The Supreme Doctrine - neo-alchemist

Chapter Three
THE IDOLATRY OF ‘SALVATION’
O
NE of the errors which most surely hinder man's intemporal realisation
is that of seeing in this realisation a compulsive character. In many
'spiritual' systems, religious or otherwise, man has the 'duty' of
achieving his 'salvation'; he denies all value to that which is temporal and
concentrates all the reality imaginable on the 'salvation'. It is evident,
however, that there is again here a form of idolatry, since realisation, seen
thus as something which excludes other things, is then only one thing among
others, limited and formal, and that it is regarded at once as alone 'sacred' and
immeasurably superior to all the rest. All the determining, enslaving reality
which man attributed to this or that 'temporal' enterprise is crystallised now
on the enterprise of 'salvation', and this enterprise becomes the most
determining, the most enslaving that can be imagined. Since realisation
signifies liberation one arrives at the absurd paradox that man is subjected to
the coercive duty to be free. Man's distress is concentrated then on this
question of his salvation; he trembles at the thought that he may die before
having attained his deliverance. Such a grave error of understanding
necessarily entails anxiety, inner agitation, a feeling of unworthiness, an
egotistical crispation on oneself-as-a-distinct-being, that is to say, it prevents
inner pacification, reconciliation with oneself, disinterestedness towards
oneself-as-a-distinct-being, the diminution of emotion—in short all the inner
atmosphere of relaxation which governs the release of satori.
The man who deceives himself thus, however, can think again and
better. There is no duty except in relation to an authority which imposes it.
The believer of this or that religion will say that 'God' is the authority which
imposes on him the obligation of salvation. But who then is this 'God' who
while imposing something on me, is separate from me and has need of my
action? Everything, then, is not included in his perfect harmony?
The same error is found among certain men sufficiently evolved
intellectually no longer to believe in a personal God. They seem at least no
longer to believe in him. If one looks more closely one perceives that they
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