Holy Spirit of the Resurrection: Science versus Religions
“The doctrine of bodily resurrection, linked closely to the soul's nature and destiny, suffers like a fate. The ancients knew little or nothing about the human organism — its chemical constituents, its functioning parts, its psychology — and even less about the nature of death. Modern man has measured corruption, can detail the chemical changes that take place when bodily life ceases, has a clear idea of what precisely corruption and decay of the human frame connote, and defines human death precisely by the cessation of the observable functions of the body. The three religions define death as the moment when the soul leaves the body.
On the other hand, the scientist cannot accept the 'outside' explanation: that a god will 'resurrect' the corrupted body. He knows that in a living body today the actual molecules which compose it were not part of it some time ago. In another decade it will be made up of molecules which at present are elsewhere: in African lions, in passion-flowers of the Amazon, in Maine lobsters, in earth in Patagonia, and in the fur of a Polar bear. For the scientist, the body as such has truly ceased to exist. No 'shade' or reduced form of the body exists in an 'underworld' or in Elysian fields. The body has ceased to exist. He therefore finds the resurrection of the body unintelligible,”
“Of course there are some absurd things which grew with misinterpretation and interference from unholy people, which are common in these religions. For example, Jews, Christian and Muslims believe that when they die their bodies will come out of their graves and they will all be resurrected at the Time of Resurrection, at the Time of Last Judgment, at the Time of Qiyamah. It is illogical to think what will remain inside those graves after five hundred years. Nobody wants to think and understand that it is not the body but the soul that will come out of these bodies, be born again as human beings and be saved through Qiyamah and Resurrection.
Who will tell them? No one can talk to them. As soon as one wants to talk one can be killed. This is the only way they know - how to kill.”
Holy Spirit of the Resurrection
“But these are special time, the Blossom Time. They call it the Last Judgment, you can call it the Resurrection Time, you can call it the Qiyamah, they call it in Koran. It is said that people will come out of their graves and will get their Resurrection. I mean what is left to the graves is nothing but a few stones and a few bones. No. All these souls which are dead will take their birth, take human body and take their Realization in these special times. This is a sensible thing to say and is also happening.”
“We are now in the Blossom Time, as I call it, because many flowers are born and they are to become the fruits. This is the Resurrection Time, which is described in all the scriptures. But it's not like this, the way they had described us. Something wrong with them that all the dead bodies who are in the graves will come out of the graves. I mean, how much is left out of them, God knows. Must be some bones or maybe some skulls there. So they'll come out of the graves and they will get their Resurrection!!!? This is a very wrong idea.
Once I happened to meet a fellow, a Muslim from Bosnia and he told Me, 'I want to die for my religion, for God's sake.' I said, 'But why? Who told you to die?' He said, 'Now, if I die in the name of God, I'll be resurrected.' I said, 'it's all wrong. That's not the way it is going to work out. Resurrection is going to work out this way that at this time, all these souls will take their birth. All these souls will take their birth and they will be resurrected. As human beings they'll have to come.'
That's why we find all kinds of funny people these days, all kinds of cruel, criminal, all kinds of idiotic, stupid, I mean very queer, weird, funny ideas which find such, such a variety of people and such a tremendous population that we should understand they have to have their chance of Resurrection. But how many will come? That's the point. How many are going to come?”
Resurrection Beliefs And Modern Interpretations
The idea of billions of graves suddenly bursting open on Judgment Day, with physical bodies rising, as taught in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, faces significant scientific challenges. Malachi Martin, in his 1970 book The Encounter: Religion in Crisis, argues that modern science shows the body decays, with its molecules dispersing into other organisms, making physical resurrection unintelligible. For example, the atoms in a body from centuries ago could now be part of plants or animals, making it impossible to reassemble the same physical form.
