"When I see the huge churches and cathedrals in Europe(and America), I ask myself: What happened to the spirituality of the country? Europe was once full of monks and nuns. It produced great religious movements, monastic orders, great saints.
What happened to the spirituality accumulated through the ages? It has all been converted into brick and paint. The spectacular achievements of science and technology, art and politics, have drawn heavily on the spiritual reserves of Europe. For the last two or three hundred years spiritual life has been neglected.
Material life, physical enjoyment, has become the primary concern of the people.
Nothing more has been contributed to the original fund of spirituality. Other powers have risen in place of spiritual power."
The Swami then goes on to say World Wars and chaos are the fruit of this spiritual departure.
I couldn't agree with him more that material life and the unceasing quest for enjoyment and wanting to be entertained has been detrimental to personal spirituality.
I would also add that in America we have increasingly adopted a kind of feel good "spirituality" that is shallow, hollow and borne from man's ego.
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