Science and eschatology

Our modern world is defined by the role science now has in shaping our perceptions. Modern technology has transformed our life and society. Although there is nothing anti-religious about science per se, our culture, media and educational institutions have drifted in an increasingly secular direction and relegated the religious, spiritual and paranormal to the ‘back pages’ if that. These have become merely personal and even abnormal to a degree. This modern attitude is not representative of the history of mankind which, for all recorded history as far as we can tell, has been characterized by religion and by spiritual and religious experience. 

Therefore, it is necessary to understand what science, which is based on empirical investigation and inductive reasoning, can or can not say about religion and spiritual experience. The latter category is especially important as across time and culture, humans have had a variety of experiences can not only not be understood by science, but that, to a degree, defy current laws of science. In all the argumentation about whether or not ‘God” exists, the collective testimony of human experience has been studiously ignored. Or, as may secularists are wont to do, such experiences are labeled as fantasy or delusion if they cannot be easy explained. This attitude is, itself, very unscientific. 

For our discussion, it is helpful to divide reality into the physical - that which can be tested empirically - and the metaphysical - that which can be experienced, but which is not subject to direct empirical test. And we really don’t have to go far to encounter the metaphysical if we realize that even our thoughts and emotions are metaphysical. Science pretends that their correspondence in the brain and physiology implies identity - however these are two completely different, albeit related, states.

Humans continue to have many kinds of spiritual and paranormal experiences that cannot be explained by science such as: near death experiences, out of body experiences, parapsychological experiences, paranormal experiences, contact with non-physical entities, mystical and altered states of consciousness, miracles, superhuman powers, etc. These collective human experiences demonstrate convincingly that there is much more to reality than our current scientific understanding can explain or imagine. 

The greatest spiritual figures in history can be presumed to have realized a more profound metaphysical understanding of reality. These great beings like Krishna,, Buddha and Christ taught that there is a spiritual dimension to life, and that it is possible to realize in consciousness aspects of this spiritual reality that is so radially different than our three dimensional reality. The sages of the East, who have for centuries have explored the inner and metaphysical realms through meditation practices, have likewise confirmed that these inner states have their own laws, structures, states and processes that can be scientifically studied by the detached consciousness in meditation.

This brings us to the possibly of religious eschatological knowledge. All religions, which are based on divine revelation, have prophetic beliefs concerning ‘end times’ and what comes after. These differing prophecies have much in common. To believe in the possibility of such knowledge, is to believe, as all religions do, in a Divine Creator Who has created the earth for spiritual purposes that transcend our ability to understand, and Who has the power to radically transform our world should that be His intention. Just as humankind's personal metaphysical experiences have often defied the laws of the three dimensional world, so can the Creator’s Will radically alter our world. 

Which brings us to our current historical moment. Things that are inevitable as God’s Will must inevitably happen. We are now on the cusp of the New Millennium as prophesied in John’s Revelation and other places. This group sharing this information about this, that has been given by the inner spiritual kingdom would like everyone to realize that this prophesied time is happening now, although the details are different is some respects from what has been imagined. Soon there will be more outer crises and tumult and then the inner universal church under Christ will present Themselves and give mankind a fateful choice - whether to choose love and an augmented life on a spiritualized earth, or to choose darkness and materialism and a separate path away. The earth is being raised in vibration and only those who can love will be allowed to stay. This event cannot be scientifically understood. It can only be hoped that humanity can believe in the possibility of a spiritual reality beyond science so that when the time comes we may be open to accept it in grace and not be afraid. 

The message about the imminent externalization of the Hierarchy and reappearance of Christ will be met with both skepticism and outright opposition. Of course, we don't have to convince anyone, we just have to present information, still, I think it behoves us to begin to think about we might handle opposition. This won't come from true scientists who are open minded and can be deeply religious. It will come, in part, from the secularists and materialists who will try to pretend that they have reason and science on their side - they don't. Opposition will also come from religionists who have differing interpretations about the happenings we are talking about, but that's another matter. 

I believe it's helpful for us to realize that the authority of science only extends to the limits of their instruments. This empirical reality that can be observed and tested by science is but the outer skein of an infinite multidimensional metaphysical reality. Scientific instruments can not even directly test the dark matter and energy that has only recently been discovered by its effects on matter that can be empirically observed. If this argument holds for the dark energy/matter of astronomical black holes, it must also hold for the effect of spirit on our consciousness, which also can not be empirically observed, but which has effected mankind in numerous ways since the beginning of recorded history.  

