To Netnews Homepage Previous Next Index Table of Contents
The Rays and the Initiations - Appendix
3. The Growth of Goodwill and the Revelation of Cleavages The result of the world war, of disease, famine and pain, has developed a spirit of community in suffering and [750] in deprivation; this has led to a consequent understanding participation in human difficulties everywhere which is rapidly changing into a spirit of world goodwill. This worldwide goodwill, when truly established and correctly organized, is the needed preliminary to revelation, for this coming revelation will be a planetary revelation, shared by all men everywhere. Unitedly all men realize, even today, the need to rise out of the prison of self-interest into the freedom of shared opportunity, and the factor which will bring about this resurrection is goodwill. One interesting aspect of goodwill is that, as it develops in the human consciousness, it first of all brings a revelation of the existent cleavages which distinguish the political, the religious, the social and the economic life of people everywhere. The revelation of a cleavage is ever accompanied (for such is the beauty of the human spirit) by efforts along all possible lines to bridge or heal the cleavage. This is testified to by the thousands of groups and organizations working to end cleavages and to pull down the barriers to right human relationships. That these efforts may be faulty and fruitless is often of less importance than the fact that the attempts to heal, to help and to establish right human relations are everywhere being made. Modern psychology is an evidence of this, dealing as it does with the problem of the integration of the human being and the healing of the cleavages of his nature. One of the first things to be done is to educate the individual in the necessity to have goodwill not only to his fellowmen but also to himself. The emphasis of medieval Christianity upon weakness, wickedness and the innate sinfulness of the human being has today to be offset by a true appreciation of divinity in human form. It is not possible to list the cleavages which represent men's failure to establish and hold good and decent relationships with their fellowmen; there are today cleavages between man and man, between group and group, and also between religions and between nations. The terminology which will express good relations, instead of these, already [751] exists: Union, United, League, Federation, Commonwealth, Right Understanding, Kindness, Human Welfare and many similar terms; they mean, as yet, but little. Some day, however, they will stand for certain substantial realities, but that day is not immediate. The concept of easier, unified and happy relations is nevertheless existent in the minds of many thousands everywhere, and the factual reality will materialize some day. The first step is the wholesome recognition that cleavages exist; it is here that goodwill can do its most useful and necessary work. I do not intend here to stress the nature of that work or state how it should be carried forward. That I have done already many times. It is the cultivation of a spiritual attitude that is needed and the dedication, at all times, and in every possible way, to the will-to-good. The majority of the existent cleavages are now recognized; the delay comes in the task of bridging them and also in shouldering responsibility. Many nations, and especially the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A., are prompt to adjudicate blame, to point out errors and to advise other nations what is wrong and how to put it right. They both need to clean house themselves and attend to the righting of the wrongs within their own borders. The same is true of all nations, but the others are not so openly engaged in telling other peoples what they should do. Why, for instance, should the U.S.A. deal with the problem of the Indonesian strife and seek to force the Dutch to do what Americans feel should be done, and (at the same time) give not constitutional aid to the just cause of the Negro minority within the States? Why accuse other nations of constant wrong doing, as does Russia, and of breaking treaties, when Russia fails on all points to keep her word or to cooperate in righting world affairs? The task which the Hierarchy wishes to see accomplished at this time is the spread of goodwill; each person, community and nation should begin with a diagnosis of their own attitude towards goodwill, and then set an example by eliminating cleavages in the home, the [752] business, or the nation. Goodwill is contagious; once a definite start has been made in a pure and disinterested spirit, goodwill will permeate the world and right human relations will be rapidly established. The healing of cleavages is a practical matter. The Spirit of Synthesis, working through the great first ray Avatar (the Avatar of Synthesis) is closer to the Earth than ever before, and the clarity which will emerge in the Light of His Presence is already available; the tendency to integration can therefore be more easily fostered and a new synthesis attained among men. Before, however, integration and synthesis are possible, this first ray energy must work to destroy all that prevents integration and all that is hindering a needed synthesis. Human beings themselves must also destroy the prejudices, the animosities and the fixed ideas which have prevented synthesis, which have created cleavages and hindered right understanding.
To Netnews Homepage Previous Next Index Table of Contents
Last updated Monday, July 6, 1998 © 1998 Netnews Association. All rights reserved.