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A Merry Heart Maketh a Cheerful Countenance–We are Caught in the Power of their Revelatory Ecstasy!

ImageThe genius of our ruling class is that is has kept a majority of the people from every questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return. Nothing is more free than the imagination of a human; and though it cannot exceed that original stock of ideas, furnished by the internal and external senses, it has unlimited power of mixing, compounding, separating, and dividing these ideas, in all the varieties of fiction and vision. It can feign a train of events, with all the appearance of reality, ascribe to them a particular time and place, conceive them as existent, and paint them out to itself with every circumstance, that belongs to any historical fact, which it believes with the greatest certainty. Wherein, therefore, consists the difference between such a fiction and belief? It lies not merely in any peculiar idea, which is annexed to such a conception as commands our assent, and which is wanting to every known fiction. For as the mind has authority over all its ideas, it could voluntarily annex this particular idea to any function, and consequently be able to believe whatever it pleases; contrary to what we find by daily experience. We can, in our conception, join the head of a human to the body of a horse; but it is not in our power to believe, that such an animal has ever really existed. #RandolphHarris 1 of 25

ImageIt follows, therefore, that the difference between fiction and belief lies in some sentiment or feeling, which is annexed to the latter, not to the former, and which depends not on the will, no can be commanded at pleasure. It must be excited by nature, like all other sentiments; and must arise from the particular situation, in which the mind is placed at any particular juncture. Whenever any object is presented to the memory or sense, it immediately, by force of custom, carries the imagination to conceive that object, which is usually conjoined to it; and this conception is attended with a feeling or sentiment, different from the loose reveries of the fancy. In this consists the whole nature of belief. For as there is no matter of fact which we believe so firmly, that we cannot conceive the contrary, there would be no difference between the conception assented to, and that which is rejected, were it not for some sentiment, which distinguishes the one from the other. If I see a billiard ball moving towards another, on a smooth table, I can easily conceive it to stop upon contact. This conception implies no contradiction; but still it feels very differently from that conception, by which I represent to myself the impulse, and the communication of motion from one ball to another. #RandolphHarris 2 of 25

ImageWhere we to attempt a definition of  this sentiment, we should, perhaps, find it a very difficult, if not an impossible task; in the same manner as if we should endeavour to define the feeling of cold or passion of anger, to a creature who never had any experience of these sentiments. BELIEF is the true and proper name of this feeling; and no one is ever at a loss to know the meaning of that term; because every human is every moment conscious of the sentiment represented by it. It may not, however, be improper to attempt a description of this sentiment; in hopes we may, by that means, arrive at some analogies, which may afford a more perfect explication of it. I say then, that belief is nothing but a more vivid, lively, forcible, firm, steady conception of an object, than what the imagination alone is ever able to attain. This variety of terms, which may seem so unphilosophical, is intended only to express that act of the mind, which renders realities, or what is taken for such, more present to us than fictions, cases them to weigh more in the thought, and gives them a superior influence on the passions and imagination. Provided we agree about the thing, it is needless to dispute about the terms. The imagination has the command over all its idea, and can join and mix them, in all ways possible. #RandolphHarris 3 of 25

ImageIt may conceive fictitious objects with all the circumstances of place and time. It may set them, in a manner, before our eyes, in their true colours, just as they might have existed. However, as it is impossible, that this faculty of imagination can ever, of itself, reach belief, it is evident, that belief consists not in the peculiar nature or order of ideas, but in the manner of their conception, and in their feeling to the mind. I confess, that it is impossible perfectly to explain this feeling or manner of conception. We may make use of words, which express something near it. However, its true and proper name, as we observed before, is belief; which is a term, that every one sufficiently understands in common life. And in philosophy, we can go no farther than assert, that belief is something felt by the mind, which distinguishes the ideas of the judgment from the fictions of the imagination. It gives them more weight and influence; makes them appear of greater importance; enforces them in the mind; and renders them the governing principle of our actions. I hear at present, for instance, person’s voice, with whim I am acquainted; and the sound comes as from the next room. This impression of my senses immediately conveys my thought to the person, together with all the surrounding objects. #RandolphHarris 4 of 25

ImageI paint them out to myself as existing at present, with the same qualities and relations, of which I formerly knew them possessed. These ideas take faster hold of my mind, than ideas of an enchanted castle. They are very different to the feeling, and have a much greater influence of every kind, either to give pleasure or pain, joy or sorrow. Let us, then, take in the whole compass of this doctrines, and allow, that the sentiment of belief is nothing but a conception more intense and steady than what attends the mere fictions of the imagination, and that this manner of conception arises from a customary conjunction of the object with something present to the memory or senses: I believe that it will not be difficult, upon these suppositions, to find other operations of the mind analogous to it, and to trace up these phenomena to principles still more general. We have already observed, that nature has established connexions among particular ideas, and that no sooner one idea occurs to our thoughts than it introduces its correlative, and carries out attention towards it, by a gentle and insensible movement. These principles of connexion or association we have reduced to three, namely, Resemblance, Contiguity, and Causation; which are the bonds, that unite our thoughts together, and beget that regular train of reflection or discourse, which, in a greater or less degree, takes place among all humankind. #RandolphHarris 5 of 25

ImageNow here arises a question, on which the solution of the present difficulty will depend. Does it happen, in all these relations, that, when one of the objects is presented to the senses or memory, the mind is not only carried to the conception of the correlative, but reaches a steadier and stronger conception of it than what otherwise it would have been able to attain? This seems to be the case with that belief, which arises from the relation of cause and effect. And if the case be the same with the other relations or principles of association, this may be established as a general law, which takes place in all the operations of the mind. We may, therefore, observe, as the first experiment to our present purpose, that, upon the appearance of the picture of an absent friend, our idea of one is evidently enlivened by the resemblance, and that every passion, which that idea occasions, whether of joy or sorrow, acquires new force and vigour. In producing this effect, there concur both a relation and a present impression. Where the picture bears one no resemblance, at least was not intended for one, it never so much as conveys our thought to one: And where it is absent, as well as the person; though the mind may pass from the thought of the one to that of the other; it feels its idea to be rather weakened than enlivened by that transition. #RandolphHarris 6 of 25

ImageWe take a pleasure in viewing the picture of a friend, when it is set before us; but when it is removed, rather choose to consider one directly, than by reflection in an image, which is equally distant and obscure. Science cannot contradict faith; it can show that faith is not absurd, that what is believed is corroborated by documents. However, the important problem is not to investigate the sources of Christian faith scientifically. It is to determine the relation of Christ to human history. This is more than ever true in our century. We may well agree that the historical relevance of the Christological affirmation drives home more effectively than any other today. When this has been granted, other problems remain to be considered. At the age of twenty-five, I presented some theses to a group of theological friends, in which I raised and attempted to answer the question, how the Christian doctrine might be understood, if the non-existence of the historical Jesus should become historically probable. One might view this theological escapade into the impossible as a pardonable youthful adventure—radical, but not to be taken seriously. Yet, even today, I maintain the radicalism of this question. A to historical inquiry into the facts behind the rise of the biblical picture of Christ, the exposition of those facts can only lend to probability. #RandolphHarris 7 of 25

ImageThe historical Jesus not only did not appear, but receded farther and farther with every new step. None of the innumerable sketches of a historical Jesus can claim to be a profitable picture. The attempt pf historical criticism to find the empirical truth about Jesus of Nazareth was a failure. This attitude towards historical investigation is more complex than appears at face-value, and it should be neither endorsed nor dismissed rapidly. One should distinguish several elements. We must admit that the positive knowledge of Jesus given by history is only probable knowledge. This is not because documents are unavailable or deficient, but simply because historical study as such never gives more than a probable knowledge. Catholic theologians commonly call such knowledge a “moral certainty.” Terms and words are not especially important. Whether we speak, in this case, of probability or of moral certainty, we imply that historical truth has characteristics of its own, distinguishing it from the truth of mathematics, of physics, or, in another domain, of metaphysic. Historical truth is never more than a probability. If we call it a certainty, we must qualify it as “moral.” To say this is to recognize the element of validity in the position here. #RandolphHarris 8 of 25

ImageThe probability is very faint, which does not take out knowledge of the life and times of Jesus seriously enough. In the present sate of historical studies there is not the ghost of a chance that “the non-existence” of Jesus should become historically probable. The liberal theologians attempted to base Christianity on historical research. However, we condemn the role of liberal theology, along which Christ was drawn into the realm of universal or highest humanity. He became the highest expression of humankind’s possibilities, a wave (the largest perhaps) in the stream of time, subjected to its arbitrariness and ambiguity. This was bound to happen once biblical critical exegesis was erected into the norm of Christian faith. Christ was no longer the center of history, no longer the Christ. He was the historical Jesus, or whatever vague knowledge we had of him. We stand unimpeachable when we object to this as a matter of principle: The foundation of Christian belief is not the historical Jesus, but the biblical picture of the Christ. The criterion of human thought and action is not the constantly changing and artificial product of historical research, but the picture of Christ as it is rooted in ecclesiastical belief and human experience. Our opposition to strict and rigid liberal doctrines and covenants, which replace the crucified Christ by the historical Jesus, is the only sound attitude. #RandolphHarris 9 of 25

ImageChristology must be the norm of history. Instead, liberal Protestantism made historical tools the norm of Christology. It is perfectly true to say that the historical records of Jesus are themselves the products of faith; it is something else to conclude that they are historically reliable, an assertion to which forms the gist of the sections of systematic theology on the research for the historical Jesus and its failure, and on faith and historical scepticism. There is actually no logical link between the two propositions. To admit a logical link would be to admit that faith distorts facts. However, faith never distorts; it interprets. This is quite different. What was wrong with the liberal theologians who were seeking for the historical Jesus was not their interest in history (though they often fell into historicism), but that their search was not guided by the religious picture of the Christ which was that of the early Church. They became bad historians, excessively negative in their conclusions, because they had first been bad theologians. It is easy to see why we made the aforementioned propositions. The implied contrast between the evanescent historical Jesus and the Christ of faith corresponds too well to our own theological distinction between Jesus as Jesus and Jesus as Christ. It is not the man from Nazareth that matters, but our witness to the New Being in ourselves. #RandolphHarris 10 of 25

ImageOutside of the, Jesus has no place in theology. Christology is not Jesusology. It is not interested in whatever happened to the man Jesus. It is interested in the fact that the disciples perceived the Christ in Him. We insist that Jesus Christ means Jesus who is said to be the Christ. In our self-consciousness, Jesus may not always have known that he was the Christ. On the Cross at least he despaired. Looking at history in the light of this distinction between Jesus and the Christ in him, between a man and the New Being which manifested itself through him, we even imagine that maybe Jesus was not the Christ. There was a Christ: this is a matter of revelatory experiences. The Apostles experienced it directly, and we still experience it, though indirectly. We are caught in the power of their revelatory ecstasy, and so we cannot deny that there was, that there is, a Christ. However, the identity of the Christ and of Jesus is no a matter of faith. It is a point of history; and it is very questionable. Participation, not historical argument, guarantees the reality of the event on which Christianity is based. It guarantees a personal life in which the New Being has conquered the old being. However, it does not guarantee his name to be Jesus of Nazareth. #RandolphHarris 11 of 25

ImageFaith does not guarantee history. However, this is not because we misread the nature of historical inquiry. It is a result of the peculiar content of our Christology. If the New Being in the Christ is simply a form of the Protestant principle, it does not absolutely need a human bearer. Jesus is not necessary to the Christ. Yet this runs contrary to the meaning of Christianity. Of course, the Catholic faith does guarantee the identity of Jesus and the Christ, as did the Protestant faith before liberal Protestantism. One should carefully distinguish those historical elements that are essential to the meaning of the Christ for those the are not; blindness towards the historical groundwork of Christianity to say that the identity of Jesus and the Christ is not part of the kerygma (a Greek word used in the New Testament for “proclamation”). It is not enough to state that the original fact is the Apostles’ interpretation of Jesus. For how can we accept an interpretation if we do not know what is to be interpreted? How can we share the Apostles’ interpretation if we choose to doubt the identity of whom and what they interpreted? “Now concerning the spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. #RandolphHarris 12 of 25

Image“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no human speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. However, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every human to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit of the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to envy humans severally as one will,” 1 Corinthians 12.1-11. Most of us are students of theology, whether we teach or learn, whether we be missionaries or educators, ministers or social workers, administrators or political leaders. However, in this particular community, we are theologians, persons who ask the question of our ultimate concern, the question of God and Hs manifestation. Whatever else we may be, we are first of all theologians. #RandolphHarris 13 of 25

ImageTherefore, it is most natural—although not most usual—for us to consider our existence as theologians. On what is this existence bases? What makes a human a theologian? What is one’s relation to other forms of existence? What is the significance of our existence as a whole? Paul makes very clear what he thinks is the foundation of all theology: the Divine Spirit. And the word of wisdom and knowledge, theology, according to the witness of the whole Christian Church, is basically a gift of the Spirit. It is one of the gifts, besides others. It is a special gift, besides other special gifts. However, it is a gift of the Spirit, and not a natural capacity. The word of knowledge—theology—is spoken to us before we can say it to others, or even to ourselves. To be a theologian means first of all to be able to receive spiritual knowledge. However, on the basis of this criterion, can we call ourselves theologians? Can we say that our theological thought is a gift of the Spirit? Are we certain that our theological existence transcends our human capacities, or that we have the word of knowledge, the word of spiritual wisdom? Paul gives a very concrete criterion for theological existence, which is also the criterion of all spiritual existence. #RandolphHarris 14 of 25

ImagePaul says: One who cries “Cursed be Jesus” does not speak in the Spirit of God; and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. One who accepts Jesus as the Christ proves by that very acceptance that one has received the Spirit of God. For the spirit of humans alone is not capable of making the statement: “I accept Jesus as the Christ.” That statement is the mystery and the foundation of the Christian Church, the paradox and the stumbling-block, which produce curses against Christianity. It is the depth and the power which create a New Being in the World, in history, and in humans. Therefore, one who joins in the Church’s confession that Jesus is the Christ participates in the Divine Spirit. It is one who can receive the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge; it is one who can become a theologian. Theology does not exist outside the community of those who affirm that Jesus is the Christ, outside the Church, precisely because it is a gift of the Divine Spirit. Theological existence is an element of the existence of the Church. It is not simply a matter of “free” thinking, of scientific research, or of general philosophical analysis. Theology expressed the faith of the Church. It restates the paradoxical statement, Jesus is the Christ, and considers all is presuppositions and implication. Theological existence indicates the existence of one who is grasped, within the Church, by the Divine Spirit, and who has received the word of wisdom and knowledge. #RandolphHarris 15 of 25

ImageHowever, we must ask another question. If that be theological existence, which one of us can call oneself a theologian? Who can decide to become a theologian? And who can dare to remain a theologian? Do we really belong to the assembly of God? Can we seriously accept the paradox upon which the Church is built, the paradox that Jesus is the Christ? Are we grasped by the Divine Spirit, and have we received the word of knowledge as a gift? If somebody were to come and tell us that one certainly belongs to the Church, that one does not doubt that Jesus is the Christ any longer, that one continuously experiences the grip of the Divine Spirit and gift of spiritual knowledge, what should be our answer to one? We certainly should tell one that one does not fulfill even the first condition of theological existence, which is the realization that one does not know whether one have experienced the Divine Spirit, or spirits which are not divine. We would not accept one as a theologian. On the other hand, if someone were to come and tell us that one is estranged from the Christian Church and its foundations, that one does not feel the presence of the power of the Spirit, that one is empty of spiritual knowledge, but that one asks again and again the theological question, the question of an ultimate concern and its manifestations in Jesus as the Christ, we would accept one as a theologian. #RandolphHarris 16 of 25

ImageThere are many amongst us who believe within themselves that they can never become good theologians, that they could do better in almost any other realm. Yet they cannot imagine that their existence could be anything other than theological existence. Even if they had to give up theology as their vocational work, they would never cease to ask the theological question. It would pursue them into every realm. They would be bund to it, actually, if not vocationally. They could not be sure that they could fulfill its demands, but they would be sure that they were in its bondage. They who believe those things in their hearts belong to the assembly of God. They are grasped by the Divine Spirit. They have received he gift of knowledge. They are theologians. Even if your prayer is not a request for anything, you will be given benefits—an increased sense of knowing your place in the Universe, a stronger awareness of the presence of God, a development of your spiritual discipline. When praying, try to make a full-fledged ritual out of your prayer whenever possible. The benefits are real, and well worth the trouble. At their simplest, prayers are just like talking to God. You think about the Lord and talk. Talking to God is, therefore, a different form of talking to people. #RandolphHarris 17 of 25

ImageYou can show that you are talking to God by using a different style of speech. Just as you have set aside time and space for this sacred conversation, you set aside your normal ways of speech to make your prayers special. Because prayer is communication with a divine being, prayers must always be addressed to God, His son, and the Holy Ghost. Whether the divine trinity needs it or not is not the question. If you reach out to deities, like the Virgin Mary, it is only polite to call them by name. No sense starting out on the wrong foot. “And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla. Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of truth; for they were humans of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God. However, this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with power and authority of God. #RandolphHarris 18 of 25

Image“And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on his name and confess their sins before him. Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labour in the spirit. Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them, and also this was the minds of the people; nevertheless they departed out of their swords, and their arrows, and the slings; and this they did that they might provide food for themselves while in the wilderness. And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach the word of God unto Lamanites. And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their father, which were not correct. #RandolphHarris 19 of 25

Image“And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted. And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls. And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah, and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God. And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that great was the work which they had undertaken. And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken. And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach the word of God to a wild and hardened and ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not labour for them with their own hands. #RandolphHarris 20 of 25

Image“Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of repentance. Therefore, this was he cause for which the sons of Mosiah had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the plan of redemption. Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and went forth among them, every human alone, according to the word and power of God which was given unto one. Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having blessed them according to their several stations, having imparted the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout the land. And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites. And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took one and bound one, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites who feel into their hands, and carry them before the king; and thus it was left to the pleasure of king to slay them, or to retain them in captivity, or cast them into prison, or to cast them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure. #RandolphHarris 21 of 25

Image“And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant of Ishmael. And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people. And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among his people. And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife. However, Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni. And it came to pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites. And after he had been in the service of the king three days, as he was with Lamanitish servants going forth with their flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they may have water—therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving forth their flocks to the place of water, behold, a certain number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water, stood and scattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways. #RandolphHarris 22 of 25

Image“Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the king will slay us, as he had our brethren because their flocks were scattered by the wickedness of these humans. And they began to weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered already. Now hey wept because of the fear f being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the kind, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words. And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren. And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us. And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks, and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather them together again to the place of water. And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and I go and contend with these people who do scatter our flocks. #RandolphHarris 23 of 25

Image“Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of Sebus; and they were in number not a new. Therefore they did no fear Ammon, for they supposed that one of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that would deliver his sons out of their hands neither did they know anything concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction of their brethren; and for this cause stood to scatter the flocks of the king. However, Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his along; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slow a certain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him. However, behold, every human that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm. #RandolphHarris 24 of 25

Image“Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew non save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as many of their arms as were lifted against him, and thy were not a few. And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to slay him; and they were carried in unto the kind for a testimony of the things which they had done,” reports Alma 17.1-39. O God, Who, by Thine invisible power, dost wonderfully work out the effect of Thy Sacraments, and although we be unworthy to perform such great mysteries, yet Thou forsakes not the gifs of Thy grace, incline Thy gracious ears even to our entreaty; be present to us in Thy goodness, assist us in Thy loving-kindness, while we are observing Thy commands, O God Almighty. May that which is to be performed by our humble ministration, be fulfilled by Thine effectual power. Be present, O merciful God; that what has been done by our office and service may be confirmed by Thy benediction; through our Lord. Look down from Heaven, O Christ, on Thy flock and lambs, and bless their bodies and souls. Grant those who have received Thy sign, O Christ, on their foreheads, to be Thine own in the day of judgment. #RandolphHarris 25 of 25Image

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Our Present Knowledge is Like the Perception of things in a Mirror, and therefore Concerns Enigmas and Riddles!

ImageThe fastest way to succeed is to look as if you are playing by other people’s rules, while quietly playing by your own. The spiritual counsellor who takes personal advantage of the dependence placed upon one or of the trust shown in one, thereby renders oneself unfit for such a high position. Therefore in one’s dealing with disciples it is best for one to maintain an independence in practical affairs and Worldly relationship as well as a cool detachment in social contact and personal intercourse. It is inevitable that the disciples should feel hurt at such impersonality and such objectivity, but therein lies a protection both for themselves and for the teacher until such time as they are more developed, better balanced, more controlled, and farther seeing. Then and then only is it possible for the teacher to revise the relationship and make it not only a warmer one but even a more personal one, with safety to both sides. Disciples who are not well-balanced and are somewhat neurotic often try to get the teacher personally involved in their lives. For they want to be set free from the need of developing themselves, the duty of improving their characters, the burden of accepting their responsibilities, and the painfulness of working out emotional problems which are merely the result of their own egoism. #RandolphHarris 1 of 21

ImageIf the teacher succumbs to their appeals, then they remain unevolved and the relationship itself remains unpracticable. However, if one firmly resists them one may, by such resistance, force a change in their attitude and consequently an increase in their wisdom. In doing so however one courts misunderstanding on the part of one’s disciples, who may first become bewildered and later resentful. Affection may turn to anger for a time, and the disciple may even withdraw altogether. If they are so foolish as to do this their development will not only be stopped but also, what is worse, set back for months or years. It is also an error to believe that one disciple must necessarily associate with the other disciples of the same teacher. Only where there is real temperamental harmony and personal affinity should disciples associate together. Where these are lacking, it is much wiser and safer not to do so. For then the evil forces take advantage of the chance to develop disharmony, quarrels, ill-feeling, and even worse. This spoils the progress of both. The real business of any disciple is with the teacher, not with the other disciples. Such a situation cannot be helped and must be accepted. Human beings are all born with different characters and dispositions. Only the self-actualized can harmonize with all; other must recognize limitations. #RandolphHarris 2 of 21

ImageIf one cannot be happy with certain students, one must wish them well and then go one’s own way. One must never allow oneself to be drawn into quarrels for then the evil forces become active. The relationship between them is a beautiful but free one. If the disciple takes a possessive attitude and tries to annex the teacher, if one betrays jealousy of other disciples or demands as much attention as they get, one substitutes an egotistic for an impersonal relationship, fails to understand its distinctively and uniquely free nature, and thus spoils it. One must insist on getting the same freedom from one’s disciples that one allows to them. Whether physically together or physically apart, that is a true relationship between master and disciple, husband and wife, friend and friend, which refusing to be tightly possessive or personally demanding, is satisfied by the silent fact that the other exists at all.  If one is attached to the role as an authority figure, no self-actualized can lead anyone to enlightenment, nor can any disciple ever receive enlightenment if one wants to play the role of disciple forever. Both are suffering from attachments which prevent enlightenment. This is why the whole thing becomes a stage play, whether serious or comical, in which the actors are performing their personal parts. #RandolphHarris 3 of 21

ImageEven if they babble about the necessity of not getting attached to the World, they are still attached to what they are supposed to be, that is, questing. A truly enlightened human has no such attachment and unless one is invested by God with a special apostleship, or with a special mission, one would not consider oneself self-actualized, nor anyone else as a disciple. Listening to feelings and reflecting them is a vastly complex process. Research evidence has kept piling up, and it points strongly to the conclusions that a high degree of empathy in a relationship is possibly the most potent factor in bringing about change and learning. And so I believe it is time for me to forget the caricatures and misrepresentations of the past and take a fresh look at empathy. For still another reason it seems timely to do this. In the United States of America during the past decade or two, many new approached to therapy have held center stage. Gestalt therapy, psychodrama, primal therapy, bioenergetics, rational-emotive therapy, and transactional analysis are some of the best known, but there are more. Part of their appeal lies in the fact that in most instances, the therapist is clearly the expert, actively manipulating the situation, often in dramatic ways, for the client’s benefit. If I am reading the signs correctly, I believe there is a decrease in the fascination with such expertise in guidance. #RandolphHarris 4 of 21

