RELIGIOUS ENTITY
8107 Entity CODICIL 1 – INDIVIDUAL ENTITY
ENTITY provides the medium of communication between all sentient beings, at all times, It is a close meshed web that engulfs all events as they occur. It is all powerful, all pervading. Yet ENTITY is no constricting set of chains to bind the individual into slavery. It is, instead, the means of his achieving true freedom; in eternity.
ENTITY only provides the medium. The individual has complete freedom to do as he will. He alone is master of all his actions. Although ENTITY may be the source of civilization, and may even be civilization itself the individual has total control over his own destiny.
What then is the individual, the mere mortal human being, to make of this unseen, unknown web of eternal, infinite complexity that enfolds him?
The first point that must be stressed is that ENTITY is as natural as the air we breathe. It has been an essential part of man's life since the dawn of civilization. It has been a serious error, in the past, to describe certain of its manifestations as supernatural. Nothing could be more natural.
Thus, ENTITY is as normal as any of the forces we experience in our daily lives. We cannot see, for example, gravity; and yet no-one could deny its existence or its importance. Equally no-one would claim that it was other than a perfectly natural phenomenon. Certainly any claim that it was a supernatural phenomenon which only a few chosen beings could handle would be instantly dismissed as nonsense; for otherwise it would mean that the rest of us would be consigned to spend our lives flat on our backs, denying that we could fight the insuperable burdens imposed by gravity.
The first lesson of ENTITY is, therefore, to learn to use it; to sit up, to stand and to walk. Can you remember those early days of childhood when you first learnt to conquer gravity? Even now can you consciously interpret the myriad messages that are necessary to simply keep you standing upright? So it is with ENTITY.
You must let ENTITY become a natural part of your life.
And yet this too is an incorrect statement. ENTITY is already part of your life; whether you wish it or not. You are, and always have been, immersed in it. You are constantly exposed to its messages. And you are continuously influenced by what you learn from it.
The message of this appendix is that you should learn to control ENTITY. Do not merely absorb it; use it.
It is as if you are walking down the street, deep in thought and oblivious to all that surrounds you. Only at a subconscious level do you have any awareness of what you are passing, and only then to avoid collisions. If, however, something out of the ordinary suddenly attracts your attention, all of this subconscious information is immediately available, and meaningful. You can instantly analyze, and interpret, all the messages impinging upon you; you are in control.
As with learning to walk, you are best advised to approach ENTITY by easy stages. Of these, the initial phase is belief. To gain awareness you need to open your mind.; and belief is the key to this.
ENTITY is a very subtle force. Consequently it is easy for a non-believer to shrug off its workings as 'mere coincidence'. It is difficult enough for a fervent believer to follow through and gain its full benefits. Belief is all or nothing. There is no half-way house. If you hold back in any way you lock the door to ENTITY firmly against you.
You must make a definite commitment. Yet this is not, truthfully, an investment you should have difficulty in making. It requires no donation of money. Beware those who will claim to lead you to ENTITY through gifts of any kind; they are charlatans. ENTITY can only be approached from within yourself. The peddlers of charms and potions, or even of religions, offering the only true route to ENTITY are, by definition, tricksters.
You do not necessarily have to make radical changes to your lifestyle; though increasing awareness of ENTITY may cause a major rethink of what is really important to you. It is quite possible that pursuing your natural lifestyle will be your unique contribution to ENTITY. However, you should recognize that the techniques adopted by those who seek isolation in order to meditate are not without their merit. These devices concentrate the mind most effectively on what is really important; and open the gates to ENTITY that much further and that much earlier. Yet such deliberate evasion of the world is a luxury few can afford; and ENTITY asks no such unreasonable sacrifices.
Thus, it is, in the first instance, simply necessary to accept the presence of ENTITY, and resolve to enjoy it.
At this simplest level ENTITY makes no significant demands of you. Saint or sinner, you can believe in ENTITY, and derive benefit from it, without changing your lifestyle in a single detail. ENTITY encompasses all religions, all politics, all aspects of human life. Each is but one view of ENTITY; albeit a partial view, yet still totally valid to its supporters. ENTITY transcends all such boundaries. It is no use looking to ENTITY to bolster your prejudices. It does not recognize such limitations.
