Q: What do you think of Religion? of Culture?

A: Such words are nothing but euphemisms.

Q: Euphemisms? For what?

A: For a mode of living which is mediocre at best and imprisoning and suffocating at worst.

Q: How so?

A: Well, what is "Culture" composed of?

And what does being "religious" really entail?

Are they each not a conglomerate of ways of living, mannerisms, beliefs, practices, rules and so on?

When have such things not ended up been imprisoning?

Q: Imprisoning and suffocating? How?

A: Yes.

At the end of the day, when the gatherings and festive commotions quite down, how does one feel?

And as the years pass on, and one realizes that they are either hooked to their culture

or desperately want to free themselves from it, what do they go through?

How do their days look like?

How do their interactions with those "outside the circle" sound like?

Q: I see, but that is normal. And also, the very essence of being cultural. There will always be differences amongst cultures and their customs and beliefs.

A: Of course.

Perhaps the greatest trick the human mind ever pulled was making observations like that appear "normal" or "natural" to you.

And in doing so, it was able to mask the Truth away.

Q: What truth?

A: That by first defining and then adhering to these customs and beliefs,

we let the Mind Divide and Rule us.

Q: I see, so you mean the collective mind (we) divided ourselves into groups, that in turn shackled us with celebrations (rewards) or punishments (customs and rules)

I'll admit, I never saw it that way.

A: Yes.

Q: But Culture and Religion are not just about customs and beliefs.

They are also about having appropriate rules and upbringing to make sure the young and innocent are nurtured properly.

A: The young and innocent are not "nurtured" by creating rules.

For it is these very rules that destroy their youth and innocence.

And what you label as "upbringing" hauls them down at multiple points in their so-called "life" that they live after they have been brought up.

Q: So what is the alternative? Have no rules? To let one do whatever they want?

A: No.

What you said was the classic knee-jerk response of your mind.

The answer to life-long imprisoning may appear as a strong desire of "liberation",

or to latch on to the next thing that appears flashy or full of "promise".

But such impulsive decisions or actions in the short term

end up creating personal shackles of some other nature in the long run.

For one must understand that ...

The desire for liberation and true liberation are two different things.

As the "liberation" here is not total liberation from the Mind.

It is a temporary liberation from one part of the mind (e.g. rules),

only to get trapped into another (e.g. fear, anxiety or addiction).

Q: So what is one to do? To truly liberate themselves?

A: Nothing.

Q: Nothing?

A: Yes.

To truly free themselves, one not needs any "doing".

All one needs is to examine and understand what tethers are really keeping them shackled and bound.

And in doing so, when they begin to feel the Truth of what I said above in their bones,

liberation will come to them.

Q: Okay. But what about the good aspects of certain cultures e.g. prayers, meditation, etc

A: I see. This needs to be answered from two perspectives.

The first thing I will highlight is the absolute unnecessity

and uselessness of adjectives such as good, bad, great, etc.

Because in dealing with such labeling,

one ends up staying stuck with trivial verbal battles at the surface

and never ever get to the root (Truth) of the matter.

Second, are such "aspects" as you say, that different from other rules and practices which are followed?

Are they not end up getting enforced on the people?

Q: So you are saying that even practices of self-control, meditation or self-awareness ... umm ... wrong?

A: What did I say earlier about labeling?

There is really no "right" or "wrong" or "good" or "bad".

These do nothing to allow one to understand, for they block all doors to the kernel from which such understanding emanates.

Q: Right. Is it useless to practice self-control, meditation or self-awareness as a part of following a religion?

A: Nothing is useless, if the source or intent of that action, is from one's own, deep-seated realizations.

Everything is useless, if the same is forced on to them or advised to them as something that will bring them "the goods".

If one truly wants to meditate, very well, let them be.

If there is as little as a speck of doubt or resistance about why they should meditate, very well, let them be.

In escence,

why not let them feel the freedom of not having to practice anything,

and let them see for themselves, where that takes them,

and if they like being taken there.