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The Rise of Atheism: Understanding its Popularity || Acharya Prashant, with NIT Calicut (2022)
Bharat
619 views
1 year ago
Vedanta
Atheism
Truth
Atman
Brahman
Ego
Belief
Spirituality
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that Vedanta does not admit any gods and that one can be an atheist while still being spiritual. He suggests that it is actually better to be an atheist because Vedanta will eventually remove the baggage of gods and goddesses, which he describes as projections of the ego and mental stuff rather than the truth. Vedanta focuses on Atman and Brahman instead of deities or religious figures, scoffing at blind beliefs and stories. He emphasizes that the truth must be beyond the human mind and its potential, rejecting any religious injunctions that require blind belief because the goal is to know rather than to believe. Acharya Prashant asserts that the journey toward truth is smoother for an atheist who travels light without the load of religious baggage. He views blind theism and belief as significant problems because believers often mesh their identity with their beliefs, making them difficult to deal with when those beliefs are questioned. Ultimately, he states that Vedanta is not for those who rely on traditions, faith, or assumptions, as these are not useful for reaching the truth.