The Natural Mind – Waking Up alan macmillan orr
Evil 1. Morally objectionable behaviour 2. That which causes harm or destruction or misfortune 3. The quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice
M
an has always been superstitious about the presence of evil forces in the universe, but whether they exist in reality is another matter. What does exist everywhere is Man’s thinking, and that definitely causes harm! In the religious texts there is always a reference to good vs. evil, god vs. the devil. The devil is portrayed as an ugly monster with horns, but that’s just an artists impression; just like the paintings of jesus and angels who are painted as beautiful. Black vs. white. We just can’t help ourselves. We constantly compare good vs. bad, right vs. wrong. But let’s think about this for a moment carefully, shall we? Who is it who decides what is good and what is evil? Of course it’s our old friend mr homo sapiens, and in particular, the powerful leader types who want to show us what is right and what is wrong. So let’s not get carried away with thinking that “evil” exists as an real entity as it is portrayed by hollywood and the religious organisations. If anything, “evil” (I don’t like to use the word as it is fairly meaningless in itself) should be regarded as an individual state of mind or a way of thinking. Unfortunately, presidents and church leaders go around calling whole countries “evil” which doesn’t do a lot to further a peaceful world. “Who are you calling evil? We’ll show you!” And recently one president who shall remain nameless called a group of countries the axis of evil (a group of countries in special alliance), and set out to destroy them. But we shouldn’t let these stupid people interrupt our discussion. Just because they want to divide and conquer the world doesn’t mean we have to follow them does it? But follow them, some people do, firm in their brainwashed belief that the countries (and everyone in them) are evil people. They are no such thing. They are human beings just like ourselves. Sure there may be a few of them who’s thinking is extreme, but then who could honestly say that there aren’t thousands of people like that in their own country? No, as usual it’s just another way to keep everyone in fear of everyone else, and a nice excuse to flex your military muscle and ask for more money for the armed forces. But we see through their little game don’t we? Apart from the obvious real devil idea, created by the powerful to keep the world on it’s best behaviour, someone had the bright idea to invent morals.
Morals 1. Motivation based on ideas of right and wrong This was going to be how people should lead their lives. And if they didn’t, their morally objectionable behaviour could be classed as evil. But we must break through these childish man-made ideas – which have been round our necks like a noose for thousands of years – if we are to progress as a species. “It’s a sin,” they cry, “they should be burnt at the stake,” but as usual, sin is just another man-made idea, no matter what is written in the old books. Remember they are old books. They are past and we live now in the moment. All of these man-made ideas on what a sin (an act that is regarded by theologians as a transgression of god’s will) is, and what is morally wrong, are beginning to become a little bit tedious, don’t you think? Or do you think there really is a god, who gave us a rule book, and told us that no matter what happened, we mustn’t deviate from it? Do the animals have a rule book from god? After all, if god created the animals, fish and the birds (not forgetting the insects and the microbes), the rules must apply to them. But oh no, these rules only apply to the human species of animal, somewhat strangely. “It is morally wrong to have sex before you’re married” say your parents, but who are they? Just two people who followed the rules, they don’t know the truth, and even if they did, they can’t just tell it to you, you have to find out for yourself. So throw away your guide book and start exploring for yourselves, please! I hate to keep going on about power and control because I am sure you are tired of hearing it, and I’m tired of writing about it. But who is it that tells you what is right and wrong? Sure, your religious text books for one, but forgive me for saying; they are just books. We are the most intelligent species on the planet, surely we don’t need a book to tell us what is right and wrong? If we live in compassion, with love for all beings, then you don’t need a book to tell you “thou shalt not steal,” because you won’t. You don’t need a government or a church to tell you that this or that is a sin, and that god will punish you, you have no fear, because you are aware, and with that awareness you have insight, which will guide you in life. Take a look at the people telling you about morals and sins – the religious leaders and the politicians! They lie and they cheat, they claim riches for themselves, they are involved in sexual scandals, but don’t take
my word for it, just pick up a newspaper in any country, any week and there they are in all their glory, for all to see. But somehow they always manage to weasel out of trouble due to friends in high places (no I’m not talking about god). But there are people who believe that the devil has possessed them, and these are strange cases. I for one believe that there are different energies in the planet, some so negative, they affect the balance of nature; but we should not think it is an actual devil (an evil supernatural being) that has taken over the body of some unfortunate, as we must throw away superstition in order to find out the truth for ourselves. There are people who rape and murder children and we call them evil, but although we should be sorry that anyone has died, we must remember it is the mind that controls actions, and these people need help. We must offer them our compassion, for if we call for them to be executed or tortured for what they did, then we become the monsters. Do you understand? I know that there are people in the world who carry out some horrible acts towards other humans or animals, but their minds are sick; in order to help the world heal, we must help them heal too, no matter how horrific the act is to us.
