The danger of absolute relativism
If the meaning of words can be redefined arbitrarily so that anything can mean anything, then nothing will mean anything. We live in a world [...]
Gita 16.09 explained
Link to purport by A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada Transcript of Bhakti-Shastri class on this verse by Chaitanya Charan Bg 16.9 etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya [...]
How atheism affects our actions
We all pursue the things that we desire and we avoid the things that we fear. Let’s consider how desire and fear are affected by [...]
When skepticism is healthy — and when it becomes unhealthy
In today's world, skepticism is often considered an intellectual virtue; skeptical people proudly say, “I'm not gullible. I don't believe the religious mumbo-jumbo that so [...]
Sensuality + Technology – Spirituality = Recipe for self-destruction
Sensuality: When we are consumed by sensual pleasures or even sensual fantasies, we become oblivious to everything else. By that obliviousness, we may end up [...]
Why progress is accompanied by distress …
We humans are naturally progress-seeking. The hope that tomorrow will be better than today is what fuels most of our endeavors. Indeed, it gives us [...]
Capitalism, communism, materialism
Recent human history has been characterized by an ideological war between capitalism and communism (or its milder cousin socialism). Despite their history of confrontation, both [...]
The value of our life doesn’t require anyone’s recognition, not even our own
Some countries have declared suicide to be a fundamental right. If people desire to kill themselves, the government has to facilitate them. This bizarre development [...]
Materialism reduces you to a number and glamorizes things that make you number
Most people nowadays are materialistic: they live to seek materialistic sensations and possessions. Yet most of them haven’t thought through the philosophical implications of materialism. [...]
There is no scientific proof that you exist, but scientific proof exists because you exist
Suppose someone said in English, “I don’t know a single word of English.” Their statement would be a blatant self-contradiction. A similar self-contradiction results when [...]
Materialism reduces human life to an inhuman race from nowhere to nowhere
Many people adopt a materialistic lifestyle without thinking about its implications. A materialistic worldview implies that we have come from nowhere because we didn’t exist [...]
For humanity to not work against humanity, spirituality is a necessity
Today, humanity is the greatest danger to humanity – not just by direct attacks by humans on other humans but also by human exploitation of [...]
Our conscience is like an automatically customizing security device – customize it intelligently
Some home security systems can be customized to allow entry to some people and to bar others. Suppose this customization is done wrong, granting entry [...]
The emptiness within empties everything without
The world allures us with the pleasure of possession, gratification and exhibition. But such mundane pleasures titillate, never fulfill. They are like painkillers for our [...]
The claim that consciousness is an illusion proves that it is not an illusion
Some fanatical materialists claim, “Matter is all that exists — the idea of consciousness is an illusion.” However, their very assertion of this claim proves [...]
We are not programmed machines – we are the possessors of programmable machines
Atheists often argue that we are just our neurons – our behavior is simply a function of our neuronal programming, and our belief that we [...]
To reject reality because it is not found in the map is absurdity
Suppose a person uses a map to travel to a friend’s house. At each step during the journey, suppose the map guides them well, and [...]
Lifestyle is often more style than life
We live in a culture that hugely glamorizes lifestyle. Indeed, an entire gamut of products are called lifestyle products – things that are not necessities, [...]
We need to evolve if we are not to dissolve
The news periodically features scenarios of imminent environmental super-disasters. While some such prophecies may well be exaggerated, there’s little doubt that the environment is on [...]
We have nothing to lose except our non-existence
When we consider taking up spiritual life, materialists often try to scare us by saying that we will lose the many material things that we [...]
Materialism makes the materialist non-existent and materialism meaningless
People sometimes object to spirituality, saying, “It requires so much faith.” Actually, everything requires faith. Even materialism requires faith – the faith that we ourselves [...]