Argument 1: The Democracy of our Conscience (Suneidesis)

Democracy

Our conscience (suneidesis)¹ is a democracy, sustained by thoughts for everyone’s well-being, so loving an enemy of our suneidesis² saves our democracy. This may sound counter intuitive until we see that our suneidesis is light only when we make others more important in it—without being against ourselves—the nature of love. Hating actions that are not for everyone’s well-being will not blind us, for it works from the light of our suneidesis.

Our suneidesis is in a state of blindness when we make ourselves or our group more important in it, being against anyone who challenges us, the seeds of hatred. As a result, we often are in a state of extreme complacency, thinking it is alright not to love outsiders, as long as we do not hate them. And sometimes loving them in our suneidesis is all we can do when their hatred makes it unwise to express this love for them in the world. At the same time though, expressing anger in the world ourselves, anger that works from this love for everyone’s well-being, when necessary, is wise, for such anger possesses the self-control to do no harm.

Those we love this way in our hearts, therefore, often do not know that we see them as more than just fellow citizens. We see them as part of the democracy of our suneidesis, albeit a part for blind members. But when they sense that we care for their well-being, as physically blind people sense, in time, it comes against the blindness in their suneidesis telling them that we are blind and not them, working against them in hatred.

The Principle of Suneidesis

We are all capable of deceiving ourselves, being incapable of knowing that we are spiritually blind. But we can quickly come out of it by honestly examining ourselves with the only absolute standard of suneidesis—to make all others more important without being against ourselves, the principle of suneidesis. Without it, we keep deceiving ourselves by telling each other in our groups how much we love each other and hate or at least do not love others, the antithesis of mature democracy. If we see, we do not judge others for this. We recognize blindness with compassion even when it is used against us, for the power of love and knowledge is greater.

Saving the democracy of our country requires that we use the principle to build the house of knowledge in our suneidesis, to save the democracy there first.

Question: Can we save our democracy? (Index)

1. Suneidesis is pronounced soon-eye-day-sis. After reading the link explaining it, you will see how central it is to this teaching. Using this foreign word regularly in discussions helps us get accustomed to experiencing something new and positive in our awareness. When the word conscience is used, it will refer to the aspect of suneidesis that involves right and wrong, but this aspect cannot be separated from our co-conscientious awareness of all things.

If I understand that my awareness of something as simple as a cup includes co-conscientiousness, I do not allow myself to get blinded by the cup alone but know it as part of all creation at the hands of the Creator or the universe, depending on one’s beliefs. I can easily picture people like Jesus doing that all the time and believe that suneidesis reveals that we all have the same potential.

2. The repetition of suneidesis is meant to challenge you to consider this dimension in your awareness. Apologies, but it will only be a necessary annoyance until it becomes natural.