2004-11-04. Encourage Interfaith Discussions
Lightline #36
Topic: Encourage Interfaith Discussions
Group: Lightline TeaM
Teacher: Anatolia
TR: Willie Verhoff
Opening
Anatolia is here.
ANATOLIA: Good evening, my children, friends and colleagues in this school of spiritual advancement. I would like to just take a few moments to encourage each and every one of you who is a participant in this program that we call the telephone T/R session, which is an innovative and fabulous idea for being able to reach out and to touch someone as the advertisements claim. We are most happy to be able to join you in this realm, and are grateful for your hosting these events on a regular basis.
Lesson
It is also my intention to congratulate each of you for your contributions in this most recent election. And despite the outcome that you may or may not be in favor of, it was a fabulous display of social action, for everyone rose to the occasion and followed their hearts and minds to respond by ballot in the most responsive way that they knew. One may argue or decide that the motivations for some were narrow and not on target with the real issues or concerns. Nevertheless, the heart of the matter for the moment is the participation that took place that was new, improved and expanded. I am simply following up on the lesson that we had several weeks ago concerning citizenship. And in this respect I am simply passing along my congratulatory comments for a job well done.
This is only the beginning of some substantial changes which are in the fore. I am not in a position to do predictions or to do anything that would indicate a warning or ‘I told you so’, but simply that some major movements are afoot that will change the course of history in terms of this movement that has definitely taken the country by storm. And that is what I will euphemistically refer to as Neo-conservatism, and I am not using that in the term of the common day recognition of the term, but an upsurgence of conservatism that has found it’s voice within or among the American people. This has many deep roots which go back to frontier days as far as I can see, which both sides of the Mississippi river and that vast domain that one would consider the Bible belt is the main force behind this movement.
One could say that it is an immovable foundational belief system that is very difficult to change or to affect in one way or another. I would only day regardless of what side of my Neo-conservatism that we speak of, or look at, I simply want to try to suggest that we build upon this Neo-conservatism as a base from which to build. It will take one consistent lesson to be able to reach beyond what I am speaking of, but I am wanting to at least plant the seed that a new theology that takes this concept and expands and enriches it with more actual Jesusology will be an enhancement and an expansion and growth opportunity for both this nation and the world at large.
What I am speaking of pertains to expanding upon the kernel of truth that the broad based foundational or fundamental religions have is that Jesus is Lord, is Savior, and has placed His kingdom here in this world and in the next, and that it is up to each individual to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and therefore they are saved and are entitled to a new life. The concept that needs to be expanded is that this was not intended by Jesus to be an isolated act of salvation provided to, or granted for, only those who recognize Him as Lord and Savior. That is to have to testify and witness and follow through accordingly, the end product being that those who do not proclaim accordingly are not saved. For this is a matter of religion, it is not necessarily limited to this.
What I am saying is, it is a matter of belief that if one accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, and accepts that in his or her heart, and expands that to include all of creation, then therefore that individual and others who are a part of creation are naturally included in that salvific event. Those who can within both organized religion, primarily, and not just Christian, but other elements of the religions who may begin to take a look at the movement that is taking place, I encourage to look at this from the most basic and love based elements that exist within the Christian message.
The caution of course is to intermix religion with government. This is a caution that you will need to watch, because it will tend to pervert that which is in the realm of religion, which is a delicate area primarily for what can happen from a state run, sponsored form of religion that is defined and practiced by the government. By its very nature, it is exclusionary and non-inclusive.
I recommend that whatever you can do in your individual efforts to try to build upon truth bearing efforts to encourage ecumenical and interfaith discussions in your various communities to begin to do so. Each of you may not be in a position to be able to do this, but I encourage you to go online, take part in a discussion group, or form one if necessary, or if you are not religious or clergy yourselves, to perhaps suggest to your clergy persons that they consider organizing an interfaith discussion group, which could be ongoing to expand the base of understanding, and to hold public forums, or other types of events, educational opportunities, marches, whatever may be of help to try to expand the understanding of what the Christian message is, and what can result if Christianity were followed simply by the two great commandments to love God above all and to love neighbor as self. As Jesus said, this includes all of the teachings of the law and the prophets, and therefore one cannot go wrong by this simple adage.