ImageWith behaviour therapy, another approach based on expertise, I believe interest and fascination are still on the increase. A technological society has been delighted to have found a technology by which people’s behaviour can be shaped, even without their knowledge or approval, towards goals selected by their therapists or by society. Yet even in this case, much questioning by thoughtful individuals is springing up as the philosophical and political implications of “behaviour mod” become more clearly visible. So I have seen a willingness on the part of people that locate power in the person, no the expert, and this brings me again to examine carefully what is meant by the term “empathy” and what we have come to know about it. Perhaps the time is ripe for its value to be appreciated. The sate of empathy, or being empathic, is to perceive the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and meanings which pertain thereto as if one were the person, but without every losing the “as if” condition. Thus is means to sense the hurt or the pleasure of another as one senses it and to perceive the causes thereof as one perceives them, but without ever losing the recognition that it is as if I were hurt or pleased and so forth. If this “as if” quality is lost, then the state if one of identification. #RandolphHarris 5 of 21

ImageWith the concept of experiencing, at all times there is going on in the human organism a flow of experiencings to which the individual can turn again and again as a referent in order to discover the meaning of those experiences. An empathic therapist points sensitively to the “felt meaning” which the client is experiencing in this particular moment, in order to help one to focus on that meaning and carry it further to its full and uninhibited experiencing. An example may clarify both the concept and its relation to empathy. A person in an encounter group has been making vague negative statements about his father. The facilitator says, “It sounds as though you might be angry at your father.” The man replies, “No, I do not think so.” “Possibly dissatisfied with him?” “Well, yes, perhaps” (said rather doubtfully). “Maybe you are disappointed in him.” Quickly the man responds, “That is it! I am disappointed that he is not a strong person. I think I have always been disappointed in him ever since I was a boy.” Against what is the man checking these terms for their correctness? Well, he is checking them against the ongoing psychophysiological flow within himself to see if they fit. This flow is a very real thing, and people are able to use it as a referent. In this case, “angry” does no match the felt meaning at all; “dissatisfied” comes closer, but is not really correct; “disappointed” matches it exactly, and encourages a further flow of the experiencing, as often happens. #RandolphHarris 6 of 21

ImageWith this conceptual background, let me attempt a description of empathy that would seem satisfactory to me today. I would no longer be terming it a “state of empathy,” because I believe it to be a process, rather than a state. Perhaps I can capture that quality. An empathic way of being with another person has several facets. It means entering the private perceptual World of the other and becoming thoroughly at home in it. It involves being sensitive, moment by moment, to the changing felt meanings which flow in this other person, to the fear or rage or tenderness of confusion or whatever one is experiencing. It means temporarily living in the other’s life, moving about in it delicately without making judgments; it means sensing meanings of which one is scarcely aware, but not trying to uncover totally unconscious feelings, since this would be too threatening. It includes communicating your sensing of the person’s World as you look with fresh and unfrightened eyes a elements of which one is fearful. It means frequently checking with the person as to the accuracy of your sensings, and being guided by the responses you receive. You are a confident companion to the person in one’s inner World. By pointing to the possible meanings in the flow of another person’s experiencing, you help the other to focus on this useful type of referent, to experience the meanings more fully, and to move forward in the experiencing. #RandolphHarris 7 of 21

ImageTo be with another in this way means that for the time being, you lay aside your own views and values in order to enter another’s World without prejudice. In some sense it means that you law aside your self; this can only be done by persons who are secure enough in themselves that they know they will not get lost in what may turn out to be the strange or bizarre World of the other, and that they can comfortably return to their own World when they wish. Perhaps this description makes clear that being empathic is a complex, demanding, and strong—yet also subtle and gentle—way of being. In operational empathy, one appreciates what your experience feels like to you. One understands what you say from a detached, objective point of view. One understands your words but not the way you feel. Qualitatively it (empathic understanding) is an active process of desiring to know the full, present and changing awareness of another person, of reaching out to receive one’s communication and meaning, and of translating one’s words and signs into experienced meaning that matches at least those aspects of one’s awareness that are most important to one at the moment. It is an experiencing of the consciousness “behind” another’s outward communication, but with continuous awareness that this consciousness is originating and proceeding in the other. #RandolphHarris 8 of 21

ImageThen there is the Accurate Empathy Scale, devised by Truax (1967) an others for use by raters. Even small portions of recorded interviews can be reliably rated by this scale. The nature of the scale may be indicated by giving the definition of Stage 1, which is the lowest level of empathic understanding, and Stage 8, which is a very high (though not the highest) degree of empathy. Here is Stage 1: Therapist seems completely unaware of even the most conspicuous of the client’s feelings. One’s responses are not appropriate to the mood and content of the client’s statements and there is no determinable quality of empathy, hence, no accuracy whatsoever. Therapist may be bored and disinterested or actively offering advice, but one is not communicating an awareness of client’s current feelings. Stage 8 is defined as follows: Therapist accurately interprets all the client’s present acknowledged feelings. One also uncovers the most deeply shrouded of the client’s feeling areas, voicing meanings in the client’s experience of which the client is scarcely aware. One moves into feelings and experiences that are only hinted at by the client and does so with sensitivity and accuracy. The content that comes to life maybe new but is not alien. While the therapist in Stage 8 makes mistakes, mistakes do not have a jarring note but are covered by the tentative character of the response. #RandolphHarris 9 of 21

ImageAlso the therapist is sensitive to one’s mistakes and quickly alters or changes one’s responses in midstream, indicating that one more clearly knows what is being talked about and what is being sought after in the client’s own explorations. The therapist reflects a togetherness with the [client] in tentative trial and error exploration. One’s voice tone reflects the seriousness and depth of one’s empathic grasp. Although what is indicated by these examples is that the empathic process can be defined in theoretical, conceptual, subjective, and operational ways, but we have not reached the limits of its base. We have developed a helping-community enterprise called “Changes,” which has many implications for dealing with the alienated and counter-culture members of the chaos which we called living. Of particular interest is the “Rap Manual,” which has been developed to assist the ordinary person in learning “how to help with the other person’s process.” Then Manual starts out with a section on “Absolute Listening.” Some excerpts give the flavour: This is not laying trips on people. You only listen and say back the other person’s thing, step by step, just as that person seems to have it at that moment. You never mix into it any of your own things or ideas, never lay on the other person anything that person did not express. #RandolphHarris 10 of 21

ImageTo show that you understand exactly, make a sentence or two which gets exactly at the personal meaning this person wanted to put across. This might be in your own words, usually, but use that person’s own words for the touchy main things. The explanation continues in this same vein, with many detailed suggestions, including ideas on “how to know when you are doing it right.” So it seems clear that an empathic way of being, although highly subtle conceptually, can also be described in terms which are perfectly understandable by contemporary youth or citizens of a beleaguered inner city. It is a broad-ranging conception. And now let us consider our existence, and the knowledge that we possess. Paul says that all our present knowledge is like the perception of things in a mirror, that it therefore concerns enigmas and riddles. This is only another way of expressing the fragmentary character of our knowledge. For fragments out of the context of the whole are only riddles to us. We may surmise the nature of the whole; we may approach the whole indirectly; but we do not see the whole itself; we do not grasp it directly face to face. A little light and much darkness; a few fragments and never the whole; many problems and never a solution; only reflections in the mirrors of our souls, without the source of truth itself: that is the situation of our knowledge. And it is the situation of our love.  #RandolphHarris 11 of 21

ImageBecause of the love which is perfect and lasting lies not within us, perfect knowledge is denied us. Since, as beings, we are separated from each other, and therefore from this ultimate unity, the community of knowledge among single beings is made impossible, as it is also, then, between beings and the Ground of Being Itself. A great philosopher has said that our knowledge reaches as far as our creative will reaches. That is true for a certain realm of life. However, it is not true for the whole of our life. The fact that our knowledge reaches as far as our uniting love reaches is valid for the whole human existence. Humankind has always tried to decipher the puzzling fragments of life. That attempt is not just a matter for the philosophers or priests or prophets or wise humans in all periods of history. It is a matter for everyone. For every human is a fragment oneself. One is a riddle to oneself; and the individual life of everyone else is an enigma to one, dark, puzzling, embarrassing, exciting, and torturing. Our very being is a continuous asking for the meaning of our being, a continuous attempt to decipher the enigma of our World and our heart. Before children are adjusted to the conventional reactions of adults and have grown out of their creative individuality, they show the continuous asking, the urgent desire to decipher the riddles they see in the primitive mirror of their experiences. #RandolphHarris 12 of 21

ImageThe creative human, in all realms of life, is like a child, who dares to inquire beyond the limits of conventional answers. One discovers the fragmentary character of all these answers, a character darkly and subconsciously felt by all humans. One may destroy, by means of one fundamental question, a whole, well-organized system of life and society, of ethics ad religion. One may show that what people believed to be a whole is nothing but a fragment of a fragment. One may shake the certainty on which centuries lived, by unearthing a riddle or an enigma in its very foundation. The misery of humans lies in the fragmentary character of one’s life and knowledge; the greatness of humans lies in one’s ability to know that one’s being is fragmentary and enigmatic. For humans are able to be puzzled and to ask, to go beyond the fragments, seeking the perfect. Yet, in being able to do so, one feels at the same time the tragedy implicit in one’s being, the tragedy of the riddle and the fragment. Humans are subject, with all beings, to the law of vanity. However, humans alone are conscious of that one. One is therefore infinitely more miserable than all other beings in the servitude to that law; on the other hand, one is infinitely superior, because one alone knows that there is something beyond vanity and decay, beyond riddles and enigmas. #RandolphHarris 13 of 21

ImageThat statement is felt by Paul when he says that the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. Humans are fragments and riddles to themselves. The more one experiences and knows that fact, the more one is really human. Paul experienced the breakdown of a system of life and thought which one believed to be a whole, a perfect truth without riddle or gaps. One then found oneself buried under the pieces of one’s knowledge and one’s morals. However, Paul never tried again to build up a new, comfortable house out of the pieces. One dwelt with the pieces. One realized always that fragment remain fragments, even if one attempts to reorganize them. The unity to which they belong lies beyond them; it is grasped through hope, but not face to face. How could Paul endure life, as it lay in fragments? He endured it because the fragments bore a new meaning to him. The pictures in the mirror pointed to something new for one: they anticipated the perfect, the reality of love. Through the pieces of one’s knowledge and morality, love appeared to one. And the power of love transformed the tormenting riddles into symbols of truth, the tragic fragments into symbols of the whole. #RandolphHarris 14 of 21

ImageWhen we pray, we talk to divine beings. They are our spiritual friends, guardians Angels, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, or parents, or cousins. We talk to our human friends and parents and cousins, so it only makes sense to talk to their divine counterparts as well. The most common form of prayer is purification. With the power of the sea, that washes the shores, I am purified. May I be pure, may all my impurities be burned away, carried away by the grace of God. May I be pure, fit to approach God. I am encircled with the sacred, girded about, encompassed, that my actions here today might be within the sacred way. The sacred covers me, I am surrounded by the pure. God, I offer you my worship. Watch over me today as I go about my affairs; keep me safe, keep me happy, keep me healthy. God of truth, be with me today. As I wear your blessings, guard my words and deeds. May what I say and what I do be in accord with your sacred law. The elements are joined with the power of spirit. May I be blessed by the four. May I be blessed by your spirit. May I be blessed my you only Begotten Son. “And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto the people many of them did believe on one’s words, and began to repent, and to search the scriptures. #RandolphHarris 15 of 21

Image“However, the more part of them were desirous that they might destroy Alma an Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said that Amulek had lied unto them, and had reviled against their law and also against their lawyers and judges. And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they sought to put the away privily. However, it came to pass that they did not; but they took them and bound the with strong cords, and took them before the chief judge of the land. And the people went forth and witnessed against them—testifying that they had reviled against the law, and their lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all the people that were in the land; an also testified that there was but one God, and that he should send his Son among the people, but he should not save them; and many such things did the people testify against Alma and Amulek. Now this was done before the chief judge of the land. And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and one also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which one had caused among the people by one’s lying words; and one’s soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of one’s own guilt; yea, one began to be encircled about by the pains of hell. #RandolphHarris 16 of 21

Image“And it came to pass that one began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled one saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon one, and cast one out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent humans to cast stones at them. And they brought their wives and children together, and whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of God they caused that they should be cast into the fire; and they also brought forth their records which contained the holy scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be burned and destroyed by fire. And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire. And when Amulek saw the pains of the woman and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames. #RandolphHarris 17 of 21

Image“However, Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord recieveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgements which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day. Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also. And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. However, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us no. Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had been cast into fire were consumed, and also the records which were cast in with them, the chief judge f the land came and stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote the with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After what ye have seen will ye preach again unto this people, that they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone? Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they were of Thy faith. And the judges smote them again upon their cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves? #RandolphHarris 18 of 21

Image“Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who slew Gideon. And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the officers to be cast into prison. And when they had been cast into prison three days, there came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto prison to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they answered them nothing. And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people? Know ye not that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames? And he commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing. And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways, but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smoke them again on their cheeks. And many came forth also, and smote them, saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn our law? If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver yourselves? And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we look when we are damned? And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. #RandolphHarris 19 of 21

Image“And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that there were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison. And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi) that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and Amulek were bound with cords. And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again, and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver yourselves from the bands, and then we will believe that the Lord will destroy this people accord to your words. And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet. And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them. #RandolphHarris 20 of 21

Image“And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they feel to the Earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the Earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the Earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smoke upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof. And Alma and Amulek came for the out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ. And they straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the Earth, and every soul within the walks therefore, save it were Alma an Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city. Now the people having heard a great noise came running together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls thereof had fallen to the Earth, they were struck with great fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee from the presence of Alma and Amulek,” reports Alma 14.1-29. Rejoicing, O Lord, in the richness of Thy gifts, we humbly pray that as Thou hast given us power to hold this ministry, so Thou wilt give us sufficient grace to fulfil it; through our Lord. Amen. #RandolphHarris 21 of 21

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For breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all the snacks in-between—you spend lots of time in the kitchen, so we make sure ours are beautiful from every angle. 😍 https://cresleigh.com/cresleigh-meadows-at-plumas-ranch/residence-4/
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How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel. O Lord, through Thine abundant kindness I come into Thy house, ad reverently I worship Thee in Thy holy sanctuary. I love the habitation of Thy house, the place where Thy glory dwelleth. Here I bow down and worship Thee, my Lord and Maker. Accept my prayer, O Lord, and answer me with Thy great mercy and with Thy saying truth. Amen.

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I Felt the Power of the ‘Life Force’ that Infuses Each of Us—Whatever this is!

Capture1There is no good in arguing with the inevitable. The only argument available with an east wind is to put on your overcoat. What part does our awareness have in the formative function of the consciousness in human beings? I believer that consciousness has a small but very important part. The ability to focus consciousness attention seems to be one of the latest evolutionary developments in our species. This ability can be described as a tiny peak of awareness, of symbolizing capacity, topping a vast pyramid of nonconscious organismic functioning. Perhaps a better analogy, more indicative of the continual change going on, is to think of the pyramid as a large fountain of the same shape. The very tip of the fountain is intermittently illuminated with the flickering light of consciousness, but the constant flow of life goes on in the darkness as well, in nonconscious as well as conscious ways. It seems that the human organism has been moving toward the more complete development of awareness. It is at this level hat new forms are invented, perhaps even new directions for the human species. It is here that the reciprocal relationship between cause and effect is most demonstrably evident. It is here that choices are made, spontaneous forms created. We here see perhaps the highest of the human functions. #RandolphHarris 1 of 20

ImageSome of my colleagues have said that organismic choice—the nonverbal, subconscious choice of way of being—is guided by the evolutionary flow. I agree; I will even go one step further. I would point out that in psychotherapy we have learned something about the psychological conditions that are most conducive to increasing this highly important self-awareness. With greater self-awareness, a more informed choice is possible, a choice more free from introjects, a conscious choice that is even more in tune with the evolutionary flow. Such a person is more potentially aware, not only of the stimuli from outside, but of ideas and dreams, and of the ongoing flow of feelings, emotions, and physiological reactions that one senses from within. The greater this awareness, the more surely the person will float in a direction consonant with the directional evolutionary flow. When a person is functioning in this way, it does not mean that there is a self-conscious awareness of all that is going on within, like the centipede whose movements were paralyzed when it became aware of each of its legs. On the contrary, such a person is free to live a feeling subjectively, as well as be aware of it. The individual might experience love, or pain, or fear, or just live in these experiences subjectively. #RandolphHarris 2 of 20

ImageOr, one might abstract self from this subjectivity and realize in awareness, “I am in pain;” “I am afraid;” “I do love.” The crucial point is that when a person is functioning fully, there are no barriers, no inhibitions, which prevent the full experiencing of whatever is organismically present. This person is moving in the direction of wholeness, integration, a unified life. Consciousness is participating in this larger, creative, formative tendency. But some go even further in their theories. Researchers such as Grof and Grof (1977) and Lilly (1973) believe that persons are able to advance beyond the ordinary level of consciousness. Their studies appear to reveal that in altered states of consciousness, persons feel they are in touch with, and grasp the meaning of, this evolutionary flow. They experience it as tending toward a transcending experience of unity. They picture the individual self as being dissolved in a whole area of higher values, especially beauty, harmony, and love. The persons feels at one with the cosmos. Hard-headed research seems to be confirming the mystic’s experience of union with the universal. For me, this point of view is confirmed by more recent experience in working with clients, and especially in dealing with intensive groups. #RandolphHarris 3 of 20

ImageI describe earlier those characteristics of a growth-prompting relationship that have been investigated and supported by research. However, recently, my view has broadened into a new rea which cannot as yet be studied empirically. When I am at my best, as a group facilitator or as a therapist, I discover another characteristic. I find that when I am closet to my inner, intuitive self, when I am somehow in touch with the unknown in me, when perhaps I am in a slightly altered state of consciousness, then whatever I do seems to be full of healing. Then, simply my presence is releasing and helpful to the other. There is nothing I can do to force this experience, but when I can relax an be close to the transcendental core of me, then I may behave in strange and impulsive ways in the relationship, ways which I cannot justify rationally, which have nothing to do with my thought process. However, these strange behaviours turn out to be right, in some odd way: it seems that my inner spirit has reached out and touched the inner spirit of the other. Our relationship transcends itself and becomes a part of something larger. Profound growth and healing and energy are present. #RandolphHarris 4 of 20

ImageThis kind of transcendent phenomenon has certainly been experienced at times in groups in which I have worked, changing the lives of some of those involved. One participant in a workshop put it eloquently: “I found it to be a profound spiritual experience. I felt the oneness of spirit in the community. We breathed together, felt together, even spoke for one another. I felt the power of the ‘life force’ that infuses each of us—whatever this is. I felt its presence without the usual barricades of ‘me-ness’ or ‘you-ness’-it was like a meditative experience when I feel myself as a center of consciousness, very much a part of the broader, universal consciousness. And yet with that extraordinary sense of oneness, the separateness of each person present has never been more clearly preserved.” Again, as in the description of altered states of consciousness, this account partakes of the mystical. Our experiences in therapy and groups, it is clear, involve the transcendent, the indescribable, the spiritual; I am compelled to believe that I, like many others, have underestimated the importance of this mystical, spiritual dimension. #RandolphHarris 5 of 20

ImageHere many readers, I am sure, will part company with me. What they wish to know, has become of logic, of science, of hard-headedness? However, before they leave me entirely, I would like to adduce some surprising support for such views, from the most unexpected quarters. Fritjof Capra (1975), a well-known theoretical physicist, has shown how present-day physics has almost completely abolished any solid concepts of our World, with the exception of energy. In a summarizing statement, he says, “In modern physics the Universe is thus experiences as a dynamic, inseparable whole which always includes the observer in an essential way. In this experience the traditional concepts of space and time, of isolated objects, and of the cause and effect lose their meaning. Such an experience, however, is very similar to that of the Eastern mystics (p.81).” He then goes on o point out the astonishing parallels of Zen, Taoism, Buddhism, and other Old World views. His own conviction is that physics and Eastern mysticism are separate but complementary roads to the same knowledge, supplementing each other in providing a fuller understanding of the Universe. #RandolphHarris 6 of 20

ImageRecently, the work of chemist-philosopher Ilya Prigogine (Ferguson, 1979) offers a different perspective, which also throws new light on what I have been discussing. In trying to answer the basic question of how order and complexity emerge from the process of entropy, he has originated an entirely new theoretical system. He has developed mathematical formulas and proofs which demonstrate that the World of living nature is probabilistic, rather than solely deterministic. His views apply to all open systems in which energy is exchanged with the environment. This obviously includes the human organism. Briefly, the more complex the structure—whether a chemical or a human—the more energy it expends to maintain that complexity. For example, the human brain, with only 2 percent of body weight, uses 20 percent of available oxygen! Such a system is unstable, has fluctuations or “perturbations,” as Prigogine calls them. As these fluctuations increase, they are amplified by the system’s many connections, and thus drive the system—whether chemical compound or human individual—into a new, altered state, more ordered and coherent than before. This new state has still greater complexity, and hence, even more potential for creating change. #RandolphHarris 7 of 20

ImageThe transformation from one state to another is a sudden shift, a nonlinear event, in which many factors act on one another at once. It is especially interesting to me that this phenomenon has already been demonstrated by Don (1977-1978) in his investigation of Gendlin’s concept of “experiencing” in psychotherapy (Gendlin, 1978). When a hitherto repressed feeling is fully and acceptantly experienced in awareness during the therapeutic relationship, there is not only a definitely felt physiological change, as a new state of insight is achieved. Prigogine’s theory appears to shed light on meditation, relaxation techniques, and altered states of consciousness, in which fluctuations are augmented by various means. It gives support to the value of fully recognizing and expressing one’s feelings—positive or negative—thus permitted the full perturbation of the system. Prigogine recognizes the strong resemblance between his “science of complexity” and the views of Eastern sages and mystics, as well as the philosophies of Alfred North Whitehead and Henri Bergson. His view points, he says, toward “a deep collective vision.” Rather amazingly, the title of his latest book is From Being to Becoming (1979), a strange label for a volume by a chemist-philosopher. His conclusion can be stated very briefly: “The more complex a system, the greater its potential for self-transcendence: its parts cooperate to reorganize it” (Ferguson, 1979). #RandolphHarris 8 of 20

ImageThus, from theoretical physics and chemistry comes some confirmation of the validity of experiences that are transcendent, indescribable, unexpected, transformational—the sort of phenomena that I and my colleagues have observed and felts as concomitant of the person-centered approach. As I try to take into account the scope of the various themes I have presented, along with some of the available evidence that appears to support them, I am led to formulate a broad hypothesis. In my mind, this hypothesis is very tentative. However, for the sake of clarity, I will state it in definite terms. I hypothesize that there is a formative directional tendency in the Universe, which can be traced and observed in stellar space, in crystals, in microorganisms, in more complex organic life, and in human being. This is an evolutionary tendency toward greater order, greater complexity, greater interrelatedness. In humankind, this tendency exhibits itself as the individual moves from a single-cell origin to complex organic functioning, to know and sensing below the level of consciousness, to a conscious awareness of the organism and the external World, to a transcendent awareness of the harmony and unity of the cosmic system, including humankind. #RandolphHarris 9 of 20

ImageWhat I have been saying is that in our work as person-centered therapists and facilitators, we have discovered the attitudinal qualities that are demonstrably effective in releasing constructive and growthful changes in the personality and behaviour of individuals. Persons in an environment infused with these attitudes develop more self-understanding, more self-confidence, more ability to choose their behaviours. They learn more significantly, they have more freedom to be and become. The individual in this nurturing climate is free to choose any direction, but actually selects positive and constructive ways. The actualizing tendency is operative in the human being. It is still further confirming to find that this is not simply a tendency in living systems but is part of a strong formative tendency in our Universe, which is evident at all levels. Thus, when we provide a psychological climate that permits persons to be—whether they are clients, students, workers, or persons in a group—we are not involved in a chance event. We are tapping into a tendency which permeates all of organic life—a tendency to become all the complexity of which the organism is capable. #RandolphHarris 10 of 20

ImageAnd on an even larger scale, I believe we are tuning in to a potent creative tendency which has formed our Universe, from the smallest snowflake to the largest galaxy, from the lowly amoeba to the most sensitive and gifted of persons. And perhaps we are touching the cutting edge of our ability to transcend ourselves, to create new and more spiritual directions in human evolution. This kind of formulation is, for me, a philosophical base for a person-centered approach. It justifies me in engaging in a life-affirming way of being. “Love never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. However, when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known,” reports 1 Corinthians 13.8-12. Paul speaks, in the famous words of our text, of things which are perfect, or complete. #RandolphHarris 11 of 20