The end of evil No good. No bad. No righteous. No evil. Just a state of mind. Can you see? All of these things exist in the mind of the perceiver. “He is a good man,” or ”he is an evil man,” are just people’s perceptions backed up by religious or political laws and accepted ways of behaving. So what am I? Am I a good man or an evil man? In many topics I have talked about the destructive force the church has had on the human race for thousands of years. I have talked about how these organisations are created by powerful men in order to control the population; I have taken drugs; I have been with a prostitute; I have been an adulterer;. I have stolen; I have cheated; I have lied; I have been greedy; and I have desired women and money (not a bad cv) so what am I? Am I morally objectionable? Am I evil? Should I be cast out into hell. What do you think? Actually, I think I am a compassionate person who loves all of humanity, and I have made choices. I won’t say they were wrong choices, just choices with consequences. Did I regret taking drugs? Did I wish I had never taken them? Do I want to be redeemed (saved from the bondage of sin) by god? No thanks, in fact I enjoyed every minute of it (until the next day when I felt like I was going to die, but that is the consequence, the cost of the pleasure). Did I regret having sex with a prostitute? With hindsight, I thought it was pretty stupid, and I was displeased with myself for paying for sex with a stranger, but at the time I enjoyed it. I regret (feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about) nothing, but I have learned from everything. They were not mistakes. I made choices, that’s all. But you, you who read this, may want to judge me for my choices, or tell me I’ll be in trouble come judgement day. But that’s the thing with religion, it doesn’t even leave you alone even when you’re six feet underground! So back to my original question. Am I evil? Surely if you look up your little rule book of what to do and what not to, I must have done some serious sinning, or at least broken most of the moral laws? But I don’t care. Your book means nothing. Do you understand? There is no right and wrong, just opinion. “Ah, but it must be right if the whole country believes it,” says one of you. But were the armies in germany in the right when they gassed millions of people to death? They believed it! They believed they had a “moral” duty to rid the world of the jewish people, and they wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t believe they were right. So before you start judging me or anyone else it’s time to have a look inside that big brain of yours and see who’s really been brainwashed! “This book is outrageous! It should be taken off the shelves immediately,” I can hear some of you saying. “This is a moral outrage! He should be locked up for writing this.” But can you see what’s happening in your mind? You are applying all of your conditioning by society; you are not thinking with true intelligence, which is insight. If you were, you would see that by calling something “a moral outrage” you are standing in judgement of someone based on your own opinion, because that’s all it is. And even if you think the whole country believes it, or it is against the law, remember what we were saying about a whole country believing something just because somebody told them it was right? You could see that gassing millions of people wasn’t love or compassion, it was just murder. But if you tried telling that
to the german population at the time, who would have listened? It is exactly the same with these discussions. So let us stop calling people evil. Let’s stop condemning people based on our ideas of right and wrong and calling them sinners; heck it’s not even your own opinion, it comes second hand from a book. That’s not very intelligent is it? Go into the world and throw down your rule books. Open your eyes to nature and experience what nature’s love is all about. But please stop saying things are immoral or sinful, it’s just childish, and it hurts people. Evil is all in the mind Morals are all in the mind Sin is all in the mind But humans, we are real Let’s start living like it