Backwardness

SUN., OCT. 16, 1983, 6:07 AM
FARM, STUDY

You resisted this theme, o son, because it did not bring an immediate context to your mind. You considered briefly that the word stands this morning as a challenge… a challenge to faith in Me and in My capacity to provide insights beyond what you have. You know I can do it. Now I must. Welcome!

“Backwardness” implies a turning away from some ideal position or direction, and it can refer either to some static state or to dynamic movement. Your culture usually uses the term with reference to countries or people that are less technological, less institutional, or less sophisticated medically… and combinations of these. The value is on progress toward some more organized, machine and computer-oriented future. Backwardness implies that one does not have and does not try to implement such a value.

Now I’m sure you suspect that there is a spiritual “dimension” to backwardness, and I shall talk about this as another beautiful autumn day dawns outside. First, in relation to this secular perspective a person with developed spirit should generate and exhibit backwardness to some extent. Oh, it is not necessary to reject all modernity, and “progress”, but it is appropriate to object to some unnecessary luxuries and to the continued developments of weapons that can make the earth uninhabitable. From a philosophy that proclaims that we may have to use such weapons to retain our “free” way of life the person of spirit should be backward. You are part of such a unique culture… one that dominates while it proclaims freedom. Another cultural force opposes, and it dominates while extolling equality. Such competition is not bad in and of itself. If it took the form of help to others rather than development of evermore destructive weapons it could encourage progress. But from the present form of competition I recommend backwardness.

But let Us focus on this development of spirit here in the earth. The most fundamental backwardness is to assert that there is no such dimension or force as spirit and that there is no spirit world amongst and beyond this apparent physical reality in the earth. This means that the desired condition and direction (from which backwardness is defined) is one of affirming and demonstrating the reality and the power of spirit as the unifying dimension of human personality and of successful groups and communities. It also affirms and acknowledges the existence and functioning of spirits, in the earth plane and in every way beyond, and ultimately, the existence and omnipotence of God Almighty , of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, who teaches and interprets and intercedes. To be less than affirmative about such reality is to earn the designation “backward”.

You know that there are other spiritual and religious traditions that do not acknowledge and honor the Christ nor Me, the Holy Spirit. I advise you that this is backward, but then quickly I admonish that your task is to live life in dedication to this reality, letting the quality of this life be your exhibit… rather than directly opposing.

You see the parallel with the weapons and war issue. Christianity’s superiority should be demonstrated by lives lived fully and joyfully for others and for Me, rather than through opposing and persecuting other manifestations of spirit, even those that seem “backward”. In other words, it becomes more backward to spend energies in opposing backwardness than to just genuinely show forth forwardness.