The beginning of every moral corruption and abuse of power is to surrender authority over our own spiritual life to another human being.
If we give away our innate authority to Pope, priest, imam, evangelist or guru, we are bound to suffer abuse, for we have abused ourselves. Forfeiting ourselves to another is a consent to corruption.
What then is our relation to the Divine? A relationship of infinite friendship, not subservience.
Any spiritual leader who demands our absolute obedience, threatening us with punishment, excommunication, or hell, is a thief who robs our very soul. Thus Jesus said, "All who came before me were thieves and robbers." (John 10:8)
A real guru never gives commandments, never demands surrender of our will. A real guru is our dearest friend. We follow the advice of a trusted friend not out of fear, but because we know we are loved unconditionally.
This is why, at the close of the Gospel, Jesus said, "I no longer call you Servants, but Friends." (John 15:15)
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