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Bradly,
I have to be honest. I understand what you’re saying. It does make sense. Even though, and I hope you understand, I’m confused.
Enno
But doesn’t confusion motivate toward not being confused? if I’m confused in the shop I keep trying alternatives until I get it right or as right as possible. Outside the shop is another story. Prayer sometimes helps. lack of progress can breed frustration and failure unless you learn how to find enjoyment in the difficulties involved in getting it right. its called work. Work is a saving grace. confusion comes when the effort stops. i keep telling my grandkids not to be afraid of it, work is your friend.
Well said Gene…practice makes perfect! Lots of confusion and errors in the practice. But eventually, situations and tasks result in our “reflexive” response learned by such practice. Then we’ll discover new challenges that deliver confusion. What’s wrong with confusion? Nothing unless attended by frustration, impatience, anxiety, and fear….mind poisons. Confusion is NOT mind poison in and of itself. Certainty can be though.
100:1.2 (1094.4) Some persons are too busy to grow and are therefore in grave danger of spiritual fixation. Provision must be made for growth of meanings at differing ages, in successive cultures, and in the passing stages of advancing civilization. The chief inhibitors of growth are prejudice and ignorance.
Ignorance. Lack of knowledge and understanding. Prejudice. The love of one’s own opinion/perspective. Neither bring confusion. No confusion means no curiosity or yearning to understand. Tragic.
But how things “appear” should progressively change as we grow in Spirit and attain our Circles of Progress. The more acquainted we become with Reality, the more Reality adjusts our perspective and our choices and our motives and our intentions and our priorities at the intersections of decision.
Yep! That’s the elliptic symmetry of all reality.
p1137:4 103:6.14 When the philosophy of man leans heavily toward the world of matter, it becomes rationalistic or naturalistic. When philosophy inclines particularly toward the spiritual level, it becomes idealistic or even mystical. When philosophy is so unfortunate as to lean upon metaphysics, it unfailingly becomes skeptical, confused. In past ages, most of man’s knowledge and intellectual evaluations have fallen into one of these three distortions of perception. Philosophy dare not project its interpretations of reality in the linear fashion of logic; it must never fail to reckon with the elliptic symmetry of reality and with the essential curvature of all relation concepts.
The curvature of relation concepts eventually have to include all of reality, and then keep evolving and progressing, donchya think? Narrow-minded, reactionary and prejudiced thinking won’t accomplish that.
I see what you all are saying. Yes, when you tell yourself you’re not confused, it means you don’t understand that you are.
Bradly you mentioned the “lack of understanding” when you brought up the issue of confusion.
I wonder, are they the same thing?
If you can be, or are, confused about what you “understand,” you can’t be confused if you don’t understand something in the first place, right?
This is what I was eluding to when I said, if you are busy selling all that is possessed, “selling” what you understand needs to be included.
Am I confused?
Enno
100:1.2 (1094.4) Some persons are too busy to grow and are therefore in grave danger of spiritual fixation. Provision must be made for growth of meanings at differing ages, in successive cultures, and in the passing stages of advancing civilization. The chief inhibitors of growth are prejudice and ignorance.
. . . which inhibitors are neutralized by curiosity and the yearning to understand the problem at hand. Self-understanding is important I think. Self-restraint, self-understanding, self-mastery are voluntary.
132:3.10 Universe progress is characterized by increasing personality freedom because it is associated with the progressive attainment of higher and higher levels of self-understanding and consequent voluntary self-restraint..160:1.12 This worshipful practice of your Master brings that relaxation which renews the mind; that illumination which inspires the soul; that courage which enables one bravely to face one’s problems; that self-understanding which obliterates debilitating fear; and that consciousness of union with divinity which equips man with the assurance that enables him to dare to be Godlike.
Daring to be Godlike is voluntary.
inhibitors are neutralized by curiosity and the yearning to understand the problem at hand.
That’s interesting what you’ve said there Mara. I wonder what the correlation is regarding how the kingdom is “at hand” and how that too, might be a problem.
My goal is to change trolling behavior, which involves the one trolling recognizing the behavior as attention seeking. That is something I’m not sure happens with shining light alone. I think there has to be a willingness to see. You?
