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True spiritual humility consists of surrendering yourself to God, pure and simple – it is such surrender at depth that protects the spiritually mature from arrogance and hubris; replacing pride and vanity with gratitude and devotion

Make Ready for the Christ



Make ready for the Christ whose smile, like lightning, sets free the song of everlasting glory that now sleeps, in your paper flesh, like dynamite --Thomas Merton (1916-1968) "The Victory" (from "A Man In The Divided Sea") You cannot have too much respect for yourself. You cannot have too much confidence in yourself. You cannot claim too much for yourself. But remember that you must realize these things as being the expression of God in you, and not independent qualities of your own. You must also accept them as being true for every other human being.
Nothing but failure can come of self-depreciation. Of course, it is true that stupid people can get the malady called "swelled head" -- and this always ends in a fall -- but the realization of one's divine selfhood never gives a swelled head. It gives wisdom, balance, poise, and steady progress. Think, talk, live your divine, glorious selfhood.... --Emmet Fox (1886-1951) "Around the Year With Emmet Fox" You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. --Marianne Williamson "A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles" As the Christmas season blossoms, I find my thoughts returning once again to the sentiment "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" ...and, I was going to comment on delusional secularists, but I'll bite my tongue, for now. To cut to the chase, I have decided, in the spirit of the season, to present readers with three free e-books that I put together a few years back. I had some vague idea of bringing them out in hard-copy editions at some point, but they have been doing nothing but gathering cyber dust in my PC for long enough. So...past time to set them free. Two of the short e-books are fairly well known: "The Greatest Thing in the World (PDF)" by Dr. Henry Drummond, and excerpts from "Letters of Brother Lawrence (PDF)." The other e-book, "Pax Vobiscum (PDF)," (also by Henry Drummond) is not as well known. (Please click on the links in this paragraph if you wish to download the e-books--there is nothing but the e-book at the other end of the link).

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My contribution to the books, such as it is, consists of updating the text so that it scans more easily for current tastes. The message in each book is timeless, however, and that I have done my best to leave alone. I spent many hours overhauling the language and re-reading the text of each book while formatting it and such. But it was a labor of love and therefore pretty much effortless--and God knows I have benefited greatly from all the reading and re-reading of such wise words. I can only hope that you enjoy and profit from them as well. As I close I would like to say a few words regarding negativity. The more I have researched the concepts of Leftist ideology, the more obvious has become its "pining, puling, mumping mood," its almost universal negativity. From Critical Theory to the evil intolerance of "Liberating Tolerance," everything seems immersed in a swamp of anger, deceit, and disdain. The constant drumbeat of negativism has a purpose: to promote "cultural pessimism" among people who enjoy the most freedom and prosperity in the history of civilization. Once this "pessimism" takes hold it is easy to instill new values to replace the old. ...Political correctness acts as the protector of the ideas. Those who would dare speak out against the new orthodoxy are branded as fascists, or mentally ill. Words of opposition are treated as hate speech. Mandatory "sensitivity training" attempts to fix those with the "wrong" attitude. Repeated opposition to these ideas brings with it charges of racism, sexism, homophobia and a "presumption of guilt." --Ike Morgan "Western Civilization Comes Under Attack" I won't get into what I think of the execrable morons who peddle such vile garbage (this being a festive Christmasy article and all) other than to say that their level of consciousness is somewhere below "Abysmal." If their spirits were not so atrophied by secularist drivel they would probably consider their negativity to be some sort of "humility," and offer their stunted souls to God as a present! I can imagine God saying, "WHAT?" This dried up shriveled prune is a gift?" William James (1842-1910) pretty much hit the nail on the head in "The Varieties of Religious Experience" (still probably the best book of its kind ever written): The attitude of unhappiness is not only painful, it is mean and ugly. What can be more base and unworthy than the pining, puling, mumping mood.... What is more injurious to others? What less helpful as a way out of [a] difficulty? It but fastens and perpetuates the trouble that occasioned it, and increases the evil of the situation. At all costs then, we ought to...scout it out in ourselves and others, and never show it tolerance. As Emmet Fox said, you cannot have too much respect for yourself--as long as you recognize your glorious nature as belonging to God, and not some sort of personal accomplishment, and you sense that same divinity in others. True spiritual humility consists of surrendering yourself to God, pure and simple – it is such surrender at depth that protects the spiritually mature from arrogance and hubris; replacing pride and vanity with gratitude and devotion. Surrender yourself to God as the divine, immortal, child of God that you are, and that is a worthy gift indeed -- a gift to put the Magi to shame. (Yes, I know about the fallen nature of the human condition, but there is a way out, or haven't you heard the good news)? In any event, if you prefer, you can also download free unedited copies of the books I edited, at "Project Gutenberg." Best wishes to all for a very Blessed and Merry CHRISTmas!


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Jim ONeill -- Bio and Archives

Born June 4, 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Served in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974 in both UDT-21 (Underwater Demolition Team) and SEAL Team Two.  Worked as a commercial diver in the waters off of Scotland, India, and the United States.  Worked overseas in the Merchant Marines.  While attending the University of South Florida as a journalism student in 1998 was presented with the “Carol Burnett/University of Hawaii AEJMC Research in Journalism Ethics Award,” 1st place undergraduate division.  (The annual contest was set up by Carol Burnett with money she won from successfully suing a national newspaper for libel).  Awarded US Army, US Navy, South African, and Russian jump wings.  Graduate of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School, 1970).  Member of Mensa, China Post #1, and lifetime member of the NRA and UDT/SEAL Association.


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