ImageThe fragmentary things shall vanish away; the complete things shall abide. The former are temporal; the later are eternal. The fragmentary, temporal things are not merely material; they are some of the highest gifts of the Divine Spirit: prophecy, which is the interpretation of our time and history; tongues, which are our ecstatic feeling and speaking; and knowledge, which is the understanding of our existence. Even those spiritual goods shall disappear with all the material and intellectual goods. They are all fragmentary, temporal, transitory. Love alone does not disappear; it endures forever. For God Himself is love, according to John who carries through the thought of Paul. However, there is another consideration in our text which seems to contradict the words about love. Paul singles out knowledge, and points to the difference between our fragmentary, indirect and darkened knowledge, and the full, direct and total knowledge to come. He compares the childish imaginations with the mature insight of the adult. He speaks of something, which, besides love, is perfect and eternal—namely, the seeing of the truth, face to face; the knowledge which is as full as God’s knowledge of us. #RandolphHarris 12 of 20

ImageHow are these two considerations united? Did Paul forget that he had just predicted the perfection and eternity of love alone? No, he did not forget; for he closes this part of his letter by re-emphasizing he abiding character of love as the greatest thing of all. Or are the words about knowledge inserted without thought of a definite connection with the rest of the passage? They are not merely inserted; for there is a link, one of the most profound phrases in this great chapter: “even as also I am fully known”—fully known, that is, by God. However, there is only one way to know a personality—to become united with that personality through love. Full knowledge presupposes full love. God knows me, because He love me; and I shall know Him face to face through a similar uniting, which is love and knowledge at the same time. Love lasts; love alone endures, and nothing else besides love, nothing independent of love. Yet, in love, the seeing face to face and the knowledge of the center of the other I are implied. It is not blind love that is the enduring love, the love that God Himself is. It is a seeing love, a knowing love, a love that looks through into the depth of the Heart of God, and into the depth of our hearts. There is no strangeness to love; love knows; it is the only power of complete ad lasting knowledge. #RandolphHarris 13 of 20

ImageThere is a Greek word which can designate both knowledge and sensual love. It can designate both, because both meanings express an act of union, an overcoming of the cleavage between beings. Knowledge shall be done away with in so far as it is different from love; knowledge shall become eternal in so far as it is one with love. Therefore, the standard of knowledge is the standard of love. For Paul, the difference between knowledge and love, between seeing and acting between theory and practice, exists only when fragmentary knowledge is our concern. Full knowledge does not admit a difference between itself and love, or between theory and practice. Love overcomes the seeming opposition between theory and practice; it is knowing and doing at the same time. Therefore, it is the greatest thing of all; therefore, God Himself, the “life force” that infuses all of us, is love; therefore, the Christ, as the manifestation of the Divine Love, is full of grace and of truth. That is what Paul means; and that is the standard of knowledge he gives. “And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children; and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his Son, to teach these things unto the people. #RandolphHarris 14 of 20

Image“And these priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption. And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being called and prepared from the foundation of the World according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such. And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of their hearts and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren. Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from the foundations of the World for such as would not harden their hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared. #RandolphHarris 15 of 20

Image“And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of humans, that they also might enter into his rest. This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the World; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things—now they were ordained after this manner—being called with a holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end—thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. And thus it is. Amen. Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high priesthood, there were many who were ordained and because high priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish; therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb. #RandolphHarris 16 of 20

Image“Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God. And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest. Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever. And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yes of one-tenth part of all he possessed. Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord. Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea, they had all gone astray; there were full of all manner of wickedness. However, Melchizedek having exercised might faith, and received the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of God, did preach repentance unto his people. #RandolphHarris 17 of 20

Image“And behold, they did establish peace in the land in his days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the king of Salem; and he did reign under his father. Now, there were many before him, and also there were many afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him hey have more particularly made mention. Now, I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Before, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction. And now it came to pass that when Alma has said these words unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of salvation draweth nigh; yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the Earth; wherefore they have come unto us. And they are made know unto us in plain terms that we may understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are his highly favoured, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all part of our vineyard. #RandolphHarris 18 of 20

Image“For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of human to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory. And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we know not how soon. Would to God that it might be in may day; but let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice. And it shall be made known unto just and holy humans, by the mouth of angels, a the time of his coming, that the words of our father may be fulfilled, according to that which they have spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them. And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yes, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the say of your repentance; but that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and long-suffering. Having faith n the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your heart, that ye may be lifted up at the last day an enter into his rest. #RandolphHarris 19 of 20

Image“And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death. And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not written in this book,” reports Alma 13.1-31. Please attend, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy holy habitation, and from the glorious throne of Thy kingdom, and come to sanctify us, Thou Who sittest above with the Father, and art here invisibly present with us; please vouchsafe with Thy mighty hand to impart Thine immaculate Body and Thy precious Blood to us, and by us to all Thy people. Possessive love is natural. We want to have and keep what we love. However, when an object is another human being, there is an inevitable desire for the return of our love, for the restriction of their affection to us alone, so that we give is not given in purity but in extended selfishness. Hence when other love you they want to deprive you of your freedom. But when the disciple loves you, one must give you freedom. #RandolphHarris 20 of 20Image

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Love is Full of as Many Mysteries as the Winchester Mansion, it Can be Beautiful and Bizarre!

ImageHow far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty World. Why then the World is mine oyster, which I with sword will open. How beautiful it is to be in love; how interesting it is to know that one is in love. This, you see, is the difference. I can become furious at the thought that she disappeared before me the second time, and ye in a certain sense I am glad of it. The image I have of her hovers indefinitely somewhere between her actual and her ideal form. I now have this image before me, but precisely because either it is actuality or actuality is indeed the occasion, it had a singular magic. I feel no impatience, for she must live here in the city, and at this moment that is enough for me. This possibility is the condition for the proper appearance of her image—everything will enjoyed in slow drafts. And should I not be calm—I, who can regard myself as a favourite of the gods, I, whose lot was the rare good fortune of falling in love again. This is something that cannot be elicited by skill or study—I is a gift. However, if I have succeeded in stirring up an erotic love again, I do want to see how long it can be sustained. I coddle this love as I never did my first. The opportunity falls to one’s lot rarely enough—therefore the point is truly to utilize it if it does come along, for it is dismaying that it is no art to seduce a young lady but it is a stroke of good fortune to find one who is worth seducing. #RandolphHarris 1 of 19

Image Love is full of as many mysteries as the Winchester mansion, it can be beautiful and bizarre, and this falling in love is also a mystery, even though a minor one. Most people rush ahead, become engaged or do other unwise things, and in a turn of hand everything is over, and they know neither what they have won nor what they have lost. Two times she has appeared before me and has disappeared; that means she will appear more often. When Joseph had interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he added: But the fact that you dreamed twice means that it will be fulfilled soon. Yet, if one could discern somewhat ahead of time the forces whose emergence forms the content of life, it would be interesting. At present she is living in all her tranquil peace; she does not have even an inkling of my existence, even less of what is going on within me, to say nothing of the assurance with which I gaze into her future, for my soul is demanding more and more actuality, and it is becoming stronger and stronger. If at first sight a young lady does no make such a deep impression on a person that she awakens the ideal, then ordinarily the actuality is not especially desirable; but if she does, then no matter how experienced a person is he usually is rather overwhelmed. #RandolphHarris 2 of 19

ImageI always advise the person who is not sure of one’s hand, his eye, and his victory to venture the attack in this first state, in which, precisely because he is overwhelmed, he has supranatural powers—for being overwhelmed is a curious mixture of sympathy and egotism. He will, however, miss out on an enjoyment, for he does not enjoy the situation since he himself is wrapped up in it, hidden in it. Which the more beautiful is difficult to decide—which is the more beautiful is difficult to decide—which is the more interesting is easy. It is, however, always best to come as close as possible to the line. This is the real enjoyment, and what others enjoy I do not know for sure. Mere possession is very little, and the means such lovers use are usually paltry enough; they do not even reject money, power, alien influence, sleeping positions, excreta. However, what pleasure is there in live if absolute is not intrinsic to it, that is, from the one side—but ordinarily that takes spirit, and such lovers generally do not have that. I am not alone in seeing such an actualizing tendency as the fundamental answer to the question of what makes an organism “tick.” This tendency involves a development toward the differentiation of organs and functions; it involves enhancement through reproduction. #RandolphHarris 3 of 19

ImageSzent-Gyoergyi says that he cannot explain the mysteries of biological development without supposing an innate drive in living matter to perfect itself. The organism, in its normal state, moves toward its own fulfillment, toward self-regulation and an independence from external control. However, is this view confirmed by other evidence? Let me point to some of the work in biology that supports the concept of the actualizing tendency. One example, replicated with different species, is the work of Hans Driesch with the sea urchins many years ago. Driesch learned how to tease apart the two cells that are formed after the first division of the fertilized egg. Had they been left to develop normally, it is clear that each of these two cells would have grown into a portion of a sea urchin larva, the contributions of both being needed o form a whole creature. So it seems equally obvious that when two cells are skillfully separated, each, if it grows, will simply develop into some portion of a sea urchin. However, this assumption overlooks the directional growth. It is found that each cell, if it can be kept alive, now develops into a whole sea urchin larva—a bit smaller than usual, but normal and complete. #RandolphHarris 4 of 19

ImageI have chosen this example because it seems so closely analogous to my experience in dealing with individuals one-to-one therapeutic relationships, in facilitating intensive groups, in providing freedom to learn for students in classes. In these situations, I am most impressed with the fact that each human being has a directional tendency toward wholes, toward actualization of one’s potentialities. I have not found psychotherapy or a group experience effective when I have tried to create in another individual something that is not already there; I have found, however, that if I can provide the conditions that allow growth to occur, then this positive directional tendency brings about constructive results. The scientist with the divided sea urchin egg was in the same situation. He could not cause the cell to develop in one way or another, but when he focused his skill on providing the conditions that permitted the cell to survive and grow, the tendency for growth and the direction of growth were evident, and came from within the organism. I cannot think of a better analogy for therapy or the group experience, where, if I can supply a psychological amniotic fluid, forward movement of a constructive sort will occur. #RandolphHarris 5 of 19

ImageI would like to add one comment which may be clarifying. Sometimes this growth tendency is spoken of as though it involved the development of all the potentialities of the organism. This is clearly not true. As one of my colleagues pointed out, the organism does not tend toward developing its capacity for nausea, nor does it actualize it potentiality for self-destruction, nor its ability to bear pain. Only under unusual or perverse circumstances do these potentialities become actualized. It is clear that the actualizing tendency is selective and directional—a constructive tendency, if you will. Those who favour the view of an actualizing tendency does not need to be inhibited by the belief that it is in conflict with modern science or theories of knowledge. It is now theorized that the genetic code necessary to specify the characteristics of the mature organism. Instead, it contains a set of roles determining the interactions of the dividing cells. Much less information is needed to codify the rules than to guide every aspect of maturing development. Thus information can be generated within the organism system—information can grow. Hence, Driesch’s sea urchin cells are doubtless following the coded rules and, consequently, are able to develop in original, not previously or rigidly specified ways. #RandolphHarris 6 of 19

ImageAll this goes deeply against the current (and possibly outdated) epistemology of the social sciences, which holds that a cause is followed in a one-way direction by an effect. In contrast, Murayama and others believe that there are mutual cause-effect interactions which amplify deviations and permit new information and new forms to develop. This morphogenetic epistemology appears to be basic to understanding of all living systems, including all growth processes in organisms. Murayama states that an understanding of biology “lies in the recognition that biological processes are reciprocal causal processes, not random processes.” On the other hand, as he points out elsewhere, an understanding of biology does not emerge from an epistemology based on one-way cause-effect systems. Thus, there is great need to rethink the stimulus-response, cause-effect basis on which most of social science rests. The work in the field of sensory deprivation shows how strong is the organismic tendency to amplify diversities and create new information and new forms. Certainly, tension reduction, or the absence of stimulation, is a far cry from being the desired state of the organism. Dr. Freud could not have been more wrong in his postulate that “The nervous system is an apparatus which would even, if this were feasible, maintain itself in an altogether unstimulated condition.” #RandolphHarris 7 of 19

ImageOn the contrary, when deprived of external stimuli, the human organism produces a flood of internal stimuli, sometimes of the most bizarre sort. Lilly was one of the first to tell of his experiences when suspended weightless in a soundproof tank of water. He speaks of trancelike states, mystical experiences, the sense of being tuned in on communication networks no available to ordinary consciousness, and ever experiences that can only be called hallucinatory. It is very clear that when a person is receiving an absolute minimum of external stimuli, one is opened to a flood of experiencing at a level far beyond that of everyday living. The individual most certainly does not lapse into homeostasis, into a passive equilibrium. This occurs only in diseased organisms. Thus, to me it is meaningful to say that the substratum of all motivation is the organismic tendency toward fulfillment. This tendency may express itself in the widest range of behaviours and in response to a wide variety of needs. To be sure, certain basic wants must be at least partially met before other needs become urgent. Consequently, the tendency of the organism to actualize itself may at one moment lead to the seeking of food or satisfaction in pleasures of the flesh, and yet, unless these needs are overpoweringly great, even these satisfactions will be sought in ways that enhance, rather than diminish, self-esteem. #RandolphHarris 8 of 19

ImageAnd the organism will also seek other fulfillment in its transactions with the environment. The need for exploration of and producing change in the environment, the need for play and for self-exploration—all of these and many other behaviours are basically expressions of the actualizing tendency. In short, organisms are always seeking, always initiating always “up to something.” There is one central source of energy in the human organism. This source is a trustworthy function of the whole system rather than of some portion of it; it is most simply conceptualized as a tendency toward fulfillment, toward actualization, involving not only the maintenance but also the enhancement of the organism. There are many who criticize this point of view. They regard it as too optimistic, not dealing adequately with the negative element, the evil, the dark side in human beings. Consequently, I would like to put this directional tendency in a broader context. There appears to be a formative tendency at work in the Universe, which can be observed at every level. This tendency has received much less attention than it deserves. Physical scientists up to now have focused primarily on “entropy,” the tendency toward deterioration, or disorder. They know a great deal about this tendency. Studying closed systems, they can give it a clear mathematical description. They know that order tends to deteriorate into randomness, each stage les organized than the last. #RandolphHarris 9 of 19

ImageWe are also very familiar with deterioration in organic life. The system—whether plant, animal, or human—eventually deteriorates into a lesser and lesser degree of functioning organization, or order, until decay reaches a stasis. In one sense, this is what one aspect of medicine is all about—a concern with the malfunctioning or deterioration of an organ or the organism as a whole. The complex process of death of the physical organism is increasingly well understood. So a great deal is known of the universal tendency of systems at all levels to deteriorate in the direction of less and less orderliness, more and more randomness. When this system operates, it is a one-way street: the World seems to be a great machine, running down and wearing out. However, there is far less recognition of, or emphasis on, the even more important formative tendency which can be equally well observed at every level of the Universe. After all, every form that we see or know emerged from a simpler, less complex form. This is a phenomenon which is at leas as significant as entropy. Examples could be given from every form of inorganic or organic being. Let me illustrate with just a few. In appears that every galaxy, every star, every planet, including our own, was formed from a less organized whirling storm of particles. Many of these stellar objects are themselves formative. #RandolphHarris 10 of 19

ImageIn the atmosphere of our Sun, hydrogen nuclei collide to form molecules of helium, which are more complex in nature. It is hypothesized that in other stars, even heavier molecules are formed by such interactions. I understand that when the simple materials of the Earth’s atmosphere which were present before life began—hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, in the form of water and ammonia—are infused by electrical charges or by radiation, heavier molecules begin to form first, followed by the more complex amnio acids. We seem only a step away from the formation of viruses and the even more complex living organisms. A creative, not disintegrative process, is at work. Another fascinating example is the formation of crystals. In every case, from less ordered and less symmetrical fluid matter there emerges the startlingly unique, ordered symmetrical and often beautiful crystalline form. All of us have marveled at the perfection and complexity of the snowflake. Yet it emerged from formless vapour. When we consider the single living cell, we discover that it often forms more complex colonies, as in coral reefs. Even more order enters the picture as the cell emerges into an organism of many cells with specialized functions. #RandolphHarris 11 of 19

ImageI do not need to portray the whole gradual process of organic evolution. We are all familiar with the steadily increasing complexity of organisms. They are not always successful in their ability to cope with the changing environment, but the trend toward complexity is always evident. Perhaps, for most of us, the process of organic evolution is best recognized as we consider the development of the single fertilized human ovum through the simplest stages of cell division, then the aquatic gill stage, and on to the vastly complex, highly organized human infant. There is a manifest and increasing order in evolution. Thus, without ignoring the tendency toward deterioration, we need to recognize fully what Szent-Gyoergyi terms “syntropy” and what Whyte calls the “morphic tendency,” the ever operating trend toward increase order and interrelated complexity evident at both the inorganic and the organic level. The Universe is always building and creating as well as deteriorating. This process is evident in the human being, too. The Nephite monetary system is set forth—Amulek contends with Zeezrom—Christ will not save people in their sins—only those who inherit the kingdom of Heaven are saved—all humans will rise in immortality—there is no death after the Resurrection. About 82 Before Christ. #RandolphHarris 12 of 19

Image“Now it was in the law of Mosiah that every human who was a judge of the law, or those who were appointed to be judges, should receive wages according to the time which they laboured to judge those who were brought before them to be judged. Now, if a human owed another, and one would not pay that which one did owe, one was complained of to the judge; and the judge executed authority, and sent forth officers that the human should be brought before him; and he judged the man according to the law and the evidences which were brought against him, and thus the man was compelled to pay that which he owed, or be stripped, or be cast out from among the people as a thief and a robber. And the judges received from one’s wages according to one’s time—a senine of gold; and this is according to the law which was given. Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold, and of their silver, according to their value. And the names are given by the Nephites, for they did not reckon after the manner of the Jews who were at Jerusalem; neither did they measure after the manner of the Jews; but they altered their reckoning and their measure, according to the minds and the circumstances of the people, in every generation, until the reign of the judges, they having been established by king Mosiah. #RandolphHarris 13 of 19

Image“Now the reckoning is thus—a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a shum of gold, and a limnah of gold. A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and an onti of silver. A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gol, and either for a measure of barely, and also for a measure of every kind of grain. Now the amount of a seon of gold was twice the value of a senine. And a shum of gold was twice the value of a seon. And a limnah of gold was the value of them all. And an amnor of silver was as great as four senums. And an onti was as great as them al. Now this is the value of the lesser numbers of their reckoning—a shibion is half of a senum; therefore, a shiblon for half a measure of barely. And a shiblum is a half of a shiblon. And a leah is the half of a shiblum. Now this their number, according to their reckoning. Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons. Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they received their wages according to heir employ, therefore, they did stir up the people to riotings, ad all manner of disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ, that they might get money according to the suits which were brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people against Alma and Amulek. #RandolphHarris 14 of 19

Image“And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye answer me a few questions which I shall ask you? Now Zeezrom was a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you? And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord. And Zeezrom said unto him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these I will give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being. Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations? Believest thou that there is no God? I say unto you, Nay, thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more than him. And now thou hast lied before God unto me. Thou sadist unto me—Behold these six onties which are of great worth, I will give unto thee—when thou hadest it in thy heart to retain them from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me. And now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have they reward. And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and living God? #RandolphHarris 15 of 19

Image“And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God? And I answered, No. Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knows thou these things? And he said: An angel hath made them known uno me. And Zeerom said again: Who is he that shall come? Is it the Son of God? And he said unto him, Yea. And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their sins? And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word. Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people—as though he had authority to command God. Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God because I said he shall not save his people in their sins. And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of Heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of Heaven? Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins. Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very Eternal Father? #RandolphHarris 16 of 19

Image“And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father of Heaven and of Earth, and all things which in them are; he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last; and he shall come into the World to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else. Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made, expect it be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works. Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and join shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt. Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even so much as a hair of their heads be lost. #RandolphHarris 17 of 19

Image“However, every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the mortal body. I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption. Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written,” reports Alma 11.1-46. Sovereign Lord, Thy will is supreme in Heaven and Earth, and all beings are creatures of Thy power. Thou art the Father of our spirits; Thy inspiration gives us understanding, Thy providence governs our lives. However, O God, we are sinners in Thy sight; thou hast judged us so, and if we deny it we make Thee a liar. #RandolphHarris 18 of 19

ImageYet in Christ Thou art reconciled to Thy rebellious subjects; please give us the ear of faith to hear him, the eye of faith to see him, the hand of faith to receive him, the appetite of faith to feed upon him; that we might find him light, riches, honour, eternal life. Thou art the inviting one, may we hearken to Thee; the almighty instructor, teach us to live to Thee; the light-dweller, inaccessible to humans and angels, hiding Thyself behind the elements of creation, but known to us in Jesus; possess our minds with the grandeur of Thy perfections. Thy love to us in Jesus is firm and changeless, nothing can separate us from it, and in the enjoyment of it nothing can make us miserable. Preserve us from hypocrisy and formality in religion; enable us to remember what thou art and what we are, to recall Thy holiness and our unworthiness; help us to approach Thee clothed with humility, for vanity, forwardness, insensibility, disorderly affection, backwardness to duty, proneness to evil are in our hearts. Let us never forget Thy patience, wisdom, power, faithfulness, care, and never cease to respond to Thy invitations. O LORD GOD, there is no blessing we implore but Thou art able to give hast promised to give, hast given already to countless multitudes, all unworthy and guilty like ourselves; make us willing to receive the supply of our need from Thy bounty. #RandolphHarris 19 of 19Image

 

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Just because 2020 had other plans, does not mean you have to! Check out today’s blog post for socially distant outdoor activities to pass the time with this summer. ☀️ Link in bio. https://cresleigh.com/blog/

ImageFor your bounty, to this end, please convince us of sin, soften our hard hearts, to bewail our folly, ingratitude, pride, unbelief, rebellion, corruption. Through the law may we die to the law, then look with wonder, submission, delight, to the provision Thou hast made for the glory of Thy name in the salvation of sinners. Please give us a hope that makes us not ashamed, a love that excites to holy obedience, a joy in Thee that is our strength, a faith in Thy Son who loved us and died for us. May we preserve in duty when not fully conscious of Thee, wait upon Thee and keep Thy way, be humble and earnest suppliants at Thy feet, live continually as on the brink of eternity. #CresleighHomes

ImagePlease let us be at Thy disposal for the duties and evens of life, submit our preferences to Thy wisdom and will, resign our enjoyments if Thou shouldest require it as our absolute Proprietor and best Friend. In our unworthiness and provocations please make us grateful for the means of grace ad the ordinances of religion and please teach us to profit by them more than we have done. Please help us to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, to enter upon the sabbath mindful of its solemnities, duties, privileges, setting all things Worldly aside while we worship Thee. May we know the blessedness of humans whose strength is in Thee, and in whose hearts are the highway to Heaven.

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If there was More Rest for Souls in Our World, this Temple be as in the Hearts of the People for whom Saved the Union!

