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Spiritual maturity
Spiritual maturity
represents an important natural junction in human development.
Once crossed, we sense significant changes. We begin seeing
reality in a clearer, more correct manner and in doing so, we
shed many of our childish views and opinions. It can certainly
be said that in order for a person to actualize his purpose, he
must first reach a state of spiritual maturity. This maturity
also represents an enhanced state, in which such things
occur.
Human beings
who have crossed this junction are described as mature adults,
whereas those who have not yet done so are described as immature
or as childish.
Even though we tend to link the concept of "maturity" to a young
man or woman who have reached a certain age, such an assertion
is far from the truth. Quite a few of these may mature only
later in life while others might never do so.
Similarly to
the concept of personal maturity, the human collective contains
nations, some of whom are more mature than others, depending on
their past circumstances.
There is a
time in one's life, in which it is only natural to be childish,
and a time in which it is only natural to be mature. These
periods cannot be strictly defined. It can be said that the
period of childhood is the period of time required for a
person’s internal self to evolve and reach a level that can be
described as mature. If this period is extended, it means the
person's spirit has to overcome greater obstacles.
What can a spiritual mature person
achieve, compared to an immature one?
Since a
spiritual
mature
person is on a higher spiritual level, therefore he is more
developed and can execute higher intelligent activities and
behave more positively. A mature person, for example, more
easily expresses appreciation and love to his fellow man and can
realize positive goals, which a childish personality finds
difficult to achieve. In other words, a mature person has a
greater ability to bring Goodness into expression.
It may be said
that the more mature a person is, and the more he is free of
spiritual inhibitions, the more he will be able to act in a
positive and improved manner, and his
β consciousness will contain a
greater percentage of α
consciousness.
The childish person
A prolonged
childishness stems
from several spiritual 'blockages', which inhibits many aspects of man’s
natural expression, resulting from a deficient upbringing and
from a dictatorial atmosphere.
This spiritual
state, is the cause of man’s negative expressions . For example:
If the path to love is blocked, his emotional urge will look for
a different 'exit' route, and will express itself as hatred.
A childish
person that cannot adequately explain his position or
convince others of the correctness of his way, will attempt to
force others to act in accordance with his wish. He is also the
type, who due to his inability to achieve his goals honestly,
will apply immoral means for their achievement.
In his early
years, the immature person expresses his personality by,(among
other things), displaying charm and physical beauty, as a method
for getting spiritual food from mature person. As he grows older
and his physical beauty declines, his inability to function
properly fills him with resentment and with feelings of
inferiority. As this happens, he begins to steer further and
further towards evil, attempting, by means of this, to gain what
he lacks. This is probably the primary reason for his desire to
control others. He will even blame society for his suffering and
will attempt to extract revenge. In doing so, he brings upon the
human collective the disasters humanity has experienced
throughout the course of human history.
No matter how
rich this person may be, no matter how many times he has
humiliated a fellow man, he still cannot obtain the peace of
mind and joy, which a mature personality achieves.
Like a child seeking security behind his mother's apron in order
to function in the adult world, certain childish persons
find their security behind various odd aprons, in order to
somehow function in this world. These aprons may be a
profession, an institution, a leader, a religion or even God.
Among the strange things I have witnessed was an immature
doctor, who hid behind conventional medicine's apron in order to
somehow function in this world, and became very offended
when presented with a solution achieved through complimentary
medicine.
Similarly, an
immature religious man hides behind God's apron for the same
reason. Thus, his dependence on this source increases and he
attempts, in an exaggerated way, to seek His help rather than
taking calculated risks, being responsible for his deeds and act
for the achievement of his goals, thus letting his own natural
forces do whatever is required to succeed.
The
childish person's control over a mature one
The childish
person's inferiority complex creates often an urge to control
the mature people He attempts to do this by exhibiting an
artificial sense of superiority. This urge develops and
activates several other aspects of his personality. We may
discern a powerful aggression and occasionally, a suppression of
the other, with the aim of gaining control. This control, if
achieved, is dictatorial - coercing and forcing the other to
comply with the dictator's demands. It must be stressed that
most dictators belong to the
childish personality group, who for
whatever reason, did not achieve spiritual maturity.
Dictators are found not only in totalitarian regimes, but in
democracies too, and also in homes. The background to all these
cases is similar. The dictator is accustomed to coercion because
he cannot explain himself and convince others in a logical and
moral manner. Violence between human beings stems from a similar
inability.
Forms of approach made to the two personality types - by God, by the
ancient world's philosophers and by today's regimes
God's approach to man
It can
certainly be said that God utilizes two approaches: One for the
childish personality and one for the mature.
His
approach to the childish person- In this approach, God
utilizes the fear factor (awe). This pressure factor is
expressed in delivering his wishes in the form of a divine
command. We even recognize the use of threats, in order to get
the immature personality to carry out His "Word" (it seems this
is the correct way for achieving this aim). It will also bring
the immature personality to an early stage of maturity, at which
point he will discover the value within the divine content,
leading to its better expression in the future. This does imply
the existence of a stage, at which he will carry out His "Word"
(if he indeed would) at a very low level, mechanically and
wrongly. A level even lower than the level he is at.
His
approach to the mature person:
This type of person is approached in an entirely different
manner. One based on respect, love, persuasion and free choice.
The mature person does not need to be pressured; his spiritual
level is sufficiently high so as to enable an acceptance based
on understanding and even of love, of what God proposes. What
will affect and encourage him most will be the approaches made
with love, present in God's words, which are mentioned in this
web site various chapters. Based on his abilities and of his own
free will, he will apply initiative, creativity and love in
order to actualize his perception of God's words
essence.
The philosophical approach
In looking at the ancient world's philosopher’s
declarations, we also discern the same types of approach
designed for these two personality types. The philosophical
principle of "man is a positive creation", is an approach made
to the mature person, who will come to do good by means of
persuasion and by being provided with a personal example (see
Confucian philosophy).
We recognize within the same philosophy, an approach made to
the childish person, going by the principle
that "man is a negative creation". Hence:
In order for this type of man to behave properly and walk in
the path of Good, it is crucial to have moral rules that must be
obeyed, punishments to deter him from doing Evil and suitable
guidance for the doing of Good.
Note: If we examine the divine approach, made to bring man to
the doing of Good, we find it remarkably similar to the
philosophical approach.
The
difference between the two is that God's approach is, in its
main part, aimed at the immature adult whereas the main part of
the approach shown by the ancient world's philosophers is aimed
at the mature adult.
The regime's approach,
regardless of whether it is
democratic or dictatorial.
Both types
of government have the approach of "man is a negative creation",
but regrettably, without any suitable guidance for bringing him
to the doing of Good.
In doing so, those regimes miss the essence, which this
important philosophical principle comes to serve.
We view
with concern the fact that it is the democratic, liberal regime,
which allows itself to refrain from providing this important
guidance. It is therefore unfortunately necessary to classify
this type of regime as bad for man in general and for the
immature individual in particular. Therefore, those with a
childish personality have little chance of improving in it. As a
result, they exploit this convenient regime to her egoistic
benefit and to the detriment of the mature society they live in.
In order
for a regime to act to the benefit of its population, people who
are moral and spiritual mature must run it.
As for the
regimes' suitability to the two personality types: it may be
said that the mature individual is better suited to a democratic
regime, while a childish individual is better suited to a
dictatorial one.
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