Category: Teachings

Dec 3, 2020
Group Synthesis, Part 4

(5) How are the alternative spiritual groups different from religious or other groups?

Many new age and alternative spiritual groups take pride in the idea that they are not like the religious groups and churches. Some see the orthodox religious ones as rather primitive compared to their more enlightened approach.

True there are some who indeed have a more enlightened approach but the truly enlightened do not take pride in being better than others and refrain as much as possible from negative judgments.

On the other hand, many of those who see themselves as enlightened yet judge harshly are not as different from the churches as they suppose.

Some have a message very similar in vibration to the churches but just preach their doctrine by using a fancy vocabulary.

Here are a few correspondences.

Many of the Christian churches teach members to believe in Jesus and be saved.

Many alternative spiritual groups have a guru that must be accepted to achieve their version of salvation.

The churches all teach some version of salvation

Many New Age groups also teach a salvation of sorts. The main difference is they will call it something else – like deliverance from the wheel of rebirth or some high station in the afterlife or some type of deliverance on the planet.

Many religions teach of an end of the world apocalypse with those of the right beliefs being saved and living in a paradise.

Similarly, many alternative spiritual groups teach of some type of apocalyptic future where there will be great earth changes with those in their group being saved. Others see deliverance from war or destruction by aliens or just a shift into another dimension for the righteous. Like the churches many new agers see those of their belief system being saved.

Many of the churches put pressure on members to donate and spend it in questionable ways. The same happens with some alternative groups though many charge exorbitant fees as well as seek donations.

Many seekers complain that the churches’ teachings are shallow and repetitive.

Correspondingly, even though new agers may have a different bible, or reading materials many wind up focusing on superficial material not much in advance of the churches.

The churches often govern by strong use of authority which is not supposed to be questioned by members.

Many alternative groups do the same thing.

It comes down to this for the true seekers. If one is going to leave the churches for greener pastures he or she must make sure they are actually taking a step forward rather than engaging in a new version of the same thing.

So what should the seeker look for when seeking a group that will truly be a step above most of the churches?

The most important thing is freedom of thought and expression. Even if the group supplies all kinds of interesting teachings, if they frown on you asking questions or looking at other teachings they will have placed a stumbling block in your path just as the churches did. The seeker must always be free to explore and ask questions and in the end be governed, not by some outward authority who takes the place of God, but the inward authority which is indeed linked to God.

When the seeker feels confident that his freedom will not be infringed he must look at the quality of the teachings being offered. He needs to plow through enough of the teachings to see how they register with his soul. Do the teachings or practices make sense and will they offer some type of benefit for the individual and the group?

One of the last things a seeker wants to happen is to get caught up in a group that takes its members more toward illusion than truth or darkness rather than light. If one does get caught up in such a group it is often difficult to get out. When the seeker does see the light perhaps he has friends, family and loved ones that must be left behind to leave. Groups with a cult like control are famous for their grip on members, some even threatening those who dare leave and harassing them if they do.

There is not so much danger of this sort on most internet groups as people come and go all the time, but a group with physical meetings or especially one where members live together must be examined with a particularly discriminating eye.

Whatever group, internet or otherwise, a person joins one does not want to waste time, so the seeker should have some common sense criteria before investing any personal resources.

Steps that may aid the seeker in his choices of groups, teachers and teachings are the Principles of Discovery. These are 24 principles to aid the seeker in the discovery of truth covered in my book “The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact.”

They are presently freely accessible online.

Here is the LINK

To read part 1 go HERE , Part 2, HERE , Part 3 HERE, Part 5 HERE, Part 6 HERE, Part 7 HERE, Part 8 HERE, Part 9 HERE, Part 10 HERE, Part 11 HERE, Part 12 HERE, Part 13 HERE

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Original Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

 

Group Synthesis, Part 3

(3) There are many groups out there covering almost every subject. How do I go about choosing one right for me? Aren’t most of them saying the same thing?

Some have the attitude that there isn’t much difference in the quality of the various spiritual groups. “If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” is the mantra of some.

The fact is, just as each individual is different so are groups and just as you would not want to pick a marriage partner at random neither should the seeker just pick the first group that comes along.

