TOXIC WASTE OF THE SPIRIT: Selfishness? -or-
NOT-BROTHERLY-TO-THE-LEAST-OF-THESE?For much of the last six weeks or so I've felt much more enlightened with the new insight that all Error, all Sin is Selfishness. Much has been written of this;
THE WORDS THAT COULD SAVE THE WORLD, and see partial list below.
But now I think that Selfishness is the fruit of something deeper: the root of all evil -
detachment / separation / distance / "divorce" from anyone; that is to say,
the root of all evil is ANY VACUUM IN YOUR HEART, any space that is non-family, non-brotherhood-t0-ALL-of-the-least-of-these-MY-FAMILY. Is not this insight in line with Timothy 6:10 (
King James Version): "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith [universal brotherliness], and pierced themselves through with many sorrows?" Yes. The love of money [Stuff, Superiority, Systems/Institutions] is the displacement of the LOVE OF "THE LEAST OF THESE MY FAMILY."
EVIL IS ANY MOMENTS OF ABSENCE OF LOVE OF EVERYONE - UNIVERSAL BROTHERLINESS / OTHERISHNESS / "FAMILY." SELFISHNESS IS THE RESULT / FRUIT. "GOOD" IS THE PREDOMINATION OF UNIVERSAL BROTHERLINESS... IN THE HEART.
The importance of this distinction? A FOCUS ON SELFISHNESS WILL ALLOW THE ROOT TO TAKE HOLD - NATURE ABHORS A VACUUM - A HEART JUST PARTLY FILLED WITH BROTHERLINESS WILL BECOME FILLED BY SELFISHNESS. THE KINGDOM DEPENDS ON OUR VIGILANCE IN KEEPING CONNECTED TO ALL OTHERS / keeping from being diverted ["diversion" being worshiped in our western free market capitalist society.]
This puts Jesus focus on the "least of these my family" in new perspective for me.
This puts Gandhi's statement in a new perspective for me: "I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her]. Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj [freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Caution! Mother Teresa's kind of LOVE - "Love [that] cannot remain inactive in the face of suffering." [paraphrase]
THE BOTTOM LINE!!! THE MOST TOXIC WASTE TO THE SPIRIT, THE GREATEST DANGER IS BEING NOT-ENTIRELY-BROTHERLY-TO-ALL-THE-LEAST-OF-THESE.
WHAT TO DO!?!?!?
- PRAY. "OUR FATHER..." PRAY. SELF-MONITOR. BE ACCUTELY AWARE OF WHAT IS ON YOUR HEART, AND IF IT IS NOT THE-LEAST-OF-THESE-MY-FAMILY, PRAY DELIBERATELY AND PRACTICALLY TO BRING THE-LEAST-OF-THESE-YOUR-FAMILY TO FILL, FILL, FILL YOUR HEART.
- BE VIGILANT, WATCHFUL FOR THE AVALANCHE OF "DIVERSIONS" AND DISTRACTIONS THAT OUR CULTURE THROWS AT YOU EVERY MINUTE.
- REMEMBER, YOU CANNOT ESCAPE LEADING THOSE DEAREST TO YOU WHERE YOU GO. LIFE OR PULSE? HEAVEN OR HELL? THE "GREAT" OR THE "GOOD?"
WHERE IS THE SELFISHNESS / SIN IN MY LIFE?
!!!!!!!!!! DEFINITION: "SAVED" !!!!!!!!!!
Exploitative U.S. "Family Values" will be its demise...
The Anti-Christ: American Capitalism and its Export
DEFINITION OF VIOLENCE - "Enemy," Non-Brotherly, Selfish, Not-as-you-would-have-them-do behavior
Take away Selfishness and Western Culture Vanishes
WE ARE IMMORTAL. THE ONLY DEATH IS SELFISHNESS
And many more posts. Search the blog with the tool a the top left of the site.