forever ...

Schism
The foundation of Veils' theocosmology is that Souls have creative freedom to induce separation from real-Reality. Separation as a transient Dream is called alleged-Reality*. Separation forever (in time) would be called Schism. Schism is one of the trickiest issues facing humankind - and almost completely neglected.
To illustrate a touch of a hint of the nuance: realization of Schism would correspond to the creation of an actual Hell, and is therefore impossible. Nevertheless, there are forces driving in that direction. What's to be done? Nothing, if Schism is impossible. Everything, to avoid the loss-of-everything that Schism would entail! Here's the Koan: Schism is impossible, but there are things we must do to ensure that impossibility!
Religion
Many forms of religion/spirituality are needed, to respond to separation. But not every form is a situationally-optimal contribution. We consider traditional ('punitive God') Christianity, and a 'cleaned up' version as a powerful cultural artefact. This must partner with a 'cleaned up' (and deepened!) science, open forms of non-dual Eastern spiritualities, shamanic/indigenous traditions, and various (non-contradictory!) systems-for-living. All this will be necessary, to found the next great phase of civilization, and avoid Schism in the kindest, most-Loving way .

*For more on Split Will, ARC, etc., please visit E1 or E18.

Thanks for listening!
Find out more:
For Oliver's Psycho-Spiritual work with Individuals, Couples and Groups, please visit http://www.oliverbaum.co.uk.
For Nicholas' In-Person work, please visit http://www.liveyourdeepestself.com.
For Nicholas' Scientific work, please visit http://www.cfdis.org.