Al G Smith

When settling down to that indulgent lunch on Christmas Day, after clearing the wrappings of many-a-present, gift and trinket, it’s appropriate to try and spend a moment thinking of those who won’t have such a great time, and maybe to consider how we can all do something to change things in the coming years.

Tempting though it is for us to allow our own life’s trials to consume our time and attention, it’s really not until we all begin to treat others better that the world itself will start to evolve into the place we would all like it to be…

Here are two youngsters who express, through song, some of the sentiments that many of us recognize and feel… But are YOU doing enough (anything?) to contribute to positive change, and if not just what WILL you do about it in 2010?

It’s a question many of us need to ponder on… And an answer we all need to ACT on…

Troy Sivan:

Declan Galbraith:

Here’s the link that features Troye Sivan’s project on the laudable “Kids helping Kids” website:
http://www.kidzhelpingkids.org/TroyeSivan_ForThem.html

And here are just some examples of the reasons why these young singers are so concerned…

The website referred to in this clip:
http://hski.org/difference.htm

Another worthy project on the ‘other side’ of the Island that comprises Haiti and — here — the Dominican Republic:

Here is the link to the Dream Project in the Dominican Republic: http://www.dominicandream.org/index.html

And finally for now another independent charitable organization that is helping disadvantaged children around the world:
http://www.childrenincorporated.org/

Could you also give them something no matter how small this Christmas?

I recently tried to address one of those ‘Big’ themes that regularly crops up on Yahoo Answers. The questioner basically asked if God was indeed, simply ‘everything’. One presumes that this concept or idea may have been influenced by the thought that if nothing existed before God caused it to exist, then was everything simply an ‘extension’ of God.

My effort to answer this question was made at about 1.30 a.m. and whilst I’m posting it here for now — I reserve the right to ‘tweak’ it in due course as an when my ‘creative muse’ inspires me to improve upon my no doubt all too feeble effort to address such a conceptually challenging subject…I’m only ‘human’ after all:

In My Humble Opinion:

No. But God is in us all.

It would be a mistake to think that God IS everything.

It would also be wrong to suggest that God is a person. God is in fact unknowable. That is to say God cannot be comprehended by the human mind. In fact, God is beyond the ability of the mortal powers of conception. This is not really surprising, but it is generally little talked of…probably mainly because it is easier to allow people at least to have some ‘kind of’ idea of God as being a ‘human like’ entity, albeit all-powerful and the font of all wisdom. But as some hymns still have it, God is in fact ‘ineffable’: “incapable of being expressed or described in words; inexpressible” or “not to be spoken because of its sacredness; unutterable”, as the online dictionary has it.

Whilst God is not ‘everything’, God could perhaps be said to be ‘responsible’ for everything - but even this observation is too simplistic to have any real meaning.

Each of us — as a human being — has a mortal body, which provides an Earthly chalice for our immortal soul and we are are also blessed with the Holy Spirit.

The body ceases to exist upon death of the mortal human biological being. The soul, however, goes on to the next plane. The ‘level of entry’ to the next, spiritual plane, is determined by the development we have achieved (or degree of enlightenment we have aspired to) during our mortal tenure. As individuals we have a choice whether or not to ‘develop’ spiritually whilst we are on this mortal plane. This is an aspect of the concept of free will. Ultimately, the ‘choice’ (for can a choice truly be said to be made when we remain in a state of relative ignorance about spirituality?) to develop spiritually will have an impact on how much we ‘get out of’ our mortal existence — how much happiness, how much satisfaction, how much fulfillment, and so on — and will also affect how ready we are to enter at a particular level into the next part of the process of our ’spiritual development’.

If we recognize the immense benefit that the aspects of spiritual development we can achieve on Earth offers to us, then in choosing to develop as a spiritual being we ‘allow God into our lives’ and are consequently are able to become enlightened by the Holy Spirit. There have been some exceptional beings whose own human spirit has been so special, so strong and endowed with such potential, that they have become what has been described as ‘enlightened’ beings. Given the fallibility of the system we currently have for ‘developing’ humans from infant through to adult, it is sometimes difficult to imagine that all of us have the same opportunity and potential to choose the spiritual path towards true fulfillment as a mortal human. For a child raised in conditions where education is undervalued, surrounded by ‘role models’ who are themselves ‘damaged goods’, and beset by lurid marketing imagery and constant ‘distraction’, it may be hard to see how they could ever have a fair chance of developing spiritually. It is evident that many today ‘fall by the wayside’ as a result of the impact of negative nurturing. However we are also all creatures of Nature, which must mean that even the worst of influences and experiences can be overcome, and a channel towards significant spiritual enlightenment can be opened up. There are too many examples of beings who have achieved phenomenal personal and spiritual achievement despite many negative impositions, to dispute this.

