Synopsis
"So far, God has written all the books. We have not yet heard the Devil's side of the story" (Samuel Butler). "Opposition is true friendship" (William Blake). Halliday says it may be safer to modify this to "Good willed opposition aimed at the disclosure of essential truth is true friendship", but there is a danger of falling into the position of the 'do-gooder'. In his story, the angels prefer to keep their habitual roles and feel that all in eternity should remain the same. Under their T-shirts, bearing the silver slogan "We have a common source", are hidden unique talents which God has given them, but which they have no intention of allowing expression which may be dangerous and disturb their heavenly bliss. But one angel dissents and voices his distaste for their lack of courage. He sees that although in relation to the infinite God all finite creatures may seem equal, in relation to each other, there is inequality, for God has given each individual unique character and talent to enrich and glorify the whole creation. This dissenting angel, Lucifer the Light-Bearer, offers to the other angels a Satanic, diabolic demonstration of the real meaning of God's creation of the world. He is aware of the danger of becoming a 'do-gooder' attempting to cure the 'good' angels of the fruitless, eternal, repetitive praising which they do not even understand. In his self-sacrificial fall like lightning from heaven, comprehended by Jesus before time began, the Devil-Lucifer, whose divinely appointed duty it is to tempt us to choose our own individual orientation is saying to the not-so-bright angels, and to all of us, "Praising is raising". Each being is unique in talent, and it is for each of us to demonstrate this uniqueness, "and so bring into the world some good new thing, for the great delight of the All of which we are modalities".
About the Author
Eugene Halliday (1911-1987) was an accomplished artist, writer and speaker. He was a teacher of philosophy and a proponent of both the idea and the fact that each and every individual is essentially responsible for the life in which they are centred; and that they owe it to themself to develop that life. He taught that self-conscious reflexion and integrated focusing of one’s energies will allow the individual to become aware of an internal life force which is its own real and natural authority. Halliday’s parents were in the theatre and he had an unusual upbringing which supported his interest in, and ability to understand, relate and interpret concepts of philosophy, psychology, the scriptures of major religions and the science of his day. From 1928 he studied at the Manchester School of Art and exhibited work at the Manchester Academy of Fine Arts. During WW2 he was a conscientious objector and became the catalyst for a community of creative people, some of whom had emigrated from Nazi Germany. He was the founder of two organisations, the International Hermeneutic Society (I.H.S.) and the Institute for the Study of Hierological Values (Ishval). He continued to write, lecture and teach until his death in 1987. He was a man wholly dedicated to the development of the potential of his fellow beings―which was his definition of Love.
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