This leads us to the second step; the opening of the mind.
This is the most difficult part of the path to ENTITY.
It is alien to all that you have experienced. It is the reason why monks, and those who adopt similar forms of meditative life, can justifiably claim to be nearer to god.
From earliest infancy we are subjected to an educational process that gradually narrows our field of view, until we eventually develop tunnel vision. As a child we open our minds, and accept all that we experience. We believe equally in fairies and Father Christmas. Our view of all life is fresh and appealing. Growing up we shed such childish notions; we begin to appreciate the patterns that make up the adult world. We mature, and develop the skills to handle, and judge, information that will be the basis of our understanding through the rest of our life.
Unfortunately, closely associated with this considerable development of our intellectual skills is an increasingly blinkered view of the world. We develop not just our mind but also our dogma, our prejudices, our likes and dislikes. And these unreasonable judgments become deeply engrained in our whole being. We no longer can see clearly. We see the world through a stained glass window. The variegated effects that the window introduces are seductively beautiful in their own right; and are particularly dear to us, since they are our own creation. However, they are not reality. They obscure the truth, and prevent us from experiencing the real splendour that is the true landscape of life.
We have, therefore, to remove, or at least breach, the veneer of prejudice. We must begin a painful process; to return to our childhood, to peel off the layers of sophistication we so proudly wear. To look at the world with the innocent eyes of a child is our aim; though we will still keep those not inconsiderable analytical skills we have developed as an adult. It is no accident that Christianity, the religion in which my life is steeped, places so much stress on innocence and the value of the child. Equally, it is not surprising that aesthetes strive as fervently as monks for simplicity.
The fewer barriers you erect between yourself and ENTITY the more of its essence will permeate; so that you may more effectively use it in your daily life.
Yet it is too simple to ask for a return to childhood, or to the monastic cell. Few people can remove themselves from the normal bustle of daily life to achieve this; and it is arguable that such withdrawal would, in most cases, be a selfish luxury. So, how, in a typically average life, can ENTITY be best approached?
Well, for a start it should be recognized that ENTITY is all pervading. It does not exist only in the somber atmosphere of the cloister. It is in all places at all times. At any moment, when you are able to open your mind to it, you can reap its benefits. This may be during your work, during your play, or in that time you specially set aside for meditation.
Let us then look at the traditional route via meditation; and a word of warning. ENTITY is far too complex to be fully comprehended in a whole lifetime, let alone to be presented in a single blaze of glory during a meditation. Visions of angels are very impressive, but convey remarkably little useful information.
Whichever route you choose to meditation, be it by simple mantra or deep religious study, you should expect only an insight into yourself. This is, however, the face of ENTITY, since you are ENTITY. The secret is that the deeper, the more successful, the meditation the clearer the picture you have of yourself. The clearer you see your position in the cosmos the more easily you can judge, and plan, your actions. This is the true benefit of ENTITY. Know thyself; for within you is the key to all else.
One cannot, though, meditate continuously. There would be very little to build on, no experiences to evaluate; and. this is the weakness of monks, in rigid isolation from life.
The most important contact with ENTITY must, therefore, be made during the activities that make up the rest of your life. Modern civilization often demands a hectic pace, and will allow no other serious route for the mass of its citizens. You are forced to capture every slight chance to approach ENTITY; to incorporate it in your normal, everyday business.
This will happen, in any case, by chance. You will suddenly achieve that flash of insight. A view you have seen for years will open to reveal an unexpected aspect, an acquaintance will take on new, and previously unsuspected, depths; all as your opened mind is inspired by ENTITY. With care these accidental flashes of inspiration may be cultivated, and can add considerable richness to your life. When you experience such an event, therefore, take time to savour it. Linger over it, investigate all the messages that it brings to you. Absorb, as through the pores of your skin, all the rare benefits that it brings.
Arrange your life to stimulate such serendipity. Put yourself where you constantly face new challenges, either at work or in play. Revel in developing new ideas; and at all costs avoid turning into a vegetable. Try to examine everything that happens during your day from a new viewpoint. Where possible look at your whole life from a new perspective.