DK emphasizes the importance of using discernment in our choices:

The disciple in training for these higher realisations is urged to practice the faculty of discrimination. You have been so urged. The initial and normal interpretation and the immediate effect of the practice is to teach the disciple to distinguish between the pairs of opposites. Yet just as the disciple in his early training discovers that the discriminating process has naught to do with the choice between recognised evil (so-called) and recognised good, but concerns the more subtle pairs of opposites such as right and wrong silences, right and wrong speech, right understanding and right indifference and their opposites, so the man who is reacting to these higher laws discovers that the discrimination to be shown is again still more subtle and is—for the bulk of the aspirants in the world today—still a meaningless objective. Esoteric Psychology, Vol 2, Page 175

The point he is making here is that as the seeker advances along the path the correct and incorrect choice becomes more subtle. When we were young that which was right and wrong as taught by our parents was pretty simple and black and white, but as one progresses it takes a greater mental effort to see what the right choice is. This progresses to the point that the average person could not eve understand the subtleties of the choices that confront the advanced disciple.

So when any major choice is set before us we must use the mental faculty of discernment to ascertain what we are getting into and where it will take us.

This particularly applies to groups as some can be quite demanding of time.

To find the right group a seeker must first find where they are. If he is interested in physically attending one then he must find one in his area. Unfortunately, many complain that there is little or nothing available. A seeker is fortunate if he does find one of value within easy driving distance. The website “meetup.com’ is a good one to help people find like minded groups in their local area. Local publications are also a good source.

We are fortunate to live in an age where distance poses little barrier as through the internet the seeker has many choices for groups and Zoom gives us the opportunity to have meetings almost as real as the in person ones.

Facebook is most likely the greatest resource of groups as it hosts a whopping 10 million of them. Out of ten million there is something for just about everyone.

In addition, many host groups through other services such as Google or on their own web page. If you cannot find what you want on Facebook just Google your favorite subject or author and a little surfing may lead you to like-minded group. A number of authors and teachers offer group services and classes on their web pages.

In searching for a group the seeker must ask himself if he wants to just have a loose association and learn a few things or does he want something that involves some type of group work and closer connections. If he wants something worthy of intense dedication then this will require some searching. The seeker may have to join numerous groups before he finds a good fit.

If, after searching through he millions of groups available he cannot find one that feels right he can easily create one of his own. If he sounds the right note he can draw like minded souls interested in the same material and goals.

You will know you are in the right group when two things occur.

(1) The knowledge presented registers with your soul and helps center your attention on the light.

(2) You feel a soul connection with the majority of the people in the group, especially the leader or leaders.

Of course, some you will sync with more than others but this is normal. No matter which group a disciple joins he will find that he must apply significant effort in overlooking personality imperfections and seeing the Christ within each member.

(4) Should I join just one group or several?

There are many on Facebook who are members of over a hundred groups. Do you think they pay attention to them all? Not likely. Most will only participate in a handful at most.

The seeker must guard against the scattering of energy by being active in so many groups that he cannot positively contribute to any.

The seeker would be wise pick one main group that will be the center of focus and maybe have several others for a casual relationship.

The extent of his outreach will also be determined by the free time available. If he is retired he can enjoy more latitude in mingling with several groups than if his career demands a lot of attention. Some people are so busy making a living they are lucky to free up time for one or two meetings a week. I have been there and certainly understand that problem.

The key point though is to calculate how much free time you can afford, measure it out with wisdom, scatter not your forces and find a point where participation will provide the greatest benefit.

To read part 1 go HERE , Part 2, HERE, Part 4 HERE, Part 5 HERE, Part 6 HERE, Part 7 HERE, Part 8 HERE, Part 9 HERE, Part 10 HERE, Part 11 HERE, Part 12 HERE, Part 13 HERE

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Original Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

 

 

Nov 28, 2020
Group Synthesis, Part 2

(2) What is the advantage to me in joining a group?

Even the most hardened isolationist cannot completely detach himself from group influence. After all, we started our lives in the most basic of all groups – a family. Even if you were born to a single mom there was still a group of other family members and friends who assisted her in some way.

Then as a kid you had a group of friends, probably went to a church, an organized group, perhaps joined boy or girl scouts, and also attended school. The various classes you were in were groups as well as your whole school. In addition, you may have been in numerous school groups or played in sports in which many tightly knit groups are formed.

Then your home town itself has a group identity as well as your state and nation.

Various types of groups are necessary for humanity to enjoy the basic benefits of civilization. After all, every group is formed to provide some type of benefit that is not available to the individual on his or her own.

The true spiritual student will also seek out a group for some type of benefit beyond that which can be obtained by the individual. Many have tried the orthodox churches and found them lacking. Some enjoy the social mingling but many complain that the knowledge obtained and shared there is very minimal. You’ll often hear someone say that he can get closer to God going outdoors communing with nature than in church.

