You say that religions age slowly, but they stay old for a very long time. What is it in them that ages?
A religion in its overall spiritual values cannot become old. It becomes old in its applicability – its ethical side, not in its value side. Because the moral postulates and metaphysical values given there as Teaching are not derived from a mental gift, but from inspiration that the Spiritual Father sends to a certain His messenger here. These messengers give secrets that are a matter of revelation, and then the hierarchy of knowledge is undoubtedly very great.
Of course, when it comes to religious doctrine, it must be stabilized in the behavior of the mind. Then argument and doctrinaireism are invoked, which very often degrade the very mystery of the Teaching. The rite is invoked in stability, which as a memory and as a daily repetition trivializes the will and affirms the obedience of man. This is the ritual principle.
Therefore Wisdom finds that religions age the slowest and remain old the longest. The mind makes them social, not personal.
Religions are a great worry. They disturb the soul of man! The tragic thing is when a religion has become a tradition and its adherents do not have the courage to be disturbed by its meaninglessness.