It is unlikely that you will repeatedly obtain flashes of intuition that open up new vistas; ENTITY is not so simple for us to appreciate. Yet such inspiration is, in any case, worth waiting a lifetime for. More often you will discover that your conventional views of life are correct. You will, though, return to them refreshed, and with a better appreciation of the context they sit in. You may not always be stunned by the revelations of ENTITY, but your life will be enriched by it and inexorably shaped by its gentle pressure.
The next task, and the most important one, is to allow ENTITY the greatest opportunity to influence your life.
Your life is a voyage through a maze; a journey from one decision point, one nexus, to the next. Free will means that there are many alternative futures available to you. You alone choose the route.
This is not a constant progress, since a relatively few decisions have far-reaching effects. Hence it is much like following a road through the landscape of life. For
the great part of the journey the road is already predefined, and the task is simply to gather the information that is presented by the views encountered. However, occasionally you reach crossroads, and need to take a very deliberate decision on the next section of the route. Sometimes you are so enthralled by the landscape that you do not even notice the junction, but it exists all the same.
The choice you make, be it deliberate or by default, will determine the pattern of your life; perhaps for only a few weeks, but perhaps for many years.
It is at these times that ENTITY has its greatest value. ENTITY knows not just the single junction that is occupying your attention, but also all of the alternative junctions you might encounter in the future. The subtle advice it gives, therefore, is conditioned not only by the short term factors, but mainly by what are the ultimate implications of the range of alternative choices.
It is in effect the road map upon which you can plan your life: choosing the route which will allow you to achieve those things you most desire in order to fulfill yourself. Each nexus is, therefore, just one more decision towards the daylight at the end of the maze, and ENTITY is the thread that guides you out.
Beware, though, the pitfalls that await the bad navigator, who only reaches for his map when the junction is already passed. You cannot just call on ENTITY in times of crisis, when an unwelcome outcome of a nexus is already obvious. You must be in contact before, to guide yourself gently into each nexus. You need the true awareness, the completely open mind, to be best able to receive the very gentle promptings which give some indication of what lies ahead of the next junction. Then you can best prepare for the choice that lies around the bend, and also those beyond; stretching into the distant future and mapping your destiny.
Even then it is no good expecting ENTITY to place neatly labeled packages in your brain. You have to strive to incorporate it in your life; but the reward is the richest you can aspire to. The best guidance I can give is to follow 'common sense'. In almost any situation it is possible to achieve a broad understanding, and this can lead to the justifiable impression that you have a reasonable grasp of the problems. You often intuitively feel that you know the answer. That may well be the force of 'common sense', or in other words the voice of ENTITY.
But beware! Bigotry and prejudice can all too easily be disguised as common sense. Often people, probably including you, cling to the description, 'common sense', when they really have no reason to justify the thing they quite illogically like or desire. This is not ENTITY; it is usually only selfishness. Real common sense is deeply rooted, as is ENTITY.
To be sure of using the gift correctly, the necessity remains to open your mind. Approach problems without preconceptions. Do not prejudge any issue; no matter how black and white it appears. As far as possible, try to see all sides of the argument. This will unfortunately make you unpopular, since your society requires that you wholeheartedly support each cause it espouses; warts and all, without any critical examination. The independent thinker, who does not give such support blindly, is often subject to as much derision as the 'enemy'. It is a cross you will have to bear. It makes living with others more difficult; but it also makes living with your inner-self far more satisfying.
Test out your 'common sense', though. Is it really true, or is it only a reflection of what you desire? It is too easy to be personally involved, and in most cases is necessary so to do. The result is that your judgment is warped by the distorted perspective. You must, needs be, strain very hard to hear that small quiet voice that comes from deep inside you.
The end result is not, however, ENTITY. It is simply a fruitful life; which benefits to the maximum from the subtle shaping influence of ENTITY. ENTITY is far beyond any individual, and is even beyond that which we are currently capable of visualizing. It is the sum of all sentient beings lives.
