Once upon a time, a long while back, a man was born called Adam ... then about the same time there was a woman born called Eve ...
At first they saw each other as equals and their "parent" as the ultimate equal (=) ... all "three" loving each other equally (=) and unconditionally ... a very happy "family" with very few differences ... none that were a "problem" ... their unity was cooperative and creatively synergistic, what differences they had they called natural diversity and used their unique talents toward a common goal ... there was peace and prosperity in the valley garden !
They, the man and the woman, then "came together" and children were "created" ... but the first two children were boys who later became men ... and they became "confused" because the "balance" no longer existed and the "original parent" (=) was "replaced with the "two" more immediate parent(s) ...
In their confusion, one of the boys took after dad and the other took after mom and became, rather than equals (=), opposites (+/-) and began to fight about it ... there had arisen a Gap or Void (/) where before was a "Bridge" (=) of equality ...
The "original Trinity" (+=-) of overall Balance, Dad Adam (+), Parent GOD (=), and Mom Eve (-) became distorted with Dualistic views (+/-) by the kids ... they could no longer "see" the "distant" original "parent" and the Natural Trinity (+=-) and it's value (love) and meaning for their future ...
In their (the kids) minds there was just two parents, they did NOT know of or believe in "Old Grand Parent" ... so they took up "sides" of opposition based upon jealousy and fear of each other ...
One kid identified with Dad and called himself a conservative republican and did not much see anything to like in the brother who identified with Mom and called himself a liberal democrat ... now, remember, they were really both very confused and unity with cooperation was not seen as useful ... in fact they feared each other rather than loved each other ... maybe they had sensed a gap developing in their own parents who's attention had been diverted from the original parent by the squabbles of the kids who consumed so much time with problems ... maybe some "favoritism" developed in the parents to match that of the kids looking in the other direction ... (?) ... whatever, problems multiplied because the former peace associated with unity and loving cooperation was no longer so evident ...
Eventually all HELL broke loose when the one kid killed the other kid ... and nothing has been as good ever since ...
The moral of the story, and the offered lesson, is that with a Trinity of Love (+=-) there will be peace in the valley and cooperative synergism resulting in creative Utopian conditions ... where each and all are "winners" using their natural diversity to help each other solve any common problems that might arise ...
The alternative being non-cooperative conflict across the Void (/) of misunderstanding and distrust causing FEAR and ever more of the same all around ... resulting in nothing but conflict and eventual destruction of the one by the other ... lions and hawks killing off the lambs and doves ... the men killing the women and the conservatives killing the liberals ...
Does this ring any bells at all with anyone ... ???
(+=-)>(+/-) ... IMnsHO. ... :-)
Jerry Kays, Oct 24, 2008, 12:09pm EDT (originally placed as comment on Devin Barber's post http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977485610
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Comments: 31
Thank you so very much for posting it to my group.
Blessings and best wishes, now and always - S.
Thanks for the great article, Jerry!
A very philosophical twist to explain the current situation in the US of A. There will be no solution to this I am afraid. ;)) me (+)(-)=0 ((
Now many will NOT like what I say next, but things just seem to trend this way in general terms ... and of course there are always exceptions and mixtures ... but for the sake of understanding, we will find that the "side" that considers itself to be the strongest and most righteous, will be the side that "calls the shots", makes the "rules" and dominates.
Of course they consider themselves the "best" and thus claim the positive (+) sign ... and could very well be a bit "judgmental" in the process ...
What can the other side really do about it except complain and resist, after all, they are the weaker by GOD's very nature ... that is just the way it is .... in DUALISM (+/-).
But in TRINITY (+=-) where GOD (+) is REPRESENTED by SPIRIT (=) as the "bridge" between "realms", then mankind as a relative whole is (-) ... (what the "church" calls "sinners all") ...
BUT ... because GOD IS ALL ... ALL IS GOOD ... even the "bad" (-) ... because the bad is only the relative difference "away from" the good ... and SPIRIT (=) permeates the entirety ... only just not realized by so many ... especially those dualistic self-proclaimed (+)s that are truly lacking in True Spirit because they seek maximum (+) at the expense of (-), NEVER recognizing the VALUE of (=) [Balance].
