1st October, 15th October, 29th October

Details from Irene Ames, opposite Bawdeswell Church.

A Reading from a recent meeting:-

MEDITATION - THE PRACTICE   From  The Art of Meditation by Joel Goldsmith.
The initial stage of meditation may be a contemplation of God: the beauty of God's universe, the law of God, and the activity of God. Our life becomes that of a beholder, beholding the glory of God in all things-in the green grass, in the gentle breeze, in the turbulence of the ocean, and in the calm of the night. In this contemplative state of being, we cannot behold anything in this world, without at the same moment recognizing its cause, the invisible spiritual activity, which produced it. We should never look at a sunrise or a sunset, without instantly realizing the spiritual nature at that which brought it into expression - God, the creative Principle of the mountains, the skies, and the seas; God, the creative Principle of that which fills the air with birds and stocks the seas with fish. If we live continuously in the contemplation of the invisible Presence and Power underlying all things, this very place whereon we stand is holy ground.

Dear Everybody

Scenes from the massacre in the school at Beslan were grim.  The terrorists degraded and abused their captives, as well as holding them hostage.  And it ended in such a huge loss of life.  Truly awful.

I think some terrorists are just vandals on a horrendous scale who want to justify their urge to destroy.  It has also been said that people become terrorists because they have no other way of making other people do what they want.  They are powerless and angry, the idea goes, and their resentment boils over into outrageous actions. 

Why should other people do what we want?  Do we know best for them, as with a parent looking after a child, or someone who has a fixed idea of what society should be?  Or are we trying to maintain our own freedoms?

Authority is all about the ease with which one person, or set of people, can make others agree to do what they want.  Power is the ability to make others obey.  Those without power can band together for strength.  Some, though, work on the weaknesses of others by manipulation, and on the compassion of others by terrorism.

Terrorists use our compassion against us.  In order to stop other people suffering, they suggest, we must do what they want.  It is the vulnerable and accessible, more often than those in power, who are their targets.  There is greater public outcry over children killed than politicians, and it puts more general pressure on politicians.

To beat terrorism spiritually, remain compassionate.   Don’t become vengeful or fearful.  Compassion is Godly.  It doesn’t sort out the problem of terrorism, but it does stop it winning.