什麼是神的作為?哪些是神的作為?你我來到此生的目的不是為了學習嗎?生命被意外斬斷是「錯」的嗎? 生命被他人斬斷是「錯」的嗎?生命被疾病終結是「錯」的或算是自然導致的?哪些是「錯誤」的死亡("wrongful" death 不該死亡的死亡)?有沒有「錯誤的死亡」這回事?(可參閱此篇下方的相關文章)
願去正視這幾個問題的過程,將加速我們對「生命如何運作」的覺知和意識的擴展。讓我們不妨繼續聽神解說:
神:【世上的每個事件,都是神的作為(Act of God)】
【完整了解「希特勒為何上天堂?」系列摘文】-2/10
你們認為希特勒是個惡魔的見解,是基於他下令屠殺了數百萬人,對嗎?
尼爾:這很明顯,當然是。
但如果我告訴你,你們所謂的「死亡」,實際上是可發生在任何人身上最棒的事情(the greatest thing that could happen to anyone)——那又怎麼樣呢?
尼爾:我認為這很難接受。
你認為「在地球上的生活」比「在天國的生活」好嗎 (You think that life on Earth is better than life in heaven?)? 我告訴你,在你死亡的那一刻,你會領會到你從未領會過的最大的自由、最大的平和、最大的喜悅和最大的愛。
尼爾:你忽略了一個事實:死後的生活不管有多奇妙,我們在此世的生活都不該違背我們的意願地被人結束掉。我們來此是為了達成某些事,為了經歷某些事,為了學習某些事。我們的生命被一些瘋狂想法的盜匪斬斷是不對的。
首先,你們來到此生,不是為了學習任何事情。(把第一部對話再讀一遍!)人生不是學校,而你們在此的目的不是學習,而是重新憶起(re-member)。至於你剛提的更大觀點,生命經常被許多事情「斬斷」,例如颱風、地震……
尼爾:那不一樣。你說的這些是一種神的作為。
每一個事件,都是一種神的作為。 (Every event is an Act of God.)
你能想像有任何一個事件(event)是「我不要它發生」而它能發生的嗎?你認為如果我不想讓你的小拇指動,你能讓它動一下嗎?你們無法做任何我反對的事。
不過還是讓我們繼續一起探討這「錯」的死亡("wrongful" death,意思是指那些不該被殺死的人的死亡)的觀念吧。生命被疾病斬斷是「錯」的嗎?
尼爾:「錯」這個字不能用在這裡。那是自然導致的死亡。那和希特勒這樣的人屠殺人們致死,是不一樣的。
那麼意外呢?例如一個愚蠢的意外?
尼爾:一樣地。那是不幸,是悲劇,但那是神的意願 (Will of God) 。我們無法窺見神的心意,無法找出為何這種事情會發生。我們也不應去試探,因為神的意願(簡稱神意)是永遠不變的,是難懂的。尋求解開神聖的秘密是貪求人類知識能及之外的領域。那是有罪的。
你怎麼知道?
尼爾:因為如果神想要叫我們明白這一切,我們就會明白了。事實是我們並不明白——也無法明白——這便是證據,證明神意是要我們不明白。
我懂了。「你們不明白」的這事實,是個神意的證明。而「事情發生了」的這事實,卻不是神意的證明。嗯……(是這樣嗎?)
尼爾:我... (啊!...)
摘自《與神對話 II》第3章
Now your thought that Hitler was a monster is based on the fact that he ordered the killing of millions of people, correct?
Neale: Obviously, yes.
Yet what if I told you that what you call "death" is the greatest thing that could happen to anyone—what then?
Neale: I'd find that hard to accept.
You think that life on Earth is better than life in heaven? I tell you this, at the moment of your death you will realize the greatest freedom, the greatest peace, the greatest joy, and the greatest love you have ever known. Shall we therefore punish Bre'r Fox for throwing Bre'r Rabbit into the briar patch?
Neale: You are ignoring the fact that, however wonderful life after death may be, our lives here should not be ended against our will. We came here to achieve something, to experience something, to learn something, and it is not right that our lives be cut short by some maniacal hoodlum with insane ideas.
First of all, you are not here to learn anything. (Reread Book 1!) Life is not a school, and your purpose here is not to learn; it is to re-member. And on your larger point, life is often "cut short" by many things… a hurricane, an earthquake…
Neale:That's different. You're talking about an Act of God.
Every event is an Act of God.
Do you imagine that an event could take place if I did not want it to? Do you think that you could so much as lift your little finger if I chose for you not to? You can do nothing if I am against it.
Yet let us continue to explore this idea of "wrongful" death together. Is it "wrong" for a life to be cut short by disease?
Neale: "Wrong" isn't a word that applies here. Those are natural causes. That's not the same as a human being like Hider murdering people.
What about an accident? A stupid accident—?
Neale: Same thing. It's unfortunate, tragic, but that's the Will of God. We can't peer into God's mind and find out why these things happen. We ought not try, because God's Will is immutable and incomprehensible. To seek to unravel Divine Mystery is to lust for knowledge beyond our ken. It is sinful.
How do you know?
Neale: Because if God wanted us to understand all of this, we would. The fact that we don't—can't—is evidence that it is God's will that we don't.
I see. The fact that you don't understand it is evidence of God's Will. The fact that it happens is not evidence of God's Will. Hmmmm…
Neale: I....