4. Apathy

"Those who might imagine they have become free from evil once they leave cruelty behind for a while have another thing coming to them. Evil again awaits them with a vapid smile of Apathy."

"It is interesting to observe that as we go up the Tree, evil appears to "tart itself up" according. The higher we climb, the more elegant or stylish evil seems. Here is a really harmless looking evil to keep humans quiet in the neatest way. Apathy. "Unfeelingness." Lack of interest. Not selective neutrality or "centering out," be it carefully noted, but sheer deliberate refusal to accept whatever responsibility is due from all living beings on behalf of others. Apathy, like cruelty, is a strong person's failing toward feebler creatures. The withholding of aid or comfort which could be of help to others in leading their lives lightward. It implies a callous indifference towards the needs of others who are seeking linkage with divine life. Apathy carefully ignores all calls for aid of whatever kind from fellow-beings attempting to raise themselves closer to divinity. It says tactily: "Even if I'm not holding you down I shan't offer you the least assistance in getting up.""

"What is important here is recognition of Apathy on this account. We have no warrant at all to interfere officiously in the lives of others, forcing our ideas down their throats "for their own good." Zealous and importunate missioning is only another form of spiritual coercion. Compulsion and coercion into conformity with codes imposed for the convience of the compellers usually stem from evil intentions. There is only one right way to rise upon the Tree of Life -by one's own efforts directed by inner intentions originating from a supreme self-source. Others can help this process by supplying the necessary extra energies as may best be needed. They can hinder by withholding or confusing these. Apathy is the former alternative."

"Apathy is not to be confused with careful non-invention in human affairs best left to work themselves out, or inaction due to respect for principles of privacy where competence in others is taken for granted. Its the lack of willingness to help life toward its highest objectives in others--or oneself. Indifference concerning one's own spiritual welfare is apathy of the worst kind. Those who are apathetic about their own inner conditions are not likely to care much about anyone else's. Inability should never be mistaked for apathy either. Apathy always stems from a refusal to employ capability in the cause of cosmos, thereby blocking the process of perfection in those concerned."
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TREE OF LIFE...................................................TREE OF EVIL
Mercy (compassion)..........................................Apathy (indifference)
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Nothing is too much...................1...................Everything is too much
trouble for anything.........................................trouble for nothing.

Don't let anything bother.............2...................Don't be bothered with
you.....................................................................anything.

Care for others that have.............3.................Care not for the cares of
none to care....................................................others.

Be merciful. Waste no.................4......................Waste no time being
time....................................................................merciful.

Where there is generosity.............5.................There is no necessity for
there is no necessity.........................................generosity.

Have compassion on the................6.................It is weak to have
weak..............................................................compassion.

Life should be too happy..............7.................Life is too wearing for
for weariness...................................................happiness.

Live,love and laugh...................8.................It is laughable to try
....................................................................loving life.

Answer anyone in need.................9..................Needless to answer
.......................................................................anyone.

Make efforts to help.................10.............Is it worthwhile making
anyone worthwhile....................................efforts to help anyone?
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Taken from "The Tree of Evil", William G.Gray, published by Samuel Weiser,
1974.Pages 46,107,108.
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