Re: Pearls Before Swine?
Searles

Thu Aug 10 18:40:21 2000
I posted one message on this thread and this is it:*p*“The most dangerous and mistakenly identified lies are the great truths which*br*are provided to the uninitiated and unprepared. These truths propagate as*br*lies on the lips and within the minds of those who hear them in this*br*context. It would have been better not to mention them at all. Some forms*br*of Christianity are perfect examples of this effect, though the process is*br*not limited to that religion. It's better to say that there is a lot of*br*study and work to be done in order to understand what could be said.”*p*I was asked to give and example and this was my reply via private email:*p*“I won't be replying on the public newsgroup.”*p*“A quick example of a misunderstood great truth is when a prophet told his followers that he was the way and the only way to his god. The followers did not understand what he meant in the beginning and proceeded to construct a dogmatic approach to what they reinterpreted the way to be.  Out of that misunderstanding and reinterpretation sprang a religion that considered conversion by force and confession by torture to be spiritually permissible.”*p*“I blame this all on religion by the book and dogmatic interpretation of philosophy.”*p*“But you already knew this."*p*To expand on this idea a bit, the prophet in question most probably meant his followers to understand that they must seek their own truth through the same means that he had obtained truth.  He did this through a life of dedication to study of great philosophies and a vision quest of sorts.  He spent 40 days in the desert grappling with his own life, his spirit, his soul, and his purpose in being.  When he found those things he was indeed a *WAY* to his god and a great example for those who find their own spiritual connection to deity.  I'm pretty sure that he meant for others to find their own way through the same path that he had taken.  This path is the pathway that mystics, shamans, Druids and Brahmin have been taking for thousands of years.  It's not to be found in a few (or even many) words in a book (or many books).  This is not to say, that some books cannot be a good beginning, but it is definitely saying that books are *NOT* the way or even the ending of things.*p*Among Yogic teachers, book s are viewed as getting the horse to water and the aid of a helpful enlightened teacher is considered as placing the horse's lips to the water, but in the end, it is the horse that must understand the act of drinking and experience the fulfillment.  That is why some things have been written down. They are meant to be studied in a class or school type of environment. That is also why we have teachers to guide and expand on the knowledge expressed in books.*p*When a teacher is not available and the mistaken impression gains a life of its own, entire civilizations and different ways of life can be threatened by the actions of zealous, dogmatic followers. Of course, this is a commentary of what happens when the uninitiated take an idea out of the spiritual realm and misuse it for their own secular gain. The same things can happen to any religion or philosophy when truth is not understood and the teachers are separated from the students.*p*Searles*p**p*TopazOwl wrote,*br*:      There is a discussion going on in another place that I *br*: thought I would bring here.*br*:*br*:      Some of us feel, as Druids, that it is no use trying to *br*: present the Great Truths of the universe to folks who won't *br*: understand them or are not committed to their accurate *br*: dissemination. Some of us also feel that many of these *br*: Truths cannot be expressed in words, but can only be *br*: attempted badly and therefore can become confusing to those *br*: who have not already experienced them. While we can guide, *br*: we cannot force understanding.*br*:*br*:      Therefore, some of us refuse to "cast pearls *br*: before swine," instead being content to offer guidance *br*: only to those who demonstrate an aptitude for understanding *br*: and a desire to learn.*br*:*br*:      Others disagree with that view, feeling that pearls *br*: cast before swine are not lost, but are more like seeds *br*: dropped in the soil to grow where they will.*br*:*br*:      I'd like to know what the Druids here think about all *br*: of this.*br*:*br*: Leigh*br*
Pearls Before Swine?
TopazOwl
659
Thu Aug 10 17:54:51 2000