The Brown Book Commentaries

―The world is ruled by allowing things to take their course.‖
~ Lao Tsu (Tao Te Ching #48)
A world is ―ruled‖ by refusing to rule -- by radically Loving all nearby with radical selflessness while
detaching from all outcomes; by letting those acts of Love takes their course … And then, after the last
witnessing of the last act of Love has gone its way, instead of slumbering or resting or watching or
waiting -- one stands up to Love again.
“Get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you to awaken these purposes: both
to serve and to testify to the things in which you have seen me … to open others‟ eyes, that they may
then turn from the darkness into the Light.” ~ unknown (Acts 26:16-18)
*First & foremost, it is critical to understand that this passage is not directly quoting Jesus Christ, but
rather shows Paul quoting a spiritual entity that he assumes was the spirit of Jesus Christ; a spirit that was
not only not the spirit of Jesus Christ, but in all likelihood was a spiritual opponent thereof. Consider the
following facts that support this claim: A) This particular account of Paul‘s supposed ―conversion‖ on
the Road to Damascus was told by Paul himself – a man with a proven penchant for passive-aggressive
manipulation – a man with a notably low level of self-esteem who frequently spoke to build himself up
with others, not to liberate them with Truth (see Acts 20:20-21, Romans 11:13-14 + Romans 15:17, 1
Corinthians 15:10 + 1 Corinthians 9:15, 2 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 2:1-4, 2 Corinthians 6:6-10, 2
Corinthians 7:2-10, 2 Corinthians 8:2-8, 2 Corinthians 8:24, 2 Corinthians 9:5, 2 Corinthians 11:7, 2
Corinthians 12:19-21, Galatians 1:24 & 1 Thessalonians 2:2+10 et al) … B) The entity that spoke to Paul
demanded that he ―testify to the things in which you have seen me‖ (i.e. the things he had ―looked upon‖
that day – see the Greek eides in Strong‘s #3708), and yet Luke (the author of Acts) points out that Paul
did not look directly at his mysterious visitor (indeed, he was cowering in fear with his eyes averted
instead – Acts 26:14), and that Paul was actually blinded for three days immediately after the encounter
(see Acts 9:8 & Acts 22:11) … C) Interestingly enough, after regaining his sight, Paul was then inspired
to go forth and preach a gospel that was directly opposed to The Way of Christ taught by Jesus Christ in
the Gospels (contrast 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 & Romans 10:9 with Matthew 10:7 & Matthew 24:12-14,
contrast Romans 6:5 with Luke 17:20-21, contrast Romans 14:9 with Luke 20:38, contrast Romans 8:3
with Mark 10:18, contrast Romans 8:3 with Matthew 9:13, contrast Romans 8:9 with John 12:47-48,
contrast Romans 12:2 with Matthew 17:24-27 & Matthew 22:15-22 et al) … D) Jesus actually warned us
all of false prophets like Paul (compare Matthew 15:13-14 with Galatians 1:14 & Philippians 3:4-5,
compare John 5:43 with Acts 13:9, and compare Matthew 24:26 with Acts 9 & Galatians 1:11-12) … E)
Jesus even described Satan‘s fall from Heaven in a way that was eerily similar to the way Paul described
his encounter with the blinding spirit on the Road to Damascus (Luke 10:18) … Secondly, and
independently of the aforementioned, note that having the wherewithal to stand on our own feet is always
a precursor to exuding real & selfless Love – which was the one thing Jesus wanted us all to Do; the one
thing required for us to Walk his Way and thereby enter his Kingdom (see Matthew 5:43-48, Matthew
7:21, Matthew 24:12-14 & Matthew 25:35-40 et al) … Finally, note as well that Jesus did not come to
directly save anyone (his words, not mine), but rather to ―open their eyes‖ to The Way of Christ – that
they might choose themselves to walk its gentle course, and save themselves thereby (see John 13:15-17).
―The depths of tomorrow have been nurtured in yesterday
… and are re-born in every moment.‖ ~ anonymous
This is not an affirmation of ―karma‖ per se, but rather something akin to it … Indeed, the law of
action & consequence is far more potent than we are taught – effecting every doer of every deed
emotionally during each action and physically at some point thereafter (both of them commensurately to
the relative degree of selfishness/selflessness of each deed … In addition, this quote indirectly references
the ―deathbed moment‖ encounter with which we are all destined to be ―blessed‖ – the dramatically
elongated final instant of consciousness when we experience profound Joy for the times when we
transcended instinct in favor of selfless Caring, and abject shame & raw regret for the times when we did
not. This latter dynamic serves to ―clean up‖ all the actions for which our ―karmic consequences‖ have
yet to accrue.
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