Your Continuum: Its Spiritual “Side”

TUES., JAN. 21, 1997, 12:19 PM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

You just have reviewed that important contribution to your field – the Continuum concerning Adaptation. You will present it this afternoon in the Environment class, in both its long & its short form. You will relate it to low and high entropy. But what about the spiritual implications of this small, simple model? What better time than now for you to hear what I have to say about this.

One concept that seemed to come from the example you used, and also that current article on the tobacco company’s attitude toward the use of their product, is that of freedom. The left side of the Continuum opts for freedom to do what you wish, no matter how theoretically risky it may be. The right side, then, must opt for restriction, in order to avoid risks and prevent harm. Individual freedom is one manifestation of spirit but it can be maintained, even if there is physical or social restriction. Remember that I had Paul affirm that slave or free, one could be in Christ… and only in Him could there be true freedom.

The right, restrictive end could encompass the spiritual principles of more concern for others than for self, and not doing something that would cause “your weaker brother to stumble”. One would give up a freedom to bring about benefit to others. Both ends, thus, can be spiritual, and any intermediate position would include some amalgam of the different spiritual emphases, with more or less of each.

Then if you consider a spiritual relationship with the earth and with its various forms of life you would see spirit manifested differently at the two ends. On the left the dominant spiritual motivation would be to live in harmony with the earth and its life, taking your place in the “web” and appreciating all of the interactions, even, particularly, the ones involving you. You would see even “disasters” as opportunities for spiritual growth, recognizing that in the natural course of life humans are not particularly favored.

On the right the spiritual motivation would be to help life forms that you favor survive and thrive. This past week you went down and broke the ice so that your pasture animals could drink. It was not high-tech, but it would have been hard to do without the tools of axe and shovel. Veterinarians have a life work of protecting and prolonging the lives of certain animals. There are groups that work against cruelty to animals, even ones that eventually are used for food. I have encouraged you to consider the spirit potential in plants as you start and maintain a garden. You save plants you want by eliminating weeds that may challenge the growth you favor.

And now would you consider a reference to your physical exam this morning? You had to move to the right to go and participate in this medical aspect of life. Some of the exam was technological, so you were told that your heart was normal, but your blood pressure was way too high. Then came a pharmaceutical product, one you have avoided. Yet there are some natural (left side) actions you can combine with the medication.

If you would remain far left you would hold to My fairly oft-repeated assurance that you will live as long as I want you to live, no matter what you do or don’t do. If you move to the right you can assume that I am in favor of some medical procedures, and these, available to you, can help you live as long as I desire. That is, I can use earthly means to accomplish what I want.

I encourage you not to go very much past the middle. I tell you that I am more comfortable in the left portion, for there is more “dependence” on Me and less tendency to feel that life must be maintained, by scientific and technological means, in effect denying Me and My Powers.