April 3, 2019
Brexit and the New Age
Esoteric and new age students of today suffer a similar illusion as did the Christians in attempting to promote their ideals in past ages. Early Christians thought that if a little of good ideal was good then more was better and any movement toward the ideal was good no matter how it was achieved. Consequently, when their ideas began to dominate after Constantine they felt that expansion, even at the point of the sword and slavery, was a good thing. Snuffing out competing ideologies like Mithraism, teachings of Apollonius, Manichaeaism, banned books and all forms of gnosticism were seen as victories. Then, when the Conquistadors went to the Americas they forced the natives to accept their ideal religion or die. The means to the end seemed worth it as the ideals of the kingdom of God embraced were taken from the teachings of the greatest of us all, the Christ.
Now in this age we have a higher octave of ideals set before us in the Ancient Wisdom, particularly in the teachings of Alice A. Bailey and DK. The question is this: Are the mistakes of the past being repeated? If a little is good is more always better and is any means justified in advancing the ideal, even the taking away freedom of choice?
The teachings emphasize sharing and the rejection of materialism. Does this mean that the ideals of socialism and communism should be accepted, even at the point of the sword to loss of freedom?
Some are all in and even feel that totalitarianism is a price worth paying, despite DK’s obvious teachings on the importance of allowing for maximum free will.
Others are supportive but by lesser degrees. These reject totalitarian communism but support social ideals that infringe on free will, but are not totalitarian as of yet.
Yes, sharing and cooperation are important ideals for the new age, but they must be accomplished, not by force, but through processes that do not infringe on the freewill of the people as a whole. Here are three quotes from DK on the importance of freedom:
“Leave people free in all respects—with the freedom that you demand and expect for yourself.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 1, Page 427
“It is a law that human freedom may not be infringed. The staging of the Plan and its working out is, in the last analysis, an entirely human affair, once it has reached the stage of precipitation. It is dependent upon the responsiveness of human brains, and their recognition of need and its sources. This is a point which should be remembered.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 2, Page 362
“Like everything else that happens upon the subjective plane of human living, a major distortion of the process and of the new technique will appear in some form or other in human affairs and constitute a great obstruction (apparently and temporarily) to human progress. It will be in the nature of a sidetrack and a glamour, brought into impelling and compelling use by the enemies of humanity and by those who work constantly against the Forces of Light. Today, this distortion can be seen demonstrating in all totalitarian countries; the individual is not free and his fusion with the state and his progress as a state-absorbed entity—deprived of the right of free choice and forced through fear and penalty to relinquish his own self-directed life—is a growing menace to mankind.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 2, Page 353
We all acknowledge that more sharing and cooperation is good as long as it is accomplished without infringing upon free will, otherwise the warning from DK would apply:
“Socialism can degenerate into another form of totalitarianism.” Rays and Initiations, Page 747
Thus all rational people can see that sharing and cooperation is good when tempered by free will but if done at the point of the sword then the end result is no more virtuous than that achieved by the Conquistadors with the native Americans.
AAB students have the same problem with the United Nations. DK spoke of the importance of cooperation among the nations and had high hopes for the U.N. Consequently many students support the United Nations with no reservations with a black and white attitude as if it can do no wrong. Whatever they do should be supported. They overlook DK’s warning:
“The United Nations is still the hope of the world and can remain so; it is a great field of experimentation, but is suffering today from an initial error. That error was the admitting of a totalitarian Power into its nations. For seven long and terrible years the Forces of Light had been fighting totalitarianism. In the early days of the post-war period the Nations compromised with principles and admitted Russia to the United Nations. Had they proceeded to unite all the other nations of the world on the sure ground of economic reform, of needed national reorganisation and of regional groups, Russia would have been forced to conform, for her very existence would have been at stake. An initial error can lead to much trouble, and it is this type of trouble which the United Nations today faces.” Externalisation of the Hierarchy, Page 640 – April 1948
Since this time, instead of putting pressure on totalitarian regimes, we have admitted more of them and are still faced with having to incorporate them instead of pressuring them toward freedom.