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja Yoga, offers a different perspective, suggesting resurrection is about the soul's spiritual rebirth, not the body. She states, "It is illogical to think what will remain inside those graves after five hundred years. Nobody wants to think and understand that it is not the body but the soul that will come out of these bodies, be born again as human beings and be saved through Qiyamah and Resurrection". This aligns with Jésus' teaching of a "second birth" by the Spirit, emphasizing inner transformation.
This view finds unexpected support in quantum theory and NDEs. Quantum mechanics, particularly theories like Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR), suggests consciousness might be non-local, existing beyond the brain (Quantum mind - Wikipedia). NDEs, reported by 5-10% of the general population, often describe consciousness separating from the body, seeing lights, and reviewing life, suggesting it persists after death (Lifting the Veil on Near-Death Experiences | Scientific American).
Ultimately, Martin and Shri Mataji argue that traditional religions may no longer suffice for modern understanding, potentially impeding our encounter with our true self. Shri Mataji's message, blending science and spirituality, offers a path forward, suggesting a shift from literal to metaphorical interpretations of resurrection.
This section delves deeply into the traditional and contemporary views on resurrection, particularly focusing on the impossibility of physical resurrection as taught in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and the alternative perspective offered by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. It integrates scientific insights from quantum theory and near-death experiences (NDEs), concluding with a critical assessment of the adequacy of these religions for modern understanding.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a common eschatological belief in the physical resurrection of the dead on Judgment Day. In Judaism, this is rooted in texts like Daniel 12:2, which states, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting disgust." Christianity, based on the resurrection of Christ, emphasizes a physical raising of the dead, as seen in 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul describes the dead being raised and the living transformed. In Islam, this is known as Qiyamah, where all souls will rise from their graves for judgment, as described in the Quran.
These beliefs envision a literal event where bodies, long decayed, would be reconstituted and rise. However, this notion faces significant scientific scrutiny, as highlighted by Malachi Martin in his 1970 book The Encounter: Religion in Crisis. Martin argues that modern science understands the human body as a dynamic system where molecules are constantly replaced, and upon death, these molecules disperse into the environment, becoming part of other organisms like plants, animals, or soil. He writes, "The scientist cannot accept the 'outside' explanation: that a god will 'resurrect' the corrupted body. He knows that in a living body today the actual molecules which compose it were not part of it some time ago... For the scientist, the body as such has truly ceased to exist."
This scientific perspective renders the traditional belief in physical resurrection implausible, as it would require gathering and reassembling specific atoms from centuries or millennia ago, a process that defies known laws of physics and biology.
Shri Mataji's Reinterpretation: Spiritual Resurrection
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja Yoga, offers a transformative reinterpretation of resurrection, shifting the focus from the physical to the spiritual. Born in 1923 in India and passing in 2011, she dedicated her life to teaching self-realization through the awakening of the Kundalini energy, a concept from yogic traditions . She argues that the traditional view is a misinterpretation, stating, "It is illogical to think what will remain inside those graves after five hundred years. Nobody wants to think and understand that it is not the body but the soul that will come out of these bodies, be born again as human beings and be saved through Qiyamah and Resurrection".
She further clarifies, "They call it the Last Judgment, you can call it the Resurrection Time, you can call it the Qiyamah, they call it in Koran. It is said that people will come out of their graves and will get their Resurrection. I mean what is left to the graves is nothing but a few stones and a few bones. No! All these souls which are dead will take their birth, take human body and take their Realization in these special times. This is a sensible thing to say and is also happening." This aligns with Jesus' teaching in John 3:5-7, where he speaks of being "born of water and the Spirit," emphasizing a second birth that is spiritual, not physical.
Shri Mataji's view suggests that resurrection is an ongoing process, occurring in the present "Blossom Time," where souls incarnate to achieve self-realization, a state of inner awakening facilitated by the rising of the Kundalini. This interpretation resonates with the idea of reincarnation, though it is framed within the context of Abrahamic eschatology as Qiyamah or Last Judgment.