So what does the seeker do who is frustrated with regular religion? What often happens is he will come across a friend who will turn him on to some alternative group or reading materials. Others will just find some interesting books on their own or discover something stimulating while surfing the internet. After a time the seeker will gravitate to some type of spiritual philosophy that seems to fit.

As he then absorbs the teachings he is faced with a choice. “Do I continue learning on my own or do I join a group?”

A generation ago it was often difficult to find a group dedicated to a specialized interest, but thanks to technology a seeker can now quickly find a group dedicated to most any subject or popular author. The question these days for seekers is not “Where can I find a group of like interest?”

But “Do I want to join one?”

Of course, whether or not one joins a group will depend on the value seen there. The seeker must therefore ask as to whether any of the groups available are worth joining. One may be thrilled to find a group dedicated to his favorite subject but then disappointed by the quality after joining. If one can find a group of quality like-minded souls that seems right there are a number of possible benefits.

(1) Establishing new friends. It’s always nice to have friends with similar interests.

(2) Like-minded associates can stimulate thinking beyond that which can be obtained with books alone.

(3) Groups provide an opportunity to share as well as receive additional knowledge.

(4) A group may provide avenues of service not available to the isolated individual.

(5) Each group has a shared energy that can be picked up by the individual.

(6) Groups generally figure out creative methods of entertaining themselves which adds value to the quality of the lives of individual members.

Of course the quality of the groups may vary immensely as well as their purpose. Many groups just want to study a subject together while others are actively engaged in some purpose. If the student can find a group that embraces a purpose that speaks to his soul then the opportunity is there not only for obtain personal benefit, but to provide avenues of useful service to others.

DK lists two benefits of a spiritual group:

(1) With those of like degree with whom he is associated in the work. Then their united relation enables them (as a result of their group unity) to be en rapport with levels of consciousness and of activities higher than their own. This is, therefore, a group relation, dependent upon the established inter-relation of group members.

(2) With those to whom he is related karmically; or by his own choice which may not be karmic at all but a newly instituted decision; or by the choice of others opening to him avenues of contacts which he, himself, working alone, would never have made but which are the result of the drawing power of the group soul. Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 1, Pages 183-184).

To read part 1 go  HERE , Part 3 HERE, Part 4 HERE, Part 5 HERE, Part 6 HERE, Part 7 HERE, Part 8 HERE, Part 9 HERE, Part 10 HERE, Part 11 HERE, Part 12 HERE, Part 13 HERE

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Original Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

 

Nov 27, 2020
Group Synthesis

There has been some discussion in our group relating to several aspects of group work and purpose so I thought I would expand on a number of issues involved to assist in group syntheses and purpose.

There are a number of questions seekers have as they approach group work on a spiritual level. Here are a few.

(1) Should I join a group or work as an individual?
(2) What is the advantage to me in joining a group?
(3) There are many groups out there on almost every subject. How do I go about choosing one right for me? Aren’t most of them saying the same thing?
(4) Should I join just one group or several?
(5) How are the alternative spiritual groups different from religious or other groups?
(6) What if I join a group and discover flaws? What should I avoid or seek to correct?

Possible concerns:
(A) The cult leader
(B) Unearned authority
(C) The feeling of specialness.
(D) Erroneous teachings
(E) No purpose or a harmful purpose
(F) Too much attention on the personality

(7) How should my group work with other groups as far as goals, activities and teachings go?
(8) What are some of the qualities of the ideal group?

(1) Should I join a group or work as an individual?

Many spiritual students are not joiners or interested in any kind of merging, even marriage. Their reasons vary. Some think that they are complete within themselves and do not need anyone in their lives – outside of casual relationships that are pleasing to the personality. Others are just not joiners and prefer to search out truth as an individual.

Are these people missing out or can more progress be made on staying with the self and seeking within and without?

The answer is: “It depends.” The answer to most esoteric questions is rarely black or white, but depends on a number of items.

Whether or not to join a group can depend on a person’s stage of spiritual evolution as well as a life cycle that he may be experiencing.

We all go through various cycles. In one we may be more extrovert, active and group minded and in another we may feel more introverted, introspective and work in isolation.

Even one who is group minded may withdraw from group activity for a time during an introspective cycle.

Most seekers can tell which cycle they are in by gauging their feelings and asking: “Do I have a natural inclination to reach outward and be involved with others in accomplishing some worthy goal or do I feel like keeping to myself?

