RE: What is the best way to move forward when faced with dissension within a community?
Wow! Quite an academic exercise. I must say this is intellectually and even spiritually stimulating.
Now to your questions. My experience with dissent within communities has been variegated. First, I observe that dissenting individuals who I choose to call "light bearers" are often vilified and castigated for their considered "aberrant" behaviours or beliefs. They are viewed as weird, unusual, and even devilish in some cases. Yet these are the people who dare to explore or investigate realms or spheres hitherto uncharted. I am not surprised at this common reaction within communities because it's a truism of human existence that what the mind of man cannot comprehend it fears or loathes.
This brings me to another point about communities - that the main fault of democracy is that the majority can be wrong because general opinion is not necessarily a proof of truth. I find out that the majority of people are actually ignorant.
When this interface is happening within communities there's usually rancour, division and downright hatred for the person(s) who have chosen to be different from the generality of others. The "light-bearer" either gets ostracised or shut down. In either situation, the community is the loser. On the other hand, this can only mean that the group karma forbids such community to enjoy the "light" at that time because the time just wasn't ripe yet.
In most cases, the community is able to survive the dissent but in a few cases, the community becomes divided to the point of being unable to stand on its feet. In such a situation, they disintegrate.
@d-pend: I must thank you for this insightful foray into group consciousness and behaviour. And listening alongside the reading brought some immediacy of enjoyment into the whole exercise. Keep it coming, man!
Hello @sungbojus, I'm finally getting caught up responding to these wonderful comments. Your musing is much appreciated and very well expounded. The fact that common views on things are most often incorrect is something that came as a huge shock to me during adolescence, making those years difficult to endure. In fact, it has not gotten so much easier, but I have been fortunate to connect with many like-minded individuals over the years who make the burden seem not-so-heavy.
I'm glad for your mentioning of group karma not being ready for what the iconoclastic light-bearer has to bring, because it honors free will and the proper timing of the universe. This becomes easier to find peace with as I get older and more patient. It's actually arrogant to attempt to force anyone to learn something before they are ready, not to mention inefficient!
There is definitely good reason that light-bearing individuals throughout human history have been ostracized, persecuted, and killed for exposing uncomfortable truths. Some of this was perhaps ignorance on the part of the truth-speaker, as well: lacking the discernment to know when to speak and when to remain silent. Finding a balance between expressing our principles clearly and having the wisdom to keep to ourselves is a meaningful practice as we mature through our present incarnation. May we all have the humility to ask the universe for guidance when it comes to these often-difficult decisions!
@d-pend
@sungbojus,
Very well written. Ideas beautifully articulated.
Quill