conflict noun Definition of conflict (Entry 1 of 2)
1 : FIGHT, BATTLE, WAR
2a : competitive or opposing action of incompatibles : antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons)
b : mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands
3 : the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction
conflict verb Definition of conflict (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : to be different, opposed, or contradictory : to fail to be in agreement or accord
2 archaic : to contend in warfare
I was raised in a FUNDAMENTAL EVANGELICAL family where I was taught that GOD is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, etc.
I was also taught that there is a great cosmic conflict between good and evil; GOD and Satan.
You get the idea; then how does this happen?:
excerpt from belief letter to my parents-
The concept of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of mankind and having paid a Ransom for our lives is puzzling. A ransom is a ‘consideration paid or demanded for the redemption of a captured person’ (Webster). This presupposes that GOD somehow lost a battle, lost a bartering deal, or was robbed of his family by someone and had to pay to get them back. Is there an evil Being equal to GOD and can demand a Ransom from GOD? I do not think so.
-excerpt from belief letter to my parents
“And if there was no Fall, what then of the need for Redemption? What god was offended and by whom? Some especially touchy cave bear whose skull had been improperly enshrined?” ― Joseph Campbell
“Every act has both good and evil results. Every act in life yields pairs of opposites in its results. The best we can do is lean toward the light, toward the harmonious relationships that come from compassion with suffering, from understanding the other person.” ― Joseph Campbell
“is there not some point of wisdom beyond the conflicts of illusion and truth by which lives can be put back together again? That is a prime question, I would say, of this hour in the bringing up of children.” ― Joseph Campbell, Myths to Live By
“The idea of Truth with capital “T”-that there is something called Truth that’s beyond the range of the relativity of the human mind trying to think-is what I call “the error of the found truth.” The trouble with all of these damned preachers is the error of the found truth. When they get that tremolo in the voice and tell you what God has said, you know you’ve got a faker.” ― Joseph Campbell
What I found is that there is no great cosmic conflict between good and evil; GOD and Satan. All I found are states of mind that exist within the mind of each individual human; this is where the conflict occurs. “Every act has both good and evil results” says Joseph Campbell. “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” says William Shakespeare in Hamlet.
So good and evil are just different opinions or points of view.
How about the conflict between TRUTH and lies. This does not happen because TRUTH does not conflict with anything. TRUTH just exists; touch a tree, hug a pet, jump in a lake, this is energy or spirit (TRUTH) in-form. The tree, pet, or lake just exists; TRUTH is existence; existence is TRUTH. How does existence conflict with anything? A person is TRUTH exists or is REAL; an enemy is an untruth does not exist; Jesus Christ understood this concept when he said love your enemy. When you love an enemy the illusion drops and a REAL person is revealed; ah TRUTH is revealed.
We have so many illusions in our belief systems; “is there not some point of wisdom beyond the conflicts of illusion and truth by which lives can be put back together again?” asks Joseph Campbell.
TRUTH points out to us that the only source of conflict is lie to lie, untruth to untruth, or illusion to illusion.
Let that sink in…
Anytime you have had conflict in your life you can be sure that TRUTH has not been involved.
“The best we can do is lean toward the light, toward the harmonious relationships that come from compassion with suffering, from understanding the other person.” ― Joseph Campbell