I encourage you to see if opportunities will exist for you to take part in this type of endeavor, and you will find great personal reward as well as hopefully overcome what would otherwise be perhaps a negative or backlash reaction to what is becoming more of a staid point of view. This is a great work that will eventually expand the understanding of Christianity and religion and the need and opportunity for interfaith expansion and acceptance.
This is not the only point of my session tonight, but rather to seize the opportunity since this is definitely a fresh topic in everyone’s minds that I thought I would mention it for your consideration and enhancement. And more importantly, what could be done to try to begin constructive discussions within various communities where you are concerned and others as well. So I will be interested in watching to see what may develop, both spontaneously, or by any of your efforts to build a new understanding in this respect. I believe you can appreciate the importance of this effort.
Next, I would like to discuss a concept or two that is part of my general theme for becoming a better believer. I won’t even use the term Christian necessarily, because of the implications that it has of whatever one’s belief system is within Christianity, which takes on many, many strands of belief as you know. This is the heart of my previous comments in terms of the vast perceptions which exist.
Nevertheless, I am wanting to reinforce with you as believers in a higher power, or in the Jesus and God of the Gospels and the Old Testament presentation, or in the Urantia Book itself, the Judeo-Christian history that you are familiar with is one that has vast opportunity for new insight, growth and expansion within your world as you currently know it. I wish not to reiterate the presentation that I just made, but to encourage each of you to become more enhanced believers. I may be speaking to some who are perhaps on the verge of sanctity or sainthood as we speak. Nevertheless, my point is to encourage you to become yet even more open, more receptive to change within yourselves and within the wider community.
For after all, it will not be a part of accountability on your part for the state of the world as it is or will develop for when your time of judgment, so to speak, or your accounting needs to be brought forth, you are not responsible for the world as it is known, or for what it may become, but rather for your part in the world, for where you are and for what you are doing to accommodate truth, beauty and goodness.
I know you may be saying, “Well, of course, that’s what we’re all about. That’s what I’m currently doing, and why would you need to reiterate the obvious?” I only wish to encourage the obvious because oftentimes it’s the obvious which is overlooked. I wish for you to consider revising or enhancing a plan of daily prayer that is based on truth, beauty and goodness. I would like to suggest that for the next seven days that each of you draw a map, make a list, put a reminder on your mirror in the morning to cite at least three examples of seeing, witnessing, experiencing or giving love during your day.
To also state that you wish to observe three occasions of beauty and goodness as well. If you cite those three premises of true religion, and look for three examples of those throughout your day for the next week, you will begin to realize and appreciate just what is around you, and what you are involved in, in terms of truth, beauty and goodness. So that your parts in the world are not necessarily just as viewers or receivers, but in fact are the elements of truth, beauty and goodness.
So what is it in your day that you can attest to being those elements being a part of your life? So that by doing this you may not have to feel as though you are a victim, or that something has been imposed upon you, and that the world and its difficulties are too huge, and you are too far removed to make a difference. If you follow these simple concepts, it may become a habit, and therefore will help change your perspective. This can be done regardless of political viewpoint or consideration, for even if one does not find credibility in the Urantia Book, it is nevertheless cited as the basis of true religion, these three concepts, and as such has application across the board into other religions which would certainly recognize these as truths or precepts.
So I encourage you to do this and to perhaps change your view or attitude across the board. If there are marital difficulties, for example, by doing this you could expand the list from three examples in each case: truth, beauty or goodness to probably a laundry list. Even under dire circumstances, if one were to find three examples in their day, or in their life, of these three elements, I am certain you would be able to list more than three each. So, enough said on that topic. I ask you to do this, and perhaps the next time we meet you might be able to report what it meant to you and whether it is something you would want to continue in the future. So we can discuss that later.
