What is our best hope for Peace on Earth?

[Neemai]

Is it a practical aim?
How could a more peaceful existence be realistically achieved?
Does our diverse collection World Religions have a part to play?

any suggestions ...


... Neemai

[wil]

nonjudgement

tolerance

forgiveness

be the change you wish to see in the world.....Gandhi

in other words...don't worry about what others are doing...If we focus on our own actions and thoughts and how we are taking part in fomenting violence rather than peace....that in itself will last a lifetime...and affect generations to come.

[elme]

now if enough of mankind can do this ..... we'll see a shift

[Leafblade]

What kind of peace are we looking for? Because...

Even if we fully unite the world and stop international political turmoil.

Even if we stop violent crime in the cities and towns.

There is still one thing that all life on earth does, and that's conflict with another organism. Life, in it's most basic form, fights to develop. Plants compete with each other for sunlight. Every animal competes for territory, for mates, for food. In the end, even among the most unified humans, there will be conflict over resources.

[AndrewX]

With respect to your post on conflict, Leafblade, I would disagree, and suggest that you have actually begged a very important question. That question is - What is our highest Purpose here, on Planet Earth, as Humanity ... and how do we move toward that Purpose?

I do not argue that conflict doesn't exist, or even that it exists for a Purpose! But I do not agree that Humanity is no different than the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms in this respect. The Ageless Wisdom defines Humanity as an essentially Divine being, housed in a living, animal body (which includes not just the flesh, but also our emotional-passionate nature, and our lower [personal] mind).

The question we should ask, then, is how does our Human Purpose differ from that of the animals, and lower Kingdoms? And we can think of this in terms of the Seven Rays, which condition all life upon planet Earth (and in Cosmos). As presented by Alice Bailey, and by other esoteric authors, these Rays are:

1st ray of Power, Will or Purpose
2nd ray of Love-Wisdom
3rd ray of Active, Creative Intelligence
4th ray of Harmony through Conflict, or Beauty or Art
5th ray of Concrete Science or Knowledge
6th ray of Abstract Idealism or Devotion
7th ray of Ceremonial Order or Magic or Ritual or Organisation

Of particular note is the idea that Humanity is a 4th Ray entity (also strongly influenced by the 5th Ray, which corresponds to concrete, or lower mind).

What this means, is that all of the CONFLICT which we undergo - and which Humanity will continue to undergo for quite some time, on various levels - HAS A PURPOSE. In simple terms, it is part of God's Plan for helping us, and allowing us (through our own `working out' of that Plan), to develop toward our highest potential.

Animals, and the lesser Kingdoms, are also developing toward a Purpose, yet they are not gifted with mind in the same way that Humanity is, thus they do not develop by making Concious CHOICES. And choice exists where even a simple twofold possiblity between a high road and a low road, presenting tension, or CONFLICT. Even where we do not yet fully understand the nature of that choice, or realize the possible consequences, we are here to LEARN, which can only take place - in some situations - through this `Free Will' (or power-to-choose).

Our real progress, along with the fully conscious, intentional exercising of this power of choice, takes place when we align our will with a Greater Will, the Good of the Whole (aka Divine Will, God's Will, or Spiritual Will). There are many steps, or stages, in this realization, moving from beyond the wants and needs of the separate, isolated self, to the needs of others, to the Good of the Group, and then to increasingly greater Groups - eventually thinking in terms of Wholes (which seems a paradoxical term in the plural, although this is not the case).

Our best hope for Peace on Earth ... is Humanity. This may seem to be a Humanistic statement, or a secular one, but it is not. God, or Divine beings, cannot work to advance the Divine Plan, when that plan involves and REQUIRES Human Cooperation ... if we, as Humanity, do not learn and agree to cooperate - both with Them, and with each other!

Students of the Ageless Wisdom, and spiritually-minded people worldwide of every religion and background, increasingly recognize that it is not a matter of `waiting on God' to finally bring about the Peace on Earth which so many people desperately desire. Instead, it is essentially a matter of assembling a quorum of competent leaders, in every nation and government, as also of assuring that we have the right type of leadership working from within the world's religions, economic organizations, and steering the progress of scientific research, academic progress, etc. It might even be said that if we can just bring about the right type of education, focusing on spiritual values (of importance to ALL of Humanity - every single member), then the rest would take care of itself!