The Holy Spirit is the Aspect of God that is with us, and within us, throughout our mortal tenure. It is always there, but how much we recognize it is up to each individual. This is why, for example, atheists live lives without truly knowing an important aspect of human potential and enlightenment. Their God given right to refuse to acknowledge that God exists, in itself ’stultifies’ their potential spiritual development. It is a ‘pretty’ conundrum! But necessary, because what kind of true ‘omnipotence’ is there in a God that must resort to force to ensure that every human acknowledges that a Supreme entity exists. God ‘knows’ that all human souls will still have plenty of opportunity to develop, the fact that we measure our lifespan in a matter of less than a century, means that failure to acknowledge the Godhead, as a mortal human, is but a fleeting moment in terms of cosmic time. Considering that our further development, in spiritual form might take many eons, no God could hold a few decades of ‘headstrong ignorance’, simple ‘lack of intuition’, or too much of a reliance on/acceptance of the inherently ‘flawed’ ideas and explanations deriving from human science and logic, for the explanation of ‘life the Universe and everything’!

Indeed, the ability to choose to be a ‘non-believer’, is also an important part of God’s blessing of free will, free choice and part of the total experience of being part of humanity. This is the only time (as stated, a cosmically ”minimal period of about 70-90 years) that our ’selves’ will have the chance to have this kind of experience.

That is why this ‘human life’ is such a critical opportunity to learn about loving, giving and being part of a community of beings. Our frail mortal bodies, governed by terribly fallible but potentially powerful human minds, beset by all kinds of distractions, temptations and unnatural vices. The whole of ‘life’ as a human is an opportunity for making choices, learning lessons, gaining perspective, developing an appreciation that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, which speaks of that need for Unity in order for the Human race as a whole to thrive and develop.

This ‘life’ is all-in-all a period of unparalleled learning opportunities. The short tenure on this planet is one that is filled with triumph and sadness, and by the time you end your days you are fortunate indeed if you have loved and been loved. More fortunate still if you have gained even a small portion of the enlightenment that the Holy Spirit can bring.

We are all one in the sense that we all play our small part in what should be the Unity of Mankind. Sadly too many people still miss the point, and still spend their lives distracted, sidetracked, closed of mind. This is a necessary part of the process of evolution of the species. Whilst ever there is a balance of individuals who seek only self gratification, personal reward, selfish enrichment there is a challenge to address these issues, laid down for the selfless, the wise and the truly enlightened. Who can deny that if (as outlined in the Golden Rule — posted previously) we all woke up tomorrow and treated everyone else ‘as we would wish to be treated’ and truly ‘loved our neighbour’, then the world would instantly be transformed into ‘Paradise’. This ’solution’ has been within our grasp since it was clearly articulated at least two thousands of years, and seemingly endlessly repeated by the enlightened Messengers across the ages. Even so there is still enough bigotry, prejudice, hatred, selfishness, greed, envy…and so on to ensure we are yet many more millennia away from creating our ‘Heaven on Earth’.

When we die, and cease to exist as a mortal human, our soul transcends to the next plane of existence. At this time the Holy Spirit leaves us to continues to work with other human souls whilst they are bound to their mortal body, and mayhap can positively influence the mortal mind within which they reside.

In truth — we live in a world of multitudinous metaphor and all around us are the clues, the sources of learning, the myriad messages enshrined in the very way that Nature works. Such is the ‘multi-dimensional-experiential’ School that God has provided for all of us to learn the things we ‘need to know’ before we can truly progress to the higher spiritual planes of existence. Such is the Earth — our Blessed School, and ‘Play ground’. God is NOT simply ‘everything’, but God has caused everything to be for a purpose, such that every human being has the opportunity to become more than they are, or at least more than they may seem to be. For just as the Human Race as a whole, when Unified (as is the only true objective of Mankind) will prove indeed that the ‘whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ — such is also the case for any individual human, who is more than the sum of bones, muscle, organs and brain he or she appears to be. When working in a purposeful, unified way (i.e. body and mind), enlightened by the Holy Spirit so that the Human Soul is properly nourished, every Human will also be seen to be a far greater ‘Whole’.

THE GOLDEN RULE is the foundation advice for life that is cited by all the major religions. This page - quoted directly from the official Universal House of Justice website, HQ for the Baha’i faith. I hope you too will spread this around…by word, deed and ‘blog!