IF the so-called (+)s would just allow the SPIRIT (=) to act as the "bridge", the Void (/) would be erased and the (-)s would be accepted for what they naturally are, equals yet opposites of the (+)s, and each and all could Love each other rather than Fear each other and there would be no more conflicts and destruction ... we would all appreciate the natural diversity of the natural differences and bring our uniqueness to any potential problem areas to cooperate on the solving, resulting in a synergistic creative process of win/win ... GOD via SPIRIT helps those who help themselves ... we thus are assisted in creating our own reality and that also a co-creation with those we share the experience with ... for Good or Evil ... it is really OUR CHOICE ... and Karma sees to it that there are no accidents in the greater picture of eternity ... what goes around comes around and to each their own just desserts ... some will be sweet and some will be sour ... as Karma dictates.
Then we get to the next if which is if those that see themselves on the plus side would allow the void to be erased by the spirit there'd be no problem, you say, but that's sort of an idealism that is far beyond the human capacity which is why we need Jesus Christ, but there we part ways, I know. Once again, some of those people on the plus side are not even on the plus side, but it's just how they see themselves, so there's a big problem with that.
Very good article! I've read your philosophy a number of times and although I find the +, -, and = to be more confusing than explanatory, because of their mathematical values, I think you are quite accurate in your belief and share most of it.
As Sue has s pointed out, most people will want to see themselves as + people. But in reality, we do not get to judge ourselves. And I would actually put more people into the + category than I would the -. Most people are good most of the time. No one is perfect and good all the time. The evil in this world comes from a tiny percentage of the inhabitants of this planet! Actually, most fit into a range of gray in the spectrum rather than either end.
I'm going to have to agree with Jerry on the power and influence of fear. Most of the things we do are based on fear of some kind. It is much more noble to ascribe some other motive but fear is universal, pervasive and sometimes self fulfilling!
Sue and James, I realize that you both are right also ... probably a part of their being something for everyone ... which is the key to the whole thing.
Meaning that when we are just what we are in honesty, not pretending or desiring to be something else by someone else's standards, we are truly "perfect" (the esoteric meaning)(whole and complete) because whether we are spiritually aware or not of our relationship to GOD, we are what we were intended by GOD to be ... even an ego can be "balanced" that way (=) ... yes, many, many, are ... but of course in duality it is always the extremes that get the attention ... and as has been said here, way out of proportion to what they deserve.
By far and wide, the bulk of the folks ARE relatively balanced (=) and thus relatively "good" (+) ... they are just the "silent majority" ... but they make little "noise" and thus get little attention ... they deserve so much more !
When I earlier spoke of (+) good and (-) bad ... it is in the "Dualistic sense" that it becomes a problem, and of course that only for the UNbalanced ego ... one that has either TOO HIGH an opinion of itself and/or the one that has TOO LOW of an opinion ... it is only those that are so unbalanced that act out against what they really are ... self confidence based upon TRUTH is the ticket for good mental health and the ability to get along with others, to exercise wisdom in life ...
When we practice our religion in the sense of having relationships potentially with "other" realms (the secular folks do not have such a "problem") then we may have concerns about "powers and principalities" because we have been dualistically indoctrinated into that good/evil syndrome ... and to the degree we believe in it we must honor or fear it, depending upon the value relationship we apply to the "two sides" (+/-) ...
It requires the Trinity to transcend Duality ... it is the Spirit (=) that completes the Trinity and it is only through the Spirit that one gets to GOD (the Father in Christian concepts ... through Christ ... He is the "way") ... yet the dualistic concept of that places Christ effectively "out of reach" for most practitioners because they relate to "Him" in place of Who He represents, GOD, Spiritually !
In "other words", IF Christ could be seen as THE SPIRIT of GOD, as would be the Spirit of Truth or the Holy Spirit ... or even your own Soul (higher Self, transcendent to your lower ego self) ... THEN one could relate to CHRIST withOUT making "Him" unavailable to others such as Muslims, Hindus and even the secular folks ... the now EXclusive religion COULD become an INclusive Spirituality ... IMnsHO.
The Trinity, by its very nature, transcends duality. I don't agree, however, that Christians cannot have a personal relationship with the Son for, as we've agreed, the Son is also the Spirit and they cannot be separated. In that respect, and only in that respect, will I also agree that through the Spirit one gets to God.
That is not to say, however, that if the Son is not recognized, the Spirit will be complete since all are one, so there must also be the acknowledgement of the Son. Whether you then want to still say that it is through the Spirit that one reaches God or it is through the Son, you begin to separate them and then, neither is the Son nor the Spirit of which you speak, since you have taken away a part of either or both of their essence.