I am reminded of the bumper-sticker which expresses much of this in the phrase, `Think Globally, Act Locally,' as also the expression, `Peace begins with Me,' or `Let Peace begin with me.' There is a mantram, perhaps used by some esotericists, which makes direct invocation to a Cosmic Avatar, the Spirit of Peace, this Spirit being one of three Cosmic Entities forming a Triangle supporting the Christ at this time (the other two are the Buddha, and the Avatar of Synthesis). The 1st Stanza of the ancient mantram, the Great Invocation, goes thus:

Let the Forces of Light bring illumination to mankind.
Let the Spirit of Peace be spread abroad.
May men of goodwill everywhere meet in a spirit of cooperation.
May forgiveness on the part of all men be the keynote at this time.
Let power attend the efforts of the Great Ones.
So let it be, and help us to do our part.

There is so much that we can do, both on a small, individual scale, and in connection with the groups of which we form a part - family, social, spiritual and subjective. We can ponder the first few lines of the Dhammapada, which underscore the power of human thought, and remember especially the importance of the energy of Goodwill ...

1. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
2. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

Think Peace!

[Francis king]

our best hope for peace on earth...

it's u, neemai...

how could a more peaceful existence be realistically achieved-

it can't... its a lovely idea, but it'll never work- too many wolves out there, and far too many sheep...

our best hope is... to establish some kind of communal world-state, were everyone gets fed, schooled, nurtured, were money is not an issue, and where the inner and outer sciences are our focus...

our diverse collection of World Religions has a part to play...

...by educating their followers and students to follow the most important parts of all our doctrines- those being: living an ethical life and becoming more spiritually aware...

rather than teaching them to convert as many as possible and kill the rest...

adios

[LeoSalinas22]

nothing that man can do will save us all. man's righteousness is a filthy rag. only God's Judgement on man will save us all and bring peace to earth. so, the Creator of heaven and earth is our best hope.

[wil]

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

nothing that man can do will save us all. man's righteousness is a filthy rag. only God's Judgement on man will save us all and bring peace to earth. so, the Creator of heaven and earth is our best hope.

Thank G!d I don't have that burden. I don't know how you can handle it Leo. I walk around feeling blessed as a benefactor of G!d's creation. Car wrecks, hospitalizations, forclosures...I can deal with all sorts of things...but if I had that 'we are nothing but worthless souls' hanging over my head all the time I don't know how I could handle it. A stronger man than I you are Mr. Salinas....I'll just bask in G!d's glory, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy my companions on this trip around the sun...

[LeoSalinas22]

hello wil,

don't get me wrong, i have family and friends around me to enjoy and laugh with. i am very grateful to God that He has given me happiness, but for some reason on the back of my mind, i keep remembering the suffering and death in this world. its everywhere really. you can't deny the fact that your own children or friends are constantly in danger and though i know in my heart that if something were to happen to them, i know i would see them again, but you know what? it would still hurt like all hell get out! like i said, i enjoy my family and friends very much, but i know i won't be around forever and i also know that eventually they will be taken from me or i from them. i can't ignore the fact that there are people out there dying or are hungry as we are typing what seems to be vain conversations compared to what is really happening in this world. i guess i just have a guilty conscience. but to me, i would rather carry this burden than to be some spoiled rich kid enjoying life pretending that nothing is wrong in this world, when in fact everything has been wrong since the beginning of creation. call me old fashion, i guess.

[Ciel]

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

nothing that man can do will save us all. man's righteousness is a filthy rag..

Is that because he's still hanging on to his baby blanket? Nothing wrong with some responsibility, clean laundry and fresh towels.......
Peace is a clean white fresh linen cupboard, peace is when the past is washed and smoothed out and we our own good house keepers.

peace - c -

[LeoSalinas22]

Originally Posted by Ciel

Is that because he's still hanging on to his baby blanket? Nothing wrong with some responsibility, clean laundry and fresh towels.......
Peace is a clean white fresh linen cupboard, peace is when the past is washed and smoothed out and we our own good house keepers.

peace - c -

then please enlighten me. why hasn't peace reigned yet? we have been around for quite some time and we are still at war with each other and ourselves. its crazy. there is no end in sight to all of this pain and suffering. all i see is misery, and when i see my children smile, i can't help but know that they have no idea what they are about to go through. sorry if i sound depressing, but we are all depressed. something's got to give, you know? all i have is hope.

