I recently heard from one of the greatest minds and Jewish lecturers, Rabbi Yossi Jacobson a remarkable idea.
You see the funniest thing about religious people – myself included – is we live with an inherent anomaly.
On one hand if God does run the world, there must be no doubt that everything was made in accordance to his desire.
Yet simultaneously, if God did reveal his desire, then what do we assume about that which goes against it?!
Unless one has the Kabbalah viewpoint, the common assumption must be, that it is evil.
For this reason Mohammed indoctrinated an implacable hatred to anyone who doesn’t follow Islam.
Christianity for the longest of time had a similar hatred – though ironically, coming from Jews, it certainly is not found within the doctrine; hence today we have many groups of Cristains e.g. Evangelical, who believe that not only were Jews not rejected by God but were always chosen! – For anyone aware of historical theological opinions, a remarkable shift.
Judaism, again, though being quite unique in not claiming “my way or the highway” must often not had the highest opinion of non-believers, though subconsciously Jews assume others were simply following their version of reality.
The list is endless.
But the point from Kabbalah which is remarkable is as follows:
Ultimately what it is that God desires is GROWTH.
Growth necessitates individuality.
The ramifications and individuation necessary are so numerous, that time would never permit – however the bottom line is simple, the Kabbalistic doctrine is, that no matter your faith, your environment, your culture, everything in this world can lead you toward becoming a kinder, better (and conversely more selfish, hence entitled, hence angry (for we do not get our way) hence savage ) person.