Another element which I wish for you to consider this winter, when it will be cold in virtually all locales throughout your North American continent, that it is a time for recapitulation, to reconsider who you are, where you are and what you wish to bring to this world as a contribution of your having been a part of its everyday events and growth. For certainly if you were not here, the world would be a different place, insofar as your place and experience dictates. Just as in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life, when the angel came and affected his life for him to see what it would have been if he had not been there, it is true too that each of you would have left a void for people not having known, loved and appreciated you in your life as you know it. It isn’t to say that there is not room for improvement, but the only improvement I would suggest that you work upon would be your capacity to love and understand your brothers and sisters, whether they be a mate, children, neighbor across the street, a friend at church, a coworker, a person sitting next to you on a bus, whatever it may be.
As you know, oftentimes the world is not a friendly place. It does not mean that it is a hostile environment, however, for this is a temporary condition for your passage through this world, and whatever you can do to improve upon the circumstances that you encounter is all that you will be asked to account for. So I wish not to place a burden upon you, but simply an opportunity for you to look around and see what your circumstances are, and how you might improve the place in your world as if you were not there to be able to see or contemplate what the world would have been like without you, which results in a need for you to consider and appreciate then your place, and how you might be able to remove the friction and chaos and other negatives which may dominate your environment.
I believe that this is sufficient for an introductory or primary lesson for this evening, and would otherwise be willing to entertain any questions that you might have, which perhaps we could delve further into some of these topics. Are there questions?
Dialogue
TOM: Yes, Anatolia, in our text it states that the Most Highs are active in the political affairs of men. Are you able to share some of the techniques that they might be using today?
ANATOLIA: I can only tell you that the Most Highs are most directly involved in the everyday events essentially in terms of energy. While the Earth continues to spin, and the solar system and the galaxy continue to function in the incomprehensible ways that they do, it is this overall energy and the effect of their epithetic involvement in terms of an energy presence or intelligence, is such that it is impossible to give a precise example, but if you can get a sense that for the energy that keeps this cosmic corner or your world alive and active, and the energy that holds it in space, and to enable it to continue to move throughout the cosmos, is that same inclusive or all encompassing protective energy of life itself that they are involved in.
In other words, its impossible for them not to be involved in the daily world in similar manner that its impossible for the sun not to shine for its 12 hours during the day, barring something catastrophic that would prevent it from continuing the same cycle. So I cannot give you precise examples other that to know just as the ultimate wisdom and ultimate truth and power of creation through the First Source and Center is the overseer of all that is. The holy ones that we are speaking of are directly involved in that as layers of an onion. They are indiscernible but all inclusive. Does this help any?
TOM: Yes it does. I was more concerned with the political arena, and how they manipulate that without the abrogation of our free will.
ANATOLIA: It is really not so much affecting it or interjecting, it is to keep the energy flowing so that it does not become implosive. Even in the current state of affairs with a new election, I believe all of you consent that there is a change of energy attitude and a presence, not in terms of the forces that we are speaking of stepping in so that you are feeling their presence, so that there are sides being taken, and now that God can shine on this particular administration as if it is the chosen way to be. It isn’t that, it’s just that there has been a change, like a turning of a page, so that a new chapter is about to begin. And by enabling a new change or a new chapter, a change of energy, a new cycle, it allows for the constant growth and opportunity for change for enlightenment to proceed.
Its always in the realm of our Creator an opportunity to come to higher truth and awareness as this opportunity, regardless of what may happen, and I am not again doing anything in terms of prognostication, but regardless of how one sees this, it’s an opportunity for growth and enlightenment, either obviously or reading between the lines to find where those occur. So this is the realm that the life forces take to enable your experimental world to continue to advance or evolve. That hopefully gives you some direction.
MARTY: I would like to make a comment, teacher Anatolia. This is Marty speaking, and I just want to welcome you to New England, first of all. We are very happy to have you here, and I know that you were planning to encourage a Teaching Mission fellowship to arise here in this area, and I’m hoping that you have success with that.
