The Concept of "Right & Wrong"

Suggested by: RLC

Prologue: Over the centuries there have been many mystics, such as Rumi, who have made statements or created writings to convey spiritual concepts. Modern Man has interpreted some of these writings in a way to imply that there is no "right or wrong". Basically, this interpretation implies that "right & wrong" is relative to the individual. One extreme example would be similar to a recent story in the news. A man kidnaps a young girl from her bedroom, molests her, and then kills her. One aspect of the concept of no "right or wrong" states that neither the parents of the young girl nor anyone else should view these kind of actions as wrong (make a judgment); because for where the kidnapper is on his/her spiritual path, it is right for him/her. This view is necessary to support the concept of the immortal soul, which contradicts Jesus's statement (whom they see as another mystic) that we can lose our soul (Matt 16:26). Therefore, each soul must move along a path to their highest destiny from where they are. Another aspect of this concept is that when the parents or anyone else who make judgments that certain actions are wrong, they are creating a barrier between their soul and GOD that blocks, at least partially, HIS Presence or Love from shining through them-or some similar concept. Such judgments are considered "attachments" to what is only temporary and making such "attachments" create barriers to our soul's maturity.

Opinion: Putting the believed concepts in a nutshell probably doesn't do the belief system supposedly supporting the above concepts justice, but this writing is not designed to deal with all the beliefs in the system-only the "right and wrong" concept. There are several shadows of the Truth in the belief system being discussed as there probably is in every "religion" in the world. BUT, isn't that what we see all around us. If the self-serving nature wants to justify a belief, wrapping it in or supporting it with the Truth in someway does it-i.e. unborn babies are aborted to support the woman's right to control her body. In this world we must use an unwrapping or digging process to get to the Truth-assuming we cannot currently receive a direct revelation from GOD or Christ whenever we desire it. Therefore, we should not discount any belief system from anyone as totally "wrong", because that view would be totally wrong. If we look hard enough and dig deep enough, we will find Truth. Our problem is to not allow our self-serving nature to wrap or bury the Truth we find. In my opinion, the self-serving nature has done its work in the belief system being discussed just as much as we see it in other common belief systems in the world. My conclusion is that if mystics similar to Rumi were true conduits of GOD's revelations to Man, then over the centuries the Truth they revealed has been wrapped and buried by the self-serving nature to produce a belief system that is somewhat distorted from the original-as happens in today's Christianity.

Important Definitions:

1. GOD's Purpose - is Christ the Omega of which Man, as a living unity, is the body of Christ.

2. Man - any and all living entity's capable of self and GOD awareness

3. A Perfect Living Unity - a relationship of all of Man utilizing all of their fully developed gifts and abilities toward the highest purpose possible for all

4. Right - anything that strengthens or maintains a relationship's ability to accomplish its highest purpose

5. Highest Purpose - A purpose that utilizes all of the fully developed gifts and abilities of the entities creating the relationship

6. Wrong - anything that weakens a relationship's ability to accomplish the highest purpose possible for it. All lasting error or wrongness comes from the self-serving view. Error through ignorance will be corrected once the undesired results are recognized. Self-serving error produces the desired results, at least temporarily, and remains uncorrected. If the long-term results become undesirable, the original error is not usually recognized as the cause of the new undesirable state-spiritual blindness.

7. Self-Serving - viewing all things as they relate to self rather than the highest purpose. No entity does this completely. Unfortunately, when error occurs and is sustained, it limits the level of Truth that can be obtained (see "The Search of Truth"). In Christianity as I interpret it, Satan is the self-serving nature-the anti-Christ; and Christ is the GOD serving nature growing to Christ the Omega.

A Brief Explanation.

It is interesting to listen to the proponents of the "no right or wrong" concept attempt to explain how we grow spiritually. To do this they must point out conditions, states of being, or other factors that must be obtained or discarded (right or wrong). When I recently pointed this out in a class situation, the instructor stated that what must be discarded "just is". My question is, "From where did this 'just is' come?" Did GOD create it or did the self-serving nature?

There is a reason the Old Testament is much larger than the New Testament. When wrongness or error occurs the possibilities become almost infinite as compared to the one, straight, perfect way of Truth-as Jesus stated in Matthew 7:13-14. The Bible at least teaches us that there is right and wrong and even states many high order spiritual concepts with the negative frame of reference to illustrate this point-i.e. Thou shalt not kill. It is really the Spirit, or intent, of such laws that is important, though. Spirit is the cause behind all purpose and is, therefore, the beginning of all spiritual change that results in GOD's Love in our heart.

Can you imagine learning mathematics without following a legalistic path (right & wrong) first? It is the legalistic path that reveals the math principles to us-or Spirit and intent.

Can you imagine learning how to play tennis without following the legalistic path? It is the legalistic path that teaches our body and mind to work together in a way to produce the desired results.

Each of the above examples results in spiritual change. The process for that change is fixed because of what and who Man is.

The legalistic path is necessary because we must learn in small steps from where we are. Imagine attempting to learn Calculus without going through all the small steps leading to a full understanding. Each small step changes a part of the life given us (living water-life without a given purpose yet. Virginal) and prepares it to be unified with other parts of our life to form one life that "knows". Therefore, each small step becomes a building block for the whole. When any life "block" is error, then it must be returned to its state before the error and be retrained. This training and retraining process is the Seven Steps of Spiritual Growth in action-the first part of the process is legalistic.

One of the main aspects of the legalistic process is to prevent error or wrongness from becoming a part of our life. If our Spirit is seeking GOD's Purpose, all we can obtain to do our part in accomplishing that Purpose will determine what we love (viewed as having very high value). Each small step's results will be compared to the highest ideal we can envision from where we are. If the results are not as desired, we will view that small step as worthless and seek a better one-we will not enter the Seventh Day. Once we find the steps that satisfy the correct desire, we will enter the Seventh Day, and it will become a part of the life in us. Naturally, a better approach is to learn from someone who already knows the correct order of the steps leading to what we desire-i.e. the purpose of teachers. Since it will be unlikely that we will find the perfect teacher for all things, we must select our teachers carefully and weigh all revealed to us according to GOD's Purpose to the extent we are able to see from where we are. Naturally, as we grow closer to our highest destiny, we will have a clearer view of what that Purpose is. Not being able to see the Purpose to the extent we were created to see it should not limit us from utilizing all opportunities and resources we can to grow closer to who we are to be in the body of Christ, though. As we do, self will become less and less as our ability to be one with all that is matures.

This process, when followed correctly, accomplishes the purpose of not forming attachments with what is temporary and does so without denying the reality of right and wrong. I consider the recognition of right and wrong to be absolutely necessary because to do otherwise is to create a barrier that prevents the following of the Seven Steps of Spiritual Growth. Remember the servant who was given the single talent (Matt 25:20-30).

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