As such, you have a duty to write your own contribution to ENTITY as best you can. What you write, by the events that make up your life, becomes part of the eternal record that is ENTITY. The inherent goodness of your life adds to that of ENTITY.
On the other hand, where beings choose evil the effect of ENTITY matches this, and this can clearly be seen in some localised situations. History is liberally encrusted with communities that worked with religious fervour towards ends that were, to less committed observers, demonstrably evil.
Fortunately, sentient beings are, almost by definition, overwhelmingly supporters of good. Whether this is the result of the favourable effect of ENTITY, or whether ENTITY is a result of the general desire for good, is an impossible question for us, mere mortals, to answer.
You can lean on ENTITY to provide guidance in your moral dilemmas. However, the final judgment on any issue is always yours. In turn, the final decision on the values contained within ENTITY is also yours; to be taken as a member of the group that encompasses all humanity throughout all ages. ENTITY in no way absolves you. It will, of course, balance against an immoral act your subsequent remorse; but this cannot erase the original offense from the record. It will also fully record all the good you work. Hence, only you can create your own absolution, in the shape of your whole life.
The whole of your life is recorded on ENTITY. It is there as a series of patterns, of events you cannot even remember. There can be no final arbiter on the value of your life, unless it be the massed judgment implicit in ENTITY; and perhaps that is god. Certainly no other human being, who is inevitably blinkered by the frailties imposed by the human condition, can set himself to judge your inherent worth.
You alone are in the position to best judge what you have wrought during your life. The simple question you must ask of yourself is "What picture do I wish to leave for posterity?". This is no simple question, since the picture will be the truth, about all that is hidden in your life as well as the facade you normally present to the outside world. It is an easy test, if you are capable of seeing yourself as you really are, and yet it is singularly effective. How will your life show in the record? More important, how do you already judge it?
You have the reassurance that the massed voices that are ENTITY will have infinitely more compassion than you alone can muster. Is the record, though, what you would wish? Do you judge it trivial, or shabby? Such questions are often to the fore as a man nears the end of his life. But, of course, by then it is too late. Rather the questions should be posed constantly throughout life.
These questions form, however, the best possible basis for a sound set of moral values. To guide your own life, to fulfill its potential, and to write the most valuable record on ENTITY, appears therefore to be an awesome responsibility; and it is! The reward, though, is immortality.
ENTITY exists for ever. The record you write, which is more fully you than the image you see in the mirror, equally lasts for ever. As a result it is of paramount importance to write on ENTITY the record you want to see there. Only you can judge what you need to do to achieve this. Don't, though, choose your image, for that is in the truest sense what you are creating, lightly. There are fashions in all things, and lifestyles are often a summation of a set of such fashions. Fashions, however, become boring, and are discarded, in a matter of months. How much more boring will the fashionable life become over the whole of eternity?
It is too easy to let other people determine the course of your life. You may, indeed, be fortunate in accepting advice, since you may find mentors who are genuinely more capable than yourself. But for every genuine guru there will be a hundred false prophets. Can you distinguish between them? Never forget that it is your life. It is as difficult to
judge whose advice to take as it is to make your own decisions. The siren call of those who would sell you instant immortality should be received with due scepticism. You will indeed be fortunate if you can achieve the form of immortality that you desire without any effort; and surely your niche in ENTITY is worth some investment of your energies.
What then are the points to ponder when making these most important of all decisions?
The analogy, which is a major feature of the testament, is that of a work of art. This analogy carries considerable force. In particular it conveys the concept that there are many routes to perfection. The most valuable record on ENTITY is not necessarily one which contains just conventional goodness,
Undoubtedly there is considerable scope within ENTITY to contain the truly pious life, and by sheer quantity such lives will direct ENTITY's overall values. You should be sure, though, that such a life is based on true humility as well as piety. Those who wear their piety on their sleeves should be aware that ENTITY may dismiss the precious object of their pride as mere cant,
As with any work of art, it is the whole picture that must be judged.. Masterpieces are not simply photographs of the world as others see it. They are essentially unique personal statements. The artist injects his own special magic; the ingredient that only he can add. To deny ENTITY your own unique talents, and to plagiarize the lives of others instead, is a form of spiritual embezzlement.