We have instruction about the Master on troublesome people. For our mutual edification:
149:2.13 The Master was admired by all who met him except by those who entertained deep-seated religious prejudices or those who thought they discerned political dangers in his teachings. Men were astonished at the originality and authoritativeness of his teaching. They marveled at his patience in dealing with backward and troublesome inquirers. He inspired hope and confidence in the hearts of all who came under his ministry. Only those who had not met him feared him, and he was hated only by those who regarded him as the champion of that truth which was destined to overthrow the evil and error which they had determined to hold in their hearts at all cost.“. . . he was hated only by those who regarded him as the champion of that truth which was destined to overthrow the evil and error which they had determined to hold in their hearts at all cost.”“. . . he was hated only by those who regarded him as the champion of that truth which was destined to overthrow the evil and error which they had determined to hold in their hearts at all cost.”
BINGO! So those folks aren’t willing to buy that pearl of great price . . . they prefer evil and error. Sad when you think evil and error is more precious than truth. That’s definitely insane.
I see what you all are saying. Yes, when you tell yourself you’re not confused, it means you don’t understand that you are. Bradly you mentioned the “lack of understanding” when you brought up the issue of confusion. I wonder, are they the same thing? If you can be, or are, confused about what you “understand,” you can’t be confused if you don’t understand something in the first place, right? This is what I was eluding to when I said, if you are busy selling all that is possessed, “selling” what you understand needs to be included. Am I confused? Enno
Well Enno….your grip on your prejudice is amazing. No one must “sell” anything. You still miss the point of parable, simile, allegory, etc. The kingdom is not the pearl dude. Nothing must be sold to enter the Kingdom or progress in the Spirit. The parables (about the Kingdom) are lessons on the VALUE of being in the kingdom….and how being in the Kingdom has more value than any other experience or choice. Something you don’t seem to understand “in the first place”. Just sayin’……………repeating a falsehood over and over will never make the false to become true.
As to the “kingdom at hand”…..this teaching became apparent to me even as a youth. The kingdom is not hither or thither or some future time or event….the kingdom is here and it is now….at hand….immediately to hand….it resides within (kingdom #1) and it includes all believers (kingdom #2), and all of creation (kingdom #3). The point is to stop waiting for and hoping for that which exists here and now….or so I think. And it’s not a “problem”. It’s a promise and guarantee of reality itself. = )
No one must “sell” anything.
See, I’m learning from you. Absolutely, I’m not confused about that.
God has granted me free will and I don’t have to do anything.
If you could only fathom the motives of your associates, how much better you would understand them.
Bradly,
One more thing. If the value of being in the kingdom is great, and the choice to be in the kingdom (with the pearl parable in mind) doesn’t cost anything, then why did Jesus say that something had to be done, once the choice was made that a pearl of great value was discovered?
I interpret “having discovered” to mean “having chosen.”
You said:
The parables (about the Kingdom) are lessons on the VALUE of being in the kingdom….and how being in the Kingdom has more value than any other experience or choice.
Right. But doesn’t the parable suggest that without doing something (sell and buy) you won’t be able to possess (or be in) the pearl, which the kingdom is like?
Help me out. I’m trying to understand you.
Enno
No one must “sell” anything. You still miss the point of parable . . .
I do not have the wherewithal to understand how someone can so irascibly mistake the physical world for that which is spiritual, especially in light of what Jesus said regarding parables:
171:8.8 . . .but Jesus would only say, in answer to their many questions: “Ponder well these words in your hearts while each of you finds out their true meaning.”
He said ponder these words in your heart.Bradly, One more thing. If the value of being in the kingdom is great, and the choice to be in the kingdom (with the pearl parable in mind) doesn’t cost anything, then why did Jesus say that something had to be done, once the choice was made that a pearl of great value was discovered? I interpret “having discovered” to mean “having chosen.” You said:
The parables (about the Kingdom) are lessons on the VALUE of being in the kingdom….and how being in the Kingdom has more value than any other experience or choice.
