Bad things happen, or you may like to say evil arises, when we or others make bad choices. The effects of bad choices are felt by many as we are all part of one creation.
It is clear that badness arises way down the line and is subsidiary to the love and goodness of that which has allowed us the power to forge our own future as we choose it to be, for better or for worse. There is not a contest here, the power of good is supreme.
Mothers and fathers bring forth sons and daughters and, thus, participate in the universal creation process. When our children are young, we make choices on their behalf according to our best judgement. By the time children become adults, they will have understood that they are free to make their own choices.
The freedom to make choices is a fundamental part of who and what we are, and this is a good thing. We are free to make good or bad choices and all the ones in between. A choice is not a one-time event; it is ongoing, as we are free at any time to make adjustments or altogether different or even opposite choices.
Although there are numerous causes for bad choices, I see two as being fundamental.
Firstly, most people lazily dislike taking responsibility and are not prepared to spend the time and effort to properly understand what is going on around them.
Secondly, people misplace trust in the secular and spiritual leadership. We consistently elect to be led by the most incompetent and dishonest among us. If we follow bad leaders and believe lies, we only have ourselves to blame and we are part of the problem.
There is a better way. When asked which commandment was the foremost one, Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” The clarity and validity of these words speak for themselves. If one wanted a two-liner of how best to conduct oneself in life, this would be it.
The two mores, to love our creator, who is God the Father, and our neighbours, are highly practical, down to earth and beneficial to all. They result in families, communities and nations that are economically and socially resilient and peaceful.
All that is other than us is our ‘neighbour’- David Marinelli
I do not speak of a utopian society. The reality I refer to is an imperfect one. Creation is intentionally, what we would call, flawed. Life is beautiful, interesting and challenging for the reason that we are called upon to balance our, so-called, imperfections with those of others and the imperfect situations that continuously arise. Life is a spiritual journey and it is not about being perfect, or even striving for perfection. It is, however, in my opinion, about following the two golden guidelines.
The duality of male and female came into being as the creator, materialised into the universe that we know. This should be taken literally and is not in contradiction to an evolutionary process. We are not being asked to honour some invisible and ineffable being. We are being prompted to love creation and life itself, which we already know to be sacred and which is what we experience through our senses, thoughts, emotions and intuitions.
The creator is the sun and the light that generates life. He is us getting out of bed in the morning. He is the earth, every living animal and plant, and the cosmos.
All is sacred, from the highest to the lowest. Hence, the first of the two golden rules.
All that is other than us is our ‘neighbour’. We are all aspects of, and inseparable from, our creator. We are all connected. So when we look at others, we are literally looking at a different form to us that, however, comes from the same source. This being the case, how else should we treat others, with whom we are ultimately one, if not with the highest compassion and wisdom that we can muster. Hence, the second of the two golden rules.
We ignore these precepts at our own peril as they underlie reality and provide the meaning and purpose of life. It is, therefore, right that we should suffer the consequences of our bad choices, not as a punishment but that, perchance, we may become wiser and move away from separation and closer to unity.
The Christian Churches carry the heavy burden of their own historical and ongoing spiritual misdemeanours. There are a few good people everywhere and so it is in the Churches. The clergy that honour Christ’s teachings are, rightly, more interested in helping others rather than wielding political power.
One can, therefore, understand that the antagonism against the Church establishment in western culture is, to a degree, deserved. On the other hand, the widespread presence in our culture of anti-Christ rhetoric, imagery and policies is a dangerous and alarming one.
We should exercise the power to choose with an appreciation for the legitimate concerns of others. We not only choose how to act but we also choose how to think or feel, what to believe or not to believe, where to direct our attention. We choose who to trust or distrust.
Let us all choose peace, not conflict, and care enough to choose wisely.
https://www.davidmarinelli.net/