GAJ: The End of Religion, by Robert Lewis (Hay River Books), 147 pp

The sage first effort by the Montreal writer seeks to prove that the underlying principles of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, as revealed by the prophets, are not monotheistic. Rather, Lewis believes that the message is polytheistic in origin - that the collective consciousness of humanity forms the godhead. A Taoist by nature, the 36-year-old author marries religious thought with nuclear physics to reveal how the primordial force unleashed by the big bang lives in all of us. Lewis believes that the matrix of molecular energy shapes our consciousness. He writes succinctly of how the cosmic design manifests in every quadrant of time, space and thought.

GAJ is a tightly parcelled package that focuses on the quantum leap required by humanity to heal the world's current woes, especially in the war-torn Middle East. Lewis advocates a re-evaluation of spiritual rhetoric to incorporate the science of physics and its many divisions of subatomic mystery. "The problem with the Western religions, Jung insisted, is their extroverted focus... As a result the Western mind represses what it fears in itself, seeks to destroy in others what if fears in itself."

Lewis argues that monotheistic faiths fail to provide the foundations for an inward journey toward self-knowledge, and that until we learn to navigate through the vibrating energy of the universe with a Taoist sense of flow, humanity will never vanquish war and intolerance. Once in harmony with space and time, Lewis contends that we will naturally attune to one another.

Lewis, who is off to the island of Java on a four-month work project, describes his aspirations for the book as holistic. As the founder of Hay River Books, he believes his bottom-up publishing house, owned and operated by writers, is pushing new boundaries. Within his mandate of presenting writing in which philosophy is in collision with fiction, he is very much aware that publishing GAJ was only a tiny first step. The journey of getting the book into the hands of thousands has only just begun. (It is available for purchase at the Diocesan Book Room downtown, and at the bookstores of Concordia and McGill.)

From quantum religion to poetry, lovers of contemporary verse might want to check out Zeke's Gallery on 3955 St-Laurent on Sunday, February 20, for the launch of the new magazine Vallum. The event is hosted by Catherine Paquette and features performances by Vince Tinguely, Ian Ferrier, Katia Grubisic and Joshua Auerbach. The evening kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and the $5 cover charge includes a complimentary copy of this sophisticated and handsome mag.
 
 

		Write your comment on this article!

