Spiritual Revival?

2005-2-11 05:56:00

In a separate post is the first part of chapter six. Again, read it and gives us your comments and questions.

DK makes an odd comment at the beginning of this section. He states:

"The fact still remains that human beings everywhere are searching for spiritual release and truth, and that the truly religious spirit is more fundamentally alive than at any previous time. This is especially true of those countries which have suffered the most in the late world war (1914-1945). Countries, such as the United States and the neutral countries show, as yet, no sign of any real spiritual revival."

One of the few things that DK says that does not register correctly with me is his negative remarks against the United States that seem to have little foundation.

Here he is saying that the nations most effected by the war, which would be England, Russia, Europe and Japan "are searching for spiritual release and truth, and that the truly religious spirit is more fundamentally alive than at any previous time." This he says does not apply to the United States.

I do not mind a realistic criticism of my country and can offer a lot myself, but I see little evidence that DK speaks correctly here.

Let us examine these countries that were supposed to have a spiritual revival.

Russia. After DK wrote this Russia spent over forty years living in tyranny with little or no religious or spiritual freedom. I do not see much evidence of a spiritual revival that went on there. I believe one will come in the future, but there didn't seem to be much going on in the last century.
England. I have some personal experience here. I spent two years teaching the English people and personally had discussions with about 5000 of them on an individual basis. I loved the people there and still have fond feelings for them, but it did seem to me that very few were searching for any spiritual center. A smaller percentage seemed to want to talk about spiritual values than people in the United States. They seemed more bound to their church doctrines than they do here, even though fewer go to church.

One thing that surprised me about them was how superstitious they are for such a civilized country, much more so than the U.S. population.

Europe. I have talked to quite a few who have traveled and taught in Europe and the consensus seems to be that England is about twice as enlightened or open minded as most European Countries.

Only about 70% of Western Europe believe in God as a creator while 87% of those in the U.S. do. 96% of U.S. residents of some type of belief in God, the highest in the world. While this is not an ironclad criterion, a belief in a higher power is essential to any spiritual revival of which DK speaks.

Over half of U.S. residents believe in a life after death whereas in Europe the percentage is about half this much. Residents of he U.S. are twice as likely to believe in the possibility of miracles as England or Europe.

Japan. Only about half of the Japanese believe in God. I do not have much knowledge of the Japanese people, but have not heard much about any spiritual revival or spiritual teachings for the world coming from that country.

Another interesting point is that the two spiritual works that are acknowledged by DK as coming from the Masters originated in the United States - Theosophy and the work of Alice A. Bailey. Lucis Trust maintains its headquarters today in New York City. If the U.S. is so backward spiritually, it makes little sense for the Masters to use it as a base to launch spiritual teachings.

I see the problem from a different view from DK. I think there is a lack of spiritual aspiration all over the world, including he United States, but of the little that does exist it appears the U.S. is as great a source of light as any other nation.

On the negative side we may be more attached to the material side than many other nations, but I see the main reason for this is that we have more in material goods. The more treasure you have, the more value you put on it. Other nations are also attached to what they have.

It would be interesting to have him explain himself on this issue when he speaks again.

To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains. Mary Pettibone Poole