This reflection on useful delusions is admittedly a delusion of sorts, and it may not even be of the useful sort. Who knows?

I listened to a recent debate between Chris Hedges and Sam Harris on religion and politics. The Sam Harris rhetoric was in fine form, excoriating religion, and portraying it as the scourge of the earth. I think Chris Hedges did the better job, particularly if one is interested in arriving at truth rather than skewering religion. When I ran across Lack of Moral Imagination and Softness of Head from Woodmoor Village , the seed germinated into this article.

I’m coming to a conclusion to leave this mountain. While it has been useful to be here, its value to me seems to be dimming. And it has not seemed that useful to others in general. Within a few weeks, I will wind my way down to the plains below.

The intent of writing was always partly cathartic. In many ways, the articles reflect my journey towards Buddhism. Unlike some who see Buddhism as a neat philosophy or Zen as cool, I’ve viewed it seriously — perhaps too seriously at times. My postings were mainly a reflection of some struggles I’ve had with Buddhism, and some of the reconciliations that I’ve noticed.

“Resist not evil” is an explicit Christian directive from the lips of Christ himself, though it is almost universally ignored and rejected by Christians. “It’s not practical. It doesn’t really mean what it says. It only applies to saints, not ordinary mortals. Etc., etc.” Honest, strong, Christians struggle and squirm like a hooked fish when they confront it; most quickly rationalize it away, usually with the prompt help of clergy that have never honestly confronted it themselves.

I’ve often been glad to free of this directive as non-Christian. I don’t have to play dodge ball with this commandment, rationalize it away or ignore it to get rid of the discomfort it imposes.

Yet, after reflection, I think there may be truth here. Franklin Wolff, in Experience and Philosophy , succinctly states it this way.

In Buddhism the three poisons are greed, hate, and delusion. Some versions have anger as one of the poisons. I’ve never had much difficulty with an explosive temper. Rather, my form of poison is a grinding arthritic frustration with the eventual effect of judging people very harshly in my mind, though less often in word or deed.

What I’ve come to see recently is that this frustration is not wholesome. This isn’t a result of some Buddhist catechism that I’ve internalized. It’s just plain seeing. Not seeing this has locked my mind in a rut for several years.