The second thing that determines group inclinations is the place upon the path. The further the seeker is upon the path of liberation the more he or she will be inclined to be involved in group work. Also the cycles will affect the advanced student differently than the beginner. The advanced student will have an interest in group work in and out of he various cycles. The difference will be that he will be more involved during the extrovert cycle and even create a group if he cannot find oe to his liking. During the inward cycle he will be more likely to still join a group but in a supporting role rather than lead it.

The beginning student is most likely to join a group during the extrovert cycle but may avoid them all together during the inward cycle.

Somewhere along the path the student must reach a point of enlightenment about the importance of group work in relation to spiritual evolution. Until he reaches this point he is likely to go with the common idea that we are in in need of no one and since the kingdom of God is within then all we need is there and no outreach to other souls is needed.

Yes, it is true that there are certain things the individual must accomplish on his own and often he must travel alone for a time due to some crucial decision. On the other hand, his power to achieve and advance are enhanced in many ways through merging with others. Even uniting with one or two others has great potency as noted by Jesus when he said:

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 18:19-20

Basically the Master here tells us that reaching union with just one or two others can unleash unlimited power.

If two or three united have such potency then imagine what could happen with a perfect union of 12, 24 or even 144,000?

Achieving a perfect union with one other person is difficult enough. For proof just look at the statistics on the divorce rate and he number of unhappy people involved in marriages that do hold together.

Even so, the ideal is always there and, flashes into our minds now and then from our Higher Selves. Finally, the day comes in the progression of the struggling pilgrim where he catches a glimpse of the power of union and realizes the potential of group work. From that point on his resistance to group endeavor will evaporate and he will continue on the path until the one self merges with the many selves.

The glimpse the seeker has obtained is that of the fifth kingdom, the one higher than humanity which is the fourth. This fifth kingdom is the one wherein dwell the Masters of Wisdom and Compassion and is often referred to as the Kingdom of God.

Outside of the fact that the residents of this kingdom are more evolved than humanity what is the great demarcation that differentiates the two?

The answer is group consciousness.

In the human kingdom consciousness is focused on the individual and its needs, wants and desires. Those who have entered the fifth kingdom have done so by expanding their consciousness beyond the individual to the group. For them, the group is not many, but one and their consciousness tunes in to the body of the group as a whole as if it were one life. Thus their first inclination is always centered around what is good for the whole rather than the individual with the realization that, in the end, that which benefits the whole will also become the highest good for the individuals within it.

So in answer to the question posed we can say this. If the seeker wishes to enter the kingdom of God then, yes, sooner or later you must become involved in group activity. You cannot obtain group consciousness without a group.

To read Part 2, go HERE , Part 3 HERE, Part 4 HERE, Part 5 HERE, Part 6 HERE, Part 7 HERE, Part 8 HERE, Part 9 HERE, Part 10 HERE, Part 11 HERE, Part 12 HERE, Part 13 HERE

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Original Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

 

The Corruption of Truth

Thought I would make a few comments on this quote I posted:

“Two plus two equals four and nothing else, though corrupt thinking says otherwise.”

It may seem to some that this is a rigid statement that belongs to the religious camp that insists that they are right and everyone else is wrong, but such is far from the case.

The fact is that when you have two sides to any issue there will be elements of truth and error presented by them both. To take a truth presented by an opposing side and oppose it just because it is used by them is a fallacy or a guilt by association approach which is very deceptive.

Let us take Hitler, for example, who most see as an evil character. He approved and endorsed the production of the first Volkswagen Bug. The Beetle turned out to be the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made.

Does this mean that all those millions who bought the car and loved it are evil Nazis?

Of course not. In this case guilt by association seems ridiculous yet many fall prey to its misuse, some by ignorance yet others through clever manipulation.

I point this out because statements of absolute truth are often seen by alternative spiritual people as something that belongs to old time religion that must be replaced by relative truth. They correctly see that there are many paths that give us true direction on the path to liberation as opposed to one path as presented by some religions.

What is overlooked is that there are points of absolute truth on any path as well as absolute falsehoods. All paths are composed of much truth mixed with error and discerning the difference is the great challenge.

The fundamentalist claiming that his path is 100% error free is where the mistake is. His mistake is not associated with the concept of truth itself.

A Course in Miracles makes the profound statement that “the truth is true and nothing else is true.”

If we look at a simple statement like 2+2=4 then this becomes obvious. 2+2=4 and nothing else is true. One could give a trillion different answers, but only one is true.

This is the case with all basic math and the universe is built upon mathematical principles.