Alignment with Quantum Theory and NDEs
Shri Mataji's spiritual interpretation finds unexpected parallels with modern scientific theories, particularly quantum mechanics and the study of near-death experiences. Quantum theory, the most fundamental theory of matter, posits that particles can exist in multiple states and be entangled, suggesting a non-local, interconnected universe. Some theories, like the Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch OR) proposed by Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff, suggest that consciousness arises from quantum processes in the brain, specifically in microtubules within neurons (Quantum mind - Wikipedia). This theory implies that consciousness could be non-local, existing beyond the physical body, which aligns with Shri Mataji's view of the soul as an enduring entity.
Near-death experiences (NDEs) provide empirical support for this perspective. Research indicates that 5-10% of the general population, and 10-23% of cardiac arrest survivors, report NDEs, which often include feelings of leaving the body, seeing lights, and encountering a divine presence (Lifting the Veil on Near-Death Experiences | Scientific American). These experiences suggest that consciousness can persist and function independently of brain activity, as evidenced by reports of heightened alertness during periods with no detectable brain electrical activity (Near-death experience - Wikipedia). This challenges the materialistic view that consciousness is solely a brain product and supports Shri Mataji's assertion that the soul's journey continues beyond physical death.
The Inadequacy of Traditional Religions
Malachi Martin's critique extends beyond the scientific implausibility of physical resurrection to question the relevance of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for modern man. He argues, "The three major religions which have done so much to shape the consensus of Western civilization--Judaism, Christianity and Islam--are no longer adequate to man's understanding of himself, that they are now impediments to man's attempt to encounter himself as he truly is". This view is echoed in reviews, such as James Finn's in the New York Times Book Review, and Melvin Maddocks in the Christian Science Monitor which notes Martin's thesis that these religions have failed modern man.
“Malachi Martin has provided in this book enough incendiary concepts to set off a number of blazing controversies. Mr. Martin's theme is vast. He argues that the three major religions which have done so much to shape the consensus of Western civilization--Judaism, Christianity and Islam--are no longer adequate to man's understanding of himself, that they are now impediments to man's attempt to encounter himself as he truly is.”
- James Finn, New York Times Book Review
“Malachi Martin has written a rather extraordinary book. He asks everybody's question: Is religion--any religion--relevant? And he gives practically everybody's answer: No. He is as sorrowfully angry as he is erudite, and his book is a spiritual biography as well as a work of scholarship.”
- Melvin Maddocks, Christian Science Monitor
Shri Mataji complements this critique by pointing out the misinterpretations within these religions, particularly their literalism, which she sees as obstructing spiritual growth. She notes, "Of course there are some absurd things which grew with misinterpretation and interference from unholy people, which are common in these religions". This suggests that their focus on physical resurrection and apocalyptic events may hinder individuals from recognizing their inner spiritual potential, aligning with Martin's view that they impede self-encounter.
Conclusion: A Path Forward
The evidence leans toward a shift from literal to metaphorical interpretations of resurrection, supported by scientific insights and personal experiences. Shri Mataji's message, integrating spiritual awakening with quantum and NDE findings, offers a path to reconcile these domains, suggesting that resurrection is an inner process of realizing one's divine nature. This perspective challenges the adequacy of traditional religions, proposing they may no longer serve as effective frameworks for understanding human consciousness in the modern era, potentially acting as barriers to deeper self-realization.
Table: Comparison of Traditional and Modern Views on Resurrection
| Aspect | Traditional View (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) | Modern Interpretation (Shri Mataji) |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of Resurrection | Physical bodies rising from graves | Spiritual awakening of the soul |
| Timing | Future event on Judgment Day | Ongoing process in current "Blossom Time" |
| Scientific Plausibility | Implausible due to body decay and dispersal | Aligns with quantum theory and NDEs |
| Role of Consciousness | Secondary to physical body | Primary, potentially non-local and enduring |
This table highlights the shift from a material to a spiritual understanding, reflecting the integration of science and spirituality in modern interpretations.
Pariah Kutta (https://adishakti.org)Grok 3 (xAI), in discussion with the author, March 28, 2025.