A spiritually bold path to peace
Monday, January 23rd, 2012, 9:00pm EST
Our recent time4thinkers chat with former congressman, Mark Siljander, has been taken down from our site since we just learned that he was recently sentenced to a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to Obstruction of Justice and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. While we don’t doubt the important work Mark has done and the valuable insights he shared during our chat, we feel that practical spirituality isn’t just about the right words, but also about the actions behind them. Because we don’t yet know all the facts related to this case, it seems wise to remove the chat from our series. We are open to comments and insights from our community about the chat and about the recent news reports related to Mark’s conviction. Our thanks to everyone for your understanding and prayers.
The goal of the Euphrates Institute is to “end the clash of civilizations in our lifetime,” and I have a question about that.
Educators spend each year teaching their students, sometimes passing along huge amounts of information and doing really incredible things in the classroom. But the next year, everything resets, the clock goes back to zero, so to speak. A whole new group of students come in, and they have to start all over again from scratch. Even if they’ve done incredible things with the last group of students, the next group knows nothing about that. Isn’t this true with peacemakers as well?
Peacemakers may spend all their time and energy doing incredible work resolving all the individual conflicts that exist right now. And that certainly shouldn’t be undervalued! And while I understand the value of setting high goals, isn’t the goal of ending ALL conflicts within a single lifetime, first of all, kind of an arbitrary time limit, and secondly, just completely unrealistic? Jesus couldn’t even do that.
Hello Gordon,
If each individual in the world had to be personally transformed into a person who’s being was centered on peace (and love) by some sort of personal instruction that might seem like an impossible task. Now consider that everyone on this earth has the same core of consciousness just the way the earth has just one core that we each live above different parts of. That core of consciousness is already composed/comprised of peace and love, but as with the earth’s core we can only begin to understand that when some portion of it comes to the surface.
Once that “substance of being” has been seen and understood, the understanding of it can be passed around the world very quickly…it has a “leavening” effect. Others might term that a form of “consciousness raising.” Consider the Pentacost where everyone hears the truth of being spoken in their own language. So it is with being a “peace maker.” Through humility, and absorbing some of the variations of the message(s) of the gospel….. you learn how to reach in to that shining Center of your being and bring forth an image of that to the surface for others to see and experience. In that way they can learn from your example how to reach in to their own Center, which turns out to be very much like yours. Mary Baker Eddy refers to this process as “Love being reflected in love.” Let it also be said that “Peace is reflected in peacefulness or peace-filled-ness.”
If you think about each person adding to the consciousness of the whole, whatever we do for one we do for all. The next group may be believed to be starting at zero, but the world is not the same place at it was, because some part of consciousness HAS changed – so what was learned and experienced in the previous groups has a consciousness that is carried forth and expresses in many ways in followings following groups. No matter what it seems like, progress is there!
That’s a really good way to think about it, Robin, that progress is a law of God and you never go back to positions outgrown. Thank you!
Chet, what’s the source of the article by Mary Baker Eddy you shared at the end? I missed part of it – and I’d love to absorb it more. Thanks!
True surrender will bring peace of mind, a permanent state of tranquility, because there can no longer be anything to worry about. All worries and apparent difficulties are immediately placed at the feet of the Lord and He takes care of them. From that point on, they no longer concern you.~Baba♥
I’m so glad to have heard about this wonderful Chat in time to tell everyone I know who would be interested to tune in!Thank you Chet for getting us all together.
As a Christian Science practitioner, I pray daily for the One infinite God to be seen as a Father/Mother who is the common Parent of us all.
I hear from others and feel it is true that a great change in thought is taking place. I was so filled with joy to hear Mark say that we are at the “cusp of a huge revelation in thought going on in all people who seek good and love One God. We can look for a merciful, compassionate unfoldment in everyone we meet! That to me is a start forward, to expect good from all. I agree that it is a willingness in each one of us to surrender our individual lives to “no preconceived agenda or outcome” but to let the One divine impetus govern all our actions. Thanks again for this chance to be at-one with you all.
Here’s Mary Baker Eddy’s full quote referenced at the end of tonight’s chat:
War
For many years I have prayed daily that there be no more war, no more barbarous slaughtering of our fellow-beings; prayed that all the peoples on earth and the islands of the sea have one God, one Mind; love God supremely, and love their neighbor as themselves.
National disagreements can be, and should be, arbitrated wisely, fairly; and fully settled.
It is unquestionable, however, that at this hour the armament of navies is necessary, for the purpose of preventing war and preserving peace among nations.
- Mary Baker Eddy
The Christian Science Journal, May, 1908
(Republished in The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 286:1)
Thank you!
Wasn’t able to listen last night, but just heard a bit of it while I was working this morning. Very great chat! I’m very impressed with the work that’s going on behind the scenes to bridge what can seem to be such a huge divide.
So many thanks for bringing this all together. Wonderful to hear it all come even closer together, oneness, during the
focused and lively discussion. Good work! The world has to benefit from all this open discussion and good thinking. The spiritual approach shared is obviously working wherever it is honestly and consistently applied.
Really enjoyed this- such good work! Interesting to Zoom in to our own lives first and see that our prayers will also reach universal peacemaking.
To anyone interested in Islam, this is my website address; which has my story available to read, free of charge, directly on the site. My objective is to familiarize Islam. By making my life an open book, I have hopes God will allow anyone reading my story to benefit from my life as I have, living it firsthand!
http://mypreciouschildrenmyplightmylifemystory.books.officelive.com/
AsSalaam Alaikum (May the peace of God be with you)
Thank you…. thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!!!
This was really wonderful–thank you very much!
This is an interesting development. I listened to this chat and thought it was really interesting and informative. I understand that we want to be considerate of the circumstances but given what information I have read on this “War on Terror,” it seems that many are vulnerable and someone trying to build bridges with people who by government standards is suspect, that individual would be exposed.
Will we be able to access the recording of this podcast? I’d love to share it with some friends. :)