Again the wise student will judge the work of the U.N. through the lens of progress toward freedom and cooperation rather throwing them mindless support.
A current problem that concerns students is the issue of Brexit where the people of the UK voted to exit the European Union. Most esoteric students and those who embrace new age teachings are against Brexit and think that the UK should stay in the union, even if the majority of the people are against it. There are even groups getting together supporting meditation to influence the end result of the EU staying intact.
Why is such a high percentage of students taking this approach? Basically, it is because of the black and white unthinking approach to the ideal set forth by DK. He speaks of a future where nations will be more inclusive, cooperative and united, have loose borders and not require passports – where they will join in cooperative efforts, yet still maintain their national identity. The end result will be a fairly united one world where nations still maintain their individual identity yet cooperate together as if they are a part of the one world. This will not happen overnight but evolve over time.
Because a cooperative union is a desired goal the black and white student will tend to support any step toward union without doing any analysis of its ultimate good, or consider the free will of the people involved.
Students often forget that no good ideal is worth the sacrificing of the free will of the human spirit. This must be preserved at all costs.
Let us look at the old Soviet Union, for example. This was a union of nations which was at first supported by many esoteric students, but most finally conceded that the cost of human freedom was too great and the break up of the forced union was a good thing.
Now, through the European Union, humanity is witnessing another union of nations. Unlike the Soviet Union this one has taken place through the free will joining of the various nations. Thus, this initial union was in harmony with the principle of free will. But then the people of the UK saw the central authority of the EU became too intrusive and the benefits too few so they had a vote and the majority of the people d decided to exit the union. The vote was 52% for Brexit with 48% wanting to stay in the union.
If we then honor the free will of the people there should be no problem supporting the will of the majority. After all, if an organization is drifting toward to much central authority then it makes sense to question the value and withdraw while withdrawal is still possible.
What do you suppose DK would say about this political situation if he were to speak today to the most enlightened of the people who he called the New Group of World Servers? To get an idea let us see what the said in the past:
“They are occupied with the task of inaugurating the new world order by forming throughout the world—in every nation, city and town,—a grouping of people who belong to no party, take no sides either for or against, but who have as clear and definite a platform and as practical a programme as any other single party in the world today. They take their stand upon the essential divinity of man; their programme is founded upon good will, because it is a basic human characteristic.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Page 637
So here he tells us that these true servants of humanity will “take no sides either for or against” in partisan conflicts but instead “stand upon the essential divinity of man.” In other words, the divinity that is in humanity will eventually prevail – leading us in the right direction, but “Divinity, however, awaits the expression of man’s free will”. Reappearance of the Christ, Page 164
So, think about it. Why did he stress that the NGWS take no sides?
The reason is simple. The main goal of the NGWS is to promote goodwill among humanity for that is the key to solving the most serious problems on the planet and establishing peace on earth. If the servers therefore openly take sides and promote an issue that is opposed by half the people or more then what chance do they have in creating goodwill among that opposed half?
In fact, more than half, 52% of the people voted for Brexit. Therefore, if NGWS take a side against that 52% what chance have they of establishing goodwill among them by showing trust in their divinity that “awaits the expression of man’s free will”?
Instead, what have we? The 52% are looked upon as unenlightened near-do-wells who need to be corrected by the elite who know what’s good for them.
Do you suppose that there are no enlightened among those 52% who support Brexit? Who is to say that there are not more among the ranks of the NGWS among the pro Brexit as the anti Brexit?
How would the NGWS expect to establish goodwill among the 52% of the pro Brexit voters if they openly oppose their legal and democratic majority vote? After all, DK tells us that the NGWS and people of goodwill will be found in every religion and every political party.