Why then do so many people take exception to the idea of absolute truth?

The answer lies in semantics. The problem lies in how people see truth in their own minds. We often hear statements such as, “You have your truth and I have mine.” Others may say that truth changes with time and is relative.”

What they leave out of the equation is that it is not truth that changes but the perception of truth as well as circumstances.

If it was a high of 60 degrees yesterday and 70 today this does not mean the truth changed. Even though it is 70 degrees today, it is still true that it was 60 degrees yesterday. Changing of the circumstances did not change the truth but a new true circumstance instead was created.

And when people talk about your truth and my truth they are not talking about real truth, but merely their own perception of the truth, which could be miles from the actual true reality.

Thus when people talk about relative truth they are merely talking about relative perception and not truth itself.

What we perceive and interpret to be truth is often far from the real truth.

So then, where does the corruption of truth fit in, especially in today’s world where we have the most pervasive political war going on in recorded history?

Is one side all right and the other all wrong?

That is not the problem. The problem is that a corruption of truth causes them to see things so differently that they cannot reach reasonable compromise.

And what causes this corruption?

It is the mixture of truth and error on both sides. Let us say there are ten main points in an argument and seven are true. Three are not true at all but give the appearance of truth. These three can corrupt the presentation of the seven items that are true.

Then in other cases an ironclad truth may be presented that runs counter to a bias. In this case the bias person will ignore or dismiss the truth.

To escape corruption, that which has been proven to be true must be separated from that which is theory or opinion. Uncorrupted truth must be the driver of conclusion rather than opinion or personality reaction.

Let us focus on a specific truth.

It is indeed a true fact that for the truth of a dispute to be fully revealed that both sides have to be presented. If only one side is allowed to be heard then much that is true will be suppressed.

For instance, in the days of Galileo it was believed that the earth was the center of the universe and anyone who made an argument to the contrary risked his freedom or life. Then along came Galileo with his telescope which gave them absolute proof they were wrong. Well, there is nothing more dangerous than proving an accepted authority wrong and he was attacked and forced to recant.

Fortunately, the truth was not entirely suppressed for many others made telescopes and saw for themselves that Galileo was correct.

But imagine how much different the world would be today if the Vatican scientists had their way and were totally successful in only allowing one side to be discussed. We may still be struggling in the dark ages.

There are many today who are like the Vatican scientists who think the truth is settled and no other discussion need be allowed. Many want to go so far as criminalizing speech and ideas they do not want to hear.

Today many in the media are banning or censoring opinions and even hard facts they do not want to hear.

Let us pick one that crosses political boundaries – the vaccination debate.

The leader voicing skepticism toward the vaccination system is the prominent liberal, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In this opposition he is joined by many conservatives.

The desire of these people seems pretty reasonable. They want to give out all known facts and studies on vaccines as well as have the freedom to accept or reject having them themselves.

Their problem is that the consensus of Big Pharma, the media and many in government is that the truth is settled, the skeptics are dangerous and their views need to be suppressed.

Big Pharma uses some truth in their presentations to make the case that free speech is dangerous and needs to be controlled. This results in the many arms of the media banning any presentation that even hints that any vaccine or multiples thereof are dangerous.

Now another may agree in this case but state that opposition of his pet belief is indeed dangerous and does need to be suppressed.

This has been the disproven throughout history and the result of suppression has always been an increase in darkness rather than light.

We need to let all views be heard and have faith that the common sense of the people will prevail.

Consider how the Ku Klux Klan was destroyed of its power in the latter 1920s. It was not weakened because of restrictions of speech but through free expression. Their deeds were exposed and their ideas ridiculed, often with humor. The KKK lost in the realm of free expression of ideas and their results.

We are drifting away from this to where opposing ideas are seen as dangerous and need to be suppressed at best or prosecuted at worst.

The elements of truth are found in both sides of a disagreement so to minimize the corrupt use of the true elements on the dominating side the challenging side must be able to express their views as well.

For additional thoughts on the principles behind truth check out post numbers 107, 108, 109 and 373 at this link:

Oct 10, 2020

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Older Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

Immense and Constant Antagonism

DK gives this advice:

“Those disciples who work today in the world and do so consciously in order to aid the Christ and His mission, come within the protecting aura with which the Head of the Hierarchy at all times surrounds certain work undertaken by the Hierarchy in connection with our planet. ‘This work of preparation for His coming is curiously fraught with danger because of the immense and constant antagonism it arouses (and is arousing increasingly) in the opposing forces of evil. The main attack of these forces is upon disciples and particularly those in a position and at the point in evolution where they can act with potency and greatly help in the task of reaching others. This you can do, and along with all disciples are, therefore, marked “for protection,” as it is esoterically called. This does not mean that you will be free from attack and—because you are a disciple—attack on all three bodies simultaneously, but it means that such attack will arouse in you no fear. Remember always, brother of mine, that it is fear that permits the entry of wrong potencies, and that such an attack may not be aimed at your weakest point but preferably at your strongest; it is there where disciples are often caught unawares and thus suffer a temporary setback.