I just wanted to comment about the election experience that we just had. I feel that the outpouring of hope and the motivation of the American people has been greater than I have ever seen it in any election in my lifetime. You mentioned a new movement, and then you started to speak of the neo-conservative thing. It seems that everybody is reaching out in hope for peace and goodness. Regardless of who they were voting for, it seems to me that the entire country just really enthusiastically went in there to make our government work good. I feel that was the tremendous spiritual power that took place here. I think all of the movements of all of the different peoples, the things that they were hoping for, I think everything is going to improve as a result.
It also looked to me as though this was a terrible rip off of the voters whose votes were not counted by the machines that were not accountable. There is a very large doubt now about the honesty of this election system, and it seems that there are two levels here. There is the human experience of putting our energy into hope and trying to bring something good to happen, and then we have this very sinister movement that is behind the scenes, secrecy in government, corruption in government, individuals seeking power. I just would like to ask you to comment on the things that I have said.
ANATOLIA: First of all, let me thank you for welcoming me to New England. It’s a pleasure to be able to work with whomever, wherever I can, to be able to affect my teaching status in your world. So it is a fine opportunity for me to be able to work with you, to let you know as one more assurance that the life force is much greater than what you presently see, but you are seeing the light that does shine in this universe and all universes. So that you have a reassurance that you are not living a life without connection to all that is, and that in fact you are living in this realm as part of eternity as we speak. And I am an example, or representative to reaffirm that in fact I speak as evidence of life beyond your physical senses.
In respect to what you mentioned regarding tampering of voting machines, or a movement that would have control interests in the outcome of elections, I am certainly not going to disavow that, but there are many things that have or will happen, and continue to happen that will raise concerns about plots, schemes, items that will tend to cause paranoia. I only wish for you to be alert and aware of where there may be deception involved and to try to not be taken in by it.
Where there is gross and large scale misguidance, for the most part where it is possible it will be brought to light eventually, if not in the immediate. There are many things that do happen in the world that go unchecked at the moment, but not in the ultimate. It is something that, like bad weather, one may have to accept, but knowing that there will eventually be a change toward more fair, beautiful and trusting weather in the future. I am only wanting for you to be aware of what is happening, but don’t necessarily conclude that the sky is falling, and that these sinister sources have only ill in mind. There is justice on a mass basis. Overall, there is spiritual justice that does take place, if not in the immediate, in the eventual.
And I realize that I may not be answering your question directly, but I invite you to look at these types of issues philosophically, and to figure where you come out in them, not necessarily to panic or to have fear created as a result of them, is the main suggestion I have for these. It’s not to keep your head in the sand, but to be aware of where the traffic is coming, so that you may not be hit while in the road. Is there anything else in that regard?
MARTY: Well, I think it would be in line for me to say that I believe that all things work out for the good. If we have a legitimate, duly elected government, that’s a wonderful thing to have. If we have a government that is illegally there, that also is something that has its good points for us, I think, because eventually everything is going to have to come out. If we did not want to face it, it would still be there. If it is really illegitimate, I think that the exposure of all the criminality is something that has to take place. That’s the way we will end up with a just system. I feel that all the people who expressed so much wonderful hope on both sides of the political spectrum, I think everybody is going to be able to bring this country ahead, regardless of what our government does. That’s my feeling.
ANATOLIA: Its well founded, and I, if I didn’t already say it, wish to reinforce that which Jesus said for his disciples to be clever as snakes, but gentle as doves, so that you are not caught unaware, and that you don’t have to get caught up in the moment from a basis of fear. But you maintain your center of who you are and know where you are and how you got here and where you are going, and to do good along the way. One might say this is too simplistic of a message, that life is not that simple. Nevertheless, everything that you will be accountable for is that simple. Its how you simply affected things that were complex, how were your gifts contributed to that, and how was it made better because you were present.
MARTY: Teacher, my telephone batteries are dying. I am going to thank you very much before my phone goes out.
ANATOLIA: I thank you for your comments, and you have the right idea to begin to look at the positive nature of what is happening, and despite what may be fearful, not to give into the fear, but to expect the eventual rising up of evolving spirits. Is there anything else?
