About good and bad
For CIRCES. May the Divine Goodness enlighten the hearts of men.
“Good and bad” is a topic with a very long beard as we say in Germany. It means that it is a really old topic and countless philosophers have thought about it. For me it has also some entertaining qualities as it is one of the few topics which provide a lot of half-truths and illogical interpretations. I think that it is amazing how many intelligent people get psychologically entrapped, following blindly illogical teachings, especially in the religious but also in the “esoteric” context. I perceive this as a test for the awakening consciousness.
In order to avoid the psychological traps, we have to talk about truths and half-truths first. In fact, we have two main points of view – the absolute and the relative one. The absolute point of view is based on facts, on laws of creation. It is beyond relative opinions, ideas, personal philosophies and any kind of human teachings. The absolute is objective, super-personal, all-including. It is also eternal, valid beyond time and space, independent from culture, society and religion. In the absolute point of view, we find the absolute truth. This truth contains all relative truths which are simply reflecting smaller or bigger parts of the absolute truth. The relative truths or opinions express and reflect the degree of maturity of the individual human being. These relative understandings of reality last only for a certain time respectively change easily depending on the experiences the person makes.
In conclusion we have to differentiate between a fact, the absolute truth and the individual, relative truth or opinion. We also have to understand that humans are on a long journey towards the ultimate truth. It is a part of the spiritual evolution of the soul.
A further important aspect of this topic – the differentiation between absolute and relative truths – is the intention behind an individual opinion or the proclamation of a relative truth. The personal attitude or intention changes the perception of reality and with this the own opinion or personal truth.
For example, if you are a convinced rapist, then you perceive women as willing victims. And you probably blame them for what you do. Your attitude is to enjoy raping women and this justifies your deeds and you perceive it as something good, respectively you have the opinion that the women are guilty. Other people who do not share this attitude think that you are a criminal with evil behavior. From the absolute point of view, the rapist is in an imbalance and probably possessed by negative beings which support his behavior. Such a kind of imbalance is certainly not healthy, not good, but extreme and violating the natural-divine order. In consequence, the rapist will be punished by society.
Let´s take another example. If you are evil by nature with evil intentions and a leader of a religious or “esoteric” community, then you proclaim “truths” which justify your evil deeds as good and normal or right. You maybe say that “God” wants it this way or that the “holy book” says it or that a “higher authority” has said it or that is a “law” of creation.
A third and different example: Let´s imagine someone who has made good progress on the spiritual path. He talks about wisdom, love and unity, that we all should love and respect each other. His attitude is rooted in the experience of the absolute and his intentions are lawful and good. Now let´s imagine that he tries to convince a normal person which lacks of spiritual maturity. He says that the other person is not right and has to follow the higher teachings instead of keeping an egocentric attitude. Here the spiritual person has good intentions but the wish to convince the immature soul is not lawful. In contrary, he must respect the relative truth of the other person and can only point at the idea that there is a higher truth. The Indian philosophers have understood this very well and taught that everyone has to have his own truth depending on his degree of maturity and understanding. So all kinds of different truths should coexist peacefully under the roof of the universal, absolute truth. We simply cannot change the nature of an individual. We have to tolerate his personal truth. If everyone showed respect and tolerance, we would have no problems.
In conclusion when we discuss the topic of good and bad, then it makes no sense to talk about individual opinions what might be good or bad for someone. We have to understand this topic from the absolute point of view.
Let´s take a simple example: You want to buy five apples on the market. One apple costs 2 Dollars. Five apples cost 2 Dollars multiplied with 5 = 10 Dollars, this is the absolute truth, a fact. You as the customer may believe that you only have to pay 8 Dollars. This is your individual truth. The seller sees that you have problems with mathematics and tells you that you have to pay 12 Dollars. This is his truth. His intention is to get more money. To pay only 8 Dollars would be good for you. To pay 12 Dollars would be bad for you but good for the seller. To pay the right price would be good from the absolute point of view. Here we see that being good from the absolute point of view is a matter of correct, lawful behavior, of justice, being in order. Then harmony is maintained.
We see that good and bad are often a matter of the relative, individual point of view with corresponding benefits or disadvantages.
The individual definitions of good and bad are also often used to justify the own behavior. There are “teachers” who proclaim that everything is relative which means that there is no absolute. But this is already an absolute statement and so it is certainly nonsense. But with this, they proclaim that good and bad are equal and it is good to be bad and bad to be good, etc. In this way they justify their evil deeds.
If good and bad were equal, then it would be no problem to cheat such a teacher and take away all his money. But in fact, he would not be happy with this. Only, when he does this to others, it is good.
This shows again how important it is to go beyond the relative idea of good and bad and the necessity to understand this problem from the absolute, divine point of view.
From the absolute point of view, this topic cannot be a matter of opinions, of religious beliefs and teachings, or morals of society. In contrary it must be understood from the eternal laws of creation.
When we approach this topic from the absolute, then we see that it is a matter of polarity in two main forms.
In the first polarity, we have the positive, constructive, vitalizing principle versus the negative, destructive, death bringing principle – both are expressions of the dynamic balancing principle of life.
In the second polarity, we have abundance versus deficiency. God is the source of life, sustaining creation, causing the state of natural-divine abundance. But there are beings, realms and humans which have separated themselves from the source of life, living in a state of deficiency. This causes suffering and the need to live like parasites from the energy of other beings.
