TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023 - DUALITY

 TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2023 - DUALITY

Duality is defined as an instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something; a dualism. "the photographs capitalize on the dualities of light and dark, stillness and movement".

I am a bit of a dualist. Light and dark; love and hate; war and peace; up and down; inside and outside; and (of course), many other such dual options!!  (See “Turn, Turn, Turn - below)

I have frequently used this Dorothy Day quote: ““I really only love God as much as I love the person I love the least.”

I say that means I cannot hate.  The person that I might have hated is labeled as the “person I love the least”.  But that doesn’t say I can hate them, but that I MUST love them - in the same way that I love God. 

But, I have experienced hate, which makes me better at love.  I have experienced forgiveness, which makes me better at understanding and forgiving others.

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In recent years, I’ve embraced the concept of a “WOW” Super God.  I found an estimate of 8 TRILLION galaxies. And, galaxies can have billions of stars (the Milky Way is estimated to have 300 million stars), and each star could have planets!!!  There is a SUPER GOD - and therefore there is a SUPER INFINITE LOVE!!!

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INFINITE LOVE - but the concept of dualism would also imply (gulp) infinite hate  I suppose that has to be true, but (Karen’s Axiom on Infinite Love) - “Love is infinite, hate isn’t quite as big as infinite love”.  (Okay, I have no idea if that is true, but I sure hope so).  

God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4:16)

INFINITE LIGHT

From 1 John 1:5, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all.”

If I assume duality, there is infinite light and infinite darkness.  But (Karen’s Axiom on Infinite Light) - “God’s Light is infinite, darkness isn’t quite as big as Infinite light”.  From the verse above, there is no darkness in God.

There is NO darkness in God.  If God is Infinite Love, and God is Infinite light - then love and lightness coexist - and darkness is banned from God’s Kingdom.

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Let’s look at the Byrds' hit from the 1960s - Turn, Turn, Turn

To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything turn, turn, turn

There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under Heaven

A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
It a time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate|
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose

A time to rain, a time of sow

A time for love, a time for hate

A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

This is a version of Proverbs 3:1-8:

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Duality says we can appreciate love more - because we have experienced hate; we can appreciate light more - because we have experienced darkness.

We can appreciate peace more - because we have known war

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BUT, (Karen interjects), Love, light, peace, and happiness triumph over hate, darkness, war, and depression.  

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In most religious philosophies, there are celebrations - and there are times of deprivation. Christianity has Easter following Lent.  Jewish experiences have the celebration of Passover and the day of atonement (Yom Kippur). 

Dualism.  

Do I need to experience both extremes?  (I’d prefer to only experience the good extreme).  Do I need to cry to laugh and love?  Do I need to experience war to enjoy peace so much more?

I do know and believe that:

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, APRIL 11, 2023