Just as history is always the interpretation of events by the victor, our modern media, communications and educational institutions have been slowly taken over by secularists who have pushed the religious and spiritual off the picture and who now are defining cultural reality. They don't want to look at information, which by definition, contradicts their world view. So information about the genuine spiritual experiences of mankind and the religious world view are obscured and minimized. The fact that science cannot explain or measure metaphysical reality is meant to refute it, when really this just shows the inherent limits of science. 

It's unfortunate that there does not exist a clearinghouse to collect and publicize the many varieties of spiritual and paranormal experiences that mankind continue to have, so it could be widely seen that, yes, for example, miracles are just as common now as they have ever been. Or that experiences of angels, fairies or non-human entities, continue to be had in our modern world by many people. If one searches the internet, one can find many sites that focus on particular kinds of spiritual experiences. There are many YouTube videos where people testify about their near death experiences. There are websites about actual UFO sightings or alien contacts, etc. but these are out of sight to the mainstream culture. And there are many types of legitimate spiritual experience. 

With regard to objections by religionists with differing interpretations of upcoming events, we can only say that religions are revealed by spirit manifesting through spiritually inspired individuals. These revelations are also continuing today - ergo our group. Prophecy and eschatological theology is a difficult art as humanity has free will and human choices can effect how events that are divinely destined to occur will manifest. The good will always happen, but the seeming 'bad' can be modified as humans change and choose wisely.  Certainly, Christian theology is very simplistic compared with the rich metaphysics of the revealed Wisdom Teachings. However, we must also, perforce keep our message simple, using the terms that are used today in our society as much as possible.

Christianity posits a belief in the inevitability of an 'end times' to our present world, and predicts some dire world happenings, a judgement by God, and the beginning of a 'new spiritual Millennium' on earth. The other major world religions also hold related eschatological beliefs and prophecies. It's very easy in our modern secular culture to dismiss such notions or ascribe them as figurative metaphors referring to some distant time that will, in fact, never come. I want to say, that from my spiritual sources, that time is upon us now. And we have only to look around at the tumultuous and unsustainable state of our present world situation to see that we are in the midst of something epochal. 

New spiritual communications reveal that very soon there will break upon the world an outpouring of spiritual energy that will totally change our experience of ourselves and of life - for the better. Why bother to prepare if everything is going to be all right? Well, first of all it is much easier to adjust to change if we want the change and can cooperate with it rather than resist it. Secondly, we will all have our role to play in making needed changes in our human world, in our values, beliefs, institutions and culture. This will be made easier by the emergence into public view of the inner spiritual government of the planet - those perfected men and spiritual Masters who have been working unseen under Christ to guide the planet to fulfill the plan of God. 

To publicize this information now, prior to more precipitous developments, will help allay the fears attendant to the chaos in the world and all the negative news and interpretations of events. And that we may rather have a hopeful expectancy that will help us order our lives so that we may move with grace though these times and each be, in our own way, a source of help and hope. Certainly the human spirit is breaking free from old restraints already, and asserting God given power and rights. Many people are doing what they can to work for a better world. The more we can throw our lot in with our fellow man and advocate for the intrinsic needs of the planet and humanity, the better. We are blessed to live in this wondrous time of Planetary birth.

All religions, which are based on divine revelation, have eschatological beliefs concerning the end of the age we are living in and what comes after. Hinduism believes civilization goes through a succession of ages or yugas. The present Kali Yuga is characterized as a time of vice, materialism and ignorance, but will be followed by a Satya Yuga of spiritual renewal. Buddhism believes that society will degenerate and the Truth be lost before the next Buddha, Maitreya, appears to restore Righteousness and Understanding. Judaism believes in an 'end of days', a redemption of the faithful and the creation, by God, of new world to replace the present one. Islam posits that there will be a 'day of judgement' accompanied by tribulations, signs, and earth changes succeeded by the Second Coming of Christ or the Mahdi. Christianity believes that our present civilization will end with widespread destruction, with a judgement by God and the return of Christ, for those who are to continue to live on earth in the new spiritual age. Theosophy, a recent divine dispensation, says we are entering an Aquarian Age that is determined by the change in the type of energy underlying civilization, thus requiring totally different forms for our way of life that will be based on the oneness of spirit. The common themes in these various eschatologies reinforce a belief in these prophesies.

