"Better the devil you know than the devil you don't" is a possible (and probably very common) response to the manipulation and coercion of the birdemic peck agenda.
When confronted by threats of imminent job loss or other pecuniary punishments, people are quick to cling to the devil they know - income, security, stability - than try their luck with the devil they don't - unemployment, insecurity, instability.
Though I imagine most who have resisted the peck until now understand that succumbing to the peck agenda in order to preserve a livelihood is a bad situation in and of itself, I suspect many end up complying because they believe the situation that awaits them if they don't comply will be infinitely worse.
In all fairness, from a purely material perspective, it very well might be.
But this immediately begs the question about what qualifies as worse.
Now some people - families with small children, those with limited job opportunities or skills, whatever - may not have a great deal of wiggle room when it comes to walking away from jobs or being sacked from livelihoods over the peck.
At the same time, I get the sense that the old adage about devils you know and devils you don't amounts to a wrong approach to the peck agenda challenge.
To begin with, there is something inherently dispiriting about the "devil you know and devil you don't" paradigm because it automatically removes the potential of a good or better situation should people willingly choose to abandon the devil they know.
From a Romantic Christian perspective, I believe it is deeply wrong to conceptualize one's circumstances as being stuck between two devils for the simple reason that it completely removes God from the equation.
In simple terms, the devil you don't know is a knee-jerk reaction against faith and creativity. It immediately negates faith in the possibility that a good decision (refusing the peck to save job that may not be all that good anyway) might actually lead one from a bad situation (an employer using coercive tactics to force you to do something you don't want to do) to a good or better situation (another job where you may not have to endure such things or perhaps another way of earning income that might land you in better circumstances).
Material considerations aside, it also sidesteps the spiritual "better" that arises should one decide to abandon the devil they know.
The devil you don't know is also an affront against spiritual creativity, which entails a certain degree of risk-taking in order to think and act creatively in harmony with divine creation.
Within the devils paradigm, the devil you know represents the comfort, security, and familiarity of the System as well as the call to stay with the System, but of what good is the comfort, security, and familiarity if the price you are being asked to pay for it includes being manipulated and coerced by the System toward something you know to be wrong and evil?
Once again, I understand that not everyone is free to choose in this situation, but I suspect many are far freer to choose than they present themselves to be.
Instead of "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" why not think in terms "worse the devil I know that the angel I don't".
Yeah, the phrase has a kind of cheesy Hallmark card quality to it, but there's nothing cheesy about the message the phrase conveys.
Why stick with a bad situation you know? Why not have some faith in God and yourself and take a chance at something potentially better?
The essence of spiritual creativity is simple. Our thoughts and actions help God's ongoing work in Creation. When we align our thoughts and actions with God, when we harmonize our creativity with His, we have the potential to become co-creators. But we should approach this as a duty rather than an option.
If we take a chance at something better and work toward it, we provide God with the room and tools needed to help make that something better a reality. We also have the opportunity to add something to creation that God may not be able to add on His own.
If we cannot take a chance at something better, we can repent and use our powers to work toward something better in the bad situation that is the devil we know. Within this context, the act of repentance alone is already a major victory for the side of God and Creation.
Either way, each is a step toward harmony with God, which is a prerequisite of creativity and co-creation.
Co-creation is a calling from God. When it comes to the realization of His Divine Plan, He needs us just as much as we need Him.
Note added: What I have outlined above should not be confused with material, worldly lines of thinking like "the power of positive thinking", which Dr. Charlton lucidly addressed in a post today.
Aligning ourselves with God through repentance and creativity is about spiritual learning and working with God toward the co-creation of a better spiritual present and future. Since the spiritual encompasses the material, this may lead to better or improved material outcomes. On the other hand, it may not. Either way, in terms of priorities and motivations, the co-creation of better and improved spiritual outcomes must take precedence over better or improved material outcomes.
When confronted by threats of imminent job loss or other pecuniary punishments, people are quick to cling to the devil they know - income, security, stability - than try their luck with the devil they don't - unemployment, insecurity, instability.
Though I imagine most who have resisted the peck until now understand that succumbing to the peck agenda in order to preserve a livelihood is a bad situation in and of itself, I suspect many end up complying because they believe the situation that awaits them if they don't comply will be infinitely worse.
In all fairness, from a purely material perspective, it very well might be.
But this immediately begs the question about what qualifies as worse.
Now some people - families with small children, those with limited job opportunities or skills, whatever - may not have a great deal of wiggle room when it comes to walking away from jobs or being sacked from livelihoods over the peck.
At the same time, I get the sense that the old adage about devils you know and devils you don't amounts to a wrong approach to the peck agenda challenge.
To begin with, there is something inherently dispiriting about the "devil you know and devil you don't" paradigm because it automatically removes the potential of a good or better situation should people willingly choose to abandon the devil they know.
From a Romantic Christian perspective, I believe it is deeply wrong to conceptualize one's circumstances as being stuck between two devils for the simple reason that it completely removes God from the equation.
In simple terms, the devil you don't know is a knee-jerk reaction against faith and creativity. It immediately negates faith in the possibility that a good decision (refusing the peck to save job that may not be all that good anyway) might actually lead one from a bad situation (an employer using coercive tactics to force you to do something you don't want to do) to a good or better situation (another job where you may not have to endure such things or perhaps another way of earning income that might land you in better circumstances).
Material considerations aside, it also sidesteps the spiritual "better" that arises should one decide to abandon the devil they know.
The devil you don't know is also an affront against spiritual creativity, which entails a certain degree of risk-taking in order to think and act creatively in harmony with divine creation.
Within the devils paradigm, the devil you know represents the comfort, security, and familiarity of the System as well as the call to stay with the System, but of what good is the comfort, security, and familiarity if the price you are being asked to pay for it includes being manipulated and coerced by the System toward something you know to be wrong and evil?
Once again, I understand that not everyone is free to choose in this situation, but I suspect many are far freer to choose than they present themselves to be.
Instead of "better the devil you know than the devil you don't" why not think in terms "worse the devil I know that the angel I don't".
Yeah, the phrase has a kind of cheesy Hallmark card quality to it, but there's nothing cheesy about the message the phrase conveys.
Why stick with a bad situation you know? Why not have some faith in God and yourself and take a chance at something potentially better?
The essence of spiritual creativity is simple. Our thoughts and actions help God's ongoing work in Creation. When we align our thoughts and actions with God, when we harmonize our creativity with His, we have the potential to become co-creators. But we should approach this as a duty rather than an option.
If we take a chance at something better and work toward it, we provide God with the room and tools needed to help make that something better a reality. We also have the opportunity to add something to creation that God may not be able to add on His own.
If we cannot take a chance at something better, we can repent and use our powers to work toward something better in the bad situation that is the devil we know. Within this context, the act of repentance alone is already a major victory for the side of God and Creation.
Either way, each is a step toward harmony with God, which is a prerequisite of creativity and co-creation.
Co-creation is a calling from God. When it comes to the realization of His Divine Plan, He needs us just as much as we need Him.
Note added: What I have outlined above should not be confused with material, worldly lines of thinking like "the power of positive thinking", which Dr. Charlton lucidly addressed in a post today.
Aligning ourselves with God through repentance and creativity is about spiritual learning and working with God toward the co-creation of a better spiritual present and future. Since the spiritual encompasses the material, this may lead to better or improved material outcomes. On the other hand, it may not. Either way, in terms of priorities and motivations, the co-creation of better and improved spiritual outcomes must take precedence over better or improved material outcomes.
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