For example imagine here a natural water spring full of vitality. From this source a stream is running through the landscape. Now imagine that there are natural pools which are connected to this permanent supply of fresh, vital water. These pools receiver their vitality directly from the source and maintain this state of abundance. But there are also other pools which have been cut off the stream and lack of the supply of fresh vital water. These pools suffer from deficiency. They are lacking of vitality and they are going to die if they get no fresh water.
Let´s imagine another example. Imagine that you live in a kind of paradise where everything is given in plentitude. The fields are green. You have plenty of grains for making bread. You have plenty of all kinds of fruits and vegetables. In the lake nearby, you have plenty of fish. Indeed, you have a plentitude of everything you might need or wish for. You enjoy a life in abundance, in the natural-divine abundance. You are in harmony with yourself and nature. Do you think that you could have the slightest desire to go to your neighbors and steal their property or to harm them? As you are completely saturated with everything, there is for sure not a single thought about evil behavior. Abundance, saturation, harmony – this state brings real peace. Only when you are suffering from deficiency, then you are forced to bad behavior, – if you cannot get back into the state of natural-divine abundance.
So we have the problem of imbalance caused by deficiency where something is missing to the state of abundance, of saturation and harmony. This imbalance in the human nature leads often to negative, destructive, evil behavior. Imbalance is the basis for all disorders and diseases, also for the lacking comprehension of God, mankind and creation.
As long as we are connected to God and the natural-divine abundance, we enjoy all the good but as soon as we turn away from the primordial source of life, we start to experience all negative things. The spiritual evolution shows the way of falling into matter and returning to the source by a process of personal growing.
In conclusion: What we normally call “good” is a matter of the natural divine abundance which is satisfying all needs. When we follow the laws of creation, then we behave in a good, lawful way. What we call “bad” or “evil” is a matter of deficiency and the destructive behavior which is connected to it. It is the parasitic life style. It is the state of imbalance, mental disorders and diseases. It is also a matter of extreme unbalanced behavior beyond the harmony of the natural divine order.
The material world offers naturally and in general abundance for all creatures. So every being has enough of everything normally. This was also true for the human being, living in nature. But through the process of civilization, we humans entered an artificial state of deficiency with the effect that a few started to rule over the majority of people. The few rulers got not only the power but also the wealth while the majority had a serving function on the level of deficiency. To put it simple – the men in power have cultivated perfectly a life style of parasitism, living on the costs of the majority, of the followers and workers. Due to this artificial differentiation between rich and poor people in form of a pyramid in society, we have to face so many problems although naturally abundance for everyone would be available.
Let´s check another example, – character traits: When we examine the diversity of characteristics of the human being, then we can differentiate between good traits and bad ones. In fact when we examine the different traits then we can see that good traits are vital, beneficial and healthy in all aspects while bad traits are enslaving, destructive, blocking the person from happiness, success and health. Bad traits are a lacking of energy, of harmony, of development, of vitality. They are often extreme, – too much or not enough of something. But people still cultivate ideas like all traits are good or one should have a harmony of good and bad traits, etc. This is due to a lacking of a deeper understanding of characteristics and their effects or it is a matter of conscious teaching of lies and half-truths for evil purposes. In conclusion it is logical to focus on refinement to enjoy life to the maximum.
Let´s talk about a famous example – religious teachings: In all religions, God is described in his absolute nature as all-knowing, all-loving, all-merciful, almighty, etc. So these are good and positive attributes. But then there are teachings which describe God in a human relative way which simply does not fit the absolute nature. In some religions God is additionally described as a hating, revengeful, evil being which puts his followers to evil tests, asking for evil deeds. And then we see also teachings which limit the absolute virtues to only the own religious followers: God is all-loving in general but he loves in fact only his people. This idea simply does not work. There is only one option possible: Either God is absolute or the idea of God is relative and human made. With these ambivalent teachings also ambivalent ethics or morals come along: Among the religious followers everyone should be treated well while all others, the nonbelievers can be treated like dull cattle or slaves. This is typical human behavior and not absolute or divine. In fact this ambivalence and mixture of absolute and relative teachings is a test for the followers to grow beyond their dull belief in written words. While some teachings are divinely inspired, good and right, other teachings are simply made by humans with limited knowledge and often bad intentions. Everyone must question such ambivalent and evil statements and go beyond them towards the absolute God and ethics.
At last I want to put some light on a very specific topic – white and black magic: Like Bardon said – magic is simply a science which can be used for positive and negative purposes. It all depends on the good or bad intention of the user. As it originally deals with metaphysics, laws of nature, lawful and well-balanced spiritual development, it has its roots in the absolute and so it is originally good in its nature. But as always, there are people with bad intentions who misuse science for selfish, lower purposes. From such people, half-truths are spread like good and bad are both good or that it has no consequences if you show evil behavior (neglecting the law of karma), etc. But only if you overcome the games of duality, you will be able to reach the absolute goodness of God. The true initiate is an embodiment of the absolute and takes part in the highest virtues. So he cannot be blinded by selfish desires or half-truths. He has a total understanding of God, the human being and creation.
At last and in conclusion: We come from the divine source of abundance and in the process of spiritual development, we are led back to the source and take part in its nature. This source of life is goodness in total.