8.0.12.2 Joining the Struggle

Version 1.6 December 2016                                         (Previous Version)

Reaching an understanding of how the world works and how we should respond to it can affect people in many ways.  A critical issue is that no aspect of these global beliefs and values is imposed by force.  We choose our own Way and value it even more for so doing.  Choosing to adopt this understanding, after having worked through it complexities can be immensely rewarding.  For some the intellectual stimulation is exhilarating.  For others there may be a slow or begrudging acceptance in the face of apathy or other beliefs.

Adopting any religion or philosophy of life entails some level of commitment.  We understand the degree of commitment will vary between individuals depending on their personal circumstances. 

The guidelines for personal practice (Part 6) cover this commitment.  Questions for the reader are:

●  Can you agree with most of the conclusions presented here and the values we propose?

●  Which ones – if any – do you disagree with, wholly or in part, and why?

●  Does this set of propositions help to explain the fundamentals of your world?

●  Do the values we espouse provide substantial guidance on how you behave?

●  To what extent are our prepared to live this way publicly, to promote it and defend it.

Many if not most people who do see the sense in what is proposed here will quietly adopt the values and begin or continue to live by them without making a show of it.  This is fine.  Many people have social situations, family commitments or personal challenges that prevent them from taking a more active role.  For many, the struggle to live a decent life is enough of a challenge.

Some will feel the need to talk about this Way with friends and encourage others to adopt it.  Some may feel the need to participate in meeting with other followers of this Way, for their own benefit.  After forging their own path to this global understanding it can be a delight to discover other people are of a like mind, even if they have arrived via different paths.  A shared interest in providing services to others provides deep satisfaction.

Others will be more committed to contributing to clarify these global beliefs and values, to research the topics more, analyse the currently proposed conclusions and value choices, correct errors, provide more detail, or express this Way in different ways.  This is an ongoing struggle.

Others will be interested in actively promoting this Way to the wider society, perhaps particularly in regions where religious or political freedom is limited, or with a focus on critical topics.  We can justify this activism as being consistent with values such as truth, diversity, reality, love, equality and responsibility.  We can say it is our responsibility to proclaim this Way, to counter false and misleading conceptions of reality that lead to oppression.  But when individuals choose not to adopt this Way that is their prerogative, and perhaps we can learn from them why.

The guidelines for political action (Part 7) partly cover this promotion.  Questions to can ask local leaders could include the following:

●  How many of these propositions or values does the local religious leader accept?

●  Which of these propositions or values does the local political representative accept?

●  Which of these propositions or values are accepted and taught at the local school?

●  And most importantly, which of these propositions or values are NOT accepted – and why?

So each person’s level of participation in the struggle to spread these beliefs and values will vary according to circumstances.  There will be a variety of ways that individuals can use to promote this Way, depending on each person’s skills, aptitudes and interests.