Spirituality

“We’re one, but we are not the same.”—Bono, U2

Once I was in a train station waiting for a train with a friend. He pointed to a steel and cement column and said, “at the sub-atomic level, this column is mostly air. So are you. So am I…”. And he went on to state we were the same as the column—no difference—and no different from one another. He went on to imply that there was, therefore, no meaning to anything. I stretched my arm out, made a fist, and pushed my fist at the column until it stopped with a thud. I looked at him and I said, “that may be so, AND at the same time, the world we move through is not the sub-atomic world”.

Often we are addressed with reminders, assertions, and at times even pleas, that we are “all one”. We are all human. We are all the same at some level. We all bleed red. At the sub-atomic level, we are all made up of the same stuff. In fact, at the sub- atomic level, at least at our current level of knowledge [see String Theory for an interesting hypothesis about how we may be very different from one another indeed], not only are we all “the same” as beings, we are the same as a rock, dirt, plant life, our dog, the wall, etc.

Eastern Spiritual traditions remind us that at the ultimate level, it is all vibrations, all wavelets. "Validated" by science, at the “ultimate” level, we are all the same—“just” sub-atomic particles.

And yet, anyone with eyes, ears, a tactile sense, and a mind can tell we are all very, very different. I challenge anyone who says that the ultimate level is the only important level (“we are all one”) to Zen his or her way through me the next time we meet.

The problem with this is that most people cannot seem to contain both I.D.E.A.s intellectually, experientially, or spiritually, so then end up ignoring one or the other, or collapsing the informational and the practical. Does our having the same sub- atomic structures mean we are all the same?

Are you “the same” as a murderer? A rapist? A child molester? A terrorist? A priest? A politician? A man? A woman? A tribal leader? A shaman? A grocery clerk? A Fortune 500 CEO? Are you and I “the same” as Mozart, Bill Gates, Socrates, Thomas

Jefferson, or Ayn Rand? Of course not.

And, yes.

We have differing sets of skills, intelligence, symmetry, size, shape, and color. And yet...to paraphrase Ken Wilber, “while we are all perfect manifestations of the divine —of Spirit—yet how we demonstrate that is bound by our current level of development; we are limited to our current depth”. Spiritual reductionism [we are all one and we are all perfect and we are all love] is usually accompanied by moral relativism. No act is inherently better than any other act. No world-view is more true than any other—and they are arbitrary.

I disagree.

Setting aside the performative contradiction (if no world-views are any more true than the other, then neither is that world-view—and thus it is false), compassion is better than anger because it possesses greater depth. Love is better than hate for the same reason. Grace is better than vengeance for the same reason—it requires an awareness of greater depth to exercise those choices, therefore, it is better.

Liberty is better than tyranny. Free Enterprise is better that centrally planned economies. In both cases they produce better results. Measurably better. Different beings possess different levels of awareness; different depths that that can reflect back by the development of their own depth. In this, we are very different indeed.

Is there utility in thinking we are all one—all the same? Perhaps. It can assist us in bridging potentially explosive differences in a world where differences in ideology can kill and maim. At the same time, in a world where ideologies can kill and maim, we had better keep the differences in mind as well.

In all things, be discerning, but not judgmental. Keep your mind open—but keep it working. Never allow someone to demand you turn off your common sense for their imagined utopia.

More Articles:

2. Independence and Abundant Life By Jan Verhoeff
Out of the ashes, so they say, came the phoenix, the second chance. I’ve felt the flames, and what better time than July, to spring forth and experience Independence?Poverty, need, and crisis have been known qualities in my life, but I’ve also known Independence, Boundaries, and Abundance. I’m no stranger to hard work, and I come from a family recognized for their strengths and character. While I could spend much time on those qualities of life, qualities I honor and admire; I prefer to con…

3. How to be Led by the Spirit of God By Daniel N. Brown
The Bible tells us that we need to be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:12-14, Galatians 5:16-25). Therefore, it is necessary for us to discern the prompting and guidance of the Holy Spirit if we are to live successful lives.Getting to know God better is ultimately the key to hearing from, and being led by Him.1. Spend time alone with Him in prayer and Bible reading. This should be a priority, not a chore that you grudgingly do if you happen to have some spare time.2. During your time alone wit…

4. White Sun - What is Life? (Part 7 of 10) By Teow Aun Chew
Part 7 of 10 of "What is Life?" is the Admonition Seven of Lao Mu and this is what she said:The spaceless golden lock, the spaceless pagoda, the spaceless key opens this lock. The priceless true treasure shines bright after the enlightened teacher's guidance gives grace that has no equal.Lao Mu is afraid that her royal children will suffer in the great catastrophe, hurry cultivate virtue and devote to the missions. He who comprehends Lao Mu mercifulness and is grateful to the enlightened teach…