Well, its only July 7th – I think! Bit of commotion with the builders this morning. Woke me up at the unGodly hour of 9. 30. Arguing about work needing to be done.
Can you clear your kitchen by Wednesday? they asked. “Yes”, I replied. But only if the back room has been completed first. “But we need to have the kitchen cleared”, by Wednesday, they said. Of course, that was really impossible, I explained. But they said – they’re manager said – if you can’t co-operate, its back to Court. Well, just let them try! After about 9 years of the nonsense, I’m just about fed up with it. And so it goes on . . .! People can be really funny, you know. Guess its because money is involved. That always makes some difference.
Me? Very quiet night – apart from being so ‘rudely awaken’. I mean, smashing part of the hall ceiling down so early, is not really that funny. But they have painted bits of it, so I suppose that’s something. K. phoned me earlier to ask how I was. ‘Fine’ I just told her . . . I always will be! She knows about the ‘girl with no name’. But only she does. Nobody else. That’s the way I intend to keep that – even if I said I wouldn’t mention her again. She’s someone I can trust (as is K) but I’d never abuse her trust.
Well, everything has been really quiet lately – touch wood! The usual emails and correspondence, but apart from that . . . nothing! Can’t say I’m really bothered. Just nice to have a quiet life sometimes!
David
6 responses
good luck with the builders mate.
dont let them fob u off with any excuses. they probably think you’ll roll over and do what they want!
…big mistake!
the rain is terrible round here.
i better go and get the washing in!
cheers
Craig
Hullo David,
Reading some of the diary about evil got me thinking; when you said I think there is no evil without a human sentience (had to check that word on google!) behind it. I suppose evil might be a metaphysical construct that people used to descibe those things that impacted cruelly on their lives and which they had no control over. I’m thinking back to the Middle Ages when religion held such sway over each daily life. But those with the intellect, or power in the land could use good & evil to impress upon the mass of the people a sort of order of ‘humours’, like Earth Fire & Water, but God-Good-Evil-Antichrist. So if there was a famine or earthquake or a pestilence, it was not the fault of the Establishment- King, Lord or Church for mis-management but all part of the Eternal Struggle. Though I suspect Religion has always attracted good & honest priests, by the same token many power hungry & ambitious people could also find a decent way to better themselves materially (that word again) by religion. So a means of subjegation, or at best placating the masses- do as we say or you will be stricken still further by the Evil abroad!! But, & perhaps this is the kernal, is not evil just a physical certainty in the world, evil can sweep through the Australian outback as a mordant Bushfire, killing all the sweet Koalas and destroying Creation randomly, but is it all not just natural. But could we not say that is evil too, though it is not a fire set by man with evil intent, but a lightning bolt? It is palpably just a work of nature. Just thinking aloud really & it’s probably all b******s . Of course none of it explains the mad-dog evil the most psycopathic Homo-Sapien is capable of. But hang on if your’e a chicken fancier…& Mr Fox gets in your coop and slaughters all your Rhode Island Reds, bites every head off but eats none….Evil sod!!!
Best wishes, Mike
Thanks for that Mike,
You are probably pointing out in a relatively short reply one of the most vital questions that has ever confronted mankind, in or of any religion or political denomination . . . the nature of evil.
It is a question that is just not possible to answer in one simple reply. Even an excessively long one, so I won’t attempt that! It is question probably worthy of a more detailed reply in a Blog post, which I may do later.
I can say though, in my early ‘mystical search’, I spent many, many years trying to understand the nature of evil and its relation to ‘God’ and the ‘devil’ (as supposed by most men).
The common human belief is that evil exists as an independent force (which it is in a way)’ which God has knowledge of it but that it is governed or controlled by the devil. If you fight or resist evil God will protect or reward you; but if you succumb to it, God punishes you (normally after death) while the devil earns another convert.
That is what I was taught to believe or accept many years ago: and this a concept that is accepted or believed by the masses today.
Do I personally accept this belief? No, is my simple reply. I most certainly do NOT.
To begin with, quite simply, there is NO devil. There are accumulated desires and forces (which often ‘remain in the atmosphere’ long after human death or deaths). But the sole origin of these is in the human mind. Evil is only a projection of human thought (rather ‘thoughts’). That is the only evil that can ever exist. But that is not of God. It is of human beings alone. Divine Principle (or God) is one of love surely. IT just exists; has always existed and it is self-sustaining.
I think we have to be a little careful here to avoid a common ‘trap’. Sometimes when we look at Nature, it can appear very heartless and cruel. Life lives upon life in order to survive – and that remains a fact. A fox may kill a chicken (or chickens if it gets into a coup); often not only for purposes of survival but because it is following its basic instints of killing. There has to be this basic instinct in Nature or there would simply be no Nature! It can seem very cruel sometimes (just as the element of a forest fire might appear to be so) but is this really of God, that is the basic question?
You know, in one of my early books I gave great reflection to this essential point. And concluded that all these terrible ‘horrors’ might well be seen to exist, but they occur only in the physical or material world – they are not of God. I explained that it was just as tantamount to personally blame the head of British Rail for a passengers death as it was to equate the same to God.
