I think that if religions gave-up their ridiculous claims to exclusivity – then the method of “looking within” could become a legitimate part of understanding the material world (albeit “subjectively”) and take its place alongside “objective” science. As matters stand, religious development tends to be unregulated and more or less ad hoc in its ability to produce legitimately transcendent beings. Such a being would declare the path he followed to be obsolete as he emerges thoroughly enlightened. Today, religions make stupid claims of non-existent (exclusive) knowledge – and limit their practitioners to religious dogma. It is for this reason of general ignorance and their siding with capitalism that Marxist-Leninism has a bleak view of religions in general. If religions truly abandoned the physical world they inhabit – then capitalism would be left firmly behind. Greed cannot be encouraged at source when transcendence demands a complete break with all fetters that would bind the practitioner to the mundane. The truly transcendent amongst us quietly disentangle their minds from the tortures of the physical world and humbly “ascend”. They do not do it for fame, money, or recognition. Indeed, for us mere mortals, we will be lucky if we receive an emancipating wave from them!