[Ciel]

Leo,
Our last posts crossed, if I had read yours before.......
And I do understand the cry of your words. Some times we need to build peace in ourselves before we can appreciate the peace existing in this world.The choice between the light or the dark, do we promote fear or love.
I have felt as bad as you about the wars and atrocities, I only know this is not the way and it doesn't help. So we do what we can do, one step at a time and sometimes many............
You have as you say hope, and you have children with beautiful smiles.

love and peace - c -

[fourgrtkidos]

Originally Posted by Leafblade

There is still one thing that all life on earth does, and that's conflict with another organism. Life, in it's most basic form, fights to develop. Plants compete with each other for sunlight. Every animal competes for territory, for mates, for food. In the end, even among the most unified humans, there will be conflict over resources.

I don't believe this is true. I think we accept this idea as fact because of Darwanistic Evolutionary Theory.
Bruce Lipton, Ph.D. examines a different theory that makes more sense to me. Single celled organisms only get smarter when they become multicellular. Loose colonies or communites survive easier and with better standard of living than a single entity.
Bruce Lipton Ph.D.
His theory expounds on the first evolutionary theory by French biologist Jean-Baptist de Lamark and braids it with Quantum physics/science and systems biology.
Darwin favors natural selection and competitivness and individuals. Lamark favors evolution through cooperation and community.

So, I would dare to suggest that if people could realize that making sure the whole is nutured and survives that the individual is taken care of....... but how?
We would need a big shift in consciousness. Too bad Lamark didn't get a leg up before Darwin, eh?

Read "Was Lamarck Just a Little Bit Right?"[Balter 2000] in the journal Science.

[InLove]

Originally Posted by Leo Salinas

don't get me wrong, i have family and friends around me to enjoy and laugh with. i am very grateful to God that He has given me happiness, but for some reason on the back of my mind, i keep remembering the suffering and death in this world. its everywhere really. you can't deny the fact that your own children or friends are constantly in danger and though i know in my heart that if something were to happen to them, i know i would see them again, but you know what? it would still hurt like all hell get out! like i said, i enjoy my family and friends very much, but i know i won't be around forever and i also know that eventually they will be taken from me or i from them. i can't ignore the fact that there are people out there dying or are hungry as we are typing what seems to be vain conversations compared to what is really happening in this world. i guess i just have a guilty conscience. but to me, i would rather carry this burden than to be some spoiled rich kid enjoying life pretending that nothing is wrong in this world, when in fact everything has been wrong since the beginning of creation. call me old fashion, i guess.

Hi Everyone

(and welcome to CR, fourgrtkidos--nice handle! I have been enjoying reading your posts.)

Good thread idea, Neemai, and some great responses. Like others here, I believe peace begins within each one of us. In regard to our various traditions, religions, and philosophies, I believe that if we are willing to seek out the Truth inherent in them, we will find it. And even though there will be challenges from those who do not value peace and brotherhood between all people, if those of us who do will continue to live it, then it will prevail. Some will find it individually in each moment, no matter the circumstance. And then, as some traditions hold, pehaps all will eventually see it in a grand convergence which will prove our interconnections once and for all, when hatred and violence will be cast away forever. In any case, there is hope for peace, and it where our investment should lie.

I am compelled to respond to your post, Leo, as my heart goes out to you. I think I know how you must feel in regard to what seems to be the fragility of life itself and how this can affect our personal peace. For you, I will speak in Christian terms, as I know this is where your hope ultimately lies. I am sure there are other traditions from which I could speak if I were more well-versed in them, and maybe some others can do this, as Neemai has opened up the opportunity.

But for now, and for you, Leo:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. --Matthew 6:33-34

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. --Philippians 4:7-9

…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. --Philippians 4:10-13


I realize you are already aware of these passages, Leo. I just wanted to remind you of them because they always help me.

InPeace,
InLove

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by fourgrtkidos

So, I would dare to suggest that if people could realize that making sure the whole is nutured and survives that the individual is taken care of....... but how?
We would need a big shift in consciousness.

Essentially....I agree

s.