Friends & Enemies

Our world and our place in it has been shaken by the tragic events of September 11. To those who suffer due to these events our hearts and prayers are with you. Our prayers are with spirit and understanding, empowered by the love and wisdom of the teachings of the Researchers of Truth. To join us in our efforts see the bottom of this page.

Daskalos lived and taught on the Greek Island off Cyprus, 65 miles of the coast of Lebanon where the clash between the different sects of the Muslims and Christians destroyed the city of Beirut and much of its population.. Daskalos had over 200 students there at the time and at the end of the conflict only two were left. In 1974, Muslims from Turkey invaded Cyprus killing and chasing the Greek-Cypriot Christians from their homes on the north side of the island to the south before UN troops halted the invasion. This left a UN controlled neutral zone called a green line dividing the capitol city of Nicosia – Daskalos’ home. Daskalos lost friends, family and students to this invasion and knew all too well the cost of nationalistic conflict. This forced division between Turkish-Cypriot Muslims and Greek-Cypriot Christians continues to this day on Cyprus.

In the following excerpt from the March 20, 1990 Stoa Lesson in which Daskalos speaks to this kind of conflict and the danger of energizing “national elementals”. ~ Daniel

Joshua Immanuel the Christ taught:

Lord Buddha taught:

To hate those who love you is devilish

To love those who love you is human

To love those who hate you is Divine

Hatred does not cease hatred at any time;

Hatred ceases by Love

What we feel at National Days [Greek Cypriot celebrations of their nation], we strengthen the same feeling in others that we call our enemies. So, we should be very, very careful in creating elementals. It is the group elementals but also the family elementals, the society elementals, and the national elementals. And all human beings now are slaves of these elementals of their own creation. And they are suffering due to that.

Now, there is something I would like to say. Our friends, (I will not call them Americans, English or anything) - what are these nations planning? What have they succeeded to do in Lebanon (Christians and Moslems)? They have planned everything and you see how much bloodshed is in Lebanon? Do you think they did not plan to do the same thing in Cyprus? Yes. Why didn't they succeed? (And certain people, they are wondering, even telling me about that.) Because we did not allow them to do it. There is a group of the innermost circle doing the work, flooding Cyprus with love, with the atmosphere of love. And there is not any clash between the Moslems and the Greek Cypriots. Only on two occasions, and that was not on national things but on love affairs. They are wondering, both sides, but we take out the fuse from the bombs all the time. But how do we succeed to do that? If those fellows in the group, I call them invisible helpers, had in them the least trace of hatred, they would not succeed to do that. But the life and blood of the Turkish and the life and blood of the Greeks are for us sacred in the same way. And now, we try to create Cypriot consciousness, for both of us, Christians and Moslems. You in Switzerland, you have succeeded in it, you have created the Swiss consciousness, and no matter if you are German-speaking, French-speaking or Italian- speaking, you are Swiss. This is what we try to do in Cyprus now. To create Cypriot consciousness, Turkish-speaking or Greek-speaking, Cypriots are Cypriots, brothers. They must live together. And they, I hope will succeed in the end.

So, thoughts have in them much power. A group of German friends from both sides, East and West, instructed by me are working. Didn't they tear down the Berlin Wall? [Built in 1961 to divide Communist East Germany and Democratic West Germany] Didn't they tell you it's needed much longer for that? What does this mean? We should work constructively. Because evil elementals can do much evil, but love elementals can do much good. Somebody will say "But you are a Cypriot and you speak about Cypriot consciousness, what do we care, we are Germans. Why do you do that? What do you care about the French?" Now, I said: nationalism is a very bad thing. You ask me what I am? I am a human. What is my country? The planet. What are the nations? Rooms in the same big construction in which my family lives, and my family is every human being.

What was our invocation at the beginning before starting the lesson? After saying the prayer what do I say? "God of Life, Love and Mercy, enlighten our minds to understand your Truth". Which truth? That all human beings are brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers. "Clean our hearts, all of our hearts, of all the human beings, to reflect Your love towards You, One God, and towards all other human beings". All. Without exception. We cannot have enemies. Shall we have friends? Neither enemies nor friends - have brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers belonging to the same family, human family. Belonging to the same house, the planet. Our house is the planet. So, we should have this in mind.

God raises the sun every morning for everybody. Not for a certain few. And all of us are breathing the vitality and oxygen in the air having the same right as phenomenon of life, living in our bodies. You have a common substance to live on. The atmosphere of the planet. So, all that should make us understand that all human beings are brothers and sisters. No friends, no enemies. This belongs to the world of opposites. Yes, of course, instead of enemies be friends, it's better. But, friends, without knowing the truth, slaves of the human egoism, are becoming enemies. Many friends are starting with a nice friendship, but because they are victims of their personal egoism, they become enemies. Brothers and sisters. Children, parents, fathers and mothers. But, after all, who said that? Christ. Christ said in the Bible (and it is in the Bible) "He who loves his father and his mother more than me". What does He mean? More than Love! Because, He is Love, Impersonal Love. "He is not worthy of me", worthy of the expression of Love. He didn't speak about his Present-Day Personality, because He said, "I am the Love in the world, and for him who follows me I will give him many children, fathers and mothers." Yes, for the one who reflects (his heart reflects) the Love of God towards all the human beings all the elderly people are his fathers and mothers, and all the people of about the same age are his brothers and sisters, and all juniors, boys and girls, are his children.

So, if you feel like that it doesn't mean to love your children less, but to love the others more. You are not depriving your children of the love you should give them. Love them to the utmost of your being able to love. The same goes for the others. So, we must have this in mind.

We belong to one family, the human family, and all human beings inhabit the planet, our common home. And our home is not in need of boundaries and wars of shame (or green lines which should go away). What our heart should express is only love. Something else: Do you think if you love, and you know how to love (not just egoistically but impersonally) - do you think anyone can injure you, become an enemy? So, it's very easy to make enemies, have it in your mind. It is more difficult to make friends. But, making friends is better than making enemies. And to make friends and stop making enemies, fight egoism in you. You can never be an egoist and know how to love properly. Something else. Evil is destroying evil. Goodness is strengthening goodness. Now, choose in which side you go. ~ DASKALOS

How you can help

Of related significance has been the recent recognition of communal prayer in affecting positive change over a given population. Tests have proven that if one per cent of a population collect in unison prayer a sharp change in behavior can be scientifically measured within that population. Such is the power of thought, such is the strength of love.

There is too much pain, sorrow and strife in the world. Many want to contribute to the amelioration of the wounds of humanity yet feel helpless. Across the globe there is a network of researchers who synchronize their prayers for world peace and harmony. You are welcome to join this community. ~ DASKALOS

Clean our hearts to reflect Your Love toward you and all other human beings. Our love is Your Love.