Smenkhkare

The world is in a state of turmoil. People at this time, live in great uncertainty and are very troubled. Sometimes, this turmoil erupts into violence against others.

Manichaean Nabataeans (Orthodox Atenists) are non-political.  They do not take sides in the matter of governments or property because that is not their focus - their focus is on the One God.

But in saying Atenists are not political, this doesn’t mean they turn a blind eye to the suffering caused by individuals or groups that believe their respective causes justify hurting and killing others.

In a war situation, where a country or people is fighting for their right to exist, opposed by a force determined to bring them to an end and this is objectively clear, not a subjective feeling or fear, then any country must do what it has to to keep its people safe. This is as God wills. Sometimes this will result in the loss of life, but every avenue must be pursued to ensure that the innocent are untouched. The innocent in this case are the men, women and children who are not involved with this struggle.

There are forces in this world that believe there are no innocents and that innocents and collateral damage are acceptable losses, if they achieve their so called “goals.”

This is unacceptable and this is against everything a Atenist believes in. Every man, woman and child has the right to live their life and not be conscripted into the chaos and violence of others.

Events in Iraq and Afghanistan have people losing their lives or the lives of loved ones, or have people in great pain and suffering, due to the actions of terrorists. The whole description of a terrorist is one who creates “terror.” This is the antithesis of compassion for others.

Even if the individuals enacting this violence point to previous issues in their history, regardless of when or to what extent, the injustice they perceive and the injustice they propose to enact on innocents today, are not related in the eyes of the One God. What happened to individuals in the past is one issue. What is subjected on individuals today is a whole other issue meaning in the eyes of Aten, there is no justification to warrant the violence and bloodshed unleashed upon the innocents of today.

This is not political. Terror knows no geography, bloodline or policy. Terror, once unleashed is demoniac. There is no rationale or justification in the Celestial Realms for one sentient being to put another sentient being through hell.

There are deep divisions in this world, beyond any one single person to solve. Many of these historic are generational and well beyond the capacity of any group to undo. But we are not being viewed by Aten, for our capacity to change or undo world events or to overthrow despots or regimes, we are being viewed, each of us individually, in how we treated others in our personal lives. Did we show love and compassion to others? Did we abstain from showing hatred and causing suffering in others?

It will be by these criteria God will judge each person.

The logical extension of love and compassion is to not cause suffering in this world, to other people, to animals, to the environment or to ourselves. To be a source of peace and light that others can depend upon in all situations.

(Based on the original article by Vizier)