Ish Upanishad declares:~ Those people who have neglected the attainment of Self-knowledge and have thus committed suicide.+

Ish Upanishad says:~ Those people who have neglected the attainment of Self-knowledge and have thus committed suicide (10/11/12).

People who are incapable to inquire and reason are tending to follow some philosophy without verification. Therefore, the more ignorant they are easier it to get them into a religious fold. 

Religion is so strong and popular because it makes no demand on intelligence; it simply requires belief in Guru and his teachings.

It never strikes believers to doubt whether their inherited belief system is true. They never use their reason because they start and conclude that their belief system alone is true because they never question the validity of their inherited blind belief.

For religion, one can interpret texts as he likes, in whatever way that pleases him, he simply imagines away. The idea of God was injected in the past and inherited by people and they refuse to verify the facts because they think it blasphemy even to question their inherited belief system.

In the pursuit of truth, the ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Pundits who take the scriptures for granted are not Gnanis.

Pundits teach that all is yourself, but none of them can show that this is so, no one has analyzed it scientifically, and none can prove it. The rational proof is needed so that one arrives at knowing truth i.e. Wisdom; punditry is mere dogma, parrotism, and a repetition of what they read in scripture. 

The scriptures are not a yardstick and scriptural truth is not proof. Pundits take the scriptures as an authority. Authoritarianism merely assumes as true what another says, but what has yet to be proved.

Pundits have to test the truth in this world, not in the next world. There is no proof other than blind belief based on the scriptures, belief is not the truth. So, doctrines are not the means to realize the ultimate truth. There is no need to follow them.

Sage Goudpada says:~ The merciful Veda teaches Karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for higher knowledge or wisdom. The path of wisdom is the only means.

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immerse themselves in the ritualistic oriented lifestyle and follow the path of Karma and Upasana which is meant for lower and middling intellect and not for realizing the Advaitic truth. 

Many chose these orthodox scholars as their Gurus. But these Gurus are good to learn the conceptual Advaita meant for those Orthodox who believe their conduct-oriented lifestyle leads to Moksha (liberation). 

But religious-based Advaita is not the means to acquire Self –knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.:~Santthosh Kumaar