When most of us hear the term Materialism we probably
imagine fancy cars, expensive vacations, and credit cards maxed to the limit. Or
the more philosophical amongst us will immediately think of the dictionary definition
which states that reality is based only upon matter. But the materialistic
outlook on life isn’t merely limited to worldly indulgences and matter-based
philosophies. It’s much more insidious
when the materialistic worldview seeps into our subconsious.
More specifically, I’m referring to entire
cause-and-effect mindset and how the entire human race has effectively embraced
it as a fundamental doctrine. Science, the New Age god of the religiously
disinclined, has stated that everything in this world operates on the
cause-and-effect model. This isn’t limited to the laboratories, but has found
its way in everything we say and do.
Our
sustenance comes not from our Creator, but from our monthly paychecks.
Our
success comes not from our adherence to our principles, but from our efforts
and struggles.
We have becomes slaves not of our Lord, but of this
materialistic worldview.
And so, when we decide to stand up and struggle for the
truth in the face of tyranny and oppression, we find ourselves restricted to ‘proven’
tactics and ‘established’ movements. We must determine the odds of victory and
evaluate the calculus of success. We
must choose pragmatism over idealism. We
must compromise and concede for that is the way of the accomplished high
priests of the material world. Our models
of success are no more founded on the anachronistic ways of the Prophets, but on
the avant-garde techniques of today’s global leaders.
So it is when we finally see a breath of 'fresh' air in our political worlds, we see cause for celebration. We have
inexplicably convinced ourselves that political success can only come in the
form of a political party that is born from the same decrepit system that has
been plaguing and ruining our societies.
The examples set forth by our beloved Prophets, we tell
ourselves, are strictly limited to the spiritual realm. Any issues we may have with our political or
economic existence must be dealt with tried and tested methodologies extracted
from our textbooks and institutions. To
suggest that the spiritual world can interoperate in the political is extreme
folly. At least, that is what the secular materialists have taught us so
effectively.
We are so affixed to the cause-and-effect model that we
have lost sight of the power of our Lord. With the 'unparalleled power' of our
modern minds, an ark in the middle of the desert would be foolish, escaping
from a ruthless army and fleeing towards the ocean would be mad, and 313 would
never, ever defeat 1000. We have convinced ourselves (or have become convinced)
that the only way to victory is by our efforts, not by our principles and
beliefs.
Thus, instead of sticking to our principles and looking
to our religion for guidance, we rejoice when political idealists such as Obama
or Pakistan’s Imran Khan tantalize us with their flowery promises of hope and
change. We naively see in them a means of rectifying our broken system. Instead
of realizing that never did a Prophet make change from within the broken
system, we blindly pursue success with political parties.
Would a Prophet ever submit himself to the evil
machinations of modern-day democracy by leading a political party?
It matters not, for those Prophetic examples set forth in
our Holy Book are to be read strictly for spiritual blessings, not for any
practical application.
Sadly materialism is alive and well, even in the more
spiritually inclined amongst us.