ImagePerhaps no person can be a poet, or can even enjoy poetry, without a certain unsoundness of mind. In the case of the son, the projection-making factor is identical with the mother-imago, and this is consequently taken to be the real mother. The projection can only be dissolved when the son sees that in the realm of his psyche there is an imago not only of the mother but of the daughter, the sister, the beloved, the Heavenly goddess, and the chthonic Baubo. Every mother and every beloved is forced to become the carrier and embodiment of this omnipresent and ageless image, which corresponds to the deepest reality in a man. It belongs to him, this perilous image of Woman; she stands for the loyalty which is in the interests of life he must sometimes forgo; she is the much needed compensation for the risk, struggles, sacrifices that all end in disappointment; she is the solace for all the bitterness of life. And, at the same time, she is the great illusionist, the seductress, who draw him into life with her Maya—and not only into life’s reasonable and useful aspects, but into its frightful paradoxes and ambivalences where good and evil, success and ruin, hope and despair, counterbalance one another. Because she is his greatest danger she demands from a man his greatest, and if he has it in him she will receive it. #RandolphHarris 1 of 26

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This image is “My Lady Soul,” as Spitteler called her. I have suggested instead of the term “anima,” as indicating something specific, for which the expression “soul” is too general and too vague. The empirical reality summed up under the concept of the anima forms and extremely dramatic content of the unconscious. It is possible to describe this content in rational, scientific language, but in this way one entirely fails to express its living character. Therefore, in describing the living processes of the psyche, I deliberately and consciously give preference to a dramatic, mythological way of thinking and speaking, because this is not only more expressive but also more exact than an abstract scientific terminology, which is wont to toy with the notion that its theoretic formulations may one fine day be resolved into algebraic equations. The projection-making factor is the anima, or rather the unconscious as represented by the anima. Whenever she appears, in dreams, visions, and fantasies, she takes on personified form, thus demonstrating that the factor she embodies possesses all the outstanding characteristics of a feminine being. She is not an invention of the conscious, but a spontaneous product of the unconscious. Nor is she a substitute figure for the mother. #RandolphHarris 2 of 26

ImageOn the contrary, there is every likelihood that the numinous qualities which make the mother-image so dangerously powerful derive from the collective archetype of the anima, which is incarnated anew in every male child. Since the anima is an archetype that is found in men, it is reasonable to suppose that an equivalent archetype must be present in women; for just as the man is compensated by a feminine element, so woman is compensated by a masculine one. I do not, however, wish this argument to give the impression that these compensatory relationships were arrived a by deduction. On the contrary, long and varied experience was needed in order to grasp the nature of anima and animus empirically. Whatever we have to say about these archetypes, therefore, is either directly verifiable or at least rendered probable by the facts. At the same time, I am fully aware that we are discussing pioneer work which by its very nature can only be provisional. Just as the mother seems to be the first carrier of the projection-making factor for the son, so is the father for the daughter. Practical experience of these relationships is made up of many individual cases presenting all kinds of variations on the same basic theme. A concise description of them can, therefore, be no more than schematic. #RandolphHarris 3 of 26

ImageWoman is compensated by a masculine element and therefore her unconscious has, so to speak, a masculine imprint. This results in a considerable psychological difference between men and women, and accordingly I have called the projection-making factor in women the animus, which means mind or spirit. The animus corresponds to the paternal Logos just as the anima corresponds to the maternal Eros. However, I do not wish or intend to give these two intuitive concepts to specific a definition. I use Eros and Logos merely as conceptual assistants to describe the fact that women’s consciousness is characterized more by the connective quality of Eros than by the discrimination and cognition associates with Logos. In men, Eros, the function of relation, is usually less developed then Logos. In women, on the other hand, Eros is an expression of their true nature, while their Logos is often only a regrettable accident. It gives rise to misunderstandings and annoying interpretations in the family circle and among friends. This is because it consists of opinions instead of reflections, and by opinions I mean a priori assumptions that lay claim to absolute truth. Such assumptions, as everyone knows, can be extremely irritating. As the animus is partial to argument, one can best be seen a work in disputes were both parties know they are right. #RandolphHarris 4 of 26

ImageMen can argue in a very womanish way, too, when they are anima-possessed and have thus been transformed into the animus of their own anima. With them the question becomes one of personal vanity and touchiness (as if they were females); with women it is a question of power, whether of truth or justice or some other “ism”—for the dressmaker and hairdresser have already taken care of their vanity. The “Father” (id est, the sum of conventional opinions) always plays a great role in female argumentation. No matter how friendly and obliging a woman’s Eros may be, no logic on Earth can shake her if she is ridden by the animus. Often the man has the feeling—and he is not altogether wrong—that he cannot use legal means of persuasion. He is unaware that this highly dramatic situation would instantly come to a banal and unexciting end if he were to quit the field and let a second woman carry on the battle (his wife, for instance, if she herself is not they fiery war horse). This sounds idea seldom or never occurs to him, because no man can converse with an animus for five minutes without becoming the victim of one’s own anima. Anyone who still had enough sense of humour to listen objectively to the ensuing dialogue would be staggered by the vast number of commonplaces, misapplied truisms, clichés from newspapers and novels, shop-soiled platitudes of every description interspersed with vulgar abuse and brain-splitting lack of logic. #RandolphHarris 5 of 26

ImageIt is a dialogue which, irrespective of its participants, is repeated millions and millions of times in all the languages of the World and always remains essentially the same. This singular fact is due to the following circumstances: when animus and anima meet, the animus draws his sword of power and the anima ejects her poison of illusion and seduction. The outcome need not always be negative, since the two are equally likely to fall in love (a special instance of love at first sight). The language of love is of astonishing uniformity, using the well-worn formulas with the utmost devotion and fidelity, so that once again the two partners find themselves in a banal collective situation. Yet they live in the illusion that they are related to one another in a most individual way. In bot its positive and its negative aspects the anima/animus relationship is always full of “animosity,” id est, it is emotional, and hence collective. Affects lower the level of the relationship and bring it closer to the common instinctual basis, which no longer has anything individual about it. Very often the relationship runs its course heedless of its human performers, who afterwards do not know what happened to them. Whereas the clouds of “animosity” surround the man is composed chiefly of sentimentality and resentment, in woman it expresses itself in the form of opinionated views, interpretations, insinuation, and misconstructions, which all have purpose (sometimes attained) of severing the relations between two human beings. #RandolphHarris 6 of 26

ImageThe woman, like the man, becomes wrapped in a veil of illusions by her demon-familiar, and, as the daughter who alone understands her father (that is, is eternally right in everything), she is translated to the land of sheep, where she is put to graze by the shepherd of her soul, the animus. In talking of imagination when it presents its images in the present, we may consider what the imagination is doing in parabolic poetry. It was seen at work in the fable, similitude, and parable. In these manifestations of inventive activity, the imagination seems to function for the human being in the same way it functions for the divine spirit. It makes tangible that which is intangible. This kind of operation gives to parabolic poetry a higher character, and an appearance of something sacred and venerable. This sort of poetry is thus coloured because religion itself commonly uses its assistance as a means of communication between divinity and humanity. Here, then, with the case of divine communication before us, we find imagination manifested in poetry in two ways. First, one duty of poetry is to teach. This is could do only if imagination illustrates the work of reason. In olden times, particularly, the inventions and conclusions of human reason (even those that are now common and trite) being then new and strange, the minds of humans were hardly subtle enough to conceive them, unless they are brought nearer to the sense by this kind of resemblances and examples. #RandolphHarris 7 of 26

ImageAnd hence ancient times are full of all kinds of fables, parables, enigmas, and similitudes; as may appear by the numbers of Pythagoras the enigmas of the Sphinx, the fables of Plato, and the like. So parables are before arguments, and the force of them is still excellent because arguments cannot be made so perspicuous nor true examples so apt. So it is that the imagination translates the abstractions of understanding and reason into images. Not only does reason become palpable, but through the inventive activity of imagination it is made fitting for an audience. The second office of poetry was that of infoldment or all allusion, when the object is not to teach plainly but to teach darkly, when the secrets and mysteries of religion, policy, and philosophy are involved in fables or parables. Between 1605, the publication of The Advancement of Learning, and 1623, the appearance of De Augmentis Scientiarum, we acquired greater respect for mysteries than we had earlier. In 1609 we devoted great care to the explication of thirty-one fables of antiquity, and much later we greatly enlarged thee of them—Pan, Perseus, and Dionysius—which served us as illustrations of three of our major divisions of philosophy: natural philosophy, politics, and ethics. #RandolphHarris 8 of 26

ImageFables revealed the earliest of human mysteries, extending back in time far beyond their narrators—exempli gratia, Homer and Hesiod—and by implication they bodied forth the shadows of human’s primitive imagination. Indeed, in the parable here is invented the figure to shadow the meaning. Imagination also made absent things present at those times when it was allied with reason in a distinctly creative function. The unique cooperation with reason appears to have assigned only to the province of rhetoric as the practical art of communication via both speech and written word. It is true, as we have seen, that in poetry imagination joined with reason to produce inventions and that it gave substance to things abstract. However, in its poetic activity is could at times indulge in play; it could join and sever natural experience in unnatural ways, and escape the strictest rules of reason. In rhetoric, on the other hand, imagination worked with reason in strictly rational ways. It engaged in joint creation with reason yet it had to obey the dictates of reason. The duty and office of Rhetoric is to apply Reason to Imagination for the better moving of the Will. Rhetoric is one of the rational arts and imagination is to serve it. Rhetoric is subservient to the imagination, as Logic is to the understanding; and the duty and office of Rhetoric, if it be deeply looked into, is no other than to apply and recommend the dictates of reason to imagination, in order to excite the appetite and Will. #RandolphHarris 9 of 26

ImageAccordingly, the subject of Rhetoric, is none other than the Imaginative or Insinuative Reason. Reason and imagination together created a credible object or an argument, and the effect was insinuative. In what manner there was insinuation we shall see later on. In the cooperation of imagination with reason, imagination was under the control of reason, and reason was not at the back and called of imagination. Such mastership was essential to rational life if reason through imagination were to command the will and affections: if the affections themselves were brought to order, and pliant and obedient to reason, it is true there would be no great use of persuasions and insinuation to give access to the mind, but naked and simple propositions would be enough. However, the affections do on the contrary make such secessions and raise such mutinies and seditions…that reasons would become captive and servile, if eloquence of persuasions did not win the imagination from the affections’ part, and contract a confederacy between the reason and imagination against them. Not only should the will and conduct be under a person’s voluntary control but the decisions and products of reason acting alone are ethereal abstractions, difficult or impossible for the common mind to cope with. #RandolphHarris 10 of 26

ImageWhat is necessary, if reason is to prevail, is to transform the abstract into the concrete, the immaterial into the material, the nonsensory into the sensory: it is the business of rhetoric to make pictures of virtue and goodness, so that they may be seen. For since they cannot be showed to the sense in corporeal shape, the next degree is to show them to the imagination in as lively representations as possible, by ornament of words. The method of the Stoics, who thought to thrust virtue upon people by concise and sharp maxims and conclusions to shew Reason only in subtility of argument, which has little sympathy with the imagination and will of humans, has been justly ridiculed. In working creatively with reason, what was imagination supposed to do? Doubtless there is no way of describing what is going on when imagination is working with reason. One can only be sure of the result. The nature of the operation itself can only be hinted at. The religious law demands that one accepts ideas and strict and ridge doctrines, that are believed to be the doctrines of salvation and traditions, the acceptance of which is the condition of one’s salvation from anxiety, despair, and death. So we try to accept them, although they sometimes may become strange or doubtful to us. #RandolphHarris 11 of 26

ImageWe labour and toil under the religious demand to believe things we cannot believe. This sometimes results in us trying to escape the law of religion. We try to cast away the heavy yoke of the doctrinal law imposed on us by Church authorities, orthodox teachers, pious parents, and fixed traditions. We become critical and sceptical. We cast away the yoke; but none can live in the emptiness of mere scepticism, and so we return to the old yoke in a kind of self-torturing fanaticism and try to impose it on other people, on our children or pupils. We are driven by an unconscious desire for revenge, because of the burden we have taken upon ourselves. Many families are disrupted by painful tragedies and many minds are broken by this attitude of parents, teachers and priests. Others unable to stand the emptiness of scepticism, find new yokes outside the Church, new doctrinal laws under which they begin to labour: political ideologies which they propagate with religious fanaticism; scientific theories which they defend with strict religious doctrines and covenants; and utopian expectations they pronounce as the condition of salvation for the World, forcing whole nations under the yoke of their creeds which are religions, even while they pretend to destroy religion. #RandolphHarris 12 of 26

ImageWe are all labouring under the yoke of religion; we all, sometimes, try to throw away old or new doctrines or strict and rigid covenants, but after a little while we return, again enslaving ourselves and others in their servitude. The same is true of the practical laws of religion. They demand ritual activities, the participation in religious enterprises, and the study of religious traditions, prayer, sacraments, and meditations. They demand moral obedience, inhuman self-control and asceticism, devotion to humans and things beyond our possibilities, surrender to ideas and duties beyond our power, unlimited self-negation, and unlimited self-perfection: the religious law demands the perfect in all respects. And our conscience agrees with this demand. However, the split in our being is derived from just thus: that the perfect, although it is the truth, is beyond us, against us, judging and condemning us. So we try to throw away the ritual and moral demands. We neglect them, we hate them, we criticize them; some of us display a cynical indifference toward the religious and moral law. However, since mere cynicism is as impossible as mere scepticism, we return to old or new laws, becoming more fanatic than ever before, and take a yoke of the law upon us, which is more self-defying, more cruel against ourselves, and more willing to coerce other people under the same yoke in the name of the perfect. #RandolphHarris 13 of 26

ImageJesus Himself becomes for these perfectionists, puritans and moralists a teacher of the religious law putting upon us the heaviest of all burdens, the burden of His law. However, that is the greatest possible distortion of the mind of Jesus. This distortion can be found in the minds of those who crucified Him because He broke the religious law, not by fleeing from it like the cynical Sadducees, but by overcoming it. We are all permanently in danger of abusing Jesus by stating that e is the founder of a new religion, and bringer of another, more refined, and more enslaving law. And so we see in all Christian Churches the toiling and labouring of people who are called Christians, serious Christians, under innumerable laws which they cannot fulfill, from which they flee, to which they return, or which they replace by other laws. This is the yoke from which Jesus wants to liberate us. He is more than a priest or a prophet or a religious genius. These all subject us to religion. He frees us from religion. They all make new religious laws; He overcomes the religious law. “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” This does not indicate a quantitative difference—a little easier, a little lighter. It indicates a contradiction! #RandolphHarris 14 of 26

ImageThe yoke of Jesus is easy in itself, because it is above law, and replaces the toiling and labouring with rest in our souls. The yoke of religion and law presupposes all those splits and gaps in our souls which drive us to the attempt to overcome them. The yoke of Jesus is above those splits and gaps. It has overcome them whenever it appears and is received. It is not a new demand, a new doctrine or new power of transforming life. He calls it a yoke, He means that is comes from above and grasps us with saving force; if He calls it easy, He means that it is given before anything we can do. It is being, power, reality, conquering the anxiety and despair, the fear and the restlessness of our existence. It is here, amongst us, in the midst of our personal tragedy, and the tragedy of history. Suddenly, within the hardest struggle, it appears as a victory, not attained by ourselves, but present beyond expectation and struggle. Suddenly we are grasped by a peace which is above reason, that is, above our practical striving for the good. The true—namely, the truth of our life and of our existence—has grasped us. We know that now, in the moment, we are in the truth, in spite of all our ignorance about ourselves and our World. We have not become wiser and more understanding in any ordinary sense; we are still children in knowledge. #RandolphHarris 15 of 26

ImageHowever, the truth of life is in us, with an illuminating certainty, uniting us with ourselves, giving us great and restful happiness. And the good, the ultimate good, which is not good for something else, but good in itself, has grasped us. We know that now, in this moment, we are in the good, in spite of all our weakness an evil, in spite of the fragmentary and distorted character of our Self and the World. We have not become more moral or more saintly; we still belong to a World which is subject to evil and self-destruction. However, the good of life is in us, uniting us with the good of everything, giving us the blessed experience of universal love. If this should happen, and in such a measure, we should reach our eternity, the higher order and spiritual World to which we belong, and from which we are separated in our normal existence. We should be beyond ourselves. The new being would conquer us, although the old being would not disappear. Where can we feel his new reality? We cannot find it; but it can find us. It tries to find us during our whole life. It is in the World; it carries the World; and it is the cause of the fact that our Self and our World are not yet thrown into utter self-destruction. Although it is hidden under anxiety and despair, under finitude and tragedy, it is in everything, in souls and bodies, becomes everything derives life from it. #RandolphHarris 16 of 26

ImageThe new being means that the old being has not yet destroyed itself completely; that life is still possible; that our souls still gather force to go forward; and that the good and the true are not extinguished. It is present, and it will find us. Let us be found by it. It is stronger than the World, although it is quiet and meek and humble. That is the meaning of the call of Jesus, “Come unto Me.” For in Him this new being is present in such a way that it determines His life. That which is hidden in all things, that which appears to us sometimes in the great elevations of our soul, is the forming power of this life. It is the uniqueness and he mystery of His Being, the embodiment, the full appearance of the New Being. That is the reason that He can say words which no prophet or saint has ever said: that nobody knows God save Him and those who receive their knowledge through Him. These words certainly do not mean that He imposes a new theology or a new religious law upon us. They mean rather that He is the New Being in which everybody can participate, because it is universal and omnipresent. Why can He call Himself meek and lowly in heart after he has said words about His uniqueness, words that, in anyone else’s mouth, would be blasphemous arrogance? It is because the New Being that forms Him is not created by Him. He is created by it. It has found Him, as it must find us. #RandolphHarris 17 of 26

ImageAnd since His Being is not the result of His striving and labouring, and since it is not servitude to the religious law but rather victory over religion and law that makes His uniqueness, He does not impose religion and law, burdens and yokes, upon humans. If He called us o the Christian religion or to the Christian doctrines or to the Christian morals, we would turn down His call with hatred. If He gave us new commands for thinking and acting, we would not accept His claim to be meek and humble and to give rest to our souls. Jesus is not the creator of another religion, but the victor over religion; He is not the maker of another law, but the conqueror of law. We, the ministers and teachers of Christianity, do not call you to Christianity but rather to the New Being to which Christianity should be a witness and nothing else, not confusing itself with that New Being. Forget all Christian doctrines; forget your own certainties and your own doubts, when you hear the call of Jesus. Forget all Christian morals, your achievements and your failures, when you come to Him. Nothing is demanded of you—no idea of God, and no goodness in yourselves, not your being religious, not your being Christian, not your being wise, and not your being moral. #RandolphHarris 18 of 26

ImageHowever, what is demanded is only your being open and willing to accept what if given to you, the New Being, the being of love and justice and truth, as it is manifest in Him Whose yoke is easy and Whose burden is light. Let me close, as I began, with a personal word. Believe me, you who are religious and Christian. If it were for the sake of Christianity, it would be not worthwhile to teach Christianity. And believe me, when it comes, we interpret the call of Jesus for our time, you who are estranged from religion and far away from Christianity, it is not our purpose to make you religious and Christian. We call Jesus the Christ not because He brought a new religion, but because He is the end of religion, above religion and irreligion, above Christianity and non-Christianity. We spread His call because it is the call to every human in every period to receive the New Being, that hidden saving power in our existence, which takes from us labour and burden, and gives rest to our souls. Do not ask in this moment what we shall do or how action shall follow from the New Being, from the rest in our souls. Do not ask; for you do not ask how the good fruits follow from the goodness of a tree. They follow; action follows being, and new action, better action, stronger action, follows new being, better, truer, and more just, if there was more rest for our souls in our World. #RandolphHarris 19 of 26

ImageIf they grew out of a more profound level of our life, our actions would be more creative, more conquering, conquering the tragedy of our time. For our creative depth is the depth in which we are quiet. “Now these are the words which Amulek preached unto the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying: “I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was that same Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of the temple, which was written by the finger of God. An Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendent of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by the hands of his brethren. And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much richness by the hand of my industry. Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power. I said I never had know much of thee things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people. #RandolphHarris 20 of 26

Image“Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling against God, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth years of e reign of the judges. As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to thine own house for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea, a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered, and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon thee and thy house. And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and returned towards my house. And as I was going thither I found the man whom the angel said uno me: Thou shalt receive into thy house—and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto you concerning the things of God. And the angel said uno me he is a holy man because it was said by an angel of God. And again, I know that the things whereof he hath testified are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth, even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto me; and this he has done whole this Alma hath dwelt at my house. #RandolphHarris 21 of 26

Image“For behold, he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me, and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk; yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake. And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them. Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch them in their words, that they might find witness against them, that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear or witness against them. Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes of the people before the judges. Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of the people; and this was to enable them that they might be skillful in their profession. #RandolphHarris 22 of 26

Image“And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the words which he should speak. Now they knew not that Amulek could know of their designs. However, it came to pass as they began to question him, he perceived their thoughts, and he said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the foundations of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God. Ye are laying traps and snares to catch the holy ones of God. Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter destruction of this people. Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when we was about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did he say that is the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction. And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. #RandolphHarris 23 of 26

Image“Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my hands. Yea, and I say unto you that if it were no for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence and the sword. However, it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand expect ye repent. And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have selected. However, Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why at Satan got such great hold upon your hearts? Why will ye yield yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are spoken, according to their truth? #RandolphHarris 24 of 26

Image“For behold, have I testified against your law? Ye do not understand: ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I have not, but I have spoken in favour of your law, to your condemnation. And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and judges. And now it came to pass that when Amulek had spoken these words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that his human is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for he hath spoken against our law. And now he says that he has not spoken against it. And again, he has reviled against our lawyers, and our judges. And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts that they should remember these things against him. And there was one among them whose nae was Zeezrom. Now he was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the most expert among them, having much business to do among the people. Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got gain according to their employ,” reports Alma 10.1-32. O God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we hope in Thy word. There we see Thee, not on a fearful throne of judgment, but on a throne of grace, waiting to be gracious, and exalted in mercy. #RandolphHarris 25 of 26

ImageThere we hear Thee saying, not “Depart ye cursed,” but “Look unto me and be ye saved, for I am God and there is none else.” They that know Thy name put their trust in Thee. How many now glorified in Heaven, and what numbers living on Earth, are Thy witnesses, O God, exemplifying in their recovery from the ruins of the Fall the freeness, riches and efficacy of Thy grace! All that were every saved were saved by Thee, and will through eternity, exclaim, “Not unto us, but uno Thy name give glory for Thy mercy and truth’s sake.” Thou hast chosen to transact all Thy concerns with us through a mediator in whom all fullness dwells and who is exalted to be prince and Saviour. To him we look, on him we depend, through him we are justified. May we derive relief from his sufferings without ceasing to abhour sin, or to long after holiness; feel the double efficacy of His blood, tranquillizing and cleansing out consciences; delight in His service as well as in His sacrifice; be constrained by His love to live not to ourselves but to Him; cherish a grateful and cheerful disposition, not murmuring and repining if our wishes are not indulged, or because some trials are blended with our enjoyments, but, sensible of our desert, and impressed with the number and greatness of Thy benefits, may we bless and praise Thee at all times. #RandolphHarris 26 of 26Image

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Shall I Compare Thee to A Summer’s Day? Thou Art More Lovely and More Temperate!