The Spirit of God does not transcend itself, for it is all pervasive and cannot transcend that of which it is an integral part. It does, however, transcend duality, once again, by the fact that it is the part of the embodiment of God that, as you said above, erases the void, of which there really exists none because of the wholeness of the three, yet the human striving to internalize that concept and attain that internalization is the key, I think.
Bottom line for me is that GOD is all about Love, the unconditional variety and that amounts to ultimate Truth in the universal sense ... that being what must be realized with a relationship to it to be truly set free ... I swear to GOD that I have experienced that and know of what I speak ... I say that as not at all meant to be a boast, simply a fact and truth that I want others to consider with the hope that they also could have such an experience ... there is nothing in this world that I want more than helping others transcend the present ... assuming of course they have not yet done so, that leaving room for many. :-)
Sue B. you have a consistently cognizant perspective in support of our Lord and savior.
Jerry, I've always known your heart to be in the right place, but there is real evil in this world that basks in darkness, cannot ever change, and will do everything in its perverted and determined quest to dominate every person it can. Why? Simply because that's evil’s entire purpose for existing. Gray areas are in itself a lie to justify any self-serving agenda or need. I hope that James C. is right in believing that most people are in the (+) area, but with the increasing chaos in the world it would appear that just the opposite may be happening exponentially.
If we all just followed the Ten Commandments and Christ’s teachings, there would be no reason for any concern and life would be as God intended it to be for us all. Christ's love and truth are available to everybody. He is complete and perfect in His actions and teachings, but what ultimately sets him apart from anyone else is His Resurrection. Rejecting Christ as the Son of God diminishes His full identity and completeness thus making Him less than He truly is. If one wants to pick and choose what they will or will not accept as truth in the Bible’s old and new Testaments, then are they not putting themselves above God?
I would not claim that most people will do wrong. And that would include you and me! I contend that most want to do right and will, most of the time, putting them in the + category. The bad that most do is an aberration of their true nature. No one is perfect, but God made most of us to be pretty good!
Partly, I have a lot of faith in mankind in general. We often disagree on methodology of things but most of us want things that are good for everyone. I'll acknowledge that in certain instances, lack of resources tempt some to utilize resources not legitimately theirs, but this is an aberration of their true nature.
I've noticed over the years that if we appeal to the better nature of people it tends to stimulate and produce + type results. Part of the faith I have in mankind is not demonstratable and many would question it, but it is my real belief and faith!
Obviously I could be wrong and have misplaced my faith but to have the opposite faith is unthinkable to me. Believing most people to be basically bad - and attempting to live with that paranoia is beyond my capability.
I agree that there is much evil in our world but I do not believe that it has a source any more powerful than the source for good ... it is up to the people to decide how they think and do things and the right choices will leave one free of evil eventually when their karmic account becomes balanced ... there are no accidents in the greater picture of eternity ...
I know that you and I have been through all of this quite extensively before and maybe we should present a link in case any others want to do some reading ... :-)
I am in total agreement, the force for good is greater than the force for evil. Although we can never forget that evil is out there and viable!
God has always wanted the best for his children, but one only needs to watch the news to see that his people have gone astray. The aberration you speak of is however compounded where most of the world’s six billion people are dancing to a different drummer.
I however share your enthusiastic faith in God’s plan and infinite wisdom for all seekers of the truth.
It’s also not necessarily by the name ‘religion,’ but in fact the distortions perpetrated within some false religions that use it to disguise some self-serving agenda or subjective false interpretation of God’s teachings. Some of these malcontents put themselves above truth and meaning through some subjective agenda or purpose and NOT as God originally intended it to be.
The Trinity (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) are purity and perfection personified with the Bible’s quintessential blueprint for all of His children to live by.
You’re right again in saying that evil in our world is not a source any more powerful than the source for good. In fact God being the creator of Heaven and earth, evil could not exist without God for without God there would be only nothingness and the universe would be as it was before the so called Big Bang (theory).
We crave and consume sugar and other products when we know that they’re not good for us - but eat it anyway. We know that lying is wrong and still do it never realizing that the truth is far more interesting. Choosing The Light is always the most appealing over darkness and yet evil tempts to an inner mistaken human desire and perception of worldly desires in the guise of fulfillment even if for just a moment. Regardless of all of our imperfections, a choice must ultimately be made for the Light or darkness. There are those who believe they can have it both ways. Most of these people really doubt that God exists but want to hedge their bets just in case they’re wrong. They don’t realize that they’re only fooling themselves.
Any link you have in mind Jerry would be fine with me.