At this point one may ask what are the principles involved that cause the Hierarchy to take a stand for or against a position? Unrealized by many students is the fact that they rarely take a stand. Normally, in a conflict they let both sides duke it out and merely work with the divinity in those of both sides with the idea that there will be progress toward good in the end. (See Externalization of the Hierarchy, Pages 475-477). The conflict of World War II was the exception. Here is his reasoning:
“On the basis of these distinctions, it is surely apparent that God is on the side of the allied nations, for it cannot be supposed that Christ is on the side of Hitler and the rule of cruel aggression. The spiritual Hierarchy of the planet is throwing the weight of its strength against the Axis powers just in so far as the spiritually minded peoples of the world can collaborate, for there can be no coercion of man’s free will.” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 187
Free will, not a forced union, is the deciding factor and the only one that causes the Hierarchy to take a side. Otherwise, disciples are advised to merely work with the divinity that is in us human beings, for once that spark is lit, goodwill will manifest and we will naturally be headed the right direction. When we therefore look at the Bexit situation we see that 52% of the people of the UK have chosen it of their own free will and this needs to be honored whether we personally agree with the decision or not. The key of wisdom here is that free will decisions will come from the divinity which is in humanity and we should trust that free will to eventually take us to a positive conclusion.
“The democracies, with all their present ineffectiveness, have in them the germ of that which is truly new, for they are the expression of an upward surging towards self-rule and self-mastery by humanity as a whole.” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 199
“The will of the people will then be seen in the light. It is in this connection that Great Britain will emerge into renewed activity for her personality ray and India’s soul ray are the same” (Ray One). Esoteric Psychology Vol I, Page 53
I can sympathize with those who want a united and effective European Union. It would be great if such a union were a great benefit but DK says, “Cooperative unity differs from an enforced unity in that the subjective spirit and the objective form are functioning towards one recognised end. Today, such a thing as a true democracy is unknown, and the mass of the people in the democratic countries are as much at the mercy of the politicians.” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Page 52
The key statement here is that “Cooperative unity differs from an enforced unity.” If the majority of the UK are voting against the uno then overriding that by the elite creates “an enforced unity.”
DK further States this:
“Still another reply, upon which I would ask you to ponder, is that Christ and the spiritual Hierarchy never—no matter what the incentive may be—infringe upon the divine right of humanity to achieve freedom by fighting for freedom, individually, nationally and internationally. When true freedom covers the earth, we shall see the end of tyranny, politically and religiously. I refer here not to modern democracy, which is at present a philosophy of wishful thinking, but to that state of the realm in which the people themselves will rule; these people will not tolerate authoritarianism in any church, or totalitarianism in any political system or government; they will not accept or permit the rule of any body of men who undertake to tell them what they must believe in order to be saved, or what government they must accept. Externalization of the Hierarchy, Pages 617-618
He always gives freedom the greatest weight, above unity, sharing or any other virtuous endeavor. Only in an atmosphere of freedom will ideals materialize into the dominating good. Disciples must not give into the temptation to attempt to speed the process by the exercise of undo force.
I’ll end this treatise with a digest of goals DK set forth for The New Group of World Servers:
“No word must be spoken or written which could be construed as evidencing partisanship, or as an attack upon any ruler, any form of government, or any national activity. ‘Hatred ceaseth not by hatred; hatred ceaseth by love.’
“Nothing must be published in any pamphlet, newspaper, circular or letter which could evoke antagonism from any government, any political party, any economic strategist, or any religious organisation. ONLY PRINCIPLES OF UNIVERSAL APPLICATION MUST BE EXPRESSED, AND NO PARTISANSHIP IS PERMITTED.
“Members of the New Group of World Servers are never to identify themselves with any political, religious or social propaganda. Such propaganda is separative in its effects, and breeds divisions and hatreds.”
Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Pages 680-682
The New Group of World Servers “constitute a third group or ‘middle party’ (to borrow a phrase from the field of politics) between those who are fighting for, and those who are fighting against, any group, religious organisation, political affiliation or form of government.” Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Page 676
The only exception to this. as noted earlier, is if the Principle of Freedom is at stake, for there can be no progress toward the light without it.
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