ImageIf music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, that surfeiting, the appetite may sicken, and so die. There can no longer be any doubt that everything we call body shows a striving to become a whole. Individuals have within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic attitudes, and self-directed behaviour; these resources can be tapped if a definable climate of facilitative psychological attitudes can be provided. There are three conditions that must be present in order for a climate to be growth-promoting. These conditions apply whether we are speaking of the relationship between therapist and client, parent and child, leader and group, teacher and student, or administrator and staff. The conditions apply, in fact, in any situation in which the development of the person is a goal. The first element could be called genuineness, realness, or congruence. The more the therapist is oneself in the relationship, putting up on professional front or personal façade, the greater is the likelihood that the client will change and grow in a constructive manner. This means that the therapist is openly being the feelings and attitudes that are flowing within at the moment. #RandolphHarris 1 of 25

ImageThe term “transparent” catches the flavour of this condition: the therapist makes oneself transparent to the client; the client can see right through what the therapist is in the relationship; the client experiences no holding back on the part of the therapist. As for the therapist, what one is experiencing is available to awareness, can be lived in the relationship, and can be communicated, if appropriate. Thus, there is a close matching, or congruence, between what is being experienced at the gut level, what is present in awareness, and what is expressed to the client. The second attitude of importance in creating a climate for chance is acceptance, or caring, or prizing—what I have called “unconditional positive regard.” When the therapist is experiencing a positive, acceptant attitude toward whatever the client is at that moment, therapeutic movement or change is more likely to occur. The therapist is willing for the client to be whatever immediate feeling is going on—confusion, resentment, fear, anger, courage, love, or pride. Such caring on the part of the therapist is nonpossessive. The therapist prizes the client in a total rather than a conditional way. #RandolphHarris 2 of 25

ImageThe third facilitative aspect of the relationship is empathetic understanding. This means that the therapist senses accurately the feelings and personal meanings that the client is experiencing and communicates this understanding to the client. When functioning best, the therapist is so much inside the private World of the other that one can clarify not only the meaning of which the client is aware but even those just below the level of awareness. This kind of sensitive, active listening is exceedingly rare in our lives. We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know. How does this climate which I have just described bring about change? Briefly, as persons are accepted and prized, they tend to develop a more caring attitude toward themselves. As persons are empathically heard, it becomes possible for them to listen more accurately to the flow of inner experiencings. However, as a person understands and prizes self, the self becomes more congruent with the experiencings. The person this becomes more real, more genuine. #RandolphHarris 3 of 25

ImageAlong with the person becoming more authentic, these tendencies, the reciprocal of the therapist’s attitudes, enable the person to be a more effective growth-enhancer for oneself. There is greater freedom. There is a body of steadily mounting research evidence which by and large supports the view that when these facilitative conditions are present, changes in personality and behaviour do indeed occur. Such research has been carried on from 1940 to the present. Studied have been made of the benefits of the person-centered psychotherapy with troubled individuals and with schizophrenics; of the facilitation of learning in the schools; of the improvement in other interpersonal relationships. In ever organism, at whatever level, there is an underlying flow of movement toward constructive fulfilment of its inherent possibilities. In human beings, too, there is a natural tendency towards a more complex and complete development. The term that must often been used for this is the “actualizing tendency,” and it is present in all living organism. Whether we are speaking of a follower or an oak tree, of an earthworm of a beautiful cockatiel, of an ape or a person, we will do well, I believe, to recognize that life is an active process, not a passive one. #RandolphHarris 4 of 25

ImageWhether the stimulus arises from within or without, whether the environment is favourable or unfavourable, the behaviours of an organism can be counted on to be in the direction of maintaining, enhancing, and reproducing itself. This is the very nature of the process we call life. This tendency is operative at all times. Indeed, only the presence or absence of this total directional process enables us to tell whether a given organism is alive of dead. The actualizing tendency can, of course, be thwarted or warped, but it cannot be destroyed without destroying the organism. I remember that in my boyhood, the bin in which we stored our Winter’s supply of potatoes was in the basement, several feet below a small window. The conditions were unfavourable, but the potatoes would begin to sprout—pale white sprouts, so unlike the healthy green shoots they sent up when planted in the soil in the spring. However, these sad, spindly sprouts would grow 2 or 3 feet in length as they reached toward the distant light of the window. The sprouts were in their bizarre, futile growth, a sort of desperate expression of the directional tendency I have been describing. #RandolphHarris 5 of 25

ImageThey would never become plants, never mature, never fulfill their real potential. However, under the most adverse circumstances, they were striving to become. Life would not give up, even if it could not flourish. In dealing with clients whose lives have been terribly warped, in working with men and women on the back of wards of state hospitals, I often think of those potato sprouts. So unfavourable have been the conditions in which these people have developed that their lives often seem abnormal, twisted, scarcely human. Yet, the directional tendency in them can be trusted. The clue to understanding their behaviour is that they are striving, in the only ways that they perceive as available to them, to move toward growth, toward becoming. To healthy persons, the result may seem bizarre and futile, but they are life’s desperate attempt to become itself. This potent constructive tendency is an underlying basis of the person-centered approach. Custom, then, is a great guide of human life. It is that principle alone, which renders our experience useful to us, and makes us expect, for the future, a similar train of evens with those which have appeared in the past. Without the influence of custom, we should be entirely ignorant of every matter of fact, beyond what is immediately present to the memory and sense. #RandolphHarris 6 of 25

ImageIf we did not have customs, we should never know how to adjust means to end, or to employ our natural powers in the production of any effect. There would be an end at once to all action, as well as of the chief part of speculation. However, here it ay be proper to remark, that though conclusions from experience carry us beyond our memory and senses, and assure us of matters of fact, which happened  in the most distant places and most remote ages; yet some fact must always be present to the sense or memory, from which we may first proceed in drawing these conclusions. A person, who should find in a desert country the remains of pompous buildings, would conclude, that the country had, in ancient times, been cultivated by civilized inhabitants; but did nothing of this nature occur to one, one could never form such inference. We learn the events of former ages from history; but then we must peruse the volumes, in which this instruction is contained, and thence carry up our inferences from one testimony to another, till we arrive at the eye-witnesses and spectators of these distant evens. In a word, if we proceed not upon some fact, present to the memory or senses, our reasonings would be merely hypothetical. #RandolphHarris 7 of 25

ImageAnd, however, the particular links might be connected with each other, the whole chain of inferences would have nothing to support it, nor could we ever, by its means, arrive at the knowledge of any real existence. If I ask, why you believe any particular matter of fact, which you relate, you must tell me some reason; and this reason will be some other fact, connected with it. However, as you cannot proceed after this manner, in infinitum, you must at last terminate in some fact, which is present to your memory or senses; or must allow that your belief is entirely without foundation. When then is the conclusion of the whole matter? A simple one; though, it must be confessed, pretty remote from the common theories of philosophy. All belief of matter of fact or real existence is derived merely from some object, present to the memory or senses, and a customary conjunction between that and some other object. Or in other words; having found, in many instances, that any two kinds of objects, flame and heat, snow and cold, have always been conjoined together; if flame or snow be presented anew to the senses, the mind is carried by custom to expect heat or cold, and to believe, that such a quality does exist, and will discover itself upon a nearer approach. This belief is the necessary result of placing the mind in such circumstances. #RandolphHarris 8 of 25

ImageIt is an operation of the soul, when we are so situated, as unavoidable as to feel the passion of love, when we receive benefits; or hatred, when we meet with injuries. All these operations are a species of natural instincts, which no reasoning or process of the thought and understanding is able, either to produce, or to prevent. At this point, it would be very allowable for us to stop our philosophical researches. In most questions, we can never make a single step farther; and in all question, we must terminate here at last, after our most restless and curious enquires. However, still our curiosity will be pardonable, perhaps commendable, if it carry us on to still farther researches, and makes us examine more accurately the nature of this belief, and of the customary conjunction, whence it is derived. By this means we may meet with some explications and analogies, that will give satisfaction; at least to such as love the abstract sciences, and can be entertained with speculations, which, however accurate, may still retain a degree of doubt and uncertainty. Humans are the only mammal who are large-scale killers and sadist. Animals display intraspecific aggression (fighting against their own species), but they fight in a “nondisruptive,” nondestructive way. #RandolphHarris 9 of 25

ImageThe data on the life of mammals in general and the prehuman primates in particular do not suggest the presence of an innate “destructiveness” which humans are supposed to have inherited from them. Indeed, if the human species had approximately the same degree of “innate” aggressiveness as that of chimpanzees living in their natural habitat, we would live in a rather peaceful World. In studying aggression among animals and especially among the primates, it is important to begin with a distinction between their behaviour in while living their own habit and their behaviour in captivity, that is, essentially, in zoos. Observations show that primates in the wild show little aggression, while primates in the zoo can show an excessive amount of destructiveness. This distinction is of fundamental importance for the understanding of human aggression because humans thus far in their history have hardly ever lived in their “natural habitat,” with the exception of the hunters and food gatherers and the first agriculturalists down to the fifth millennium Before Christ. “Civilized” humans have always lived in the “Zoo”—id est, in various degrees of captivity and unfreedom—and this still true, even in the most advanced societies. #RandolphHarris 10 of 25

ImageThe hamadryas baboons at the London Zoo in Regents Park (“Monkey Hill”) were studied in 1929-1930. Their area, 100 feet long and 60 feet wide, was large by zoo standards, but extremely small compared with the natural range of their habitat. There was a great deal of tension and aggression observed among animals. The stronger ones brutally and ruthlessly kept the weaker ones down, and even mothers would take food away from the hands of their babies. With the principal victims further studies suggest that there are at least two different elements in crowding which must be kept apart. One is the reduction of space; the other is e destruction of the social structure. The importance of the second factor is clearly born out of observation, mentioned earlier, that the introduction of a strange animal usually creates even more aggression than crowding. Of course, often both factors are present, and it is difficult to determine which of the two is responsible for the aggressive behaviour. Whatever the specific blend of these factors is in animal crowding, each of them can generate aggression. The narrowing down of space deprives the animal of important vital functions of movement, play, and the exercise of its faculties which can develop only when it has to search for its own food. #RandolphHarris 11 of 25

ImageHence the “space-deprived” animal may feel threatened by this reduction of its vital functions and react with aggression. The breakdown of the social structure of an animal group is even more of a threat. Every animal species lives within a social structure characteristic for this species. Whether hierarchical or not, it is the frame of reference to which the animal’s behaviour is adapted. A tolerable social equilibrium is a necessary condition for its existence. Its destruction through crowding constitutes a massive threat to the animal’s existence, and intense aggression is the result one would expect, given he defensive role of aggression, especially when flight is impossible. Crowding can occur under the conditions of existence in a zoo. However, more often the animals in a zoo are not crowded but suffer from restriction of space. Captive animals, although they are well fed and protected have “nothing to do.” If one believes that satisfaction of all physiological needs is enough to provide for a feeling of well-being in an animal (and in humans), their zoo existence should make them very content. However, this parasitic existence deprives them of stimuli that would permit an active expression of their physical and mental faculties; hence they often become bored, dull, and apathetic. #RandolphHarris 12 of 25

ImageUnlike zoo chimpanzees, which generally look increasingly dull and vacant with the years, the older chimpanzees among those living in the wild seemed to be more lively, more interested in everything, and more human. The dull stimulus World provided by zoo cages results in boredom. An example is a silver-haired old chimpanzee who remained the leader of the group even though he was physically far inferior to younger apes; apparently life in freedom, with all its many stimulations had developed a kind of wisdom in him which qualified him as a leader. If crowding is an important condition for animal aggression, the question suggests itself whether it is also an important source of human aggression. There is no other remedy for rebellion, violence, and neuroses than to establish the balance of numbers in human societies and quickly to find effective means of controlling them at the optimum level. This popular identification of crowding with population density has created much confusion. Many people ignore the fact that the problem of contemporary crowding has two aspects: he destruction of viable social structure (particularly in the industrialized parts of the World), and the disproportion between the size of population and the economic and social basis for its existence, mainly in the non-industrialized parts of the World. #RandolphHarris 13 of 25

ImageHumans need a social system in which one has one’s place and in which one’s relations to others are relatively stable and supported by generally accepted values and ideas. What has happened in modern industrial society is that traditions, and common values, and genuine social personal ties with others have largely disappeared. The modern mass human is isolated and lonely, even though they are part of a crowd; they have no convictions which they could share with others, only slogans and ideologies one gets from the communications media. One have become an a-tom (the Greek equivalent of “in-dividual” = indivisible), held together only by common, though often simultaneously antagonistic interests, and by the cash nexus. This phenomenon is called “anomie” and found that it was the main cause of suicide which had been increasing with the growth of industrialization. Anomie is the destruction of all traditional social bonds, due to the fact that all truly collective organization have become secondary to the state and all genuine social life have been annihilated. People living in the modern political state are a disorganized dust of individuals. In the traditional community (Gemeinschaf) and modern society (Gesellschaf) all genuine social bonds have disappeared. #RandolphHarris 14 of 25

ImagePopulation density as such, lack of social structure, genuine common bonds and interest in life are the causes of human aggression and can be show by many examples. One of the most striking are the kibbutzim in Israel, which are very crowded, with little space for the individual and little privacy (this was even more the case years ago when the kibbutzim were poor). Yet there was an extraordinary lack of aggressiveness among their members. The same holds true for other international communities all over the World. Another example are countries like Belgium and Holland, two of the most densely populated parts of the World, whose population is nevertheless not characterized by special aggressiveness. There could hardly be more crowding then there was at the Woodstock or the Isle of Wight youth festivals, and yet both were remarkably free from aggressiveness. To take another example, Manhattan Island was one of the most densely populated places in the World eighty years ago, but it was no then, as it is today, characterized by excessive violence. Anyone who has lived in a big apartment building where several hundred families live together knows that there are few places where a person has as much privacy and is as little intruded upon by the presence of next-door neighbours as in such a densely populated building. #RandolphHarris 15 of 25

ImageIn those high-rise apartment buildings, some of the people are more aware of each other, watch and gossip each other’s private lives, and are constantly in each other’s field of vision; the same holds true, although to a much lesser degree, for suburban society. These examples tend to show that it is not crowding as such, but the social, psychological, cultural, and economic conditions under which it occurs that are responsible for aggression. It is obvious that overpopulation, id est, population density under conditions of poverty, causes stress and aggression; the big cities India, as well as the slums in American cities, are an example of this. Overpopulation and the resulting population density are malignant, when, due to the lack of decent housing, people lack the most elementary conditions for protection from immediate and constant intrusion by others. Overpopulation means that the number of people in a given society surpasses the economic basis for providing them with adequate food, housing, and meaningful leisure. There is no doubt that overpopulation has evil consequences and that the numbers must be reduced to a level which is commensurate with the economic basis. However, in a society which has the economic basis to support a dense population, the density itself does not deprive the citizen of one’s privacy, and it does no expose one to constant intrusions of others. #RandolphHarris 16 of 25

ImageAn adequate standard of living, however, takes care only of the lack of privacy and constant exposure to others. It does not solve the problem of anomie, of the lack of Gemeinschaft, of the individual’s need to live in a World that has human proportions, whose members know each other as persons. The anomie of industrial society can only be removed if the whole social and spiritual structure is changed radically: if the individual is not only adequately fed and houses, but the interests of society become identical with the interests of each individual; when the relationship to one’s fellow human and the expression of one’s powers, rather than the consumption of things and antagonism to one’s fellow humans, become the principles which govern social and individual life. This is possible under the condition of high population density, but it requires radical rethinking of all our premises and radical social change. It follows from these considerations that all analogies from animal to human crowding are of limited value. The animal has an instinctive “knowledge” of the space and the social organization it needs. It reacts instinctively with aggression in order to remedy a disturbance of its space and social structure. #RandolphHarris 17 of 25

ImageIt has no other way to respond to threats to its vital interests in these respects. However, humans have many other ways. They can change the social structure, they can develop bonds of solidarity an of common values beyond what is instinctually given. The animal’s solution to crowding is a biological instinctive one; human’s solution is social and political. “And again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me, saying: Who art thou? Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony of one human, although one should preach unto us that the Earth should pass away? Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they knew not that the Earth should pass away. And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one day. Now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works, for they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people. And they said: Who is God, that sendeh no more authority than one human among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such great and marvelous things? And they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold, they did not. #RandolphHarris 18 of 25

Image“And I stood with boldness to declare unto them, yea, I did boldly testify unto them, saying: Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have forgotten the commandments of God. Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of Jerusalem by the hand of God? Do ye not remember that they were all led by him through the wilderness? And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren? Yea, and if it had no been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the Earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe. Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent; and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. However, behold, this is not all—he has commanded you to repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the Earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce anger he will not turn away. Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land? #RandolphHarris 19 of 25

Image“And again it is said that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now I would that ye should remember that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been cut off from the presence of the Lord. Now we see that the word of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their transgressions in the land. Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life than for you, except ye repent. For there are many promises which are extended to the Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence in the land. An at some period of time they will be brought to believe in his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will be merciful unto all who call on his name.  #RandolphHarris 20 of 25

ImageHowever, behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited with utter destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce anger of the Lord. For he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your iniquities, to destroy his people. I say unto you, Nay; he would rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all his people who are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had so much light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their God; yea, after having been such a highly favoured people of the Lord; yea, after having been favoured above every other nation, kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and prayers, of that which has been and which is, and which is to come; having been visited by the Spirit of God; having converse with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the gift of temptation; #RandolphHarris 21 of 25

Image“Yea, an after having been delivered of God out of the land of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time, and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been prospered until they are rich in all manner of things—and now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them. For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from off the face of the Earth? And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom in Heaven is nigh at hand. #RandolphHarris 22 of 25

Image“And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of his grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers. And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on his name. Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all humans shall reap a reward of their works, according to that which they have been—if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil. Now behold, his is the voice of the angel crying, unto the people. And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye ought to be beloved, and ye ought to bring forth works which are meet for repentance, seeing that your hearts have been grossly hardened against the word of God, and seeing that ye are a lost and fallen people. Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these words, behold, the people were wroth with me because I said unto them that they were a hard-hearted and stiffnecked people. #RandolphHarris 23 of 25

Image“And also because I said unto them that they were a lost and a fallen people they were angry with me, and sought to lay their hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison. However, it came to pass that the Lord did not suffer them that they should take me at that time and cast me into prison. And it came to pass that Amulek went and stood forth, and began to preach unto them also. And now the words of Amulek are not all written, nevertheless a part of his words are written in this book,” reports Alma 9.1-34. O Thou Most High, Creator of the ends of the Earth, Governor of the Universe, Judge of all humans, Head of the Church, Saviour of sinner; Thy greatness is unsearchable, Thy goodness infinite, Thy compassions unfailing, Thy providence boundless, Thy mercies ever new. We bless Thee for the words of salvation. How important, suitable, encouraging are the doctrines, promises, and invitations of the gospel of peace! We are lost: but in it Thou hast presented to us a full, free and eternal salvation; weak: but here we learn that help is found in one that is mighty, poor: but in him we discover unsearchable riches, blind: but we find He has treasures of wisdom and knowledge. We thank Thee for Thy unspeakable gift. #RandolphHarris 24 of 25

ImageThy Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope, confidence; we depend upon His death, rest in his righteousness, desire to bear his image; may His glory fill our minds, His love reign in our affections, His cross inflame us with ardour. Let us Christians fill our various situations in life, escape he snares to which they expose us, discharge the duties that arise from our circumstances, enjoy with moderation their advantages, improve with diligence their usefulness, and may every place and company we are in be benefited by us. O Most merciful God, incline Thy loving ears to my prayers, and illuminate my heart with the grace of the Holy Spirit, that I may be enabled worthily to minister to Thy Mysteries, and to love Thee with an everlasting love, and to attain everlasting joys, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We give Thee thanks, O Lord God of hosts, Who hast counted us worthy even now to stand at Thy holy Altar, and to entreat Thy compassion for our sins and for the errors of Thy people. Accept, O Lord, our supplication; make us worthy to offer unto Thee supplications and prayers and bloodless sacrifices for all Thy people; and enable us, whom Thou hast places in this ministry, by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, without condemnation and without offence, and keeping the witness of our conscience pure, to call upon Thee in every time and place. #RandolphHarris 25 of 25

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ImageThank you for the ears of Your dutiful concern for prayer, O merciful God, I bow down to you will, please grant my request, and allow the grace of the Holy Spirit, to illuminate our hearts, my heart; my I be worthy to serve at Thy mysteries. I know, that thou are the love of eternal love, and the joys of the age. During this time may I be worthy to receive your bountiful grace through  Jesus Christ. Amen, 

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War is an Invention of the Human Mind, but the Mind Can Also Invent Peace!

ImageThere is a silence which soothes and a silence which disturbs. With a genuine adept the first is felt, but with the other kinds, the second. It is only for the sensitive that one’s bland serenity and benevolent smile will hold a distinct attraction, for it is only they who will feel the subtle unusual emanation from one’s person. People come to the self-actualized with a head full of questions, but they find themselves struck with vocal dumbness in one’s presence. They come to one expectant of wonderful revelation, but hey find that one takes care to seem and speak like other human and to keep one’s fee solidly planted on the ground of common sense. They may draw near to the self-actualized and cross one’s orbit for only a few minutes in a whole lifetime but it proves enough to inspire and irradiate the rest of their day. They now have not only the feeling that this being knowns whereof one speaks but also the assurance that God is utterly real and that the quest of it is the most worthwhile of all enterprises. In one’s presence all that is best in a human receives stimulation and one comes closer to one’s true self. The significance of the meeting will emerge still more in after years. One will be so quiet in one’s daily bearing, so calm in one’s dealings with others, that they will begin to sense despite one’s unfailing modesty that here, in one’s presence, there is a living echo from a higher World of being. #RandolphHarris 1 of 24

ImageIn the self-actualizer’s presence the shadows of depression or fear vanish. For then the disciple can look out on life with clearer eyes, seeing the Perfect which already exists beyond its imperfections. Certain kinds of sensations, feelings, and thought are automatically repelled from the field of blessed consciousness in which the illumined human lives. All negative and destructive, egotistic and unruly ideas—certainly all those that the best conscience of the human race has stamped as “wicked” and generative of “evil-doing”—are not compatible with one’s purified state of mind and accordingly cannot enter in. If one lets them, many will come to one in search of guidance, help, comfort or healing. Some will place their problem before one humbly and candidly, but others will be too afraid, or too proud, to do so openly. Whether there is an actual transference of one’s power and light, or whether one’s actual presence and desire to help set up vibrations in the subconscious mind of the seeker, or whether one is merely a medium for higher forces, it is not easy to determine. The truth may well be a combination of all these three factors. Constant contact with such an exalted personage is likely to influence others, but it is not possible to say when this influence will rise up into the conscious mind. The time will always be different with different individuals. #RandolphHarris 2 of 24

ImageOne’s silences maybe exasperating to those who are insensitive and uncomprehending, but they will be exhilarating to those who have begun to learn how the Spirit operates. In the presence of such a human, one instinctively feels that there are tremendous reserves of knowledge, virtue, and power within one, that one has so much more to give than is apparent. One’s presence calls out the good, the true, and the beautiful in others. The sensitive will quickly become aware of the hidden strength that is in one, the strength which kindles assurance in one’s own heart and confidence in others’ hearts. As if borne on telepathic waves, benign influence diffuses itself from one and is felt by the sensitive.  Even when surrounded by dangers or beset by troubles, this peace which one seems to diffuse is really there, is a central characteristic that never leaves one. A meeting with such a being, by those who are sensitive enough to register more finely than the gross senses can register, is always a benediction; the remembrance of one is always an exaltation. By a principle of symbiosis, what one is, being now at the source of human power, spreads out and ripples its influence on the human group, which at the least keeps it from becoming worse than it is, and at the most lights up inspiration in certain individual minds and makes them benefactors of the race. #RandolphHarris 3 of 24

ImageOne’s goodness acts as a silent reproach to those who are unwilling to give up their badness: hence their discomfort. One’s presence is a silent rebuke to them; one stands there in all one’s integrity and spiritually—an embarrassment, for it makes such a contrast with their own Worldliness. In the presence of an illuminate, all criticism is charmed to antlike littleness. What can our broken thoughts do to injure or belittle one who is safely above all thought? And how dull seem these strict and rigid doctrines which we have brought into the neighbourhood of one who has liberated oneself from all strict and rigid doctrines! If “dead” illuminati can help the World as readily as those who are among us in the flesh, I would like to ask those who believe this is why Ramakrishna uttered the following pathetic plaint as he lay dying in Cosipore: “Had this body been allowed to last a little longer, many more people would have become spiritually awakened.” No, it is more rational to believe that a living illuminate is needed, that one who as flung off the physical body has no further concerns with the physical World, and that one whose consciousness is in the Real, uses the World (in the form of a body) to save those whose consciousness is in the World. In the personal aura of such an adept, the sensitive person gets a feeling first, of peace, second, of security, and safety. #RandolphHarris 4 of 24

ImageWhy do sensitive people feel protected and secure in one’s presence? It is because one knows and obeys the universal laws, invokes and attracts superhuman power. “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no human knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and one to whomsoever the Son will reveal one. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” reports Matthew 11.25-30. When I was the age to receive confirmation and full membership in the Church, I was told to choose a passage from the Bible as the expression of my personal approach to the Biblical message and to the Christian Church. Every confirmee was obliged to do so, and to recite the passage before the congregation. When I chose to words, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are Heavy laden,” I was asked with a kind of astonishment and even irony why I had chosen that particular passage. #RandolphHarris 5 of 24

ImageFor I was living under happy conditions, and, being only fifteen years old, was without any apparent labour or burdens, so I could not answer at that time to why that was my favourite bible passage. I felt a little embarrassed, but basically right. And I was right, indeed; every child is right in responding immediately to those words; every adult is right in responding to them in all periods of one’s life, and under all the conditions of one’s internal and external history. These words of Jesus are universal, and fit every human being and every human situation. They are simple; they grasp the heart of the primitive as well as that of the profound, disturbing the mind of the wise. Practically every word of Jesus had this character, sharing the difference between Him as the originator and the dependent interpreters, disciples and theologians, saints and preachers. Returning for the first time in my life to the passage of my early choice, I feel just as grasped by it as at that time, but infinitely more embarrassed by its majesty, profundity and inexhaustible meaning. Our task in the face of words like these is obvious: we must point to the ground of their power over our souls; we must explain why, in their emotional force, the force of an ultimate truth is involved; and we must attempt to view our human situation in their light. #RandolphHarris 6 of 24