Right. But doesn’t the parable suggest that without doing something (sell and buy) you won’t be able to possess (or be in) the pearl, which the kingdom is like? Help me out. I’m trying to understand you. Enno
Doing something? Well sure. We all do things and choose things all the time. But entrance to the kingdom is “purchased” so to speak by our faith in the kingdom…meaning our choices are guided by the Spirit nature. We take on new motives, intentions, priorities, and make decisions based on our love of God and demonstrate that with self forgetting service for others spreading the Divine love we feel to those around us. This is the price and the cost for Circle Progress. Fusion requires far more than does survival of the mortal life. Much of the Master’s teaching, especially to the Apostles, was about Circle Progress toward the goal of fusion itself. How to become God focused, God inspired, God led….or God Centered.
Nothing to sell….nothing to buy. It’s described as transferring the seat of our identity from me to we which begins with from me to God. What’s more important to us – our material being and the toys, distractions, pleasures, escapes, and entertainments of our physical self OR the adventure of growing in the Spirit and becoming more and more REAL and living in reality? All we must give up is that which is not real and all we must embrace is reality itself. It is true this is easier said than done….until it becomes our very nature. The material mind and selfhood will enjoy the fruits of the Spirit…it’s no sacrifice….it brings joy, comfort, confidence, peace, and the desire to share these fruits with our brothers and sisters.
So will you “sell” what’s unreal to “buy” what is real? Unreality has no value. Reality IS value. We must choose unreality or reality. It’s a simple choice with profound results.
What should be done, primarily, is to pray and to find God within and to look for God in the world around us and in others. Takes time and practice and some frustration, disappointment, failure, and “Adjust”-ment.
The section of the Papers I read first and most often since:
Paper 100 – Religion in Human Experience
Paper 101 – The Real Nature of Religion
Paper 102 – The Foundations of Religious Faith
Paper 103 – The Reality of Religious Experience
Paper 104 – Growth of the Trinity Concept
Paper 105 – Deity and Reality
Paper 106 – Universe Levels of Reality
Paper 107 – Origin and Nature of Thought Adjusters
Paper 108 – Mission and Ministry of Thought Adjusters
Paper 109 – Relation of Adjusters to Universe Creatures
Paper 110 – Relation of Adjusters to Individual Mortals
Paper 111 – The Adjuster and The Soul
Paper 112 – Personality Survival
Paper 113 – Seraphic Guardians of DestinySo joining the kingdom and being born again is often but one decision. But it is but the first of an endless many more decisions. We learn by both the quantity and the quality of the choices we make….all the way to Paradise. Our progress is measured and known to allow the incremental acquisition of experiential wisdom. It does not matter how long this might take. It is only the direction of progress that defines the reality of progress in the soul of the believer.
I can hear you casting about for “what” exactly must be done. A common theme of yours. Who’s doing what? Who’s not doing what? This is not your or my business brother. You are your business…and no one else. Should keep you plenty busy…I know my relationship with God and my growth in the Spirit keeps me very busy indeed. Growth may be unconscious but that which brings growth is based upon what we choose consciously. The price for the pearl is one easily afforded. It is purchased by choice. And you will never “possess” it but it can possess you…if you choose the reality of the universe and the eternal adventure.
Some primitives believe it is purchased by ceremony, rite, sacrifice, suffering, or some other form of price/cost. This is ridiculous. God loves us. Like a father. He only wants us to learn to love like he loves….and that is not for sale….at ANY price. Freely we receive. Freely we are to give. Pretty simple really…to understand anyway. Doing it? Well….there’s an adventure!
Or so I understand it.
I thought the only thing you need to enter the kingdom is faith. Faith is a gift, so entrance is free. It’s a right, just as the quote says. The cost to stay in the kingdom is effort . . . effort in the form of willingness to seek and strive for perfection . . . the willingness to evolve.
I don’t think the parable is all that hard to understand. Bradly is right, nothing is bought or sold. It’s about changing your attitude and priorities. It’s about figuring out what you want most and then going after it with all you have. It’s about the evolution of dominance by choice. Evolution is very costly, just read TUB to see how much it has cost us in blood, sweat and treasure over the millennia.
Some how my thread has metastasized to this thread. Oh well . . . .
Bradly, I appreciate that. What’s interesting, and it started for me this past weekend, is that I’ve discovered that my self-understanding cannot exceed the understanding I possess of you. And everyone else too.
Thank you.
Btw Bonita, actually it started earlier than last weekend. It was when you told me in what I perceived to be an understanding way, you told me to “Stay on topic Enno.”
Regards
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