Great works of art often contain great contrasts; and yet the overall effect is arresting and beautiful. So it is with ENTITY. The greatest sinner may still create a masterpiece if he is simultaneously a saint. It is, in this context, interesting to note just how many of the pre-eminent religious leaders, throughout recorded history, have fought long battles against the evil within them.
There are techniques that every artist must learn, before plying his trade, but there is no guidance as to how he creates a masterpiece. The equivalent techniques for the putative master of ENTITY are those already described. He must open his mind, absorb the messages that then present themselves, and finally act to create his own masterpiece.
So let us reiterate, and expand, the ideas promulgated earlier in this chapter.
Develop an independence of mind, a purity of spirit. Be your own master.
In the mundane events that make up your daily round you should find the easiest application of ENTITY. Certainly you should be undoubted master of those things you are constantly involved with, able to hold your own with anyone. You will have become an expert at the things you regularly practice; be they assembling parts of an automobile at work, or growing roses as a hobby. In these familiar pursuits you should already have developed the awareness that amplifies ENTITY. With your intimate knowledge of these activities, listen for the small voice from within. The voice tells you how to make the most of all that you do in your life. The voice that emerges from the background noise is that of common sense and reason; of ENTITY.
No matter how small a task may appear, nor how trivial others may consider it, do it well. It will still appear on ENTITY, and once there it should be something you will be proud of. Besides what being, of any sensitivity, wishes to do less than his best? Do not be led by those who would have you give of less than your best. You are well aware of what are your capabilities; fulfill them! Do not deny yourself the opportunity to excel at anything, no matter how mundane. The whole world is made up of minutiae that appear in themselves to be worthless. The more successful we are at making each of these trivia a perfect work of art, the more perfect our world will be. Do not despise them. If nothing else, use them to practice on; they are easier to handle, simpler to understand. Elevate them to something greater, aware that nothing is too small or too humble to influence ENTITY.
Above all put in the effort necessary to optimise that which absorbs most of your time; your relations with other beings. Radiate happiness and love. "Love thy neighbour" is not just a religious cliché. It has a direct impact upon your environment.
In order to help us understand the scale of the problem let us examine the extreme situation. Let us imagine that you fervently dislike someone. You will be aware of the antagonism that will inevitably arise between you if you show your loathing by word, or deed; or simply by the tone of your voice, the expression on your face, or even by the posture of your body. You will probably be careful to guard against any of these. Unfortunately, though you may be perfection in your disguise of these outer signs, you cannot control ENTITY. Your strong feelings will be radiated through the medium of ENTITY, and. the other person will almost certainly become aware of your hidden antagonism. He may not be able to explain why, but his resulting unease in the relationship will be just as damaging. How often have you personally felt uneasy when you are with someone you do not trust, even though you have no reason for your distrust. Perhaps you recognise his input to ENTITY. The end result is almost certainly that the 'victim' of the unprovoked assault, albeit only through the channel of ENTITY, will react strenuously; by radiating animosity, and probably at an increased level. Thus without a ripple disturbing the surface, an unseen battle has raged through ENTITY. Within seconds enemies have been created, their relationship has been soured, perhaps for ever, and an environment has been forged where communication is almost impossible; and the resulting stresses have probably brought pain to both individuals.
How much better it would have been if you had first radiated friendship. The end. result would have been an immeasurably more pleasant climate for you to enjoy. Maybe you could even have obtained some real pleasure, real fulfillment, from the relationship. Why deny yourself the opportunity?
The philosophy of love thy neighbour, turn the other cheek, is extraordinarily powerful. It is, unfortunately, just as difficult to achieve.
I am the greater sinner in this respect, for I radiate my emotions to ENTITY more powerfully than most. Occasionally I use this to signally good effect. Regrettably, all too often I commit the sins I have just described. I am fortunate that I find it remarkably difficult to dislike anyone, except in anger. On the other hand, I do not tolerate fools gladly. This is an arrogance that I am not proud of, but I still find it remarkably difficult to overcome. The predictable outcome of this human failing is that I have, perhaps more than most, a propensity to make enemies; often of those who I dearly wish to be my friends. For who wishes to know, even through the subtle medium of ENTITY, that I consider him to be an idiot?