ImageThree questions, aroused by the words of Jesus, shall be asked, and the answer implied in His words shall be asked, and the answers implied in His words shall be interpreted. What is the labour and burden from which we can find rest through Him? What is the easy yoke and the light burden which He will put upon us? Why is He and He alone able to give such rest to our souls? “All ye that labour and are heavy laden…”: his is addressed to all humans, although not all humans feel it in the same way. It is the general human situation to be heavy laden and to labour restlessly under a yoke too hard to be endured. What kind of burden is this? We may think first of the burdens and labours that daily life imposes upon us. However, this is not indicated in our text. Jesus does not tell us that He will ease the labours and burdens of life and work. How could He, even if He wanted to? Whether or not we come to Him, the threats of illness or unemployment are not lessened, the weigh of our work does not become easier, the fate of being refugee, driven from one country to another, is not changed; the horror of ruins, wounds, and death falling from Heaven is not stopped; and the sorrow over the passing of friends or parents or children is not overcome. Jesus cannot and does not promise more pleasure and less pain those whom He asks to come to Him. #RandolphHarris 7 of 24

ImageOn the contrary, sometimes Jesus promises them more pain, more persecution, more threat of death—the “cross,” as He calls it. All his is not the burden to which He points. Nor is it the burden of sin and guilt, as somebody educated in the traditional Christian interpretation of the work of Christ might assume. Nothing like that is indicated in the words of Jesus. Taking upon oneself His easy yoke does not means taking sin more easily or taking guilt less seriously. Jesus does not tell those who comes to Him that their sins are not so important as they seemed to be. He does not give them an easier conscience about their failures and trespasses. On the contrary, He sharpens their conscience to the highest possible degree in practically every one of His words. He condemns sins which the traditional theology of His time did no even consider as sins. This is not the burden to which Jesus points. The burden He wants to take from us is the burden of religion. It is the yoke of the law, imposed on the people of His time by the religious teachers, the wise and understanding, as He calls them in our words, the Scribes and Pharisees, as they are called usually. Those who labour and are heavy laden are those who are sighing under the yoke of the religious law. #RandolphHarris 8 of 24

ImageAnd Jesus will give them the power to overcome religion and law; the yoke He gives them is a “new being” above religion. The things they will learn from him is the victory over the law of the wise and the understanding, and the law of the Scribes and Pharisees. How does this concern us? Why does this concern all humans, in all situations? It concerns us because, with all human beings, we are sighing under the law, under a law which is religion and a religion which is the law. This is the depth of the word of Jesus; this is the truth, implied in the emotional power of His words. Humans labour and toil, because they are those beings which know about their finitude, about their transitoriness, about the danger of living, and about the tragic character of existence. Fear and anxiety are the heritage of all people, as Paul knew when he looked at the Jews and the Pagans. Restlessness drives humans during their whole life, as Augustine knew. A hidden element of despair is in every human’s soul, as the great Danish Protestant, Kierkegaard, discovered. There is no religious genius, no keen observer of the abyss of the human soul, nobody capable of listening to the sounds of one’s heart who would not witness to this insight into human nature and human existence. #RandolphHarris 9 of 24

ImageSplits and gaps are in every soul: for instance, we know that we are more than dust; and yet we know also that we are going to dust. We know that we belong to a higher order than of our animal needs and desires; and yet we know that we shall abuse the higher order in the service of our lower nature. We know that we are only small members of the spiritual World; and yet we know that we shall aspire to the whole, making ourselves the center of the World. This is human; and because this is human, there I a religion and laws The law of religion is the great attempt of humans to overcome one’s anxiety and restlessness and despair, to close the gap within oneself, and to reach immortality, spirituality and perfection. So one labours and toils under the religious law in thought and in act. The historical relevance of Christology may be expressed in terms of revelation. Revelation is the reception of an insight into the ground of being. These insights are many; many factors may occasion or convey them. The concept of revelation, then, is not a necessarily Christian concept. However, we are soon confronted with the exclusive claims of Christianity: Christianity claims to be based on the revelation of Jesus as the Christ as the final revelation. Final in this context is not tantamount to last. Revelatory situations are not exhausted by the coming of Christ. #RandolphHarris 10 of 24

ImageWe do not assert that there can be no ecstasy and no faith after the Christ. On the contrary, the ground of being are constantly piercing the crust of existence and making itself experienced in the depths of our being. What is true of humankind is equally true of the Church: Christianity often has affirmed, and certainly should affirm, that there is continuous revelation in the history of the Church. The whole meaning of preaching the word of God consists in announcing a revelatory message. Yet if this is true of Christian preaching, it is equally true that the mission of the whole Church must be referred back to the event of the Christ. No preaching can be revelatory unless it is grasped by the power of Christ. No word of humans becomes word of God unless the Christ takes it, so to say, in charge. The final revelation in the Christ, therefore, does not mean simply “last.” Rather it means last genuine. There can be no revelation in the history of the Church whose point of reference is not Jesus as he Christ. Secondly, it means that we do not refer to the last genuine revelation as to a past event; we refer to it as to an even by whose power we are still grasped. Thus, the final revelation means the decisive, fulfilling, unsurpassable revelation, that which is the criterion of all others. #RandolphHarris 11 of  24

ImageA necessary mark of this final revelation is its universal contemporaneity. Revelation is revelation to me in my concrete situation, in my historical reality. Christianity does not ask anyone to make an impossible leap two thousand years back. Such a journey through historical documents may provide erudite knowledge of an obscure past event, but it can in no way reveal the power to be which was present in the Christ. To be present in Palestine when Jesus was here is impossible. And yet the Christ will not be revelatory to me unless I experience him. He is not an abstraction, but a revelatory person. He can be known only through a person-to-person relationship. Something, in the revelatory situation of Jesus as the Christ, must be permanently present and thus become contemporary o me and to all humans. One who is the Christ is contemporaneous, or one is not the Christ. To gain salvation, humans must repent and keep the commandments, be born again, cleanse their garments through the blood of Christ, be humble and strip themselves of pride and envy, and do the works of righteousness—the Good Shepherd calls His people—those who do evil works are children of the devil—Alma testifies of the truth of huis doctrine and commands humans to repent—the names of the righteous will be written in the book of life. About 83 Before Christ. #RandolphHarris 12 of 24

ImageIn the presence of such greatness, a feeling of humility comes into a sensitive heart. “Now it came to pass that Alma began to deliver the word of God unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence throughout all the land. And these are the words which he spake to the people in the church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according to one’s own record, saying: I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority from God to do these things, behold, I say uno you that he began to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea, and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon. And behold I say unto you, they were delivered out of the hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God. And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you, they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into this land, and here we began to establish the church of God throughout this land also. And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? #RandolphHarris 13 of 24

Image“Yea, and have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them? And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance the he has delivered their souls from hell? Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by he bands of death, and the chains of hell and an everlasting destruction did await them. And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not. An again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved. And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved? Yea, what grounds had they to hope for salvation? What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also he chains of hell? Behold, I can tell you—did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi? #RandolphHarris 14 of 24

Image“And was he not a holy prophet? Did he not speak the words of God, and my father Alma believe them? And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true. And behold, he preached he word unto your fathers, and mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and out their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved. And now behold, I ask of you, y brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received His image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of Him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body? I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the Earth? Or do ye imagine yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the Earth—and that he will be save you? #RandolphHarris 15 of 24

ImageOr otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set a defiance the commandments of God? I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you, can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances? I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects of the devil? I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be saved; for there can no being be saved except one’s garments are washed white; yea, one’s garments must be purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of one whom it has been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people from their sins. And now I ask you, my brethren, how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness? Behold, what will these things testify against you? Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness? #RandolphHarris 16 of 24

Image “Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that which and one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garment are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white? I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from the beginning, or suppose that he is a lair from the beginning, ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of Heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of the kingdom of the devil. And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem His people from their sins? Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of Heaven is soon at hand, and such and one hath not eternal life. Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. #RandolphHarris 17 of 24

Image“Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of Heaven is soon at hand, and such and one hath not eternal life. Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an e is not prepared; and I would that one should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and one knoweth no when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless. And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth make a mock of one’s brother, or that heapeth upon one persecutions? Wo uno such an one, for one is not prepared, and the time is at hand that one must repent or one cannot be saved! Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent, for the Lord Good hath spoken it! Behold, He sendeth an invitation unto all humans, for the arms of mercy are extended toward them, and He saith: Repent, and I will receive you. Yea, He saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely. Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire—for behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn. #RandolphHarris 18 of 24

Image“O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain things of the World, ye that have professed to have known the ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after you and is still calling after you, but ye will no hearken unto His voice! Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you; yea, and in His own name He doth call you, which is the name of Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd. And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what fold are ye? Behold I say unto you, that the devil is your shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this? Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar ad a child of the devil. For I say uno you that whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil. Therefore, if a human bringeth forth good works one hearkeneth unto His voice, and doth follow him. And whosoever doeth this must receive one’s wages from one; therefore, for one’s wages one recieveth death, as to things pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works. And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the commandments of God. #RandolphHarris 19 of 24

Image“For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded to sand and testify unto this people the things which have been spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come. And this is not all. Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by His Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me. And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me, which is also by the manifestation of God. I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true: and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. #RandolphHarris 20 of 24

Image“And behold, it is He that cometh to take away the sins of the World, yea, the sin of every human who steadfastly believeth on one’s name. And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all, both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea, to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again. Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the Earth, for the kingdom of Heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God cometh in His glory, in His might, majesty, power, and dominion. Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith: Behold the glory of the King of all the Earth; and also the King of Heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of humans. And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth uno me with a mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people—Repent, for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of Heaven. And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire, yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire. Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it. #RandolphHarris 21 of 24

Image“And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in he wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the World, upon your riches? Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into church, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance—yea, and will your persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them? And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast into the fire except they speedily repent. And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people. #RandolphHarris 22 of 24

Image“For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand. And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this? I say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the word of God must be fulfilled. For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth no watch over them, that the wolves enter no and devour his flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive him out? Yea, and at the las, if he can, he will destroy him. And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous world to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed. And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of him who hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have spoken unto you. I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church; and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life,” Alma 5.1-61. #RandolphHarris 23 of 24

ImageLORD of Heaven, Thy goodness is inexpressible and inconceivable. In the works of creation Thou art almighty, in the dispensations of providence all-wise, in the gospel of grace all love, and in Thy Son Thou hast provided for our deliverance from the effects of sin, the justification of our persons, the sanctification of our natures, the perseverance of our souls in the path of life. Though exposed to the terrors of Thy law, we have a refuge from the storm; though compelled to cry, “Unclean,” we have a fountain for sin; through creature-cells of emptiness we have a fullness accessible to all, and incapable of reduction. Grant us always to know that to walk with Jesus make other interests a shadow and a dream. Please keeps us from intermittent attention to eternal things; please save us from the delusion of those who fail to go far in religion, who are concerned but not converted, who have another heart but not a new one, who have light, zeal, confidence, but not Christ. Please let us judge our Christianity, not only by our dependence upon Jesus, but by our love to him, our conformity to him, our knowledge of him. Please give us a religion that is both real and progressive, that hold on its way and grows stronger, that lives and works in the Spirit, that profits by every correction, and is injured by no carnal indulgence. #RandolphHarris 24 of 24

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85Looking to make that green thumb… greener? 🌱 Check out today’s blog post for some simple hacks that will improve your garden game! Link in bio. https://cresleigh.com/blog/

ImageI pray to Thee, the Almighty, O God, please let me be more righteous than I have been and allow me  to be clothed, that I may rejoice in the joy of Thy Saints, Please may I be worthy; in so far as the filth of him to be cleansed of sins; and for sharing with all, of them that please thee, I acquire the company of priests; put off the things of Thy mercy from me and to all the defects, which are burdened by the guilt of one’s own conscience. Please make me, I beseech Thee, Almighty God, to be so arrayed in righteousness, that I may be enabled to rejoice in the gladness of Thy Saints; so that being cleansed from all filthiness of sin, I may attain the fellowship of the Priests who are pleasing unto Thee; and that I, who am burdened by the guilt of my own conscience, may be delivered by Thy mercy from all vices; through our Lord Jesus Christ. #CresleighHomes

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We are Just Illusion Makers and the Sun Will Always Shine and the Sky Will Always be Blue!

ImageSpring is here. Everything is burgeoning, the young women also. Their cloaks are laid aside; presumably my green one, too, has been hung up. This is the result of making a young lady’s acquaintance in the street, not in society, where on e is immediately told her name, her family, where she lives, whether she is engaged. The last is extremely important information for all sober and steady suitors, to whom it would never occur to fall in love with an engaged young lady. Such an ambler would then be in mortal distress if he were in my place; he would be utterly demolished if his efforts to obtain information were crowed with success and with the bonus that she was engaged. This, however, does not bother me very much. An engagement is nothing but a comic predicament. I fear neither comic nor tragic predicaments; they only ones I fear are the langweilige [boring] ones. So far, I have not come up with a single bit of information, although I certainly have left nothing untried and many times have felt the truth of the poet’s words: Nox et hiems longaque viae, saevique dolores mollibus his castris, et labour omnis inest [Night, storm, long journeys, cruel pains all kinds of pains are in his dainty camp]. Perhaps she does not live here in the city at all; perhaps she is from the country, perhaps, perhaps—I can fly into a rage over all these perhapses, and the angrier I become, the more the perhapses. #RandolphHarris 1 of 20

ImageI always have money at hand in order to be able to set out upon a journey. In vain do I look for her at the theater, at concerts, at dances, on the promenades. In a certain sense, I am pleased; a young woman who participates in such amusements a great deal is usually not worth conquering; she most often lacks the originality that for me is and remains the conditio sine qua non [indispensable condition]. It is not as incomprehensible to find a Preciosa among the gypsies as in the market places where young women are offered for marriage—in all innocence—good Heavens, who says otherwise! However, it is not right for the would-be disciple to take the new relationship as an excuse for releasing oneself from all personal responsibilities, all personal decisions. One should not expect the teacher to take entire charge of one’s entire life for one. Nor is it right for a teacher to accept such a position, to play a role consisting of father and mother and God combined into a single person toward an individual who has reached adult life. It will not help a disciple to let one evade one’s responsibilities and shrink one’s decisions. If the atmosphere between them is surcharged with emotion alone without the restraining balances of reason and common sense, this is the kind of situation which is likely to be brought about. #RandolphHarris 2 of 20

Image A wise teacher will try to meet disciples upon the proper ground between accepting such helpless dependence and rebuffing it brusquely altogether. Any other meeting would be unhealthy emotionally and unsound intellectually. Why insist on rash personal relations with your friend? Why go to one’s house, or know one’s mother and brothers and sisters? Why be visited by one at your own? Are these things material to our covenant? Leave this touching and clawing. Let one be to me a spirit. A message, a thought, a sincerity, a glance from one I want, but not news pottage. I can get politics and chat, neighbourly conveniences from cheaper companions. Should not the society of my friend be to me poetic, pure, universal and as great as nature itself? In a social system animated by competition for property, the human personality was metamorphosed into a form of capital. Here it was rational to invest oneself only in properties that would produce the highest return. Personal feeling was a limitation since it distracted the individual from calculating one’s best interest and might pull one along economically counterproductive path. Although human personality remains a medium of competition, the competition is no longer confined to individuals. Institutional purposes are now tied to the workers’ psychological arts. #RandolphHarris 3 of 20

ImageIt is not simply individuals who manage their feelings in order to do a job; whole organizations have entered the game. The emotion management that sustains the smile in a real estate representative competes with the emotion management that upholds the smile on other home builders. What was once a private act of emotion management is sold now as labour in public-contact jobs. What was once a privately negotiated rule of feeling or display is not set by the company’s Standard Practice Division. Emotional exchanges that were once idiosyncratic and escapable are now standardized and unavoidable. Exchanges that were rare in private life become common in commercial life. Thus a customer assumes a right to vent unmanaged hostility against a real estate representative who has no corresponding right—because one is paid, in part, to relinquish it. All in all, a private emotional system has been subordinated to commercial logic, and it has been changed by it. It does not take capitalism to turn feeling into a commodity or to turn our capacity for managing feeling into an instrument. However, capitalism has found a use for emotion management, and so it has organized it more efficiently and pushed it further. #RandolphHarris 4 of 20

ImageAnd perhaps it does take a capitalist sort of incentive system to connect emotional labour to competition and to go so far as to actually advertise a “sincere” smile, train workers to produce such a smile, supervise their production of it, and then forge a link between this activity and corporate profit. When people like you, they like the company you work for, too. It takes considerable sophistication for a company to make this into an ordinary, trivial thought for a worker to be urged to bear in mind. Massive people-processing—and the advanced engineering of emotional labour that makes it possible—is a remarkable achievement. It is also an important one, for a good part of modern life involves exchange between total strangers, who, in the absence of countermeasures and in the pursuit of short-term self-interest, might much of the time act out of suspicion and anger rather than trust and good will. The occasional lapses from the standard of civility that we take for granted remind us of the crucial steadying effect of emotional labour. However, like most great achievements, the advanced engineering of emotional labour leaves new dilemmas in its wake, new human costs, and I shall focus now on these. For without a clear understanding of these psychological costs, we can hardly begin to find ways of mitigating or removing them. #RandolphHarris 5 of 20

ImageThese are three stances that workers seem to take toward work, each with its own sort of risk. In the first, the worker identifies too wholeheartedly with the job, and therefore risk burnout. In he second, the worker clearly distinguishes oneself from the job and is less likely to suffer burnout; but one may blame oneself for making this very distinction and denigrate oneself as “just an actor, no sincere.” In the third, the worker distinguishes oneself from one’s act, does not blame oneself for this, and sees the job as absolutely requiring the capacity to act; for this worker there is some risk of estrangement from acting altogether, and some cynicism about it—“We are just illusion makers.” The first stance is potentially more harmful than the other two, but the harm in all three could be reduced, I believe, if workers could feel a greater sense of control over the conditions of their work lives. The first kind of worker does not see one’s job as one of acting. One has little or no awareness of a “false self.” One is likely to offer warm, personal service, but one is also warm on behalf of the company—“when people like you, they like the company too.” One offers personalized service, but one one’s self become identified with the ized part of it. One is not so good at depersonalizing inappropriately personal behaviour toward one. For these reasons, one is more likely to suffer stress and be susceptible to burnout. #RandolphHarris 6 of 20

ImageInstead of removing the idea of a “self” from the job either by will or by art, such a person often reacts passively: one stops caring and becomes remote and detached from the people one serves. Some real estate representatives who describe themselves as poor at depersonalizing reported periods of emotional deadness: “I was not feeling anything. It was like I was not really there. The guy was talking. I could hear him. However, all I heard was dead words.” This sense of emotional numbness reduces stress by reducing access to the feelings through which stress introduces itself. It provides an exit from overwhelming distress that allows a person to remain physically present on the job. Burnout spares the person in the short term, but it may have a serious long-term cost. The human faculty of feeling still “belongs” to the worker who suffers burnout, but the worker may grow accustomed to a dimming or numbing of inner signals. And when we lose access to feeling, we lose a central means of interpreting the World around us. As a precaution against burnout many experienced workers develop a “healthy” estrangement, a clear separation of self from role. They may sometimes feel “phony”—because at a given moment they feel that they should not be acting at all or that they are not acting well enough. However, by differentiating between an acting and a nonacting side of themselves, they make themselves less vulnerable to burnout. #RandolphHarris 7 of 20

ImageNow when the company institutes a speed-up—when it maintains its call for emotional labour but sets up conditions that make it impossible to deliver—the worker may become estranged from the acting itself. One may refuse to act at all, thus withdrawing one’s emotional labour altogether. Since the job itself calls for good acing, one will be seen as doing the job poorly. One may respond to the constantly negative consequences of this by trying not to take any consequences at all, by trying not to be there. If in the first stance the worker is too much present in the role, in the third stance, one is not present enough. In all three, the essential problem is how to adjust one’s self to the role in a way that allows some flow of self into the role but minimizes the stress the role puts on the self. In all three cases, the problem of adjusting self to role is aggravated by the worker’s lack of control over the conditions of work. The more often “tips” about how o see, feel, and seem are issued from above and the more effectively the conditions of the “stage” are kept out of the hands of the actor, the les one can influence one’s entrances and exits and the nature of one’s acting in between. The less influence one has, the more likely it is that one of two things will occur. Either one will overextend oneself into the job and burn out, or one will remove oneself from the job and feel bad about it. #RandolphHarris 8 of 20

ImageWorker control over the conditions of good acting boils down, in the end, to practical politics. The company wanted to take two real estate representatives off two of their sites, but the union was adamantly opposed, and they won. Now that is a multimillion-dollar decision. However, it is a good thing they won. They thought they could have some control over that decision. It was not just money they wanted. They wanted some say over their work lives so they could do the job like they wanted. However, even such actions by organized workers cannot solve the whole problem. For whenever people do acting for a living, even if they have some control over the stage, they inhabit their own stage faces with caution: behind the mask, they listen to their own feelings at low volume. Cheerfulness in the line of duty becomes something different from ordinary good cheer. This applies much more to the real estate representatives, who must try to be genuinely friendly to a line of strangers, than to the commissary worker, who can feel free to hate packing the three-hundredth vanilla Jell-O pudding cup onto a lunch tray. Yet, whoever entrusts oneself to a maser or one’s mind to a teaching, cannot escape one’s own personal responsibility for what one does. #RandolphHarris 9 of 20

ImageThis is not to absolve either the self-actualized or the author of the teaching from one’s own responsibility, which they also have, but it is to make clear that the followers are it too. If history is seen as time between a beginning and an end, we can say that not beginning and end determine the center, as is the case in spatial measurements, but that he center of history determines its beginning and end from the meaning of an historical process. This means that history lasts as long as he revelatory power of its center is experienced, first by anticipation, then by participation. Before this here may be a pre-history, a meaningless time or, rather, a time whose meaning was unperceived. After it, one could conceive of a post-history, another stretch of time deprived of a center and which itself perhaps would be a pre-history before another center is expected. All this, however, is mere speculation; such a possibility is purely abstract. It helps us to see, nevertheless, that the important point of history is that which gives it meaning, its center. Everything else revolves around it. Properly speaking, the center of history is constitutive of it: the meaning of a period arises out of a revelatory situation. History is constituted by the fact that is center is constituted, or—since this is not an arbitrary act—by the fact that its center is constituted, or—since this is not an arbitrary act—by the fact that a center proves to be a center through creating history. #RandolphHarris 10 of 20

ImageBy a series of well-timed steps, we have led the audience to the brink of the Christological affirmation. First, we have defined history as the meaning of time. Second, we have shown that his meaning comes to light in moments of intense experience of which one may say, “This is the acceptable time, the Kairos.” At that precise moment, the eternal invades he temporal. Third, we have shown that while each period of history may receive it only from a universal Kairos which will be its center. The fourth step, to which we are now coming, is that Jesus as the Christ is the center of history, the point where salvation manifests itself as the content of history. Before explaining this, I should mention an intriguing point. The center of history cannot be conceived of as future: It cannot be sought for in the future, for the meaning of the future is determined by it. We think that the future will be meaningful only on the basis of a principle which we already possess. However, this is not all: The center cannot lie in the present either. For the present has no historical meaning unless it explains the past too. It has such a meaning only if it is the point in which are joined the historical fate which is born in the past, and the historical decision which provides the future. This is to say that the present must itself refer to some meaningful point in the past, to a past Kairos in the light of which the present is meaningful. #RandolphHarris 11 of 20