Grey Shades of Gajhood     This commentary is in reference to what you stated on p.80. You state "If a flower possessed free will and could choose not to open its petals to the morning light, as it harmoniously should, it would not wither and die because it had contravened Gaj's will but die because it had defied its own nature. Similarly, we are free to violate our collective Gajhood, particularly with respect to the myriad harms we inflict upon one another, but we are not free to declare that these harms are natural"(Robert Lewis, p.80) How can one go against Gaj (universe) when all is Gaj even that which some deem bad. The bad in the universe will undoubtedly result in good. No matter what happens all the universe will return to Gaj (itself) and all wrongs lead to Gaj in the end. If one commits a crime against another he has two options and both lead to Gaj. Say he does the same crime over and over again the pain created by such acts can only lead to good from a macro understanding of the universe. Say the victims of actions learn to understand to love what they are even if it is a result from his crime this is Gaj. Say the community learns from his crime this is Gaj. Say he dies from his crime this is Gaj, only good may come out of bad and only bad out of good. The only logical way to cope with being a victim of evil is to recognize that you are good because of this evil. Both good and evil are Gaj, both are a reflection of the universe and the reflection of self. Thus to say that one must order one prayers to better be in touch with Gaj and thyself is misleading. Yet me sitting here contradicting your words from pg 81-82 is still Gaj. Man need not attempt to better reflect Gaj and the self as all reflect all. To say Gaj is outside of self is Gaj . Thus what is most important for me is knowing that I am always connected to Gaj and myself and my actions both evil and good are witnessed by the universe to be components of the Universe.
Devin Baldo		October 11th, 2005
Truth is to be found within not without     All religions (it seems to me) are attempts at creating metaphors and paradigms in an effort to understand the universe- cosmologically and personally. I agree with Mr. Lewis in that these metaphors having been created in time immemorial, in far off lands and by peoples who's cultures vastly differ from my own -have lost a great deal of meaning. Here, Today -we have science and informed knowledge of every kind (psychology, biology, physics, anthropology, archaeology) With the proper - humane application of this knowledge our quest to understand our place shall continue in a more relevant way. Many would argue that science is cold and definitely not humane.. I argue the opposite.. When you realize that all of our solar system (that includes us) is made from the dust of stars long since dead.. that all the element of your body had their origin in the nuclear furnaces of stars billions of years ago.. how can you not feel connected to the universe.. to GOD (whatever that IS). We are but the dust of stars. When (through science) you understand the recycling of matter on earth you realize that from death comes life. I believe one can gain courage and needed connection to fellow humans through such ideas. I believe that faith and the longing to connect to the universe are not the eminent domain of religion that there are many ways to the top of the mountain -but the religious path has become over used and worn out.. and therefore increasingly dangerous and irrelevant. Given that today we have worldwide communication and the advanced state of scientific knowledge we have many possible avenues of exploration -many more paths to the top of the mountain than ever before. Each person must climb the mountain themselves, no one can carry them up.. not even a religion...
Jody Emond	{8 votes}	March 30th, 2005
Religion     The way I see it, religion has a few key purposes. To educate the masses between good and bad by instilling a sense of morality and a code of ethics. To make us beleive that their is a higher being in charge and who will deal with us if we are in fact immoral. Otherwise who would bother? Any differences I beleive are cultural not spiritual and therefore can easily be surpassed. The only reason that religions be they monotheistic or polytheistic are viewed as being different is simply politics. Religion is easily the most powerful tool there is to make people beleive in someone else's agenda.
Tanya Parvez	{1 vote}	February 23rd, 2005
Misunderstood     The bible say's man does not kwow the way to knowledge and peace,reading this piece is proves that. The path to enlightenment IS AN INNER JOURNEY. A real christian is innward not outward.Man is,body[flesh].soul[spirit body] and spirit[intalect]. When you BELIEVE JESUS is the Son of GOD and confess your faults in his name he forgives and the holy spirit will link with your spirit and teach you the mysteries of the universe.YOU DON'T GET BECAUSE YOU DON'T ASK,YOU DON'T FIND BECAUSE YOU DON'T SEEK,IT'S NOT OPENED TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOCK.THE Godhead is easily explained in all that is made especialy man,two bodies one spirit.THERE is only one you and there is only one Creator. God the father[one body] GOD the son (second body),Holy spirit( intalect),the spirit is the real you.There is only one GOD . THAT IS WHY JESUS SAID "I ONLY DO WHAT I SEE MY FATHER DO,AND I ONLY SAY WHAT I HEAR MY FATHER SAY. Question? if you had two bodies and one spirit would not one body do exactly what the other one body does? Jesus said"if you have seen me you have seen the Father ,IF YOU CONTINUE IN ME YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.HE REVIELS SECRETS TO MEN WHO ASK. GOD BLESS.
Paul Alkenbrack		December 17th, 2005
The end of religion indeed -     ..the 21st century in all of her seeming flaws and troublesome attributes represents the cracking of the tightly wound sheathings of ignorance: religion has always been about remembering the true word of the creator -- and has become obviously distorted to create the current waters of guilt: shame: fear: and greed as a means and a way to perpetuate the tentacles of ignorance and confusion fed and kept fat and bloated by the circus of popular distractions and perpetual media circuses (..from king george's exploits to the king of pop's danses in court...): ..led to the muses and personal readings of quantum physics via grant morrison's landmark tale of everything in the graphic novel the invisibles - i have come to embrace the endless corridors that the thoughts of quantum physics engender for the mind to consider as well as my lifelong studies of carl jung's works and other writings and thoughts that are not found in the current glut of shite books by hack writers paid their large up front fees to create a 'best-seller' that offers little to nothing but distractions to the masses - the lines between fiction and 'non-fiction' doesn't exist: science that seeks to strive as a 'pure science' un-tainted by religion remains as un-focus and as un-accessible as religion that strives to remain 'pure' and un-touched and un-bothered by science: the two are birthed from the same initiating spark that belongs to the creator - and the blather about this prophet and that prophet being the 'true' son of g0d belongs to a tradition that has failed many and many more with a litany of d0gma and useless rhetoric designed to imprison and to create a constant climate of fear: guilt: shame: and greed while denying the birthright that seeks constant expression and constant knowledge dwelling within each and everyone of us - academic blatherings and semantical masturbation removed from the equation - we are left with the quest that has no ending and no beginnings in gaj.
Gary Womac		February 17th, 2005
Bias....     This book needs to be read with criticism...It is obvious that the author has a bias through is own spiritual way of taoism...and the way he describes monotheism is far from explaining why numerous people in the world found the need of a religion with only One God. So it is a good book to discover a new way of spirituality, but have in mind that the author wants to bring you in this new way of thinking...
Jean Goulet		March 29th, 2005

Write your comment! please follow these guidelines

Information requested in blue will remain confidential   [privacy policy] Please indicate your real first and last names.

First name :

Last name :

Your email :

Confirm your email :

Title of your comment (max. 150 characters)   Your comment (max. 2000 characters)  characters remaining       LIMIT PER PERSON : one comment per article per member. Thank you. Your comment will be read by our approval team and, if it is approved, will be posted on the website within 24 hours. It could also be published, along with your name, in the printed version of Hour magazine and on any of our partner websites. In order to present the highest quality of comments, Hour reserves the right to refuse certain submissions. Any plagiarism will entail the entire removal of the member’s profile. Hour is not responsible for the opinions expressed by the members.