God’s Self-Expression And The Mind Of To-Day 8

It is the more necessary to dwell on this for the reason that whatever Metanoia, or new orientation, is to be brought about must be on the part of individuals. There is no hope for large numbers acting together, or for any kind of group-impulse. Group-impulse among Caucasians is nearly always frightened, conservative, reactionary, or derisive of the forward step. There is hardly an exception to this in the whole history of Caucasian ideas.

Otherwise, it would be a pleasant dream to imagine what might now be happening on the great international stage. Let us suppose that the leaders of the so-called Christian countries were all convinced of the three main lines of God’s direction I have already tried to sketch. Let us think of such men as Lloyd George, Clemenceau, Sforza, President Harding, and the heads of government in Belgium, Russia, Germany, and all other countries affected by the present war of moves and counter-moves—let us think of them as agreed on the principles:

1. That each knows himself and his country as an agent in the hand of God, directed surely toward a good end;
2. That each knows each of his colleagues and his country as equally an agent in the hand of God, directed surely toward a similar good end;
3. That each knows that between God’s agents, there can be neither conflicting interests nor clash of wills, and that suspicion and counter-suspicion must be out of place, since under God’s direction no double-crossing is possible.

The picture is almost comic in its incongruity with what actually is. The mere thought of these protagonists of the century working in harmony to one great purpose, without distrust of each other’s motives, and with no necessity for anyone’s dodging political foul play, summons the smile of irony. Mutual trust was never so much a suggestion to laugh down. The mere hint that it might be possible would make one a target for the wit of the experienced.

In what we call the practical world of to-day, there is no appeal from the God of Fear but to the God of Fear. The great mass of Caucasians will not have it otherwise. And it requires no prophetic vision to foresee the results of the efforts to bring about international harmony while all are obeying the decrees of the Goddess of Discord. Nearly three years after the signing of the armistice, the world is in a more hopeless situation than it was when at war. Up to the present, each new move only makes matters worse. Some believe that our phase of civilization is staggering into the abyss and that nothing, as far as can now be described, will save it from the deluge.

TO BE CONTINUED….

PHOTO CREDIT : ALESSANDRO