Can religion change the world?

Can religion (any religion for that matter or working in unison with others) change the world?  This is a thorny question; one that is not easy to answer.  Despite the thorniness, the imagination is permitted to fly above all present cares and envision a tomorrow somewhat utopian as if to say, yes, religion can change the world.  But on second thought, this is only a work of fiction and will remain such when we try to change the world globally by means of religion as if to impose change from the top down.

And then I stumbled across this.  It was written in 1904.  I found it in The Independent, Volume 57, page 1025.

"What will save the world to-day is not tradition, not dogma, not religious ceremonial, but a religion growing out of the deepest facts of man's spiritual life.  Men have become bewildered amid speculations, and traditions, and forms.  They can find safety only in a vital religious experience.  The vitalities of religion are eternal, and they will survive the forms.  The verities of religion will outlast the speculations of men.  Ecclesiasticisms, and traditions, and forms may pass away.  The critical spirit of to-day will sift out from the claims of religion all that cannot anchor itself in the indisputable facts of the spiritual life.  If we will catch the ear of this busy materialistic age, it will be because we can convince men that their present life touches the supernatural as well as the world of nature.  It will be because we can convince them that there is an open thoroughfare between the soul and the unseen.  This is the only foundation that the religion of to-day can build upon with safety."

At first I thought these words were somewhat quaint and for an era gone by.  This was composed right after the Wright brother's successful flight on December 17, 1903.  Still, I found this piece interesting.  Historically, these words came from a time when colonizing much of world with a particular brand of religion wasn't going so well.

And then I thought of Buddhism as it began to enter the West around this same time.  On the part of Buddhism, it wasn't a global campaign.  But it was doing something right even though it brought nothing in the way of a huge missionary effort.  Buddhism came at a time when many in the West were searching for a vital religious experience "growing out of the deepest facts of man's spiritual life." 

Indeed, Buddhism came to the West with an eternal vitality which had survived many forms and made new ones from cold ashes.  Buddhism, also was able to catch the ear of "this busy materialistic age".  Buddhism told the modern man there is an inner spiritual path.

While much of what we know as 'religion' seems, historically, to work horizontally, sweeping over foreign countries that have first fallen to the sword, Buddhism arrives in the West vertically.  There is no sword; no blood.  Not only does it speak with the voice of spiritual democracy, in that we all have the Buddha-nature, but it also comes with compassion insofar as it is able to push back the dark clouds of ignorance, hatred and greed.

One day the West will wake up in which the morning will be a Buddhist one.  There will be no need for temples or a huge Buddha statue sitting in the middle of Wall Street.  Buddhism will be carried deep inside of everyone.  Each person will realize, to some degree, that a part of them is eternal, free of suffering, and a little undeveloped Buddha.

Comments

[Frank]

Yes, I love your thoughts, but I can't help but notice that it is the vicious religions that are growing and/or prospering. Correct me if I'm wrong. If there really are "advanced" compassionate aliens out there, I'll bet their religion is akin to Buddhism--I just hope they're not the ones mutilating all those cattle and even cats now I hear. ):

[Frank]

"One day the West will wake up in which the morning will be a Buddhist one."

Could this be from a Ronald Reagan campaign speech--you know, Reagan in a future incarnation....
Will this happen before or after Richard Gere has liberated the Tibetans? Forgive my sarcasm; I read your excellent blog regularly, but I see no evidence that man is becoming more compassionate; in fact, as the dollar falls (by design) the thin veneer of self-serving Christianity will get thinner yet. If it implodes, we're in for a real hell ride.

[twitter.com/will_simpson]

Bottom up infiltration verses top down. Buddhism is sneaky this way. I to imagine:

"One day the West will wake up in which the morning will be a Buddhist one. There will be no need for temples or a huge Buddha statue sitting in the middle of Wall Street. Buddhism will be carried deep inside of everyone. Each person will realize, to some degree, that a part of them is eternal, free of suffering, and a little undeveloped Buddha."

Nicely said.
Will