Do our actions matter?
Obviously, the choices we make have impact on our human lives and the lives of others in close proximity. More separation in time and space usually results in less impact. So, as with all the questions on this blog, the answer comes on two levels.
On the level of form, WHAT we do matters. On the level of content, WHY we do matters far more.
Take ecology, for example. On the level of the world, conservation just makes sense. Taking care of the planet, the environment, not being wasteful, not being excessive, and looking for ways to live our lives without infringing on the lives of others seems unselfish and in-line with common sense.
On the level of mind, however, a different picture emerges.
For one thing, Spirit does not take form. There is nothing 'divine' about earth life. Non-dualism asserts that the planet, the universe, and all of their inhabitants cannot have been creations of a perfect Oneness. God's creations are perfect, limitless, changeless, and pure. These adjectives do not describe anything in the realm of form.
For another thing, the belief that the care of the planet is the will of God is a divisive belief that only leads to more judgment and more separation. Once a person allows himself to believe that he somehow has God on his 'side', any person who makes different choices is automatically seen as working against God. If I believe that God wants me to recycle, for example, then people who don't recycle are not doing the work of God. This fosters a divisive situation where I put myself on a higher plane in my mind. It encourages a didactic and preachy attitude that alienates others.
Put bluntly, saving the planet, feeding the children, preserving resources, educating the ignorant, building homes for disaster victims, and any other 'cause' you can think of is NOT doing the Will of God. God's will has absolutely nothing to do with DOING. God's will is all about BEING, and God's Will is carried out. Perfectly. We just refuse to see it (for now).
Far more helpful to your spiritual progress is to pay attention to your state of mind while you go about your activities.
On the level of form, WHAT we do matters. On the level of content, WHY we do matters far more.
Take ecology, for example. On the level of the world, conservation just makes sense. Taking care of the planet, the environment, not being wasteful, not being excessive, and looking for ways to live our lives without infringing on the lives of others seems unselfish and in-line with common sense.
On the level of mind, however, a different picture emerges.
For one thing, Spirit does not take form. There is nothing 'divine' about earth life. Non-dualism asserts that the planet, the universe, and all of their inhabitants cannot have been creations of a perfect Oneness. God's creations are perfect, limitless, changeless, and pure. These adjectives do not describe anything in the realm of form.
For another thing, the belief that the care of the planet is the will of God is a divisive belief that only leads to more judgment and more separation. Once a person allows himself to believe that he somehow has God on his 'side', any person who makes different choices is automatically seen as working against God. If I believe that God wants me to recycle, for example, then people who don't recycle are not doing the work of God. This fosters a divisive situation where I put myself on a higher plane in my mind. It encourages a didactic and preachy attitude that alienates others.
Put bluntly, saving the planet, feeding the children, preserving resources, educating the ignorant, building homes for disaster victims, and any other 'cause' you can think of is NOT doing the Will of God. God's will has absolutely nothing to do with DOING. God's will is all about BEING, and God's Will is carried out. Perfectly. We just refuse to see it (for now).
Far more helpful to your spiritual progress is to pay attention to your state of mind while you go about your activities.
posted by AWB @ 1/16/2011 08:05:00 AM
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