“The astral plane is in a great state of turmoil today—but that is a theme upon which I will dwell in my next communication to this group of disciples. It is nevertheless something to bear in mind. This turmoil is caused by an increasing descent of the Christ energy from the buddhic plane into the astral plane—a necessary aggregation of spiritual forces of a strength sufficient to create a reservoir of this energy of which the Hierarchy can avail itself as it proceeds towards externalisation. Of that force (which is astral-buddhic in nature) disciples such as yourself can take advantage. It carries the qualities of “embodied light,” sensitivity to the new incoming vibration, and protective pliancy–I know not what other word to use. It can only be used by working disciples; therefore work, my brother, and let that penetrating energy find a channel through you.” Discipleship in the New Age, Vol 2, Pages 748-749

Comment: There are two key phrases here to which disciples must pay attention. First he tells us that as the coming of Christ draws near “immense and constant antagonism it arouses (and is arousing increasingly) in the opposing forces of evil.”

Indeed. The forces of evil that work to restrict and remove freedom from the human spirit do fight tooth and nail against anyone who stands up for the Principle of Freedom.

Support of the freedom of the human spirit is the main dividing point between the forces of good and evil and freedom must be preserved at all costs. Once basic freedoms are taken away then the forces of evil (which pretend to be for freedom) will then come out in the open and suppress them – North Korea style.

Many of the freedoms a threat are expressed in the U.S. Bill of rights. The most important of these is the first and is probably why it was made the first.

At risk here is:

Freedom of speech. We are increasingly told what we can and cannot say, what is politically correct or not, and what is hate speech that is not to be spoken, whispered or even thought about.

The Bill of Rights has protected us so far from the government making distinct laws to limit speech but that right is now hanging by a thread as many now desire speech restrictive laws and are seeking to enforce their own dogma by any means necessary including the following.

(1) Forcing businesses to fire or cease business with anyone who commits undesirable speech.

(2) Making rules within various organizations restricting speech.

(3) The media seeks to destroy anyone speaking out of line.

(4) Family and friends withdraw themselves from those who voice unpopular opinions.

(5) Even though the government is restricted (for now) from punishing free speech many seek to prosecute offenders by other means such as selective prosecution through tax violations or some obscure law they dig up.

Yes it is true there is some outrageous speech and opinions out there with which each of us disagree all the time, but if one side of the political spectrum gets to decide what we can and cannot say then light, and love will be suppressed for an age. We therefore must allow both the good and the bad be expressed else darkness and not light will cover the earth.

The First Amendment also speaks of religion telling us that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Most agree with the idea of Congress not getting involved in establishing or promoting any particular religion, however many are promoting their political point of view with a religious mindset even to the point of calling diverse counter opinions evil and unchristian. Even some atheists are doing this.

The most obvious infringement though is the “prohibiting the free exercise” of religion re attacks on religion itself. Many are doing all in their power to force various Christians to support policies contrary to their beliefs. Now there are many religious beliefs with which I disagree but each should be free, according to the Bill of Rights, to their own beliefs. This should be tolerated unless the physical safety of others is threatened.

Then the Second Amendment which gives us the freedom to bear arms has been increasingly under attack. Books have been written for and against this, but one thing we know for sure is that this freedom, seen as so essential by the founders that it became right number two is under threat.

The right of the Seventh Amendment to a fair trial by jury is also under threat. If the outcome is not acceptable we now have rioters arise causing destruction. The results of a trial must be accepted whether we agree or not.

The lights must preserve our basic rights if they desire others to remain.

Secondly DK tells us that those who are willing to take the heat from the attacks are “marked for protection.” His does not mean disciples will be free from attacks, but instead will receive a presence from the Hierarchy that will cause them to not fear and have power to stand for the side of freedom, light and love.

Jefferson indeed spoke truly when he said, “the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

Oct 2, 2020

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Older Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE

Life After the Virus

We recently had a meme posted that deserves a dispassionate examination. It was originated by the author Brene Brown and reads as follows:

“We will not go back to normal. Normal never was. Our pre-corona existence was never normal other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate and lack. We should not long to return, My friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.”