Looking at our world, it is not hard to see that we are in a period of irreparable and unsustainable change. As a result of our poisoning of the planet, the oceans are acidifying and sea life is dying. Our chemicals are poisoning our drinking water; our soils are full of toxic chemicals and our food denatured. The air that we breathe is polluted and harmful, acid rain is killing forests and leaving them susceptible to invasive species. The global climate is warming and causing more extreme weather. Entire species are becoming extinct. Our global economy is likewise unsustainable, as it is built on exploitation, debt slavery and the control of the world economy by a small number of obscenely wealthy and selfish individuals to the detriment of the good of mankind. Our financial system is corrupt and ready to collapse. And politically, our leaders continue to promulgate unnecessary and destructive wars and threaten nuclear weapon use that would decimate the planet. They can't seem to find their way out of a closed loop system built on fear, selfishness, violence, ignorance and materialism. And the media only reiterates stories of fear, crime, war, glamor, depravity, riches and fame. Such a system and civilization is as doomed as it is unenlightened. Fortunately, as prophesied by religion, the Light and necessary positive change are coming.

It's easy to see the negative and troubling signs of the times and despair. What are the positive signs that allow us to hope? First of all, as noted above, all major religions posit a divine destiny and plan for the earth and mankind that is ultimately good. As we are in that transition to the coming new age, we are naturally distressed by the break down of our current civilization, as it is being transformed. However, we can tune into the new heart centered spiritual energy that is even now flooding the planet, although it hasn't yet coalesced into the awareness, values, and institutions that will characterize the coming epoch. The dynamics of our present civilization are a psychological reflection of the ego that the collective is based on. As in the Bible story of Adam and Eve, the ego is epitomized by an experience of separation fear, judgement, condemnation, lack and drive for survival. In the preceding age mankind has developed its mental, emotional and physical constitution into an integrated separate personality.  The coming age, will infuse that ego with energies of the soul that naturally connect one to the larger whole and the divine that is within all creation. These incoming spiritual energies will allow us to penetrate the materialistic veil that has confined our experience and to become aware of the spiritual kingdom overshadowing our planet, as well as the other galactic races who have been a silent presence in their 'UFO's'. These spiritual revelations will indeed lead to a reappearance of Christ and the Realized Masters and the education of mankind in the spiritual laws that the New Millennium will be based on. 

What are some ways that we can begin to align with the new energy and awareness that is infusing now and that is destined to change the nature of our life and civilization? First of all, it's helpful to realize that the increased energy of the soul can lift us out of our ego mind, our conditioned beliefs and limited identity. And this is a good thing that frees us from the past and from patterns of thinking that are no longer useful. The soul or eternal self has an intrinsic knowing and intuitive sense that we can learn to trust and rely on that is naturally heart centered and connected to the larger whole. Second, when we open to what we love, what brings us joy and what calls to us we naturally align with the living spiritual energies and with the purposes these have in the world. We each have our role, our gifts and our place of service that we may find by trusting life. This may entail choosing to ignore the survival fears and economic uncertainty that traditionally dominates career choice, and to go a different way. However, as we serve life and the greater good, our personal economy will also be sustained. As we choose to live by listening to our inner spirit and become increasingly attuned to the spiritual silence and stillness within, we may develop a conscious connection with the over lighting spiritual kingdom. We may then each play a part to help the New Age manifest. Not just love and light, but the intrinsic power and right of each must be honored and enshrined. Even now the oppressed are rising up and choosing to claim the power of the human spirit. We will create a civilization based on the Divine Oneness of life, sharing, universal entitlements, and conscious co-creation with spirit.

What are some practical changes that need to be made in the world to facilitate the transition to the New Age? First of all the banking and financial industry must be taken out of private control and made into a public utility that is based on gold. Fraudulent investment practices that allow individuals to get wealth by gaming the system must be ended. Secondly, the corruption and influence of money in politics must be totally eliminated. Big money donations and lobbyists must go. Thirdly, there must be an international prohibition to armament sales, further wars, militarism, and the resolution of conflicts by violence rather than diplomacy. The UN must assume a larger role internationally. Fourth, science, rather than profit seeking corporations, must take control on all matters related to the environment and all legislation must enforce environmentally sustainable laws and policies. Alternative energy sources must replace fossil fuels. Next, wealth and income must be more fairly distributed and the obscene disparity between the powerful privileged few and the destitute suffering billions be eliminated. Universal human rights - not profit rights - for basic entitlements of food, shelter, health, education, religion, etc. must be enfranchised. Next, the media must also be taken out of private control that serves the vested interests, profit, disinformation and distraction and also turned into public utilities that openly and truthfully educate and inform the public. Now, many issues are denied, obscured and distorted and people are naturally confused and disempowered. Once the facts and issues are openly addressed, people will want to make sensible changes in society. Once these changes take control out of the hands of the powerful 1%, a momentum of positive change will transform society and the consciousness of mankind, and prepare the ground for further spiritual revelations.