All bona fide revealed religions of the world are based on intuitive knowledge. Each has an exoteric or outer particularity and an esoteric or inner core. The exoteric aspect is the public image and includes moral precepts and a body of doctrines, dogmas, dissertations, rules, and customs to guide the general populace of its followers.
The esoteric aspect includes methods that focus on actual communion of the soul with God. The exoteric aspect is for the many, the esoteric is for the ardent few. It is the esoteric aspect of religion that leads to intuition, the first-hand knowledge of reality.
Are you better off than you were four years ago? Are you better off than you were ten years ago? Are the cities safer? Are the homeless housed? Are the drug addicts taken care of and given a clean and better life? Has cancer been cured? Do immunizations really help? So without stepping on any of my listeners’ toes, I would say no, probably not. And that’s what I’m going to try to explain to you today.