This thought embodies the idealist side of humanity’s thinking. On the other end, we have many wanting most aspects of the old normalcy to return.

Which wing represents the most sound thinking?

As usual the truth is not found in either extreme but a some point in the middle.

Le us start here by analyzing the other side of this quote. It makes it sound like all the norms that existed prior to the endemic were very bad things. It makes me wonder what kind view of the world Brene had, to see only the negative around her. As for me I saw many good things from the past that we certainly do not want to eliminate. Here are a few, speaking from the view of one who lives in the United States

(1) Fee speech. Even though many have been attacking this freedom here in the USA I can still speak my mind without fear of repercussions. However, since the virus hit free speech has been curtailed. Many voicing opposition to establishment protocol or experimenting or recommending anything beyond that approved by the establishment and Big Pharma are attacked. Some have lost their jobs, been sued or prosecuted. Others have been banned from social media and Youtube.

I recently listened to Dr. Simone Gold on Coast to Coast describe how her freedom to prescribe FDA approved drugs has been curtailed and any action not approved by the media establishment deserves discipline.

Here is the link to her Coast To Coast interview: LINK

And here is an interview on her website in case you do not have a Coast to Coast membership: LINK

I could cite many other examples but do not want to write a book here.

(2) Not having to wear a mask wherever you go. Just questioning the value of a mask here can bring on personal attack whereas numerous countries that do not require masks are suffering fewer deaths and infections than the United States.

Everything that happens in physical reality has symbolic meaning. What is the symbolic meaning of wearing masks? There are several, but the main one is that the mask covers the mouth, representing speech. Since the mask has dominated, free speech has been curtailed correspondingly.

I certainly would like the normal of not wearing a mask to return.

(3) Public Gatherings. We miss beng able to go to restaurants, ballgames and social gatherings without concern of infection or other people being closer to you than six feet. I do not know anyone not looking forward to returning to the norm in this area.

(4) A return of people to their jobs. The closing and curtailment of small business, and some larger ones, has caused widespread unemployment and human suffering. Some argue that it has caused more suffering than the virus itself.

Now let us examine the things from the quote that are said to be the norm before the virus which are hoped to not be the norm afterwards.

(1) Greed. I do not think that greed has been the norm. Most people I know are fairly generous and willing to share. Think of people you know. Is greed the norm with the majority of them? Probably not.

Could each of us be a little more generous? Probably, but that doesn’t mean we are sinfully greedy.

Many associate greed with businesses, but businesses are composed of people like you and me. Most of them are just trying to make enough money so all involved can make a decent living. A handful seek to take more than they should but most are providing an honest service, especially the small businesses.

(2) Inequity. There are many inequities and not all are bad. After all, who wants the same size fitting all in appearance, dress, type of work, belief system, friends, etc.? Variety is the spice of life. Negative inequity such as unfair treatment socially or under the law is somthing many nations are working on but we often shift the unfairness around rather than correcting it. Greater fairness in equality is a slow process to achieve and it is unrealistic to expect a miraculous change because of a virus. Then too, in some cases a change in perception is needed. Many people see themselves as victims when their reality is of their own making as is taught in most advanced spiritual disciplines.

It is interesting that many have pointed out that the virus itself is not fair. For instance, someone my age at 75 years is 220 times more likely to die of the virus than a person between the ages of 18-29 and a person in the 5-17 year age group is 16 times less likely to die than the18-29 group. LINK

There is also a difference by race. Blacks suffer more deaths than any other race. In the United States as of Aug 18, 2020 they have 88.4 deaths per 100,000 Latino Americans fare better at 54.4 deaths while whites have only 40.4. On the other hand, Asians do best of all at 36.4 deaths per 100,000. LINK

Part of this inequity is caused by racial history of our ancestors being exposed to different viruses in the past, giving partial immunity, and part due to social and work conditions.

(3) Exhaustion. This is an odd point in the list for I do not know of anyone complaining of this. Probably the main cause of exhaustion is overwork and some will continue to push themselves in the future as in the past.

(4) Depletion and Extraction. I assume she is talking of a depletion of resources. Because of the genius of humanity any depletion is temporary. If we get short on one resource we will develop another that will be even better. For instance, with energy there are a number of alternatives that should supply abundance clean energy within the next fifty years. Just nuclear fusion alone has the potential to supply unlimited clean energy.