To those of you who suffer from similar problems, and you would be less than human if you did not, I would suggest that you try to develop your tolerance. It is an underrated virtue, but it is the humus from which the great trees that make up our civilization grow. A tolerant society is likely to be a just one, and to be correspondingly strong. A tolerant individual is a blessing to his friends, and truly the pillar of the community.
It should not be so difficult to be tolerant. All it assumes is that you recognise you may not always be right, where it is seemingly impossible for the greatest of philosophers to agree on even a few absolute truths. I have already said that truth is what is contained in ENTITY, but this too may vary from place to place, and from time to time; distorted by the local conditions, by the local needs. Do not, therefore, be so convinced of your own rectitude. In another place, at another time, your opinion might be totally different. How often, in any case, have you assumed a holier than thou attitude, only to realize that you were in the wrong? The subsequent process of apology, of eating humble pie, is often agonizing. Why risk it?
To be humble is to be powerful. Your arguments lose nothing supported by humility. You gain the respect of others, an increased likelihood that your ideas will be accepted, and protection should you be wrong. True humility again should not be difficult to achieve; in the face of the untold of mysteries of the universe. Yet we all know it is difficult to achieve in practice. Identity itself means that, to each of us, we are the unique centre of the universe; and what is humble about that?
The way to humility lies through other peoples eyes. Consider how they might view the situation. They too are, after all, the centre of their universe. Particularly if you are in dispute, try to see yourself from their viewpoint. It will probably be a chastening experience, and it may also help you to resolve the conflict. Such a contribution to the
negotiations can only draw you nearer to the other person's position, and the generosity that this displays will almost invariably be rewarded by a reciprocal move from your opponent.
Beware, however, those who purvey tolerance, or humility, as you would a packet of soap powder. Those who wear their badges so publicly demand a high price for their wares. Tolerance and humility are essentially of the inner being. They wilt in the bright light of the sun. Only you can bask in the warm glow they bring to the inner self.
We have now, hopefully, avoided the major pitfalls that await the unwary, as they transmit through ENTITY their images of anger, or even of hate. These dark undercurrents are damaging to us as individuals, and particularly harmful to the stability of our society.
The next step is to extend the hand of friendship. To radiate love for all, not just for a few privileged friends, is the true mark of a civilized being. No one would deny its essential truth. The joy of friendship is the pinnacle of a happy life.
I have led a very fruitful life, and one that has been well rewarded with success. There have been many projects that I have initiated, with many critical decisions before they were finally brought to a successful conclusion. A few of these have had far reaching effects. If you were to ask other people what I would remember as the high points of my life, they would almost certainly list one of these vaunted achievements. Had you asked me the same question twenty years ago, I too would have anticipated that such success would have been all to me.
Yet, in reality, as I look back on a life that has been generally very happy and successful, the images of supreme happiness that spring into my mind are none of these crowning achievements. They are, instead, precious moments of shared friendship; the pure essence of the bond between fellow beings.
It was something of a surprise that these almost trivial events, usually within my family circle since they are closest to me, counted for so much. That the memory of a simple walk with my wife and children through the autumnal woods far outweighs the vast enterprises I have undertaken, is truly humbling. But it is, in retrospect, not surprising, since it is the heart of ENTITY.
The challenge is partly to make such golden moments extend to occupy more of your life, and partly to expand their influence from your intimate friends until you can radiate the same joy to complete strangers. Concentrate on what is special about all people. Cherish it, explore it, and show your interest. Everyone has something unique that you can enjoy, and learn from. There is no such thing as a worthless being. There is however, your inability to recognize the true worth in a fellow being. The bigot may receive the support of those with similar views, and that may be all he desires. The truly spiritual being, who radiates love for all, receives in return love from all. Which would you aspire to be?
If you achieve the state of pure love you are indeed a saint. For the rest of us, mere mortals, the struggle is unending. But it's a struggle we should gladly wage, with joy in our hearts.
