Thousands of years ago, between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, in a vast and fertile stretch of land called “Mesopotamia,” there lived a flourishing society in a city-state called “Babel.” The city was bustling with life and action. It was the trade center of what we now call, “the cradle of civilization.”
Befitting a civilization in its youth, Babel was a melting pot, filled with a variety of belief systems and teachings. Divination, card reading, face and palm reading, idol worship and many other esoteric practices were all common and accepted in Babel.
Among the most prominent and respected people in Babel was a man named Abraham. This man was a priest, an idol worshiper, and the son of an idol worshiper, but he was also a very perceptive and caring individual.
Abraham noticed that the people he loved so dearly were growing apart. Where there had been camaraderie among the townspeople of Babel, for no apparent reason, this feeling was gradually fading. Abraham felt that a hidden force had come into play, which was driving people away from one another. Yet, he could not understand where that force had come from and why it had not appeared before. In his search, Abraham began to question his beliefs and his way of life. He began to wonder how the world was built, how and why things were happening, and what was required of him so he could help his fellow citizens.
Abraham, the inquisitive, thoughtful priest, was astonished to discover that the world runs on desires—two desires, to be exact: to give and to receive. He found that to create the world, these desires form a system of rules so profound and comprehensive that today we can only consider it a science. At the time, the term “science” did not exist, but Abraham had no need for a definition. Instead, he sought to explore these new rules and learn how they might help the people he loved.
Abraham found that these desires form a fabric that makes up our entire being. They determine not only our behavior, but the whole of reality—everything that we think, see, feel, taste, or touch. And the system of rules he had discovered created a mechanism that maintains the balance between them, so one would not exceed the other. These desires are dynamic and evolving, and Abraham realized that people were growing apart because the desire to receive within them had become stronger than the desire to give; it had become a desire for self-centered satisfaction, or egotism.
Abraham understood that the only way to reverse this trend was for people to unite, despite the growing egotism. He knew that a new level of bonding and camaraderie awaited his people beyond their rising suspicion of each other. However, to achieve this level, they had to unite. Now, Abraham knew that he had found the answer to his fellow Babylonians’ unhappiness, and wished nothing more than for them to find it, too.
But to discover what he had discovered, and to regain their former sense of camaraderie and friendship, Abraham needed his people’s cooperation. He knew he would not be able to help them unless they truly wanted his help. Although the people knew they were unhappy, they did not know why. Abraham’s task, therefore, was to reveal to them why they were suffering.
Eager to begin, he set up a tent and invited everyone to come visit, eat and drink, and hear about the rules he had discovered.
Abraham was a famous man, a priest, and many came to hear him. But few were convinced, and the rest simply went on with their lives, seeking to sort out their problems in ways that were already familiar.
But Abraham’s revolutionary discovery did not go unnoticed by the authorities, and soon he was confronted by no less than Nimrod, the ruler of Babel. In a famous debate between Abraham and Nimrod, who was well versed in the teachings of his time, Nimrod was bitterly defeated. Mortified, he sought revenge and tried to burn Abraham at the stake.
However, Abraham escaped along with his family and fled from Babel. Now leading a nomad’s life, Abraham set up his tent wherever he went and invited local residents and passersby to hear about the rules he had discovered. In his journeys, he went through Haran, Canaan, Egypt, and finally back to Canaan.
To help convey what he had discovered, Abraham wrote the book we now know as The Book of Creation, where he introduced the essence of his revelations. Abraham’s new purpose in life was to explain and expound on these discoveries to anyone who would listen. His sons, along with others who learned from him, created a dynasty of scholars that has been developing and implementing his method ever since. The Book of Creation, combined with the dedication of his students, ensured that Abraham’s discoveries would live on from generation to generation, ultimately being available for implementation by the generation that truly needs them: our own!
An excerpt from my book, Bail Yourself Out: How You Can Emerge Strong from the World Crisis