X rays

The following story happened around 1956. Brazil's SANTOS club was about to close a transfer deal with PORTO ALEGRE.

They sent two options to the Santos president: PAGAO, a well-known player, and a young fellow named PELÉ. The president of Porto Alegre sent a telegram saying "Pelé unknown, not interested. Send Pagao".

Months later, he regretted that decision a hundred times a day.

We are all experts in keeping up appearances. We measure and decide things according to what we see and look at the results! Our society is fine, apparently.

It can manage its own problems, apparently. It also finds apparent answers to life's essential questions. Few people use x-ray vision to get to the bottom of things.

That is why there are millions of miserably unhappy people wandering around, they look healthy enough on the surface.

Society has become an expert at mending souls with sticking plaster and patching up the spirit. 

The world tries to heal the depression caused by joining in the rat race and keeping up with the Joneses, spiritually as well as materially, with meditation, relaxation techniques and other mind-games (which explains the millions who need psychological help to deal with the pressures of their own religion).

They achieve a superficial healing, but they do not realise that the root of the problem is still in their own hearts.

No one bothers to get to the bottom of their problems. If things look normal on the surface, everyone is happy.

If you have to spend a few days brainwashing yourself with some airy-fairy philosophy or transcendental meditation, that is fine. The important thing is not to look as if you are falling apart.

The only thing that matters is the outward appearances. Meanwhile a few clever people line their pockets by feeding on the ignorance of the needy millions.

Stop! Hang on a minute! Stop trusting in philosophies, religions, meditation, relaxation, etc. You cannot solve the problem from the outside in, just by changing your image.

You need someone to look deep inside, someone who knows you as you are and does not make mistakes. Someone who won't try to fool you, but examines your heart: this is God himself.

Anything else is patchwork.