Is Justice Possible?

Humanity’s Search for Justice and Peace

Is true justice ever possible? By the time people ask this question, they usually have a handle on basic morality. They know the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

This moral finds a more specific expression in the two laws distilled from world traditions by historian Richard Maybury:

💎 Do all you have agreed to do, and
💎 do not encroach on other persons or their property.

Humanity has crafted ingenious legal systems to hold people accountable for infractions of these two fundamentals. Yet these systems fall short. Too often they render only feeble justice, scarcely catching up with the daily docket of offenses we see around us.

Earth as a Schoolroom for Spiritual Learning

We ask, Why is the world so brutal and chaotic? Is there hope for peace? Or does the world exist for a different purpose?

Universal peace is not the ultimate spiritual goal. Neither is perfect human justice. So then what is? Education. Earth is a schoolroom for the ongoing education of Souls.

Divine Justice Teaches Greater Love

Let’s not overlook that the Creator hard-wired a divine justice system into the way the universe works. It is called the Law of Karma. It doesn’t operate in ways obvious to the human mind, nor on our timetable. God’s time, not ours.

The purpose of divine justice is to help every person learn how to love as God loves. Although karmic consequences may often feel like punishment, the real purpose is to awaken Soul to Its godlike qualities. Happily, there is good karma too.

A Miracle Is a Changed Consciousness

All true learning comes from experience. Proclamations from parent, politician, or pastor only go so far. Actually, not very far. Thousands of years of moral codes, laws, books, and speeches decrying bad conduct have inched us forward on the scale of virtue—only to evaporate on the pages of the daily news.

Don’t get me wrong. Inspirational words help. Yet what can possibly improve the basic character of the human race?

That requires a spiritual change. It happens one person at a time. At one’s own time and pace. A miracle is a changed consciousness. This is the transformative process Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ delivers in its teachings and practices.

There are always new students in the classroom of life, immature Souls incarnating into this world. They get the same chance we’ve had. And like us, they exercise free will—often poorly. Until lessons get learned.

Taking a Spiritual Stance

Unjust, inhuman behavior occurs everywhere, all the time. (We tend to believe the latest examples are the worst.) Recently, I was asked if I would be taking a stance on current social and political problems.

Here is my stance: Make divine love your driving factor in all you say, think, feel, and do.

Responding to Injustice with Wisdom

But what if someone encroaches on us?

In such cases, we act on behalf of our highest good. It can mean removing ourselves from a situation or person. It can mean acting in lawful ways to prevent ongoing encroachment. Let reason and wisdom guide you.

Those who strike out with hate and anger are at an earlier stage of spiritual growth. Our own karmic history includes lifetimes in which we, too, trampled over the line of justice. With this broad perspective, we understand why people do the things they do—and what we once did in former lives. The good news: We made the change. Eventually others will too.

The Way to a New Era of Light and Hope

Is there any hope humanity will forever overcome its inhumanity? Don’t bet the farm on it. Don’t even bet your pocket change. What we can do is our part, whenever and wherever we can. Be the first to listen, to give, to love.

So how does Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ contribute to a better world?

It helps people fulfill their highest potential and destiny. It awakens the seeker to their spiritual identity: Soul, an eternal, creative atom of the One God.

When you come to that realization, you can’t help but be a light to the world. How you treat your neighbor then becomes your unique practice of the spiritual Law of Love. That is the way to a new era of light and hope—one person at a time.

About the Author

As the Living ECK Master, Sri Doug Kunin serves both as Eᴄᴋᴀɴᴋᴀʀ’s outer spiritual leader and as an inner guide for students in more than 120 countries. He focuses on helping people cultivate a direct, personal relationship with Divine Spirit and realize their highest spiritual potential. He emphasizes that the highest truth is written in every person’s heart, and that the purpose of the ECK teachings is to awaken the God knowledge already within each Soul.

Download the infographic for reflection and sharing.

Learn More

Explore karma, Soul, and the simple spiritual exercises that can help you become a light in the world. Visit Eckankar.org.

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