Theos-Talk Archives (October 2002 Message tt00134)

Oct 15 2002


Dear Friends:

Re: Justifying War.


There is a single question:

WHY DON'T WE LEARN FROM HISTORY?

Next, we ought to ask: (each to themselves, interiorly: )

What is my sense of a true position to take?

Let your heart answer.

Dallas TenBroeck

----------------------

PS

Biblical history, per the "old testament," may not be 100% accurate --
as we all know it has passed through many hands and minds. In any
case it is not "our" history. It is the record of a race, of a small
section of the races of men.

Let us look rather at the last 50 to 100 years which is within our
direct observations. What kind of decisions in general would we
endorse? How do our mind and heart say?

Does the slaughter of many hundreds and thousands of a nation or race,
in any way alter the selfish leadership they endorsed, either because
they were lazy, inept, ignorant, or allowed themselves to be imposed
on -- and did they have the moral and spiritual stamina to resist to
death an unfair, unjust and unbrotherly set of conditions. What would
we do under identical conditions imposed on us?

Are we so pure in life and motive, we can make decisions, or allow our
"leaders" to make them for us ? If we disagree, then why don't we say
so? That is, if we have reasons.

Look inside, on our own character. What would we have done, and what
would we now do ourselves, if faced with similar circumstances?

To resist aggression is one thing, to initiate it is quite another.

Some view patriotism as a necessary burden assumed by the fact we are
incarnated in a particular Nation. Look at the world. It is devoid
of political boundaries. Lines of "ownership" are man-made. Men make
boundaries, and devise laws to support them, and, to unmake them. And
when the time comes for us to die, what do our efforts amount to?

Nationality, and national politics are not the end all and be all of
human and our living. They mark only a passing step of impersonality.
A very limited impersonality, since in reality we are all members of
the FAMILY OF MAN. When we die and reincarnate, where will we be
located? To whom shall we give our fealty, our loyalty?

The individual Spirit/Soul has no Nation except that of the EARTH.
Let us remember that it is IMMORTAL, and killing the physical body in
some terrifying and horrid way is no proof that we are either better
or superior. Might is not invariably RIGHT.

We all incarnate on the Earth according to our Karma, either in male
or female bodies. and in one section of the world, country, sea-shore,
river-bank, mainland, island, forest, desert or mountains -- or some
other geographical feature -- and we learn to live there.

Our allegiance is to the ONE SPIRIT and to the VIRTUOUS LIFE. This
allegiance is INTERIOR to the inner spiritual HIGHER SELF which is ONE
with the ALL-SPIRIT.

Need we slay our brothers for their conditions and/or errors of
judgment (or those errors made by their leaders) ?

Are we judges. Then let us first improve ourselves and our ability to
act compassionately. Have we free or closed minds? How have we
framed them ?

In the final analysis, Nature alone, impersonally and independently
decides reward and punishment (under the impartial Law of Karma) for
individuals, according to their thoughts, feelings and deeds in the
past and present. What is the nature of those ? We ought to
investigate and analyse ours first of all.

The earth is large enough for us to share -- no one need grab it
all -- greed is our real enemy.

Best wishes,

Dallas



=======================

-----Original Message-----
From: L F K
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2002 10:11 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Theos-World Re: Poem

Yes But...

On Mon, 14 Oct 2002 10:36:21 -0400 --- writes:
:
> > In the Bible, when the Children of Israel first came to Canaan
> during
> > the Exodus, they found a settled land.

You write:
> Actually, they lived there before they came to Egypt.

This is true according to tradition, but that was only the extended
family of Jacob (Israel) his sons and their families. Hardly a nation,
but rather a nomatic tribe that claimed no bounderies nor built no
cities. Although, again, according to tradition, Abraham was promised
this land as the inheritance for his posterity and that birthright was
passed down to Isaac and then to Jacob, at that time they did not
"possess the land." That happened only after the Exodus.

Also,
> the land was not entirely settled; there was plenty of unsettled
area.

Yes, this is true .....

CUT