Dance of the Blessed Spirtis from the opera “Orpheus and Eurydice” by Gluck

Resistance to Evil by Spirit

The Fairest City is the Enemies’ Vexation by Nicholas Roerich. 1912 	1. "We continually send thoughts about kindness, action, and labor. There cannot be kindness without action. There cannot be any good where there is no labor. There will be no kindness where there is no opposition to evil. There will be no kindness if we do not accept the responsibility to discern evil, to recognize corruption, and do not lose the possibility of bringing Light. Beautiful are the words, “Light disperses darkness.” However, Light must be brought, and this action in itself is full of self-abnegation. … Thus, let us be fully on guard so that the good may not suffer any loss." [Supermundane, 57]

 

2. "Resistance to evil is one of the fundamental qualities of those who are in search of Hierarchy. Physical qualities will not give tenacity against evil, but the spirit and the fire of the heart will create an armor against the cunning of evil. But how to understand evil? Certainly, first of all, it is destruction. But replacing an old house with a new and better one will not be destruction. By destruction is meant dissolution leading to an amorphous state. One must know how to oppose such destruction. One should find the strength of spirit to overcome the cowardice inherent in non-resistance." [Hierarchy, 378]

 

3. "If on entering a house you noticed a viper on the host’s table, what would you do? Would you think the matter over, while the snake attacked your friend, or would you decide at once to crush it? We say—save your friend from evil. Do not becloud your head with perplexity, but act for the good. One cannot put on the same scale a man and a snake. It is impossible to put on the same level the lower consciousness and the temple of consciousness. If we cease to discriminate, where will be our responsibility before the world? He is no hero who spares the snake and loses a friend. Not a hero is he who evades his duty while offering excuses. Not a hero is he who does not distinguish between the great and the small. Not a hero is he who has lost the measuring rod of the heart." [Fiery World II, 105]

 

4. "If the law of karma itself is immutable (namely, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth), then we ourselves should not assume the fulfillment of this law, because otherwise we will not get out of the enchanted circle of karma. We should "forgive our enemies...", because who among us can know that the blow received by him is not a well-deserved reverse blow of karma? And by returning this blow with revenge to the heart, we thereby do not exhaust karma, but continue it and even strengthen it in a difficult direction for us. In addition, forgiving enemies, we will not increase the amount of evil in space and we will make ourselves impervious to many blows. In the same spirit, it is necessary to understand the words "love your enemies," etc. But we must resist evil if we do not want to be flooded by a wave of evil. There are many ways to resist evil, and above all by the forces of the spirit; ...repulse the enemy, inflicted without malice in the heart, ... a hundred times more powerful." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 2. 040]

 

5. "Christ himself effectively rebelled against evil... Let us recall his expulsion of the merchants from the Temple and all his harsh denunciations of the Pharisees and scribes." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 2. 040]

 

6. "Resistance to evil must be laid at the foundation of every construction. ...What did Christ Himself do? Did He not drive out the merchants in the Temple with a whip? And how severely He rebuked the Pharisees and scribes! Will we reproach Him for contradicting himself, understanding His words "forgive your enemies" as non-resistance to evil? No, it's time to illuminate the Teaching of Christ in its true sense… In all the Teachings it is forbidden to pay evil for evil, but everywhere righteous indignation and spiritual resistance to evil are indicated. Everywhere they talk about the Sword of the Spirit and about the highest Justice. Only cowardice can see justice in the connivance and acceptance of the trampling by dark [ignorant people] of all that is light." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 2. 110]

 

7. "Unfortunately, it is customary to consider the Teaching of Christ as the teaching of non-resistance to evil. This is the greatest misconception. It was Christ who severely rebuked every evil, every hypocrisy and negligence for good. But it is necessary to be able to recognize where resistance to evil is possible and what measures are applicable in each case, unreason in choosing them can lead to even greater disaster or corruption." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 6. 114]

 

8. "Good cannot call for violence, but it must defend itself, it must be able to fight and resist evil, otherwise evil will flood the world." [Letters of Helena Roerich in 9 Volumes - 7. 150]

 

 

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