In Chapter 11 of ‘Through The Mists’ our narrator Fredrick
learns more about life in the spirit world and the great laws governing all of
God’s Creation.
Following is part of his discussion with his guide, Siamedes:
“Then perhaps you can answer me a question which puzzled me many times in the old life?”
“I will, if possible,” he replied kindly.
“Which of all the denominations, or religions if you will, contribute the highest percentage of the redeemed?”
“We recognize but one religion here, that is - Love; and all its disciples have but one denomination - lovers of mankind. No one of all the man-made religions holds a monopoly of this attribute. But earnest and conscientious followers of it may be found in all. Its worship is service to humanity; its litany, noble deeds, its prayers, tears of sympathy; its sermons, simple lives, known and read of all men; its songs are lullabies to soothe the brokenhearted; its faith the immolation of self; and its hope - Heaven. This is the only religion which can write the passports of heaven for the pilgrims of earth. Systems of theology have no more charm for us here than they had on earth; but in every heart there is a latent ideal towards which all mankind is blindly reaching out, a vague and undefined hope to which all the nations are ignorantly aspiring, a settlement of political problems that is only just beyond the reach of statesmen, a method of international arbitration by which peace shall reign on earth; these are all generating in the womb of futurity.”
Part of our homework for this Chapter was to consider the following
questions:
In Chapter 11 Cushna makes a
statement about Love being the only ‘true religion’.
In this chapter and throughout
the book, ‘Through The Mists,’ we learn that the qualities of love and sincere service
expressed in our lives are the only true measures of our development.
1. Do I think Cushna’s
statement about love is in harmony with what you have learnt about Divine Truth
from Jesus? Have I understood this truth by listening to the lectures?
2. How does this statement
relate to the way I live my daily life?
3. Given that our development
in love alone is what dictates the location we enter into in the spirit world,
consider - how would I fare if you entered the spirit world today?
4. How many excuses am I making
to avoid living ‘the true religion’?
I thought you might like to join in the reflection. I found this to be a great journal activity.
If you are interested, the recording of the book group
meeting in which we discussed these questions was held on 26th of
September. It will appear in the playlist on youtube sometime in the next few
weeks.
"I will,if possible."...wow what humility from Cushna who then goes on to share something so beautiful it emotionally "knocks my socks off". To be in possession of such truth, insight and beauty and yet to be so humble to truth yet to be learned, is a lesson for me in itself.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the quality of the questions to ponder.
Amanda
This doesn't feel like a personal reflection but as a slight PS I've been fascinated by the underlying references between what was being taught in the religions at the time this book was written and around during Frederick's life, which he could not accept and his working out of the "true" gospel as he felt it to be from scripture, what was in his own heart and maybe his connection to God. The effect it had on him was to serve the poor and the needy where he was but I'm still amazed that this made him a bit of an outcast in the social world he moved in.
Correction. I think it's Siamedes who says this.
ReplyDeleteMary. Apologies for my comment above. It was actually directed at myself but sounds as if it's directed at you and it feels harsh. Feels like I've got some exploring to do about getting things wrong.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda, please don't sweat it.
DeleteI didn't feel that you were being harsh, I realized you were correcting yourself but that I also needed to correction. So I just adjusted my post accordingly - thanks for pointing it out!
M
Thanks Mary.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the questions now (!), on point 1, these teachings of love being at the centre of everything has taken quite a while to dawn on me. Not until that talk in July did it really start gnawing away at me that the test of my growth would be how much love I have in me not how much faith I had, how much time I spent talking to God, listenng to talks and reading books about God, But the less glamorous stuff of noticing my irritation, anger, jealousy, arrogance, misery, nastiness and cruelty to the people around me and having the desire to do something about my emotions and to want God to be with me in that process, in fact to follow God's process.
Amanda
Mary
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I've been thinking about is that the quote above doesn't say anything about freedom. Now I've heard the DT teachings or "The Way" and you'd think it was going to be even more restricting, more difficult to live than a worldy religion because we've "only" not to got act in an unloving immoral and unethical way but with DT we've got to feel loving, feel moral and feel ethical towards ourselves and each other. There has got to be real change within. I think the disciples said "Who then can be saved?" or I feel the feeling behind that is "Come on mate, you cannot be serious! How on earth are we going to be able to do that. It's ******** impossible.You're getting bloomin' stupid now!"
But my experience has been that once my soul gets a taste of this teaching, it wants freedom and with God it appears it will get total and utter freedom to be itself, whether that's loving or unloving at the start and then can choose to be refined and purified. It feels like a bit of a contradiction to me a narrow path but leading to such beautiful freedom to express ourselves as God intended us to be AND to be humble and loving at the same time. That feels like something worth striving for.
With love on a fine sunny day here (for a change)although absolute carnage going on elsewhere in the world.
Amanda
Amanda,
DeleteI so relate to this:
"once my soul gets a taste of this teaching, it wants freedom and with God it appears it will get total and utter freedom to be itself"
This is such beautiful truth and I feel that you are right that once experienced, this acceptance we feel from God is difficult to walk away from (even if we slip back into fear about the next error to be healed - its hard to forget the joy and beauty of God's acceptance when felt at a soul level).
I feel its an often overlooked truth that as we make choices to refine our soul in love, there is growing freedom of expression of our true nature, exploration of our desires in a way that God supports and encourages; the 'gifts added to us' that make life so rewarding and expansive.
Its easy to view 'narrow' as 'restrictive' but I agree that when lived there total freedom to be found and relished in the 'Way'.
Love this reflection!
Thank-you,
Mary