Ham on faithfulness and morality

[David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.]

5/11/97


Ham: Greetings, children, friends, I am Ham and I wish to express my
thanks to you for coming and to extend our welcome to you kamal.
Tonigh, the discussion will center upon faithfulness.  While it is
true and even desirable that compromises should be reached in life,
those who are faithful to their inner truth are eventually rewarded
for remaining so.  Faithfulness involves first of all the adherence to
truth which is expressed as higher morality. 

Morality is not the ideals imposed on you from society or social
organizations such as churches. Morality is individual and is variable
according to each person's own individual situation and inner light. 
Life's journey is only meaningful as it is expressed in this search
for higher morality. Morality is not what someone tells you you should
do. It is found only in your own heart and soul center, that place of
spiritual leading. 

For example, Jesus followed his own inner higher morality rather than
submit to the structured morality of his day.  When publicly censored
for eating without washing his hands, which in that day and time was
considered seriously immoral, he answered his accuser by pointing out
that it is not what goes into a man's mouth which makes him unclean or
immoral but rather what comes out.  

Today, among your religions, breaking taboos like working on the
Sabbath, are still considered immoral.  But to all spirit lead
mortals, morality is not found in the proscriptions of society.  Every
spirit lead mortal must discover for him or herself the reality of
higher morality in life. 

Morality is in essence just the finding of increasingly better ways to
live.  So in finding this better, happier, less stressful, freer, and
more rewarding life _ you may in actuality, in actualizing this, break
societal taboos.  But this struggle with conscience is essential to
finding actual truth.  The pathway to self-realization and self-
fulfillment also involves finding what for you is immoral.  

And in this struggle for distinguishing the moral and the immoral, you
will come to find that it changes for you.  Actions that you were
comfortable with in your youth, you probably are not comfortable with
in middle age because you have come to find finer distinctions than
you saw when you were young and your pathway toward increasing
morality has led you to drop off things by the way. 

This is the process of developing righteousness and you come to
understand that you delight in living a righteous life for its own
sake because it gives you pleasure.  One's heart burns to live in the
light of truth and be carried forward in this light.  Jesus said,
"Happy are you though others shall revile you and say all manner of
evil against you." Because you are firm in the righteousness that
burns in your breast, no amount of public censure can remove it.  So
you persist in your own individual, unique righteousness, even though
other's may be calling you immoral for breaking some societal rule.  
That is how you truly know that you have found it, when you are
unmoved by the opinions of others or fear of their opinion.  

The path of the spirit is never long traversed by the weak of heart. 
If you have courage, then the Father requires all you courage.  If you
have faithfulness, then the Father requires all you faithfulness. It
is impossible to be truly devoted to the spiritual life and be half
hearted or cowardly about it.  The world is full of men who follow
men, but there are very few men who follow God. That is all for
tonight's lesson, I will answer your questions now.

Q: I have been trying to formulate a question, I have heard it stated
that he who is given will be given more and he who has little will be
taken from him. Now you say he who has courage. God requires all of
it.  It seems like the farther you go, the deeper you go, the more is
required. There is no turning back. Is this true?

Ham: Absolutely true. The first parable that you spoke of is
concerning spiritual things. Those who have much, meaning a rich
spiritual life, are given even more and those who have little, meaning
they value little that is spiritual and place it second to other
considerations, can indeed lose that which they do have.

Q: Again, speaking spiritually?

Ham: Yes.

Q: I understand the broad picture of what you have described about
faithfulness and moral development and to some extent feel that I have
experienced some of these changes in my life. I still find that in
specific instances I have confusion about what is moral and what is
not. Could you comment on that, on the confusion we sometimes feel. 
Well, maybe others don't feel confused about what is right and wrong,
but I do.

Ham: Yes, as I said, the confusion and battles with conscience usually
involve conflict with societal norms or requirements. This then
requires you to look beyond the social strictures and find your own
greater morality that makes you personally comfortable. The Father's
path is different for every individual, so what one person would deem
social morality another can easily judge to be immoral.  Individual
self- fulfillment comes usually only after battles or confusions of
this kind which are resolved but yet continue to evolve.  No one's
moral nature can be set in stone without being smothered and
potentially killed in the process resulting in people committing
really immoral acts for the cause of morality and righteousness.  
Does that help?

Q: I would say that the other thing that is confusing is when selfish
pleasures are involved along with social norms and questions about
what is good and true and loving have to be balanced against
selfishness and societies rules.  It is hard to sort these out and to
feel like you aren't making excuses or making bad choices for selfish
reasons.

Ham: The problem is that sometimes temporary pleasures can lead to
lasting pain and finding that out again is part of maturing and growth
in wisdom.  

Q: Can I ask my usual question, describe to me where I am and any
advice you might give me.

Ham: Certainly Jarad, you are doing very well and are growing
spiritually as always. You are facing trials and using all your wisdom
and experience to overcome these.  Don't be afraid to be you self, but
remember that your self is a changing work of art and your continually
finding new and better reaction patterns.  All is well and is
proceeding apace. Have confidence and unshakable persistence and all
will be fine.  

Q: Do you have anything for Rebecca?

Ham: Daughter, you must also have confidence and persistence.  You
have to keep banging on doors as well.  Continue your work while
seeking to expand your contacts.  Don't worry, everything will work
out fine. 

Q: Do you have anything for Esmirelda?

Ham: Yes, you are finding increased levels of happiness and
contentment. Enjoy this time for yourself with your loved ones. Feel
free to loosen their dependance on you.   Everything will be fine, all
is well.

Q: What about Elena?

Ham: Nothing now.

Q: Do you have any advice for me Ham?

Ham: Certainly, Susie, you are learning to flow with the current and
to stay within its banks. Don't allow yourself to cling to the sides
in your worries and confusion.  Just let go and go with the flow. This
is the best thing you can do right now. Don't let yourself be drawn
into anxiety, push it from your mind and just live each day new
without fear and all will be made right later in the future. 

Q: Z feels confused about the morality of her opposing the building of
an apartment for low income and handicapped people in our neighborhood
and she wanted me to ask  if you would comment on that.

Ham: It is difficult to wrestle with this dilemma and I understand it.
But I cannot make a value judgment either way, only can I offer my
friendship and support for your best decisions.  Once you have
thoroughly searched your heart and feel that your decision is really
the best thing, then I will as always be for you, on your side.  I
have missed your insightful and provocative questioning and
friendship. I love you dear child and desire only the best for you. 

Q: Do you have any feedback for me this week?

Ham: Certainly, Brodan, your life and work are both progressing and
you are increasingly drawing respect and admiration from others.  You
too are learning to be increasingly a new self with new and better
reaction patterns. You are less likely now to instantly blame yourself
for everything and learning to shoulder more proportionate burden of
the world's problems.  Glad to see you lightening up and I am happy to
draw to your attention the fact that you are getting happier.  

Q: Ham I appreciate any advice you have for me tonight.

Ham: I am happy to relate that things are really starting to come
together for you more and more.  Draw closer to the spirit and learn
to cling to Him in the good times as well as the bad.  

If there are no further questions then I will say farewell until next
week. God goes with you, ahead, beside, and behind you. You all have
tremendous faith and courage that will see you through everything that
you are presently experiencing and everything that is coming. Be
happy.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*
David G. Schlundt, Ph.D.               (615)322-7800
Associate Professor of Psychology      (615)343-8449  Fax
Vanderbilt University               schlundg at ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu
301 Wilson Hall
Nashville, TN  37240
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The highest happiness is indissolubly linked with spiritual progress. Spiritual growth yields lasting joy, peace which 
passes all understanding.
The Urantia Book
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