Discerning Initiates

2003-1-26 05:54:00

John C writes:

"If GW is a second-degree initiate, what does that make us Keysters? I was under the impression that most of us were struggling to become first-degree initiates."

JJ:

Just because someone is a member of this list or any other metaphysical or spiritual group does not place him or her above or below Bush or anyone else on the path. Where you are depends on your personal progress and the relationship you have with soul and spirit. Joining the Keys or any other group is not a sign of initiation. Joining this group is generally a sign that the participant wants to advance spiritually and therefore would qualify him to be an aspirant.

In this group there are several initiates, but there are also aspirants who have not attained initiation. There are also probably a few curiosity seekers, not particularly serious about the path.

Anna asks:

"However, I do have a question for you, JJ. What kind of initiations and organizations are you talking? Knowing of which organization these three men are second level initiates might help me in understanding your explanation better. After all, Dark Brothers also have their initiates, don't they?"

JJ:

Organizations have nothing to do with initiation into the Brotherhood of Light. An initiation is recognized by them when a certain level of attainment has been reached.

There are various organizations which have their initiations and degrees (such as the Masons) but such stages of advancement within these organizations have nothing to do with the initiations as taught by the Ancient Wisdom.

We talked about controversial initiates earlier mentioning for example that Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were competing initiates. These two are examples of initiates who are not members of any spiritual organization. In fact, because of the astral level of most supposed spiritual organizations, most true initiates avoid them.

The majority of initiates will be found working in what is generally considered non-spiritual endeavors ranging from politics, to science, to business, to education, to creative endeavors. Steven King, Tom Clancy, Steven Spielberg are initiates, for example, as well as several other people I could name that would infuriate some people on the list.

The important point to remember is that spiritually centered initiates only constitute about 14 percent of the achievers. All the fields of endeavor are, of course, spiritual from a higher point of view, but to the general observer, the making of movies, or a business venture is not considered spiritual.

John C:

"I'm not going to argue with JJ's facts because everything he has stated can be verified. In fact, there is much positive here that I was not aware of, but there are also some negative aspects about GW Bush, which IMO tend to negate some of the positive aspects."

JJ:

Few of us would agree with or see only good in many initiates. When we speak of initiates in a generic way we often see them as saintly, but when we meet a real live one we are likely to become infuriated by them.

Abraham Lincoln was a fourth degree initiate, and now that history has judged him, most people recognize he was a great President. But this was not the case in his time.

The New York Times and other papers continually attempted to paint a picture of him as a stupid oaf and often compared him in looks to a dumb ape. They accused him of being a low life who told bar room stories way below the dignity of a President.

The religious people thought he was an antichrist because he did not belong to any church and even had seances in his home. His own cabinet wanted him to step aside and allow them to make the decisions because they thought he was not competent.

Lincoln had to go from a Dan Quayle type of image to a great President image which was a major accomplishment by itself.

John C quoting me:

"A first degree initiate obtains power over his physical self. These three show evidence of this in the fact that they have honored their commitments to their wives and have the self control to not use their station of power to satisfy the lower sexual nature."

John C:

"Has anybody heard the story of when W's wife dared to offer some constructive criticism about one of his speeches? He got so angry he drove the family car right through the garage door and out the other side of the garage. This might have occurred before he stopped drinking, but it shows a lack of self-control and regard for his wife and children."

JJ:

Here is the story as complete as I can find it:

"In a recent television interview, First Lady Laura Bush reported that early in her marriage her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, cautioned her not to criticize her husband George W.'s speeches. One day, the First Lady found out why.

"As Laura and George W. returned from a speech he'd given in Lubbock, Texas, George was pulling into the garage. The future President turned to Laura and asked how she thought the speech had gone. She said, "Quite honestly, George, I don't think it was very good." George W. turned to look at his wife, and promptly drove the car into garage wall.

"Like most wives, Laura Bush learned to be careful how she responded when her husband asked her opinion on something he had done. And I suspect that most husbands have learned to tread cautiously when asked something like, "Hon, how do I look? Do you think I've gained weight?"

"Laura told this story in a humorous manner on national TV to Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts. After telling it she drew laughter from the audience indicating a lack of malicious perception."

My wife has also never criticized one of my speeches, but if she did, just as I was pulling up in the garage, I may be distracted enough to have an accident myself. I do not see this one incident as a sign of lack of emotional control.

Lincoln, an acknowledged initiate by DK [Djwhal Khul], is seen by historians as brooding and possibly depressed, but whatever emotions he had, he did not let them stand in the way of following the highest he knew. Controlling the emotions so they do not distract from the mission or personal goals is the important thing.

Positive results materialized in the War in Afghanistan with greater rights given to the general population and a much more democratic government. The situation is far from perfect but much better than it was when the Taliban was in control.

John:

"Many American citizens are concerned about the resultant lack of OUR rights. John Ashcroft and faith-based government programs are a couple of things that come to mind. Quite frankly, I am afraid that even a post such as this will get in the government database that the Pentagon is now building to spy on people and that I, like so many others recently, will be labeled a terrorist or a terrorist sympathizer, simply for exercising my right to speak up and disagree."

JJ:

I am not a tenth as concerned about this as I am about new restrictive laws, new taxes and new spending which could destroy this nation. The government has been able to find out all it wants about the average citizen for some time so you should have been concerned for decades.

John C:

"JJ, you once stated in a post that the greatest evil one could do is to force people to do good. I believed that before you said it. I believed it when I heard you say it, and I believe it today."

JJ:

Yes, this is a true statement. Unnecessary laws and taxes are the main instruments to force us to do good. Did you have anything specific in mind when you said this?

John C:

"I think that your reply might go something like this: What you are saying is true, but the positive far outweighs the negative. And what we are going through is a necessary step along the road to a brighter tomorrow, and it will help prepare us to weather the next 30 years.

"I hope and pray you are right, but I am taking nothing for granted. I will pray for the man, but I would certainly never vote for him."

JJ:

An interesting sideline is that Joseph Smith, an initiate, advised the Mormons of his time not to vote for Abraham Lincoln, another initiate.

Another point is that some of the initiates among the Founding Fathers of the United States came close to blows with other initiates.

The coming generation of aspirants and initiates must not let preconceived notions create a fog that causes us to overlook the work of the various initiates in the world who are on the left, the right and the middle of the belief spectrum.

I personally disagree with most of the initiates of the world on a number of items, but that does not negate the positive work they do.

It is much easier to look at dead initiates and honor them. It is much more difficult to comprehend living initiates.

Even Jesus had only 120 followers after His crucifixion. Now He has over a billion. But if these billion were to individually spend five minutes in His presence and listen to His ideas on world change, 90 percent would deny Him saying He was an imposter.