Because of many lockdowns we are using fewer resources but this is likely to be a temporary thing. Fortunately, technology is leading us toward unlimited resources of energy, if we do not self destruct first.

(5) Disconnection. Not sure what type of problem she was referring to before the virus, but during the endemic we have suffered a disconnect of Biblical proportions. People dying in nursing homes are not permitted visitation from family. Because of various lockdowns many are restricted from seeing loved ones and friends. Groups are hesitant to get together socially and when they do they often refuse to give each other a hug or even a handshake.

The old norm here looks pretty good compared to the disconnect during the present virus.

(6) Confusion. This is an odd ingredient in the list as many have suffered confusion in the past; it continues in the present and confused people will be with us for the foreseeable future. The fog of confusion will be slowly lifted as the consciousness of the people is raised and this will be a gradual process.

(7) Rage. There is always a certain amount of rage in society and that is not likely to end soon. Then too, we have cycles where the enraged express themselves aggressively, such as during the Vietnam War and the present reaction to George Floyd’s death.

At this point it is important that we promote goodwill as much as possible along with the realization that we are all brothers and sisters on the same planet, belonging to the same human race, and need to focus on unity rather than division. This will require the better angels of our nature to surface and the solution will involve a lengthy struggle. There will be no magic bullet on this when the virus gets under control though all certainly hope things calm down.

(8) Hoarding. Didn’t see much of a problem with hoarding before the virus, but when it became a threat we all saw hoarding like we’ve never seen before. Toilet paper, tissues, disinfectants and many canned goods just disappeared from shelves by hoarders. Fortunately, the supplies in many areas are returning to the old normal and most figure that is a good thing.

(9) Hate. There was a certain amount of hate before the virus, during the virus and it will exist after the virus. Again, we must spread goodwill and brotherhood. The words of the Master are apply:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matt 5:44-45

We must resist using accusations of hate as a weapon for many good and loving people are falsely accused of hating just because they have differences with the accuser. Let us focus on seeing the best in our neighbor, not the worst.

(10) Lack. Poverty is a problem humanity has worked with from he beginning of civilization. What is not realized by many is that the world war on poverty has been a great success story. They figure that extreme poverty is living on $1.90 or less in today’s money. In 1800, 81% of the world lived in this state of poverty. By 1990 only 44% were in such poverty. But since then success has increased so that by 2018 less than 10% of the world live in extreme poverty.

https://cepr.shorthandstories.com/history-poverty/

Since the virus hit many throughout the world have suffered an increase in poverty, so in this case the goal should be to get back to where we were and then move ahead again from there.

Brene ends with this statement: “We should not long to return, My friends. We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.”

As pointed out there are some things we want to return to such as less poverty, less rage, less disconnection, less hoarding etc. And I agree that we should take every opportunity to improve our situation, but in her short thought she doesn’t present any specific goals. She does seem to think, along with many others, that the crisis of the virus is presenting us with a great opportunity for positive change.

The problem is that many of the good and spiritual people of the planet are just sitting back waiting for someone else to make this happen and the effect is that power hungry politicians and some large business are seizing the moment which could result in much greater control by the powers-that-be over our lives.

A positive move forward always takes time and a lot of focus and energy. Promoting an ideal alone does little to alter reality.

The writings of Alice A. Bailey give excellent advice to idealists:

“Their (The idealists) dreams and ideas deal with projects for which the world of today is not ready and will not be ready for several thousand years. It is an easy thing for them to present impossible Utopias which have not the faintest relation to things which are needed today and which could be made possible. The name of these people is legion, and at this time they constitute a definite hindrance. A vision of the impossible is not the type of vision which will keep the people from perishing. Because of an inability to compromise and to face up to things as they are, these people and those whom they influence are landed in despair and disillusionment.” Externalization of the Hierarchy, Pages 459-460

Comment: This problem, caused by an attachment to the ideal, is causing many difficulties today. Many form an ideal in their mind of how the world, government, human relations should play out and if things are not moving fast enough they will march, attack, riot etc. Many an idealist acts as if there is an unlimited supply of money in the hands of government and the rich and they should be forced to give it up, even if it should cause an economic collapse.

The wise merely look to the next step to be taken and do not try to take ten steps at a time.

Copyright By J J Dewey

Index for Older Archives

Index for Recent Posts

Easy Access to All the Writings

Register at Freeread Here

Log on to Freeread Here

For Free Book go HERE and other books HERE

JJ’s Amazon page HERE

Gather with JJ on Facebook HERE