Among the schools of the new thought there appears a division of opinion as to the practicability of the famous counsel of the Man of Nazareth. “ I say unto you that ye resist not evil.” Many writers emphasize “Resist not” — and demonstrate its power by overcoming much evil in the forms of sin and sickness. Others affirm its impracticability, citing the thousands of invalids who have prayed for years, “ Thy will be done,” —and remain invalids, or have died; also the thousands who have suffered unresistingly and continued injustices and go the “way of all flesh,” suffering to the end.
The latter class of thinkers affirms that “Resist not” is religion, not science. Unless science and religion have a common meeting place—point of reconciliation—either science or religion must be fake since truth cannot contradict itself. Probably neither school is willing to say the other is entirely mistaken, and thus it becomes necessary to find a philosophy for such fundamental statements as the one mentioned, a philosophy which shall prove the science of religion and the religion of science.
All schools will agree that all force is mind or thought force and that a higher force will “overcome” or change to its own mode of vibration, a lower force. Each degree of force in the universe is negative to higher forces.
Resistance as indicated by its etymology is a property of the negative force in every operation of forces. It is the power which anything has to withstand the application of other force. It is cohesion. It is conservatism or the desire to remain as it is. In order to overcome any given thing, it is necessary to apply a force great enough to, firstly, Overcome its desire to remain as it is, and secondly, to convert it into something higher than it already is—higher because there can be only progression. The word “overcome” suggests that something is caused to COME OVER, as from one state to another.
“Evil” is a relative force compared with degrees of itself, and NEGATIVE to good, it being force as long as there is anybody ignorant enough to THINK it into existence. When it is no longer believed, it will no longer exist, hence the “nothingness of evil.”
The wholesale slaughter of enemies was once called “good,” but now it is “ evil.” Arbitration is “ good” today and will be an “evil” tomorrow because it presupposes dispute. Slaughter could not be overcome by resistance. It is as if one mountain said to another, “ I will roll over on you and annihilate you,”—if he kept his word he would simply make a larger article of the same kind.
In order to overcome “ evil,” or negative force, it is useless to fight it upon its own plane— topple one mountain upon another— take a second eye because one has been injured—make one tooth “ pay for another, both of which are thus lost—kill a second man for murdering a first.
Evil can only be overcome by applying a higher force—one which is able to overcome its desire to remain as it is. Its resistance and at the same time change its quality. Thus “ a soft answer turneth away wrath.”
Jesus names the higher thought force which shall overcome and change all negative or evil forces, in the verses succeeding the ones referring to non-resistance. He calls it LOVE, which is God, and Paul gives its qualities in Corinthians.
How is this force to be applied in order to overcome the negative? The first step toward thinking it must be an understanding of faith in its power. “Faith cometh by hearing,” and grows into knowledge by practice. LOVE is freedom, a flowing forth of divine energy into consciousness, or existence. Love never resists. Resistance is bondage—analyze your own feelings when in a state of resistance and you will film a tightening of nerves and muscles and “sorrow of heart.” Love “taketh no account of evil.” but flows freely and confidently, transforming all with which it comes into touch. Prove tins for yourself and have faith in the power of Love.
The reason so many have practiced non-resistance—and died, practicing it still—is that they have not understood that LOVE would overcome the painful conditions. The “ Thy will be done,” has had somehow a wretched belief tacked to it. that Love, or God. desires people to suffer. They simply succumbed to the negative instead of applying the positive force. Better resistance than this. Non-resistance ALONE means defeat always. Non-resistance with faith in the power of love to overcome evil, is victory assured.
An understanding of faith in the power of love to convert all things to itself will cause the consciousness to be freed entirely from the negative. or unbelieving, state of resistance, and filled and overflowing with freedom and joy and power.
Christian Metaphysics.