ImageNo present can be a historical center for itself. As a matter of fact, every center of history in any religion or culture has always been seen as a point of reference in the past. If we remember in our analysis of time, the present is, in a sense, both the past and the future, this remark on the past character of the center of history is not as striking as it may seem. At any moment when we are grasped by the power of Kairos, we are in contact with a super-historical reality, and experience the presence of the past in the present. The conclusion which this imposes on Christology does not affect our conscious of the center of history in Jesus as the Christ. However, it does affect our view of the self-consciousness of the Christ. For if the advent of the Christ in Jesus is the center of history for us, it cannot have been the center of history for Jesus. The implications of this will claim our attention later. In 1899 four reporters from Denver, Colorado, met by chance on a Saturday night in a Denver railroad station. Al Stevens, Jack Tournay, John Lewis, and Hal Wilshire worked for the four Denver papers: The Post, the Times, the Republican and the Rocky Mountain News. Each had the unenviable task of finding a scoop for the Sunday edition. They hoped to spot a visiting celebrity arriving that evening by train. #RandolphHarris 12 of 20

ImageHowever, none showed up, so the reporters wondered what on Earth they would do. As they discussed options in a nearby saloon, Al suggested they make up a story. The other three laughed—at first. However, before long they were all agreed—they would come up with such a whopper that n one would question it and their respective editors would congratulate them on their find. A phony local story would be too obvious, so they decided to write about someplace far away. They agreed on China. “What if we say tha some American engineers, on their way to China, told us they are bidding on a major job: the Chinese government is planning to demolish the Great Wall?” Harold was not sure the story would be believable. Why would the Chinese ever tear down the Great Wall of China? “As a sign of international goodwill, to invite foreign trade.” By 11 P.M. the four reporters had worked out the details, and the next say all four Denver newspapers carried the story—on the front page. The Times headlines that Sunday read: “Great Chinese Wall Doomed! Peking Seeks World Trade!” Of course, the story was a ridiculous tall tale made up by four opportunistic newsmen in a hotel bar. However, amazingly their story was taken seriously and soon ran in newspapers in the Eastern United States of America and even abroad. #RandolphHarris 13 of 20

ImageWhen the citizens of China heard that the Americas were sending a demolition crew to dismantle the Great Wall, most were indignant, even enraged. Particularly angry were members of a secret society made up of Chinese patriots already against any kind of foreign intervention. Moved to action by the news story, they attacked the foreign embassies in Peking and murdered hundreds of missionaries from abroad. In the next two month twelve thousand troops from six countries, working together, invaded China to protect their country people. The bloodshed of that time, born out of a journalistic hoax fabricated in a saloon in Denver, was the time of violence known ever since as the Boxer Rebellion. What power the written or spoken word has! The Great Wall is very precious to the people of China, it is a sacred monument, much like a church, and natives often get dressed up like they are going to church to visit the spiritual center. It is also a major tourist attraction. The Great Wall of China receives more than 10 million visitors per year. So it is never good to threaten World Wonders.  Nations have risen and nation have fallen to the tongue. Lives have been elevated and lives have been cast down by human speech. Goodness has flowed like a sweet river from out mouth, and so has the cesspool. The tiny tongue is a mighty force indeed. #RandolphHarris 14 of 20

ImageWords have the power to hurt or to heal, to bring down, or to raise up. And the words we say to ourselves are quite possibly the most powerful words of all. We need to watch ourselves, and our thoughts, and our words, and our deeds, especially as followers of Christ. “And it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been slain—now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of the greatness of their number—after they had finished burying their dead they all returned to their lands, and to their houses, and their wives, and their children. Many women and children had been lain with the sword, and also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the hosts of humans. And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the sea, and they are many. And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their heads like unto the Lamanites. #RandolphHarris 15 of 20

Image“Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were naked, save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and also their armour, which was girded about them, and their bows, and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, and so forth. And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men. And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women. And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction. And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed. Therefore, whosoever suffered himself to be led away by the Lamanites was called under that head, and there was a mark set upon him. #RandolphHarris 16 of 20

Image“And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or the people of Nephi, from that time forth—and it is they who have kept the records which are true of their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites. Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves, yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads. Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words which he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may be separated from thee and Thy seed, from this time henceforth and forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me that I may have mercy upon them. And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also. And again: I will set a mark upon him that figheth against thee and thy seed. And again, I say he that depareth from thee shall no more be called thy seed; and I will bless thee, and whomsoever shall be called thy seed, henceforth and forever; and these were the promises of the Lord unto Nephi and to his seed. #RandolphHarris 17 of 20

Image“Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the words of God when they began to mark themselves in their foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in the open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them. Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves the curse; and even so doth every human that is cursed bring upon oneself one’s own condemnation. Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which was fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the Amlicites, that there was another army of the Lamanites came in upon the people of Nephi, in the same pace where the first army met the Amlicites. And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them out of their land. Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did not go up to battle at this time against the Lamanites; however, he sent up numerous army against them; and they went up and slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them out of the borders of their land. And then they returned again and began to establish peace in the land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies. Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the reign of the judges. #RandolphHarris 18 of 20

Image“And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal World, that hey might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal World, that they might reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad one. For every human receiveth wages of one whom one listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth. And thus endeth the fifth years of the reign of the judges,” reports Alma 3.1-27. The disciple’s reverence for the Master can still hold room for sight of the latter’s failings and imperfections. If one gets enough inspiration from the Master to help one’s spiritual life, it would be a foolish decision to leave one because of those failings and imperfections. Graciously cast Thy light, O Lord, upon go on and prosper, and its pastors, by Thy governance, may become acceptable to Thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Most High God, the Universe with all its myriad creatures is Thine, made by Thy word, upheld by Thy power, governed by Thy will. However, Thou art also the Father of mercies, the God of all grace, the bestower of all comfort, the protector of the saved. #RandolphHarris 19 of 20

ImageThou hast been mindful of us, hast visited us, preserved us, given us a goodly heritage—the Holy Scriptures, the joyful gospel, the Saviour of souls, we came to Thee in Jesus’ name, make mention of His righteousness only, plead His obedience and sufferings who magnified the law both in its precepts and penalty, may we be justified by His blood, saved by his life, joined to His Spirit. Let us take up His cross and follow Him. May the agency of Thy grace prepare us for Thy dispensations. Makes us willing that Thou shouldest choose our inheritance and determine what we shall retain or lose, suffer or enjoy; if blessed with prosperity may we be free from its snares, and use, not abuse, its advantages; may we patiently and cheerfully submit to those afflictions which are necessary. When we are tempted to wander, hedge up our way, excite in us abhorrence of sin, wean us from the present evil World, assure us that we shall at last enter Immanuel’s land where none is ever sick, and the Sun will always shine. Many have a lack of compassion.  Almighty please give service to our successful course and people like you are in your heart pleasing because Thou art holy. May the President that commands the nation keep society in their right mind. #RandolphHarris 20 of 20

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Our homes in our latest community at #PlumasRanch took influence from modern design trends, like patterned tile and spacious center work islands. The end result is definitely drool-worthy. 🤤

ImageWe have TWO homes in the Riverside community that are move-in ready! Check them out on our website. Link in bio. 🙌 https://cresleigh.com/cresleigh-riverside-at-plumas-ranch/move-in-ready-home-site-77/

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O merciful God and eternal King, please give a prosperous course to our service; and that we may become pleasing in Thy sight by means of the devotion of Thy people, do Thou preside over Thy holy flock; and guide Thou the wills of all into the observance of Thy commands. During your church, O Lord, thy goodness, shine; and the flocks are everywhere, and to Thy I guarantee my heart.  #CresleighHomes

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Only the Power of Divine Holiness, Having Touched Our Existence, Can Bring Us Near to God!

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I scarcely know myself. My mind roars like a turbulent sea in the storms of passion. If someone else could see my soul in this state, it would seem to one that it, like a skiff, plunged prow-first down into the ocean, as if in its dreadful momentum it would have to steer down into the depths of the abyss. One does not see that high on the mast a sailor is on the lookout. Roar away, you wild forces, roar away, you powers of passion; even if your waves hurl foam toward the clouds, you still are not able to pile yourselves up over my head—I am sitting a calmly as the king of the mountain. I am almost unable to find a foothold; like a water bird, I am seeking in vain to alight on the turbulent sea of my mind. And yet such turbulence is my element. I build upon it as the Alcedo ispida builds its nest upon the sea. Cockatiels ruffle their feathers when they see red. So it goes with me when I see green, every time I see a green cloak, and since my eyes often deceive me, all my expectations sometimes run aground on a porter from Frederik’s Hospital. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each had six wings; with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole Earth is so full of his glory. #RandolphHarris 1 of 21

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“And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make heir ears heavy, and shut their eyes; least they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate. And the Lord have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land. However, yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: As a teil tree, and as an oak, Whose substance is them, when they cast their leaves: So the holy seed shall be the substance thereof,” reports Isaiah 6. #RandolphHarris 2 of 21

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This is one of the greatest in the Old Testament (OT). It clearly reveals the essence of Biblical religion. The prophet describes the vision of his vocation in words and pictures which express at the same time his fundamental experience of God, his interpretation of human existence, and his conception of the prophet’s task. His experience of God is an experience of the holiness of God. He interprets human’s condition as one of uncleanness and inability to face God. The prophet’s task is paradoxically set against the natural meaning of prophecy. These three ideas belong together and comprise perhaps the highest expression ever given to the prophetic spirit. The prophet does not describe God Himself in any way. He speaks only of the train which filled the temple, of the Angels surrounding the Lord’s throne, of the shaking of the foundation, and of the smoke filling the house. In this manner he indicates that the revelation of God is at the same time the veiling of God. God can reveal Himself only by reaming veiled. However, even the veiled revelation makes Isaiah feel that he is perishing. If the Master had no patience with His disciples, He and they would soon part. If He had no belief in their eventual evolution, He and hey would never join in the Kingdom of Heaven. The facing of God, even if it be a mere approaching to His sphere, even if God Himself remain hidden, means the annihilation of humans. #RandolphHarris 3 of 21

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The same feeling is expressed in the cry of the seraphim “Holy” has a double meaning, as he context clearly shows. It means the majesty of which the World is full; and it means purity as against human impurity. Glory without purity is the character of all pagan gods. And purity without glory is the character of all the humanistic ideas of God. Humanism has transformed the inaccessibility of God into the sublimity of His moral commands. Humanism has forgotten that God’s majesty, as experienced by the prophet, implies the shaking of the foundation wherever He appears, and the veil of smoke whenever He shows Himself. When God is identified with an element in human nature, as in humanism, the terrifying and annihilating encounter with majesty becomes an impossibility. However, “holy” means also moral perfection, purity, goodness, truth, and justice. God’s glory can fulfill all World, only because He is holy in this double sense. The glory of the gods who are not holy in this double sense can fulfill only one country, one family or tribe, one nation or state, or one sphere of human life. Consequently, they do no possess the truth and justice and purity of God Who is really God. They are demons aspiring to holiness, but excluded from it, because their glory is majesty without purity. Therefore, let us say, during this time particularly, “Thou only art holy!” #RandolphHarris 4 of 21

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The prophet confesses that he is a man of unclean lips, and that he lives in the midst of a people with unclean lips. He emphasized his lips, because his work is preaching; but the impurity of his lips symbolizes the impurity of his entire existence, and of the existence of individuals and society as a whole. Isaiah exhibits profound insight, when he identifies himself with his unclean people in the very moment that he is made worthy of his exceptional vision. The difference between mystical and prophetic religion lies in that insight. For even in the greatest ecstasy, a prophet does not forget the social group to which one belongs, and its unclean character which he cannot lose. Consequently, the prophetic ecstasy, as opposed to the mystical ecstasy, is never an end in itself, but rather he means of receiving the divine commands which are to be preached to the people. Isaiah’s vision reveals the two conditions for prophetic existence. The lips of the prophet must first be purified by fire. He can then hear the Voice of God, the condition of his being sent by God. Nobody can be the prophet of God through his own strength; and nobody can absolve oneself. Only the power of Divine Holiness, having touched our existence, can bring us near to God. Something of our existence, sin, iniquity, or uncleanness must be burned away, must be annihilated. #RandolphHarris 5 of 21

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Only through such annihilation can God speak to us and through us. However, whether or when He speaks to us at all does not depend upon us in any way. Isaiah did not produce either the vision or the purification. He was overcome with terror and awe. And he had to ac. For God asks, “Who will go for us?” God waits for the answer. He does not compel. Isaiah’s decision to go must be free. Freedom of decision is the second condition for prophetic existence. A prophet must decide whether or not one will dedicate oneself to the task. With respect to our fate and vocation we are free; with respect to our relation to God we are powerless. The majesty of God is evident in either case. The prophet then describes the content of the divine command. “Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes.” Our natural mora feelings refuse to accept such a paradox. For if we speak, we wish to make ourselves heard; and when we preach, we wish to convert and to heal. However, the prophet accepts the divine command. And when one’s natural feeling impels one to ask, “How long?” one receives the answer, “Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate!” No hope or promise is expressed. #RandolphHarris 6 of 21

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What is the meaning of that paradox? It means that the true prophets are in the actualization of His judgment against humankind. They are instruments in so far as the prophetic word always excites the opposition of humans with respect to both one’s vital existence and one’s moral and religious existence—indeed, particularly with respect to one’s religious existence. All people desire false prophets, who, through the glorification of their gods, glorify their followers and themselves. People long to be flattered in regard to their desires and virtues, their religious feeling and social activity, their will to power and utopian hopes, their knowledge and love, their family and race, their class and nation. And a false prophet can always be found to glorify the demon they worship. However, when the voice of the true prophet is raised, they shut their ears, they contradict one’s statements, and they ultimately persecute and kill one, because they are not able to receive one’s message. The order endures until the prophet’s words are fulfilled, and the cities are destroyed, and the land is made desolate. We are all eager for the prophetic spirit. We are anxious to lead the people to a new justice and to a better social order. We long to save the nations from the threatening doom. #RandolphHarris 7 of 21

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However, does our word, if it be God’s word, have a better effect than that which Isaiah saw in his vision and experienced in his life? Are we more than he was? Are our people today less devoted to demons than his people were? If not, can we expect anything other than what he was told to expect through his vision? We must pray for the prophetic spirit which has been dead for so long in the Churches. And one who feels that one has been given the prophetic task must fulfill it as Isaiah did. One must preach the message of a new justice and of a new social order in the name of God and His honour. However, one must expect to be opposed and persecuted not only by his enemies, but also by his friends, party, class, and nation. One must expect to be persecuted to the degree to which one’s word is the word of that God Who alone is holy, that God Who alone is able to create a holy people out of the remnant of every nation. One great advantage of the path of personal discipleship is that it requires no intellectual capacity, no special gifts of any kind, to get its profits and makes progress along its course. What could be simpler than remembering the master’s name and face? What could be easier than mentally turning to one every day in faith, reverence, humility and devotion? #RandolphHarris 8 of 21

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The advantage of having a living master is immense. Humans are so sense-bound that it is easier for one to follow an embodies ideal than a disembodied one, easier to understand truth in action than truth in the abstract. Should anyone have the god fortune to be taken under the wing of God, one’s progress will go forward at a far quicker rate than would otherwise be possible. It is not a little thing that one had someone to turn one in the right direction or that one’s movement in this direction is guided by an experienced pioneer. Although the master cannot do the disciple’s work for one, one can put the disciple in command of the special knowledge derived from long experience which can help one do the work more efficiently and more successfully. The master will teach with love what the student must learn with reverence. As the Master brings the disciple to clarify one’s own thinking and knowledge and awareness, the latter turns one’s attention to what is that one really does believe. The zeal of the Master will by slow degrees permeate the heart of the disciple. Under the Sunshine of this encouragement, inspiration, and stimulation, the inner life expands. Only those who have themselves feel it can understand how one is able to exert such drawing power and arouse such fervid devotion in disciples. #RandolphHarris 9 of 21

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The interpretation of history lies at the core of the modern situation. The interpretation of history is a philosophical, a political and a theological question. Coming out of the German philosophical tradition, we have been influenced by the historical thinking of the German idealist. In theology, the recurring question of the Church’s relation to culture and the modern emphasis on eschatology correspond to this primacy of history in modern thinking. If Christology implies an inquiry into the relation of Jesus the Christ to human thought and human life, then the Christological question is essentially historical: does the message of the New Being in Jesus as the Christ convey a reading of history which would be impossible without the Christ? To speak of history is to speak of past, present and future. However, nobody knows either past or present, present and future. Thus the present is the past; and it is equally true to say that the present is the future. The interrelationship of the past out of which the present is born, and the future of which the present is the matrix, constitutes the problem of time. This problem is further complicated by the fact that it is not enough to say, the present is also the past, and the present is the future. Besides a horizontal relation to past and future, the present as a vertical relation to the eternal: the present is eternity. #RandolphHarris 10 of 21

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If it was deprived of an ultimate meaning, if it was but a moving, a flowing, a becoming and decaying, time would not be important. Thus the experience of the flow of time raises two distinct, yet connected, questions. To be on the mysterious boundary-line of the present, between the past which is no longer and the future which is not yet, raises the question of the meaning of time. The borderline is the truly propitious place for acquiring knowledge. Placed at the borderline which is the present, humans try to find the sense of the past and the direction of the future. They attempt to determine this sense in history. History is what gives meaning to time. So, it is important that we leave our monuments up, even if people do not understand them or are offended by them. In other words, history is essentially interpretative. It is not a collection of documents, a museum of facts, or a list of dates. This may be called erudition, but it is not history. Nor is history the past events themselves: it is their interpreted sense as we may discern it. As to the dimension of eternity in the present, it is religion, properly speaking. If it has an unconditional meaning, an unconditional depth, an unconditional reality, the flow of time is really. #RandolphHarris 11 of 21

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As we have seen, the perception of the Unconditional is the work of faith. Faith perceives the eternal dimension of the present. No interpretation of history can be ultimately satisfactory, unless it grasps the meaning of past and future in the light of the present as eternity. In this sense an interpretation of history is always implicitly religious. It is clear, then, that the concept of history has far-reading implications. If history is the meaning of time, it must be creative. The seasonal cycle of nature is not history, for it needs no explanation: it is complete as being, without lack, without need for something new or something better or something perfect. Instead, history deals with time as past and future seen through the present. And the future, since it is not yet, will be new. Accordingly, there is no history without the choice of a future; and there is no choice without freedom. History gives meaning to time through the mediation of a free decision or choice. The new, which occurs wherever history occurs, is meaning. In creating meaning, being gains freedom from itself, from the necessity of its nature. History exists where meaning is realized by freedom. The new which is produced by history is really new because it is produced by freedom. Freedom is the leap in which history transgresses the realm of pure being and creates meaning. #RandolphHarris 12 of 21

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To make my desires paramount is what Paul again descried as having a “flesh mine” or “mind of flesh,” which is a state of death, as reported in Romans 8.6. Such a mind “sows to one’s own flesh”—invests only in one’s natural self—and “out of that flesh reaps corruption,” reports Galatians 6.8. Corruption or coming apart is the natural end of the flesh. Flesh can only be preserved by being caught up within the higher life of the kingdom of God and this losing the life peculiar to it. In other words, when Jesus says that those who find their life or soul shall lose it, he is pointing out that those who think they are in control of their life—“I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul,” as the poet William Ernest Henley said—will find that they definitely are not in control: they are totally at the mercy of forces beyond them, and even within them. They are on a sure course to disintegration and powerlessness, of lostness both to themselves and to God. They must surrender. By contrast, if they give up the project of being the ultimate point of reference in their life—of doing only what they want, of sowing to the flesh or to the natural aims and abilities of a human being—there can be hope. If they in that sense lose their life in favour of God’s life, or for the sake of Jesus and what he is doing on Earth—remember the ongoing World revolution he is now conducting—then their soul (life) will be preserved and thus given back to them. #RandolphHarris 13 of 21

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There is an intimacy in the fellowship between teacher and disciple which is unique. There is an impersonality in this most personal of human relationships which is equally unique. No other relationships, whether familial or friendly, can compare with this relationship in depth or beauty or value. Mosiah forbids persecution and enjoins equality—Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the Church—an angel appears and commands them to cease their evil course—Alma is struck dumb—all humankind must be born again to gain salvation—Alma and the sons of Mosiah declare glad tidings. About 100-92 Before Christ. And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests. And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation throughout the land round about that there should not any unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of God. And there was a strict command throughout all the churches that there should be no persecutions among them, that there should be an equality among all humans. #RandolphHarris 14 of 21

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“That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their peace; that every human should esteem one’s neighbour as oneself, labouring with their own hands for their support. Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labour with their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did abound in the grace of God. And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad upon the face of the Earth, yea, on the north and on the south, on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages in all quarters of the land. And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became a large and wealthy people. Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers; and also one of he sons of Alma was numbered among them, he being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a very wicked and an idolatrous man. And he was a man of many words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities. And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them. #RandolphHarris 15 of 21

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“And now it came to pass that while he was going about to destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandment of God, or even the king—and as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them; and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were with a voice of thunder, which caused the Earth to shake upon which they stood; and so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the Earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them. Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why percecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people. And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard they prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightiest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to conceive thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith. #RandolphHarris 16 of 21

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“And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the Earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God. Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off. And now it came to pass that these were the last words which the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed. And now Alma and those that were with hum fell again to the Earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was nothing save the power of God that could shake the Earth and cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder. And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak, even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was laid before his father. And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power of God. #RandolphHarris 17 of 21

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“And he caused that a multitude should be gathered together that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and also for those that were with him. And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak, and also that his limbs might receive their strength—that the eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the goodness and glory of God. And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of two days and two night, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them o be of good comfort: for, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit. And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all humankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters; and thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off. #RandolphHarris 18 of 21

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“Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God. My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more. I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and ha he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all. Yea, every knew shall bow, and every tongue confess before him. Yea, even at the last day, when all humans shall stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall they confess, who live without God in the World, that the judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye. And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through all the land, publishing to all the people things which they had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were unbelievers, being smitten by many of them. #RandolphHarris 19 of 21

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“However, notwithstanding all this, they did impart much consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the commandments of God. And four of them were the sons of Mosiah; and their names were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni; these were the names of the sons of Mosiah. And they traveled throughout all the land of Zarahemla, and among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah, zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the scriptures to all who desired to hear them. And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the knowledge of their Redeemer. And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth,” reports Mosiah 27.1-37. O LORD our God, Who by Thine own presence dost shed the abundance of Thy Holy Spirit on those who are set apart, by Thine inscrutable power, to become Ministers, and to serve Thy spotless Mysteries; keep Thy servant, whom Thou hast willed to be promoted to the ministry of a Deacon, that he may hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, with all virtue. #RandolphHarris 20 of 21

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Please vouchsafe him the grace given to Thy first Martyr Stephen, who was first called by Thee to the work of this ministry; and enable him to administer according to Thy goodness,–for they that minister rightly purchase to themselves a god degree;–and fill him, by the presence of Thy holy and life-giving Spirit, with all faith, and love, and power, and sanctification. For Thou art our God, and to Thee we render glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. O LORD, we commune with Thee every day, but week days are Worldly days, and secular concerns reduce Heavenly impressions. We bless Thee therefore for the day scared to our souls when we can wait upon Thee and be refreshed; we thank Thee for the institutions of religion by use of which we draw near to Thee and Thou to us; we rejoice in another Lord’s Day when we call off our minds from the cares of the World and attend upon Thee without distraction; please let our retirement be devout, our conversation edifying, our reading pious, our hearing profitable, that our souls may be quickened and elevated. We are doing to the house of prayer, pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication; we are going to the house of praise, awaken in us every grateful and cheerful emotion; we are going to the house of instruction, give testimony to the word preached, and glorify it in the hearts of all who hear; may it enlighten the ignorant, awaken the careless, reclaim the wandering, establish the weak, comfort the feeble-minded, make ready a people for their Lord. #RandolphHarris 21 of 21

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O God, great in power, unsearchable in understanding, wonderous in counsels towards the children of humans, do Thou fill with the gift of the Holy Spirit him whom Thou hast willed to undertake the degree of the Priesthood; that he may be worthy to stand before Thy holy Altar unblameably, to announce the Gospel of Thy kingdom, to administer the Word of Thy truth, to offer gifts and spiritual Sacrifices unto Thee, and to renew Thy people in the laver of Regeneration; that at the second coming of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, Thine Only-begotten, Son, he may go fort to meet Him and by the multitude of Thy mercies receive his reward: for Thy venerable and majestic Name is blessed and glorified. Please be a sanctuary to all who cannot come, forget not those who never come, and do thou bestow upon us benevolence towards our dependans, forgiveness towards our enemies, peaceableness toward our neighbours, openness towards our fellow-Christians. #CresleighHomes

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Ignorance of the Law Excuses No Human–Looked Like a Baby-River that was Laying Half Alseep!