The same principle applies to illness and disease. Of course these exist with terrible reality (just as they do in Nature) but again, these are physical elements and do not originate or are caused Divine love or God. (Neither are such things inflicted by God as many wrongly believe).
Why do such things happen or occur as they invariably do? Could it possibly be because of the absence of God or Divine Principle? Could it be that if God was really present, such things could even occur in the first place?
When Jesus performed his miracles, he demonstrated the possibility Divine Principle of ‘God’ was capable of having over disease, even death. (“Damsel, I say unto thee arise”).
But first, obviously, God has to really be bought into the midst of human existence.
When that really happens such things as death and disease just disappear.
No. Evil is only a human concept. Often a terrifying or heart-rending concept, but nevertheless a very human one.
Thanks for your reply Mike,
David
David, thanks for your thoughts. I’m going to have to read it several times to get the nuances. I wonder if organised religions may crumble in our very fast changing world, just like it has in Europe, but then here in the West- Earth consciousness has surged, new age thinking- perhaps people need something as a Belief? You know I wish to tell you about something of my day, sorry not to take over your blog! I’ve just got in, I decided to go to see an old chap I have known for 2 or 3 years, a writer & something of a Spiritualist, moving spirits towards the light, but really something of a psychic investigator. He was involved in the diggings at Borley in the ’50s and one of his books was something of a definitive study of Langenhoe Church also from that time. I just got it into my head that I must see him, because I hadn’t payed a visit since about Christmas, or talked for several months, so went the 30 miles over there, even though he hadn’t answered the phone when I phoned today. Of course not at home when I arrived so sat in the car & rolled a fag. About ten mins later an old lady a couple of houses up beckoned me over. She told me the poor old Reverand had passed away in the small hours, at home there. It’s a shock isn’t it when this happens, under the June sun with the blackbirds fussing about, with no-one about and a redundant bungalow. I posted that stuff about priests & evil at about the time the poor Rev died: I’ve never written the word before- gotta be the most un-ecumenical geezer going. I think i had the old dear in mind though when I said some preists just give their all to do good in the world. He told me about first hearing the Soviets had joined in the struggle during ww2, he was an Infantry Officer and was waving his revolver around (you know the type David!!) trying to look the thing leading his platoon in a Dorset farmyard on an exercise, they all cheered like mad at the good news. He said from that moment he was invigorated to learn Russian, all that Cyrilic alphabet, one of the most complex languages, he became fluent in months and joined the Enigma codebreakers at Bletchley Park. The dear man explained to me a belief he was reincarnated from a Russian. I’m only sorry I haven’t a candle to burn tonight, something John did on many an anniversary for his friends on the other side.
Thanks David for giving us a place to voice these things!
Best Wishes, mike
Thanks Mike,
Sorry to learn about your friend; it sounds as if he was a fascinating person. I know a little about the ‘Borley aspect’ and have visited both Borley and Langenhoe Church. This was in 1979, but I remember them both (and the villages clearly).
This will have to be a quick reply for the moment as I have a very heavy schedule here today (and I’m late in starting as usual!). But I will reply later. By then (hopefully) I will be able to sit down and relax a bit.
Please don’t think you are ‘taking over my Blog’. That is what its here for! I always welcome peoples’ views and experiences, and will answer anything about my own if I can.
So ‘till a little later,
David
Hi Mike,
I said I’d get back to you ‘later’ today; well, it is later today – rather tomorrow – and I just didn’t feel like getting back on the computer before. As it was, I just fell back in the chair around 11 after several hours laborious work, covered in dust from newly-done plastering and carrying items up and down stairs all day. That doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it just has to be done! (Should explain they’re re-decorating my flat at the moment and the rooms have to be cleared).
I was intrigued by your account about your friend John. It must have come as quite an unexpected shock when you drove all that way to learn what you did. Life can appear so tragic at times, but if he remembered others here, then I’m sure he’ll remember you from where he is now. Strong ties are never actually forgotten; although they can sometimes slip from apparent memory.
You know, sometimes it can be so difficult to escape from the ties of physical existence. It surrounds us all the time, so I guess that is part of the reason. Sometimes if you just ignore ‘physical things’ they come back with even greater vengeance! And you have no choice but to deal with them on their physical level. (I am talking about my personal experiences now, but I’m sure this applies to most people).
Well, my ‘physical work’ is certainly finished for the time being. Which is good because it gives me more time to get back to my serious writing.
Incidentally, I agreed with what you said in both your replies, especially your remarks about the tiny shrews! Well, they are only the tiniest known manuals, I believe, but it is difficult to imagine they would actually ‘attack’ humans!
I cleared my kitchen out today, cabinets, shelves and all, and I suddenly realized just how far the family of mice had been active. Chewed up packets of food long since forgotten – and give-away ‘calling-cards’ to prove it!
Don’t think they will appreciate the new kitchen. It is all being stripped and re-plastered, so there won’t be many places left to hide in!
For the moment,
David