This advice appears so widely yet seems so often overlooked. If only we could wake up tomorrow and suddenly lead our lives with the ‘golden Rule’ at its center - the world would INSTANTLY be transformed into paradise of peace, plenty and personal fulfillment.

The only real question that remains is WHY, with our supposedly advanced intellectual  capabilities, don’t we just grasp this and START applying it? After all — whatever color, race or CREED…the same advice for life has been handed on down through the ages for thousands of years!:

REFERENCE: Online 16 Jan 2008: http://www.uhj.net/the-golden-rule.html

JESUS CHRIST:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

“Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your mind and with all your soul… and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Jesus Christ, Matthew 22:36-40)

BAHA’U'LLAH:

“O son of man! If thine eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.”
(Baha’u'llah, The third Leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise, Tablets, p. 64)

BUDDHISM:

“Hurt not others with that which pains yourself or in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. One should seek for others the happiness one desires for one’s self”
(Udana-Varqa, 5:18)

HINDUISM:

“This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others that which would cause pain if done unto you.”
(Mahabharata 5:1517)

“Do not to others what ye do not wish done to yourself; and wish for others too, what ye desire and long for, for yourself. This is the whole of Dharma, heed it well.”
(The Celestial Song, 2:65)

ZOROASTRIANISM:

“That nature ONLY is good when it shall NOT DO unto another whatever is not good for its own self.”
(Dadistan-i-Dinik, 94:5)

“Whatsoever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.”
(Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29)

That which is good for all and any one, for whomsoever - that is good for me. What I hold good for self, I should for all. Only Law Universal, is true Law.”
(Zoroaster, Yasana-Gathas)

JAINIST:

“A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.”
(Sutrakritanga 1.11.33)

SIKH:

“Precious like jewels are the minds of all. To hurt them is not at all good. If thou desirest thy Beloved, then hurt thou not anyone’s heart.”
(Guru Aranj Devji 259, Guru Granth Sahib)

CONFUCIANISM:

“Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.”
(Analects, 15:23)

“If one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them, he will come near the perfect life.”
(Book of Meng Tzu)

WESTERN SCHOOLS:

“What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them.”
(Pythagorean)

“We should conduct ourselves toward others as we would have them act toward us.”
(Aristotle, from Plato and Socrates)

“Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”
(Thales)

“Do not to your neighbor what you would take ill from him.”
(Pittacus)

“Cherish reciprocal benevolence, which will make you as anxious for another’s welfare as your own”
(Aristippus of Cyrene).

“Act toward others as you desire them to act toward you”
(Isocrates)

TAO:

“Pity the misfortunes of others; rejoice in the well-being of others; help those who are in want; save men in danger; rejoice at the success of others; and sympathise with their reverses, even as though YOU WERE in their place.”

“The sage has no interests of his own, but regards the interests of the people as his own. He is kind to the kind, he is also kind to the unkind: for virtue is kind.”
(T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien)

NATIVE AMERICAN:

“Love your friend and never desert him. If you see him surrounded by the enemy do not run away; go to him, and if you cannot save him, be killed together and let your bones lie side by side.”
(Sur-AR-Ale-Shar, The Lessons of the Lone Chief)

“Do not kill or injure your neighbor, for it is not him that you injure, you injure yourself. But do good to him, therefore add to his days of happiness as you add to your own. Do not wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not him that you wrong, you wrong yourself. But love him, for The Great Spirit (Moneto) loves him also as he loves you.”
(Shawnee)

“Respect for all life is the foundation.”
(The Great Law of Peace)

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION:

“A SAGE is ingenuous and leads his life after comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer. THEREFORE, neither does he cause violence to others nor does he make others do so.”
(Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)

“One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.”
(Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)

ISLAM:

“Not one of you is a believer until he desires for another that which he desires for himself.”
(Muhammad, 40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 13)

“Do unto all men as you would they should do unto you, and reject for them that which you would reject for yourself.”
(Mishkat-el-Masabih)

JUDAISM:

“What is hateful to you, DO NOT to your fellow man. That is the law: all the rest is commentary.”
(Talmud, Shabbat 31a)

“Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD.”
(Moses, Leviticus 19:18)

CHRISTIANITY:

“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”
(Matthew 7:12)

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
(Luke 6:31)

BAHA’I WORLD FAITH:

“Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.”
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets, p. 71)

“Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid on you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves.”
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings LXVI, p. 128)

“Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not. This is my command unto thee, do thou observe it.”
(Baha’u'llah, The Hidden Words, Arabic # 29)

“Choose for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for thyself.”
(Baha’u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 30)