Along with love and friendship we should also try to radiate happiness. I know that, at the end of a hard day, it is difficult to feel anything but tiredness and depression. But try to radiate joy, despite everything. It is genuinely contagious. One happy person can infect a dozen others, who in turn can seed the world with enjoyment. What better objective should we set ourselves?
Look to the good things in your life. Ignore the bad; they are often more imagined than real, and certainly are rarely remembered for long. Concentrate on what has made you happy. Blowing on that glowing ember, fan it into a blaze that engulfs you. Then share your happiness with all around you. Again, even in my work, the moments I remember are those infectious times of sheer frivolity, of pure enjoyment.
Enjoyment is an art, the practice of which contributes to a complete life. Our society unfortunately has held the serious far above the frivolous. The admired virtues are held to be stern and sombre. Anything which brings pleasure to you is likely to be seen as sinful. Doing good almost inevitably has to be painful, or simply boring. This may have been necessary when all the community's resources had to be directed to survival. We have, though, long since passed that stage.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Generating pleasure, and simply enjoying yourself, are great virtues in themselves. It is difficult to conceive of a more valuable contribution to ENTITY than a heart full of joy. Hedonism, in its personal aspects, is no sin; it is one of the greatest virtues. So enjoy yourself. If it does no harm to others, and you may have to ponder long and hard on the implications of this, but gives you great pleasure it must be good.
Almost all aspects of life are candidates for fulfillment through true enjoyment. Even that unspoken act, often vilified by previous generations, sex has its central place in the truthful search for joy. Nothing could be purer, nor more joyful, than the act of union between two lovers. In its ecstasy, in its mingling of physical with spiritual contact, its blending of two beings into one, it is the epitome of all that ENTITY represents.
There is nothing, even, that says such sharing should be limited to the single bond of husband and wife. The sharing is simply between two people in the state of utmost joy; hedonism at its most creative. Yet it also illustrates the pitfalls where such pleasure is entered into irresponsibly. Few actions have absolutely no impact upon other beings. So the ecstasy of the moment may be paid for with a lifetime of grief. You must weigh the costs in advance.
To you the sex act may be purely physical, which in itself is wasteful, but to your partner it may be the purest love. Can you possibly destroy that partner's future happiness by your selfishness? Adultery is now an outmoded word, yet can you reconcile the acts it describes with your family bond?
Despite your self justification, are you really sure your marital partner would understand? How important to you is your family? Most people fail to realize that it can be the source of their greatest strength; until too late they find out.
So far we have talked of those things closest to your day to day experience, and of those directly involved with the most intimate aspects of your life; those areas where you are the undoubted expert. Now we must move to those regions which appear remote from the ordinary being; some would say too remote.
Of necessity we have to delegate the running of the corporate affairs of mankind, particularly those of the state, to individuals. Yet in a democracy the individual ultimately has the responsibility for all decisions that are made in his name. All states that endure must be true democracies since, in the final analysis, they must have the support of their citizens; either by formal vote or by tacit acquiescence. No tyranny can be so complete that it absolves its citizens from every one of the crimes it commits.
In practice few individuals recognize this as a right, let alone the weighty obligation it really is. Even the electoral process becomes, albeit with due pomp and ceremony, merely an opportunity for demonstrating support for your adopted tribe; though by the next election you may well have adopted, as your new peer group, the enemies of today,
Democracy, and ENTITY since it is the ultimate democracy, demands more of you. It requires that you participate constantly in the various levels of society you belong to, from the group within which you work upwards to the whole community of mankind. It is not just a matter of voting, though that is the critical manifestation of the process. Nor is it just weighing up those small decisions for which you are personally responsible; though it is, of course, important that you ensure they contribute to the furtherance of society.
It is instead, the dedication to making your society what you, with due guidance from ENTITY, would wish it to be. No-one else can accept the responsibility for you. Only you can make the commitment; to ensure that the various groups you belong to, including that of the whole of mankind, work the way you would desire.