KELLY: Anatolia, you alluded earlier to some things that may be coming that would change the course of history. I think we all anticipate the dawning of the age of light and life by degrees, and perhaps by leaps. My question is what can we do to help set the stage or pave the way for some of these things that are waiting in the wings, perhaps waiting for conditions to evolve, things like the Magisterial Mission and other things we may not be aware of? What can we do to hasten or to at least enable these changes to come about?
ANATOLIA: As I had mentioned earlier in the discussion of joining hands within your communities to find out what opportunities there may be to enhance understanding of interfaith or ecumenical efforts, it doesn’t have to be limited to that. The part that I am speaking of, or the essence of it, is anything that you can do, if you are not already, or if you are already involved in any kind of an outreach effort, that you do so, for where you feel you can make the strongest contribution to your society. For example, if you are already involved in literacy programs, or feeding opportunities at a food bank, or a soup kitchen, or aiding the homeless, something that you can do to take part in that is light and life in the small case letters, that you are affecting on a daily or a weekly or whenever you are able to.
Make a contribution to that which is in those efforts full of light and life, so that you are bringing and being a catalyst for light and life in your world, then you are doing everything you can. And then in the general sense of your daily prayer and affirmation to ask for light and life enhancement, at this time and in the future, is all that you can do on an individual basis, other than if you in some other way through your Urantia reading groups, or otherwise to find opportunities to try to improve or expand the consciousness of individuals toward, and they don’t even need to necessarily know where that term comes from, but it is a linked term in conversation, in the vernacular currently. If you pay attention, periodically you can hear the terms being used in various circles. Does this help?
KELLY: Yes, that is very helpful. Thank you for your answer.
ANATOLIA: You’re welcome. Anyone else?
TOM: Anatolia, I just wanted to comment one quick thing on what Marty said about the present political climate. Remember that Michael was born at a time when Roman authority makes the present political systems look like child’s play, and yet that didn’t interfere at all with what his work was. Remember that he always strove to be fair, and wasn’t so much concerned about being treated fairly himself. If we can remember that, it might help us because there has got to be something to do between here and eternity. There is perfection only on Paradise, and so no matter what times we are born into, there is always going to be something to work against. Like you say, as long as we practice the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, we have a job in whatever political times we find ourselves.
ANATOLIA: Couldn’t have said it better. That is so true. And it is those resistance movements that do cause steps forward into light and life. For example, stepping through the resistance movement during Nazi Germany and occupation and that entire epic, and stepping through that and past it was a definite step up, even though one’s analysis might be in the past sixty years how far has humanity really advanced? Well, if you look at the workings throughout the world, the geopolitical arrangements and changes that are taking place, it’s as if you can see a realignment, and as if the continents are separating and beginning to move into places they did millions of years ago. There is a reshaping, and ultimately an enhancement in consciousness that will take place. And you can only affect it in your individual opportunities to be part of this fabulous experiment that is called life in your world. Anything else?
MARTY: I’d just like to say that this is the most wonderful thing to be part of, the changes that are taking place now in this world, and to be speaking with you, a celestial person, as a mortal person here, is just part of this wonderful experience. I’m just looking forward to everything and thanking God for it.
ANATOLIA: Amen. If I may summarize with a thought of our Master teacher, he had taught that above all else, love is the only thing that is required of you. And what was given to you as the precept or center of your life is the only thing that you will be held accountable for, and its opportunities to be expressed. That is my summation of the Christian message, but nevertheless I believe you understand its importance, and I concur with the responses that you have provided to me, and I am pleased to be able to be a part of this great experiment, and encourage you to not lose heart, but to in fact be encouraged by the changes which are taking place.
Closing
If there is nothing else, I look forward to being with you again, and look to find out what improvements or change of perception you may have had after your week of implementing truth, beauty and goodness and your scavenger hunt. So peace be with you, and know that you are part of a dynamic life that is light and life in action. Peace be with you.
