A systems view of reality shows the hollowness of religion

It dawned on me this morning that one reason people have so much difficulty understanding why free will is an illusion, a subject I've written a lot about over the years, is that most of us are addicted to a linear hierarchical view of the world.

So when presented with a perspective that undermines the simplistic "I wanted to do X, so that's what I did," substituting a vision where influences that determine our thoughts and actions come from many sources, with our thoughts and actions then affecting the world that determines our thoughts and actions, people tend to accept a simple but wrong view.

For reality isn't like an organizational chart with a Board of Directors and CEO at the top, and boxes showing underlings laid out in a hierarchy below the Big Boss. But this is what religions would have us believe. 

God is the CEO. God is in charge of things. There's angels and other supernatural entities who are subservient to God.

Here on earth, religions mirror this organization. Some people have a closer connection to God than other people. They're given names such as Pope, Master, Guru, Swami, Reverend, Imam, Rabbi, and such. Others in the religion are supposed to acknowledge them as leaders.

To which I say, of course, to hell with that. Not just because I no longer believe in God. Also because I've always believed in reality, and reality doesn't work like a corporate structure where power flows downward and obedience flows upward.

In the 1970s I was fortunate to have an opportunity to enroll in a Systems Science Ph.D. program at Portland State University here in Oregon, soon after I got a Masters in Social Work from PSU. My first job was as a Research Associate in the Family Practice Department at the Oregon Health Sciences University Medical School. I was encouraged to take Systems Science classes, which I happily did, eventually completing the coursework for a Ph.D. but not the other requirements.

An anecdote from my Systems Science days provides a good glimpse into systems thinking. 

I was sitting in the front row of a small seminar-like class taught by Magoroh Maruyama, a professor in the program who had a bit of a Zen master in him. Another student asked whether taking another class he taught had a prerequisite.

Maruyama jumped up, dashed to the blackboard, grabbed a piece of chalk, and emphatically said (almost yelling), "No prerequisites! That is not systems science! We start here, and then we go anywhere!!" as he started with a point and drew an expanding circular maze of scribbles with no discernible pattern.

I've forgotten a lot about what I learned about Systems Science. But I sure remember that moment when Professor Maruyama demonstrated how reality tends strongly toward creative non-linearity rather than predictable straight lines.

Here's a more traditional definition in a book by Fritjoj Capra and Pier Luigi Luisi, The Systems View of Life: A Unifying Vision. (See here and here for some posts I wrote about the book.)

The ideas set forth by organismic biologists during the first half of the twentieth century helped to give birth to a new way of thinking -- thinking in terms of connectedness, relationships, patterns, and context. According to the systems view, the essential properties of an organism, or living system, are properties of the whole, which none of the parts have. They arise from the interactions and relationships between the parts.

...In the systems approach, the properties of the parts can be understood only from the organization of the whole. Accordingly, systems thinking does not concentrate on basic building blocks but rather on basic principles of organization. Systems thinking is "contextual," which is the opposite of analytical thinking. Analysis means taking something apart in order to understand it; systems thinking means putting it into the context of a larger whole.

If this sounds to you like Buddhism, or Taoism, that wouldn't be surprising.

After all, Fritjof Capra wrote the classic The Tao of Physics in 1975. When Buddhism and Taoism are stripped of their supernatural excesses, they end up being quite compatible with modern science, which is increasingly embracing a systems perspective.

This causes that is simplistic. It isn't how reality operates.

Yet religions have always used this way of thinking. God created the world. Jesus saves. The guru clears a disciple's karma. All statements like these are false. All are mired in a worldview that's so uncreative, it uses the tired metaphor of a king ruling his kingdom to describe the secrets of the cosmos.

Which is why I found more truth in The Systems View of Life than in any of the religious books I used to  read so avidly.

Comments

[Kranvir]

We are born with free will, but blindly fall into the rules of religion to program the mind with a mindset , the morals, and dogmas. Gurinder singh dhillon and RSSB know this which is why he subtly tricks young children by the cohesion of the parents who are them selves blind followers. The parents are influenced by a kind of devil's magic to fall in love, a dark manipulative love, with a total fake ass stranger. This is the tricks of the hidden hand behind the scenes that operate the puppet they call gurinder singh dhillon - the clown that sits on stage making him high and mighty. He has himself has zero meditation and has zero spirituality, and all he does is channel a demonic energy to gain his power, just as magicians do. To see his true heart, look at his lust for power, his lust for property, lust for control and the length he would go to keep it and expand his empire RSSB and lust for women. GSD also murdered his wife, shabnam, he had the clear motive as the court charges were dropped as the money was very conveniently on her name and at the same time keeps the evil Gurinder, (the sex demon), in power and the image of RSSB intact. You obviously thought you got away with it but people are seeing through your lies. Gurinder your days are numbered , and justice will be executed, you can run but you can't hide

[Appreciative Reader]

Hahaha, love your single focus persistence, you guys. Trust you to tie a discussion on Picasso, or Mars, or UFOs, back to how monstrous GSD is.

Now don't get me wrong, the hyperbole apart I agree with you! Except --- and I don't know which font of Kool aid you favor, if any --- but I hope you realize that much the same can broadly be said of the Sikh "guru" types as well, especially those that fought for kingship, and of their cock-eyed teachings, no less (or at least, not much less) than for GSD.

[Trez]

Religions like Radha Soami n Gurinder Singh Drag Queen Dhilion, cut at the very core of our free will

They lie consistently to all and are at somewhat at peace with themselves about it too thinking they've got away with it all

The life of a religious so called Baba is meant to be in line with his own teachings at the least. Here we see the contradictory Donkey Dhilion all over the place himself with his leg in all sorts of waffling, legal and criminalitys too

From Stealing everything land, money, properties, and having his dirty little paws in jailing his own nephews too.

Known as a tantric sex demon in the inner realms is something he indulges secretly from all.
Oh not to mention a murder or two along the Godly path he's on and preaching too

A very noble and God like figure are we Gurinder Singh Dhilion or is this something that a most wanted criminal would even find hard to follow. As for free will this is his in the making and we should all see how naked and exposed he has become today because of it

What idiot's would follow such an idiot idolistic Baba who himself has lost the bearings of gods virtues and his own insanity as well

One thick 2 planked door knob who has no idea of God and goes on like he has satsangs with him daily

Free yourselves from this simulation of Kaals and Gurinder Singh Dhilion and get the Freedom your soul, so deserves

[Einstein]

Just stumbled across this.
https://youtu.be/rXexaVsvhCM
Show me the maths!