● But you see, we are not thinking of love, we are not concerned with being in communion with another.
We want security, either in the family, in property, or in ideas; and where the mind is seeking security—it can never know love.
Because when we love somebody—we are vulnerable, we are open. And we do not want to be open, we do not want to be vulnerable. We want to be enclosed, we want to be more at ease within ourselves.
● Security is all that most of us want—physical and emotional security…
● And freedom, God, truth, love—become something to be looked for after that. So, as I said, our religion is a superficial thing, a kind of hobby which does not play a very important part in our life.
● The higher up we are, the more we want security, permanency, tranquility, the more we want to be left alone, to maintain things fixed as they are; but they cannot be maintained as they are, because there is nothing to maintain. Everything is disintegrating.
● We do not want to face these things, we do not want to face the fact that you and I are responsible for wars. You and I may talk about peace, have conferences, sit around a table and discuss; but inwardly, psychologically, we want power, position, we are motivated by greed. We intrigue, we are nationalistic, we are bound by beliefs, by dogmas, for which we are willing to die and destroy each other.
Do you think such men, you and I, can have peace in the world? To have peace, we must be peaceful; to live peacefully means not to create antagonism.
● As long as each one of us is seeking psychological security – the physiological security we need (food, clothing and shelter) is destroyed.
We are seeking psychological security, which does not exist; and we seek it, if we can, through power, through position, through titles, names – all of which is destroying physical security.
● So what causes war? Obviously belief either: in nationalism, in an ideology, or in a particular dogma.
● If we had no belief ; but goodwill, love and consideration between us, then there would be no wars.