I am aware that people who are very close to me, especially relatives who love and deeply care for me, have difficulty with me and my choices as I have moved on to and currently strongly advocate a spirituality beyond religions. Spirituality beyond religions is not inconsistent with the best that any religion should advocate and practice. After all it is about love, and loving all humans of the earth created in the image of God irrespective of gender, color, religion, caste, class, talents, nationality, and ethnic origin. It is about practicing the Golden Rule: Behave toward others the way you want others to behave toward you. Christ, who is my best model, stated that this golden rule summed up the law and the prophets. I need to mention here that while I choose various models as the main compass and supplementary compasses to guide my boat to its desired port (destination/destiny/final goal), I am not presenting any particular model for anyone to follow. Every individual needs to make sacrifices, expend energy, money, and resources to study the various models and to come to their own conclusions. I am extricating the models from the religious systems that developed in their names after they left the scene. They may not have intended to found religions in their names. They may not be proud about the religions that claim to practice their teachings. Their teachings are so distorted that they may not recognize themselves in them. In fact religions that go in their names may have done disservice to them. That is why we may need to liberate Christ from Christianity, or Narayana Guru from SNDP (Sri Narayana Dharma Paripalana Sangam). Christ, Buddha, Vivekananda, Narayana Guru, and Gandhi, and their teachings belong to entire humanity. They cannot be limited, branded, canned, and patented by Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, SNDP, and India. When Christ preached the Kingdom of God he wanted to correct the course humanity was taking at the time. He remains a great model because what he said is timeless. In fact he very clearly stated that the Kingdom of God is within each one of us.

            The various models in their unique ways gave unmistakable guidance so the kingdom/reign of God within us can be manifested as they lived and manifested it. They were divine manifestations and shared in divinity in varying degrees. We ourselves share in that very divinity. That all religions are the same or equal is not meant here as all religions contain varying degrees of freedom and healthy and unhealthy elements in them. We know religions have done good as well as harm in the past, and certain fundamentalist, self-righteous, and intolerant attitudes in religions are dividing humanity, pitting one against another, and even terrorizing and killing innocent human lives. A religious eclecticism or syncretism or a convenient picking and choosing based on utilitarianism is not advocated. I do not see the need to proselytize or convert anyone to my way of thinking or believing. I am strongly guided by the teachings of Sadguru (true, good teacher) Jesus Christ, samabhavana (equanimity) and detachment of Buddha and nishkamakarmavritti (detachment from fruits or results of one's actions) of Gita, and critical thinking and examining approach of Socrates. In our own age Gandhi's experiments with truth and non-violence (ahimsa), especially in its practical application of satyagraha (soul/truth force) and non-violent conflict resolution in national and international affairs is of paramount importance. Persons who are close to me know that I am consistent in that a serious attempt is made is made to systematically put into practice what is preached. In the final analysis one has to be accountable for the consonance of one's words and deeds. I now strongly feel that the religion one is born into can be a good, convenient system or framework or a place of solace very helpful in one's formative years. But sooner or later one outlives rites, rituals, tradition and one's religion itself if it comes in the way of being fully human and fully divine, and moves on to spirituality that can assimilate everything that is good in any religion, persuasion, tradition, and belief system, and that can find commonality with all other human beings.

            After living about 25 years of traditional religious life in the Society of Jesus I came to the conclusion that formal, institutionalized religious life needs to: 1. come out of a medieval, outworn, and archaic understanding of asceticism and spirituality, 2. integrate current psychological, theological, and spiritual insights, and 3. undergo radical changes demanded by the signs of the times. Prior standards for holiness are not considered to be relevant any more. Living a life of love and service to other human beings even as one discerns God's will in all matters that affect one's life, especially in all one's decisions in full freedom, is more important than any norm that anyone can formulate. To live a true religious life, nay, life of the spirit one needs to master the art of discernment that can enable one to find the will of God in every circumstance. This is not easy as our aim is to come to harmony with one's own self and harmony with others and God. In practical terms one has to find abiding peace within oneself and on-going peace with others through genuine forgiveness and reconciliation and unconditional surrendering to and complete trust in God. I do not believe that it is wise to make legislation in areas that affect one's fundamental rights such as freedom and marriage as conditions for holiness. It is interesting that historically it is only Christianity in the West dominated by Rome and Hinduism and Buddhism in the East made celibacy/chastity a requirement for formal religious life or sanyasa (renunciation) and a special mark of holiness. Reformation that made irreconcilable parting that is hitherto unhealed in Christianity in the 16th century made some correction in that Protestant clergy liberated itself from the requirement of celibacy. One may willingly forego these fundamental rights temporarily or forever but only on the basis of on-going discernment and not on the basis of a particular decision coming out of a particular state of mind at a particular time. Human beings by nature are dynamic, growing, learning, and ever-changing. And their decisions once freely made can be freely undone. I make an exception in the case of marriage as two individuals in intimate commitment and relationship are involved and the children arising from it. Even here if one's relationship to God is seriously interfered with by one's partner, one may have to let go of one's partner.

            All the sacred scriptures, especially the New Testament portion of the Bible, Gita, and Upanishads have a lot to guide humanity in its day-to-day journey to its final destination: the Supreme Truth and Source of Energy. Primacy of any one person is not needed. Infallibility of any person in any situation is unnecessary. Humanity is wholesome right from its beginning, and is created with all that is needed right from the start. Belief in original sin not deemed necessary. One should not be responsible for the sin of one's ancestor committed. I never felt in the depth of my being that I was born in sin, that I was unworthy before God, that someone was better or superior than I am as a human being, that someone was closer to God than I am, that I was sinning before God and humans. Of course these things came to my mind occasionally as the culture around me was saturated with these concepts. I was taught these things systematically from my childhood. These things were drilled into my head. The Nicene creed (the summary of Christian belief), the daily prayers, the prayer of repentance, the act of attrition and contrition before confession, confiteor (I confess), hymns like Amazing Grace ("that saved a wretch like me"), the preoccupation with venial and mortal sins, penance, mortification, a very popular prayer (Hail Mary) repeated at least 50 times daily in five decades of Rosary mentions 50 times pray for us sinners – all this permeated the atmosphere I lived and moved. Every retreat, every ascetic practice is about identifying temptations one might fall into, or sin one might commit. If this is not heavy programming, what else is?! All this not only heavily programs a person but also disposes a person negatively to stay away from sin rather than positively motivates a person to love God and one's fellow human beings. Here it is good to take note of Mathew Fox, an American priest, theologian, and a former member of the Dominican order, talking about Original Blessing instead of Original Sin in his Creation Spirituality.