We may not notice it consciously, but events reported by the news channels usually point to the insanity, the upside down nature, of human thought. It's because most human thought spills forth from the ego mind. Here's a case in point from one of today's headline news stories…
First, take a look at June, 1915; the World War I era, more than one hundred years ago. These things happened…
Fast Forward to the Insult
Now, in today's news of June 2, 2016, Germany just passed a resolution declaring the Ottoman Empire conducted genocide. Within two hours, Turkey recalled its ambassador to Germany for consultations and summoned a top German diplomat to the foreign ministry in Ankara, according to officials.
Turkey's official rebuttal claims that "This decision which is against history and the future will no doubt have an impact on German-Turkish relations and will damage bridges of friendship between the two countries." (How strong could these "bridges of friendship" be? They sound more like what a special relationship would value).
What Can We Learn from This?
The Course constantly reminds us that we project our thoughts to create our perception of the world around us. (Immanuel Kant proposed the same idea in the 18th century).
Perhaps not so strange as it might first appear, most of what governments do is based on ego thinking as well. How else could it be, considering that governments are built from people who think with their ego minds? One government projects its thinking on another, "solidifying" its perception of, in this case, a past event. The government so accused responds with a defense it judges appropriate to the degree of insult or attack.
But the Course reminds us of the futility of judging anything!
From Lesson 151: All things are echoes of the Voice of God.
No one can judge on partial evidence. That is not judgment. It is merely an opinion based on ignorance and doubt. Its seeming certainty is but a cloak for the uncertainty it would conceal. It needs irrational defense because it is irrational. And its defense seems strong, convincing, and without a doubt because of all the doubting underneath.
How can you judge? Your judgment rests upon the witness that your senses offer you. Yet witness never falser was than this. But how else do you judge the world you see? You place pathetic faith in what your eyes and ears report. You think your fingers touch reality and close upon the truth. This is awareness which you understand and think more real than what is witnessed to by the eternal Voice of God Himself.
From Lesson 153. In my defenselessness my safety lies.
You who feel threatened by this changing world, its twists of fortune and its bitter jests, its brief relationships and all the "gifts" it merely lends to take away again, attend this lesson well. The world provides no safety. It is rooted in attack and all its "gifts" of seeming safety are illusory deceptions. It attacks and then attacks again. No peace of mind is possible where danger threatens thus.
Was Germany's resolution an attack? Perhaps. But a resolution is really nothing more than words, ideas and ego-based thoughts.
Did Turkey perceive the resolution as an attack? It seems so. Would their choice to become defenseless bring a different outcome? Absolutely.
Ah, the news. Sadly, there's nothing "new" about news. Each day replays the same insanity. It's a testament to what's upside down on Planet Earth. May we instead choose to avoid judging and see each seeming attack as a call for love. A call we can meet with love instead of defense.
First, take a look at June, 1915; the World War I era, more than one hundred years ago. These things happened…
- US government mints the first $50 gold pieces.
- Denmark amends its constitution to allow women's suffrage.
- Germany's 1st Zeppelin air raid over England.
- The Ottoman Empire rounded up, arrested, and deported more than 200 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders from Constantinople to Ankara, Turkey. The majority were eventually murdered. The killing continued during and after World War I, which ultimately led to the death of between 800,000 and 1.5 million Armenians. An "ethnic cleansing."
Fast Forward to the Insult
Now, in today's news of June 2, 2016, Germany just passed a resolution declaring the Ottoman Empire conducted genocide. Within two hours, Turkey recalled its ambassador to Germany for consultations and summoned a top German diplomat to the foreign ministry in Ankara, according to officials.
Turkey's official rebuttal claims that "This decision which is against history and the future will no doubt have an impact on German-Turkish relations and will damage bridges of friendship between the two countries." (How strong could these "bridges of friendship" be? They sound more like what a special relationship would value).
What Can We Learn from This?
The Course constantly reminds us that we project our thoughts to create our perception of the world around us. (Immanuel Kant proposed the same idea in the 18th century).
Perhaps not so strange as it might first appear, most of what governments do is based on ego thinking as well. How else could it be, considering that governments are built from people who think with their ego minds? One government projects its thinking on another, "solidifying" its perception of, in this case, a past event. The government so accused responds with a defense it judges appropriate to the degree of insult or attack.
But the Course reminds us of the futility of judging anything!
From Lesson 151: All things are echoes of the Voice of God.
No one can judge on partial evidence. That is not judgment. It is merely an opinion based on ignorance and doubt. Its seeming certainty is but a cloak for the uncertainty it would conceal. It needs irrational defense because it is irrational. And its defense seems strong, convincing, and without a doubt because of all the doubting underneath.
How can you judge? Your judgment rests upon the witness that your senses offer you. Yet witness never falser was than this. But how else do you judge the world you see? You place pathetic faith in what your eyes and ears report. You think your fingers touch reality and close upon the truth. This is awareness which you understand and think more real than what is witnessed to by the eternal Voice of God Himself.
From Lesson 153. In my defenselessness my safety lies.
You who feel threatened by this changing world, its twists of fortune and its bitter jests, its brief relationships and all the "gifts" it merely lends to take away again, attend this lesson well. The world provides no safety. It is rooted in attack and all its "gifts" of seeming safety are illusory deceptions. It attacks and then attacks again. No peace of mind is possible where danger threatens thus.
Was Germany's resolution an attack? Perhaps. But a resolution is really nothing more than words, ideas and ego-based thoughts.
Did Turkey perceive the resolution as an attack? It seems so. Would their choice to become defenseless bring a different outcome? Absolutely.
Ah, the news. Sadly, there's nothing "new" about news. Each day replays the same insanity. It's a testament to what's upside down on Planet Earth. May we instead choose to avoid judging and see each seeming attack as a call for love. A call we can meet with love instead of defense.