Our convictions are far more important than our possessions
The world defines us by our possessions – what we wear, where we stay, what we drive in, for example. However, these things are external [...]
Scriptural study strengthens the intelligence, stabilizes the mind and sustains the heart
Scripture often talks about times so radically different from ours that we may wonder: is this relevant for me? Yes, definitely. The relevance comes from [...]
Emptiness, Loneliness, Pointlessness
The religion of fanatical materialism is sweeping across the entire world. No doubt, materialism always had adherents throughout history. But what is alarming about modern [...]
Might we be running in the right direction on the wrong train
Suppose we want to go north, but somehow board a train going south. Will running northwards within the train take us to our desired destination? [...]
When comforts become ends, life becomes a dead end
Imagine a group of people who board a crowded train. Due to the discomfort, they struggle to first find standing space, then leaning space, then [...]
Filling our mind, emptying our pocket, starving our heart – is this progress?
Today’s materialistic culture charms us by portraying itself as progressive. But is it really? Beyond its impressive technological wizardry, what does it actually do for [...]
The great achievement of materialism
Materialism is the belief system that matter is all that exists. Sometimes it takes a slightly more tolerant form as the belief system that matter [...]
When will the over-estimate be over?
Our culture gives us a highly inflated estimate of material enjoyment. Believing this over-estimate, we make material enjoyment the essence and purpose of our life. [...]
Is the body a playground for passion or a temple for devotion?
Our culture with its romantic movies and erotic pictures depicts the body as a playground for passion, especially sexual passion. But are such popular depictions [...]
Are we being fooled into giving ourselves a collective pat on the back?
The idea of progress attracts us because we are happiness-seeking beings and we are promised that progress will make us happier. However, our current culture [...]
A business that is more serious than business
We take few things as seriously as business. Moneyusually makes the lazy busy; the frivolous serious; the nonconformists conformists. In marked contrastto our zealous pursuit [...]
The world is in a mess – as usual
The daily news of natural disasters like hurricanes and human-made distresses like corruption show that the world is in a terrible mess. Seeing this, we [...]
Materialism is wrong – and wrongheaded
Materialism, the idea that matter is all that exists, is on a mass seduction campaign nowadays, especially through the media. To see through its seduction, [...]
Dig the grave of materialism, functional and fanatical
Materialism comes in two main brands: fanatical materialism which claims that matter is all that exists; and functional materialism which claims that matter is all [...]
Materialism centers on gaining; spirituality centers on regaining
All of us have the drive to achieve, which we can direct either materially or spiritually. To aid us in choosing correctly, the Bhagavad-gita contrasts [...]
Material nature is characterized by cyclic proces, not linear progress
Our mainstream culture makes us believe that life at the material level is linearly progressive; so, our efforts can make things better materially. This belief [...]
Do others have to pay for our enjoyment?
When we enjoy materially, we often fail to notice that others have to pay for our enjoyment. Here are a few examples: 1. When one [...]
What went wrong with the great materialist dream?
The great materialist dream is that happiness is found in material things:money, sex, TV, video games, 4G net connections. But today this dream finds itself [...]
We can’t create paradise, nor were we created in paradise – but we can go to paradise
Many technologists feel that hi-tech appliances will gradually provide necessities and luxuries for more and more people. Thus, they posit that we humans will create [...]
Spiritual enforcement reaches where legal enforcement doesn’t
Corruption, crime, cruelty – these are increasing by the day. Faced with this spiral, the law enforcement agencies are often not only overworked, but also [...]
Might we be hitting the bull’s eye of the wrong target?
Cellphones, internet, robots – the technological advances in our society are impressive. Yet they haven’t made people happier, as the rising statistics of stress and [...]