It cannot be stressed too strongly that ENTITY is based on the individual. The unique person is a celebration of ENTITY. But ENTITY also allows the individual to contribute to the group without losing this precious identity.
Within your community, or group, commit yourself wholly to it. Make yourself responsible for its future; since this truly lies in your hands. It is all too easy to avoid your part in group decisions, to allow others to involve themselves while you go fishing. But democracy requires that you, just as much as any other, shoulder your responsibility. If you are to be a good citizen, and ultimately take justifiable pride in what you see of yourself in ENTITY, there is no ducking your responsibility.
This is in part a process that some have described as 'community politics'. Lest you react, perhaps with good reason, against all that is political, let me stress that here I simply interpret this as the process of making your voice heard; and matching this by action. Moral values, and principles, are simple to aspire to where they require no personal sacrifice; but are worthless if such sacrifice is called for and you cannot rise to the challenge.
Most important is your contribution to ENTITY on such issues. For ENTITY can, in this context, be viewed as an omnipresent referendum. It is the true climate of public opinion. It is the medium wherein is gathered the values hell most dear by your group. In turn it reinforces these values, and binds the group together,
In small groups, and in particular within the family, these values are strongly held; and bind the individuals together with bands of iron. In larger groups it is easy to agree on the simple issues, the key emotions. But these may not be the key decisions that have to be taken. Thus, instead of the reasoned debate we have the classical confrontation between 'left' and 'right'. It is seldom clear what this means, since the policies of the two sides are often interchangeable without any significant effect. And yet the emotional mainspring of politics is often such a simplistic battle. 'My country right or wrong' has become my political party whatever it stands for'.
Such argument, if it may be dignified by such a title, debases us all. It assumes that, as in war, our opponents have no virtues and we have no faults. Its tunnel vision restricts our horizons, and reduces our behaviour to the primitive.
All that is needed to cure this disease is that you carefully consider your opinion. No issue is too remote, nor too trivial, to be unworthy of consideration. In all issues you contribute to the local ENTITY. If the situation is poorly thought out, a primitive instinctive reaction, then the weight of public opinion as represented by ENTITY will reflect this. Disastrous decisions may be taken as a result.
The primitively instinctive and the apathetic are the enemies of civilization. A look at history will provide innumerable examples where the combination of these two has led to untold miseries, including let the perpetrators. Conversely, one of the most successful companies the world has ever seen was, largely, founded on the single word 'THINK'. This word is the most powerful summation of what is required of you as a member of civilization. It is a deceptively simple concept, but one that contains all that is necessary to use, and contribute to, ENTITY.
It is deceptive because it requires far more effort than you would, at first glance, imagine.
Before you can think you have to obtain the relevant information. It is almost inevitable, in practice, that you will not have this information. Possibly you will experience a shortage, and you must search for more. Perhaps you will have too much, and you will need to ruthlessly discard all that is irrelevant.
It is most likely that the information you have will be biased. It will reflect the views of your group, of your chosen newspaper, and of the other subtle influences in your life. You have to recognize that, unfortunately, most of these create distortion. They provide the sort of news that you want to hear. That is why you belong to the group, or buy a particular newspaper. All information is, thus, carefully filtered, and subtly remoulded, until it conforms to the prejudices you already hold. The public media, particularly the press, are the worst offenders. They seek, not to convey the truth, but to sell back to you for a profit the opinions you already hold; be they in the context of simple titillation or complex dogma.
The first rule of thinking is, accordingly, to disbelieve all you have been taught, all you have read, all you have heard; until you are sure it corresponds with the true facts. This
does not mean that you must become a scholar constantly searching through libraries. Even less does it mean that you should become the professional cynic who believes in nothing. It only suggests that in your normal life, as you receive information from conversation or from the media, you should weigh its value. Recognize that you are biased. We all are, even saints. Simply try to exclude the bias, as best you can, and look at the facts as an independent being. The acid test is to try and look at them from the viewpoint diametrically opposed to the one you hold.
The contribution you will then make, both in your daily life and to ENTITY, will be uniquely yours. You will have justified your existence as an individual; a sentient being not a sheep in a flock. You become the leader, not the led; and that is civilization.
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