ImageSurplus of wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in one’s lifetime for the good of the community. Stigma management is a general feature of society, a process occurring wherever there are identity norms. The same features are involved whether a major differentness is at question, of the kind traditionally defined as stigmatic, or a picayune differentness, of which the shamed person is to be ashamed to be ashamed. One can therefore suspect that the role of normal and the role of stigmatized are parts of the same complex, cuts from the same standard cloth. Of course, psychiatrically oriented students have often pointed out the pathological consequences of self-derogation, just as they have argued that prejudice against a stigmatized group can be a form of a sickness. These extremes, however, have not concerned us, for the patterns of response and adaptation considered in this ese seem totally understandable within the framework of normal psychology. One can assume first that persons with different stigmas are in an appreciably similar situation and respond in an appreciably similar way. The neighbourly druggist might talk to the neighbourhood, therefore the neighbourhod drugstores have been avoided by persons seeking al manner of equipment and medication—persons wonderfully diverse who share nothing but a need to control information. #RandolphHarris 1 of 26

ImageAnd secondly, one can assume that the stigmatized and the normal have the same mental make-up, and that this necessarily is the standard one in our society; one who can play one of these roles, then, has exactly the required equipment for playing out the other, and in fact in regard to one stigma or another is likely to have developed some experience in doing so. Most important of all, the very notion of shameful differences assumes a similarity in regard to crucial beliefs, those regarding identity. Even where an individual has quite abnormal feelings and beliefs, one is likely to have quite normal concerns and employ quite normal strategies in attempting to conceal these abnormalities from others, as the situation of former mental patients suggests: One of the difficulties centers around the meaning of “reasonable employment.” The patients are sometimes unable, but more often unwilling, to explain why a particular job is “unreasonable” or impossible for them. One middle-aged man could not bring himself to explain that he was so terrified of the dark he insisted on sharing his bedroom with his brother, and that he could no possibly work where it meant coming home alone in the dark in Winter. He tries to overcome his fear, but is reduced to a state of physical collapse if left alone at night. #RandolphHarris 2 of 26

Image In such an instance—and there were many others—the former patient’s fears of ridicule, contempt or harshness make it difficult for him to explain the real reason for refusing or not holding the jobs offered to him. He may then easily be labelled as work-shy or unemployable, which is likely to be financially disastrous. Similarly, when an aging person finds one cannot remember  some of the names of one’s immediate friends, one may shy away from going to the meeting places where one is likely to encounter them, thus illustrating an embarrassment and a plan which entail human capacities that have nothing to do with aging. If, then, the stigmatizes person is to be called a deviant, one might better be called a normal deviant, at least to the extent that one’s situation is analyzed within the framework presented here. There is a direct evidence regarding this self-other, normal-stigmatized unity. For example, it seems that persons who suddenly find themselves relieved of a stigma, as in successful plastic surgery, may quickly be seen, by themselves and others, to have altered their personality, an alteration in the direction of acceptable, just as those who have suddenly acquired a defect may relatively quickly experience a change in apparent personality. #RandolphHarris 3 of 26

ImageThese perceived changes seem to be a result of the individual’s being placed in a new relationship to the contingencies of acceptance in face-to-face interaction, with consequent employment of new strategies of adaptation. Important additional evidence comes from social experiments, wherein subjects knowingly take on a defect (temporarily, of course), such as partial deafness, and find themselves spontaneously manifesting the reactions and employing the devices that are found among the actually disabled. A further fact should be mentioned. Because a change from stigmatized status to normal status is presumably in a desired direction, it is understandable that the change, when it comes, can be sustained psychologically by the individual. However, it is very difficult to understand how individuals who sustain a sudden transformation of their life from that of a normal to that of a stigmatized person can survive the change psychologically; yet very often they do. That both types of transformation can be sustained—but especially the latter type—suggest that standard capacities and training equip us to handle both possibilities. And once these possibilities are learned, the rest, alas, comes easily. #RandolphHarris 4 of 26

ImageFor the individual to learn that one is beyond the pale, or not beyond the pale after having been beyond, is not, then, a complicated thing, merely a new alignment within an old frame of reference, and taking to oneself in detail what one had known about before as residing in other. The painfulness, then, of sudden stigmatization can come not from the individual’s confusion about one’s identity, but from one’s knowing too well what one has become. Taken through time, then, the individual is able to play both parts in the normal-deviant drama. However, one must see that even boxed within a brief social moment, the individual may be able to perform both shows, exhibiting not only a general capacity to sustain both roles, but also the detailed learning and command necessary for currently executing the required role behaviour. His is facilitated, of course, by the fact that the roles of stigmatized and normal are not merely complementary; they also exhibit some striking parallels and similarities. Performers of each role may withdraw from contact with the other as a means of adjustment; each male feel that one is not fully accepted by the other; each may feel that one’s own conduct is being watched too closely—and be correct in this feeling. Each may stay with one’s “own” merely to forgo having to face the problem. #RandolphHarris 5 of 26

ImageFurther, the asymmetries or differences between that do exist are often kept within such limits as will further the common and crucial task of maintaining the social situation that is in progress. Aliveness to the role of the other must be sufficient so that when certain adaptive tactics are not employed by one of the normal-stigmatized pair, the other will know how to step in and take on the role. For example, should the stigmatized person fail to present his failing in a matter of fact way, the normal may assume the task. And when normals try tactfully to help the stigmatized person with one’s difficulties, one may grit one’s teeth and accept help gracefully, out of regard for the good will of the effort. Evidence of two-headed role playing is widely available. For example, whether for fun or seriously, people pass, and they do so in both directions, into or out of the stigmatized category. Another source of evidence is psychodrama. This “therapy” assumes that mental patients and others beyond the pale can on stage switch parts and play out the role of normal to someone who is now playing their role to them; and in fact they can perform this theater without much prompting and with reasonable competency. A third source of evidence that the individual can simultaneously sustain command over both the normal and stigmatized role comes to us from behind-scenes joshing. #RandolphHarris 6 of 26

ImageNormals, when among themselves, “take off” on a stigmatized type. More to the point, the stigmatized in similar circumstances takes off on the normal as well as oneself. One jokingly enacts scenes of degradation with one of one’s kind playing the role of the crudest of normals while one affects the complementary role for a moment, only to break into vicarious rebelliousness. As part of this sad pleasure there will be the unserious use of stigma terms of address that are usually tabooed in “mixed” society. It should be restated here that this kind of joking by the stigmatized does not so much demonstrate some kind of chronic distance the individual has from oneself as it demonstrates the more important fac that a stigmatized person is first of all like anyone else, trained first of all in others’ views of persons like oneself, and differing from them first of all in having a special reason to resist stigma derogation when in their presence and the special license to give voice to it when in their absence. A special case of the light use of self-abusing language and style is provided by professional representatives of the group. When representing their group to normals, they may embody in an exemplary way the ideals of the normals, being partly chosen for being able to do so. #RandolphHarris 7 of 26

Image However, when attending social affairs among their own, they may feel a special obligation to show that they have not forgotten about the ways of the group or their own place, and so on sage may employ native dialect, gestures, and expression in humorous caricature of their identity. (The audience can then dissociate themselves from what they still have a little of, and identify with what they have not yet fully become.) These performances, however, often have a cultivated trim aspect; something has been clearly placed in brackets and raised to an art. In any case, one regularly finds in the same representative the capacity to be more “normal” in manner than are most of the members of one’s category who orient themselves in this direction, while at the same time one can command more of the native idiom than those of one’s category who are oriented in this direction. And where a representative does not have this capacity to manage two faces, one will find oneself under some pressure to develop it. I have often pondered the reasons why, in seminars, the reactions are more strongly negative, and eventually more strongly beneficial. I believe it is due in part to the fact that they were so eager to learn from the “master,” the “guru,” that they were loath to accept my authority. #RandolphHarris 8 of 26

ImagePerhaps another reason is that they were all graduate students, most of them already employed professionally, or like Dr. Tenenbaum, taking the course as a postdoctoral seminar. Such students are, I believe, even more dependent upon authority than are elementary school children. I took up most of the first meeting of the seminar (about twenty-five students) by introducing myself and my purpose and asking if others wished to do the same. After some awkward silences, the students told what brought them to the seminar. I told the group about the many resources I had brought with me—reprints, mimeographed material, books, a list of recommended reading (no requirements), tapes of therapeutic interviews, and films. I asked for volunteers to organize and lend out these materials, to run the tapes, and to find a movie projector. All of this was easily handled, and the session ended. As Dr. Tenenbaum takes up the story: Thereafter followed four hard, frustrating sessions. During this period, the class did not seem to get anywhere. Students spoke at random, saying whatever came into their heads. It all seemed chaotic, aimless, a waste of time. A student would bring up some aspect of Rogers’ philosophy; and the next student, completely disregarding the first, would take the group away in another direction; and a third, completely disregarding the first two, would start something else altogether. #RandolphHarris 9 of 26

ImageAt time there were some faint efforts at a cohesive discussion, but for the most part the classroom proceedings seemed to lack continuity and direction. The instructor received every contribution with attention and regard. He did not find any student’s contribution in order or out of order. The class was not prepared for such a totally unstructured approach. They did not know how to proceed. In their perplexity and frustration, they demanded that the teacher play the role assigned to him by custom and tradition; that he set forth for us in authoritative language what was right and wrong, what was good and bad. Had they not come from far distances to learn from the oracle himself? Were they not fortunate? Were they not about to be initiated in the right rituals and practices by the great man himself, the founder of the movement that bears his name? The notebooks were poised for the climactic moment when the oracle would give forth, but mostly they remained untouched. Queerly enough, from the outset, even in their anger, the members of the group felt joined together, and outside the classroom, there was an excitement and a ferment, for even in their frustration, they had communicated as never before in any classroom, and probably never before in quite the way they had. #RandolphHarris 10 of 26

ImageIn the Rogers class, they had spoken their minds; the words did not come from a book, nor were they the reflection of the instructor’s thinking, nor that of any other authority. The ideas, emotions, and feelings came from themselves; and this was he releasing and the exciting process. In this atmosphere of freedom, something for which they had not bargained and for which they were not prepared, the students spoke up as students seldom do. During this period, the instructor took many blows; and it seemed to me that many times he appeared to be shaken; and although he was the source of our irritation, we had, strange as it may seem, a great affection for him, for it did not seem right to be angry with a man who was so sympathetic, so sensitive to the feelings and ideas of others. We all felt that what was involved was some slight misunderstanding which once understood and remedied would make everything right again. However, our instructor, gentle enough on the surface, had a “whim of steel.” He did not seem to understand; and if he did, he was obstinate and obdurate; he refused to come around. Thus did this tug-of-war continue. We all looked to Rogers and Rogers looked to us. One student, amid general approbation, observed: “We are Rogers-centered, not student-centered. We have come to learn from Rogers.” #RandolphHarris 11 of 26

ImageAfter more of this, individual students attempted to take leadership and organize the seminar around certain topics or ways of planning, but these attempts at structure were largely disregarded. Gradually the group became insistent that I lecture. I told them that I was just completing a paper, and would be willing to give that as a lecture, but I also informed them that I was quite willing to have it duplicated so that each could read it. They insisted that I give it as a talk, and I agreed. It was a topic I was much involved in, and I believe I delivered it as well as I was able, taking somewhat more than an hour. Tenenbaum reports the results. After the vivid and acrimonious exchanges to which we had been accustomed, this was certainly a letdown, dull and soporific to the extreme. This experience squelched all further demands for lecturing. By the fifth session, something definite had happened; there was no mistaking that. Students spoke to one another; they by-assed Rogers. Students asked to be heard and wanted to be heard, and what before was a halting, stammering, self-conscious group became an interacting group, a brand-new cohesive unit, carrying on in a unique way; and from them came discussion and thinking such as no other group but this could repeat or duplicate. #RandolphHarris 12 of 26

ImageThe instructor also joined in, but his role, more important than any in the group was important, the center, the base of the operation, not the instructor. What caused it? I can only conjecture as to the reason. I believe that what happened was this: For four sessions students refused to believe that the instructor would refuse to play the traditional role. They stilled believed that he would set the tasks; that he would be the center of whatever happened and that he would manipulate the group. It took the class four sessions to realize that they were wrong; that he came to them with nothing outside of himself, outside of his own person; that if they really wanted something to happen, it was they who had to provide the content—an uncomfortable, challenging situation indeed. It was they who had to speak up, with all the risks that that entailed. As part of the process, they shared, they took exception, they agreed, they disagreed. At any rate, their persons, their deepest selves were involved; and from this situation, this special, unique group, this new creation was born. After the fourth session, and progressively thereafter, this group, haphazardly thrown together, became close to one another and their true selves appeared. #RandolphHarris 13 of 26

ImageAs they interacted, there were moments of insight and revelation and understanding that were almost awesome in nature; they were what, I believe, Rogers would describe as “moments of therapy,” those pregnant moments when you see a human soul revealed before you, in all its breathless wonder; and then a silence, almost like reverence, would overtake the class. And each member of the class become enveloped with a w warmth and a loveliness that border on the mystic. I for one, and I am quite sure the other also, never had an experience quite like this. It was learning and therapy; and by therapy I do not mean illness, but what might be characterized by a healthy change in the person, an increase in one’s flexibility, one’s openness, one’s willingness to listen. In the process, we all felt elevated, freer, more accepting of ourselves, and others, more open to new ideas, trying hard to understand and accept. This is not a perfect World, and there was evidence of hostility as members differed. Somehow in this setting every blow was softened, as if the sharp edges had been removed; if undeserved, students would go off to something else; and the blow was somehow lost. In my own case, even those students who originally irritated me, with further acquaintance I began to accept and respect. #RandolphHarris 14 of 26

ImageIt also occurred to me that I tried to understand what was happening: Once you come close to a person, perceive one’s thoughts, one’s emotions, one’s feelings, one becomes not only understandable but good and desirable. In the course of this process, I saw hard, inflexible, strict and rigid persons, in the brief period of several weeks, change in front of my eyes and become sympathetic, understanding and to a marked degree nonjudgmental. I saw neurotic, compulsive persons ease up and become more accepting of themselves and others. In one instance, a student who particularly impressed me by his change, told me when I mentioned this: “It is true. I feel less rigid, more open to the World. And I like myself better for it. I do not believe I ever learned so much anywhere.” I saw shy persons become less shy and aggressive persons more sensitive and moderate. One might say this appears to be essentially an emotional process. However that, I believe, would be altogether inaccurate in describing it. There was a great deal of intellectual content, but the intellectual content was meaningful and crucial to the person. In fact, one student brought up this very question. “Should we be concerned,” he asked, “only with the emotions? Had the intellect no play?” It was my turn to ask, “Is there any student who has read as much or thought as much for any other course?” #RandolphHarris 15 of 26

ImageThe answer was obvious. We had spent hours and hours reading; the room reserved for us had occupants until ten o’clock at night, and then many left only because the university guards wanted to close the building. Students listened to recordings; they saw motion pictures; but best of all, they talked and talked and talked. The starting of a cult to gain a personal following would be abhorrent to the spirit of any truly selfless spiritual guide, but the creation of a school for a spiritual development and philosophical learning one might consider helpful to may earnest but bewildered students life. The true master is to work for the few. There are several agencies who will spread their activities thinly on a wide surface but one’s will penetrate to a deeper level. Theirs will be more showy but one’s more effective. The Rogers method was free and flowing and open and permissive. A student would start an interesting discussion; it would be taken up by a second; but a third student might take us away in another direction, bringing up a personal matter of no interest to the class; and we would all feel frustrated. However, this was like life, flowing on like a river, seemingly futile, with never the same water there, flowing on, with no one knowing what would happen the next moment. #RandolphHarris 16 of 26

ImageHowever, in this there was an expectancy, an alertness, an aliveness; it seemed to me as near a smear of life as one could get in a classroom. For the authoritarian person, who puts one’s faith in neatly piled up facts, this method I believed can be threatening, for here one gets no reassurance, only an openness, a flowing, no closure. I have nowhere found such a vivid account of the initially chaotic, gradually more fluid way in which the group, as it fearfully takes responsibility for itself, becomes a constructive organism, listening and responding sensitively to its own needs. It is the outwardly confused, inwardly organized, politics of an ever-changing group purpose, as the class moves to meet its intellectual, personal, and emotional needs. Does a person-centered education bring results? We have a definitive answer from research. For ten years Dr. David Aspy has led research studies aimed at finding out whether human, person-centered attitudes in the classroom have any measurable effects and if so what these effects are. He collected 3,700 recorded classroom hours from 550 elementary and high school teachers and used rigorous scientific methods to analyze the results. He and his colleague, Dr. Flora Roebuck, have found that students of more person-centered teachers contrast sharply with students of teachers who are less person-centered. #RandolphHarris 17 of 26

ImageThe students showed greater gains in learning conventional subjects. They were more adept at using their higher cognitive processes such as problem solving. They had a more optimistic self-concept than was found in the other groups. They initiated more behaviour in the classroom. They exhibited fewer discipline problems. They had a lower rate of absence from school. They even showed an increase in I.Q. among their students. Teacher can improve their facilitative, person-centered attitudes with as little as fifteen hours of intensive training. Of significance for all of education is he finding that teachers improve in these attitudes only when their trainers exhibit a high level of these facilitative conditions. In ordinary terms this means that such attitudes are “caught,” experientially, from another. They are not simply intellectual learnings. These teachers have a more beneficial self-concept than less person-centered teachers. They are more self-disclosing to their students. They respond more to students’ feelings. They give more praise. They are more responsive to students ideas. They lecture less often. Geographical location of the classes, racial composition, or race of the teachers have not altered these feelings. Whether we are speaking of Black or White or Chicano teachers, Black or White, or Chicano students, classes in the North, the South, the Virgin Islands, England, Canada, or Israel, the findings are essentially the same. #RandolphHarris 18 of 26

ImageTo be someone’s disciple is to go farther in relationship than to be one’s student. Some disciples become lay disciples, who limit themselves to intellectual sharing only. The second is to become full disciples, who go all the way with one into the philosophical discipline and life. Dr. Aspy’s findings are confirmed in practical experience in medical education. The Medical School of McMaster University has taken a person-centered facilitative approach to the training of physicians. Though these young men and women have never had the conventional medical courses, they have learned intensively for three years the medical knowledge they need to deal with patients. They show up very well on the tough Canadian licensing exam, and in addition are more creative and humane. As another example, nine hundred of the top-ranking medical educators in the United States of America, concerned about the dehumanizing effects of medical training, have enlisted in the program, Human Dimensions in Medical education. In intensive four and ten-day conferences they have learned to listen, to be more person-centered in their teachings, to be more communicative in their personal relationships. The changes in some of the medical schools are already striking. Whether at the elementary, high school, college or graduate level, person-centered attitudes pay off, changing the politics of education in the process. #RandolphHarris 19 of 26

ImageWe must not make ourselves and our “survival” the ultimate point of reference in our World—must not, in effect, treat ourselves as God should be treated, or treat ourselves as God. Thus Paul shockingly said, “Covetousness is idolatry,” reports Colossians 3.5. Is not that somewhat exaggerated? No. Covetousness is self-idolatry, for it makes my desires paramount. It means I would take what I want if I could. To defeat covetousness, we learn to rejoice that others enjoy the benefits they do. Many members of the Church are led into sin by unbelievers—Alma is promised eternal life—those who repent ad are baptized gain forgiveness—Church members in sin who repent and confess to Alma and to the Lord will be forgiven; otherwise, they will not be numbered among the people of the Church. About 120-100 Before Christ. “Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not believe the tradition of their fathers. They did not believe what had been said concerning the resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the coming of Christ. And now because of their unbelief they could not understand the word of God; and their hearts were hardened. #RandolphHarris 20 of 26

Image“And they would not be baptized neither would they join the church. And they were a separate people as to their faith, and remained so ever after, even in their carnal, and sinful state; for they would not call upon the Lord their God. And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous as the people of God; but because of the dissension among the brethren they became more numerous. For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to commit many sins; therefore it came expedient that those who committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by the church. And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests, and delivered up unto the priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest. Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church. And it came to pass that Alma did not know concerning them; but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood and testified of their iniquity in abundance. Now there had not any such thing happened before in the church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused that they should be brought before the king. And he said unto the king: Behold, here are many whom we have brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren; yea, and they have been taken in divers iniquities. #RandolphHarris 21 of 26

Image“And they do not repent of their iniquities; therefore we have brought them before thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes. However, king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not; therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged. And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do wrong in the sight of God. And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying: Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi. And blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were baptized in the waters of Mormon. Thou art blessed because of thy exceeding faith in the words spoken unto them. And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall be my people. Yes, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called and they are mine. And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the transgressor, thou art blessed. Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my name, and shalt gather together my sheep. #RandolphHarris 22 of 26

Image“And one that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and one shall ye receive into the church, and one will I also receive. For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be baptized unto repentance. And whosoever ye receive shall believe in my name; and one will I freely forgive. For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the World; for it is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto one that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand. For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my right hand. And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me. And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed. And then I will confess unto them that I never knew them; and they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Therefore I say unto you, that one will not hear my voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for one I will not receive at the last day. Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgreseth against me, one shall ye judge according to the sins which one has committed; and if one confess one’s sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of one’s heart, one shall ye forgive, and I will forgive one also. #RandolphHarris 23 of 26

Image“Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me. And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for verily I say unto you, one that forgiveth not one’s neighbour’s trespasses when one says that one repents, the same hat brought oneself under condemnation. Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of one’s sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this shall be observed from this time forward. And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words one wrote them down that one might have them, and that one might judge the people of that church according to the commandments of God. And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord. And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them, them one did number among the people of the church; and those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out. And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly before God, receiving many, and baptizing many. #RandolphHarris 24 of 26

Image“And now all these things did Alma and his fellow labourers do who were over the church, walking in all diligence, teaching the word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions, being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of God. And they did admonish their brethren, and they were also admonished, every one by the word of God, according to one’s sins, or to the sins which one had committed, being commanded of God to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things,” reports Mosiah 26.1-39. Supreme Ruler of the Visible and Invisible Worlds, my heart is drawn out to Thee for Thy amazing grace and condescension. Thou hast kept my conversion fresh before me, that season of my first spiritual comfort when I passed through the Red Sea by a way I did no expect. I rejoiced then for that unthought-of passage, that delivered me from the fear and lively in my mind. My soul melts when I think of Thy says of old with me, when a poor worthless creature without wisdom to direct or strength to help myself was laid under the happy necessity of living upon Thee and finding Thy consolations large. Thou art my divine treasury in whom all fullness dwells, my life, hope, joy, peace, glory, end; may I be daily more and more conformed to Thee, with the meekness and calmness of the Lamb in my soul. #RandolphHarris 25 of 26

ImageMy I also feel a sense of the felicity of Heaven, where I long to join angels free from imperfections, where in me the image of my adored Saviour will be completely restored, so that I may be fit for his enjoyments and employments. I am not afraid to look the king of terrors in the face, for I know I shall be drawn, no driven, out of the World. Until then let me continually glow and burn out for Thee, and when the last great change shall come let me awake in Thy likeness, leaving behind me an example that will glorify Thee while my spirit rejoices in Heaven, and my memory is blessed upon Earth, with those who follow me praising Thee for my life. O God, Who visitest the humble, and consolest us by the affection of our brethren; please extend Thy grace to our fellowship, that by means of those in whom Thou dwellest, we may feel that Thou art come to visit us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. O God, Who makest manifest to us in Thy servants the signs of Thine own Presence, send forth upon us the Spirit of love; that by coming of our brethren and fellow-servants, Thy bountiful grace may be increased in ourselves; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Bless, O Lord, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. May Thy gifts, O Lord, be our refreshment, and Thy grace our consolation; through our Lord. #RandolphHarris 26 of 26Image

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Set the stage and dim the lights—doing the dishes is an event with an under-mount kitchen sink like this one. 🎟

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ImageWe have been satisfied, O Lord, with Thy gifts and bounties. Please fill us with Thy mercy, Who art blessed, Who with the Father will always lift the veil and allow us to come into sympathetic and receptive contact with the Kingdom of Heaven and your Divine Will. #CresleighHomes

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