Copy of the Live Service given 11/1112012 - Sunday by Rev. Akkarin
Hello everyone. I welcome you to tonight’s live service. Today as I would imagine most here know is known as ‘Armistice Day’ which is also known as ‘Remembrance Day’, ‘Poppy Day’ and in America ‘Veterans Day’
This is in remembrance of the 37 million casualties (including 16 million deaths) of both soldiers and civilians in World War 1
The reasons behind World War 1 are many and varied. Europe is an old country with history going back thousands of years so it cannot be down to one single event that caused the war to begin. Of course there was the assassination of Austrian archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife but that was just the spark that began it all. The causes were many, that just pushed it all a little too far over the edge
What happened afterwards of course is well known…
The question I ask is: “Was it worth it?”
Was the war really worth it in the end? The lives of tens of millions of people were not only ended but irreparably ruined, in many cases, for the rest of their lives…
Was it really worth it?
I want today to send out a message of humility
If those involved in the commencement of World War 1 had greater humility do you think this might have still happened?
Of course the casualties were greater than what was normally had in part due to simple ignorance and stupidity in military tactics
In the British comedy TV show “Blackadder Goes Forth”, Captain Blackadder was discussing battle plans with General Melchett. Blackadder said this: “Ah, would this brilliant plan involve us climbing out of our trenches and walking very slowly towards the enemy sir?”
A plan General Melchett later described as “The last thing they will be suspecting.”
But let’s think for a moment. Even if this dreadful stupidity didn’t take place was it still worth it?
Our allies were under attack and so we had to help defend them. But did that justify it all?
If we refused to help them then we would have betrayed them. Maybe there are long-term consequences of such actions? But who knows… what I do know is that through a various set of agreements and competitive stances over 37 million people suffered
Sometimes we can get too caught up on what we think is important in our lives… and we can very often be wrong
Sometimes I think, even if we have been certain beforehand, that we should reconsider our actions…
Are we really acting with the best interests, of ourselves and those around us, in our hearts?
I think that sometimes a little personal sacrifice can prevent a vast amount of damage…
That might be in the form of letting go of our stubbornness, our arrogance, our self-righteousness and our self-importance…
The world is bigger than us and we should learn to respect it before we act rashly. Our actions have effects and these affect more people than we could possibly know. Maybe if we stop thinking so highly of ourselves and our missions and instead step back and think we could save humanity and the universe a great deal of trouble…
We are really, as Carl Sagan was known for thinking, on an unremarkable pale blue dot…
Do not let others suffer from your own inflated ego…
Act with humility…
I would now like you all to watch the following video. This video reminds me of how great and wonderful our world really is and how we should remind ourselves that we really have no ultimate or grand superiority over anything as complex and wonderful as the universe
I think we should all try to remember not only, what is very much, our own inferiority, but also a need for humility when faced with living in our world
At the end of the video I will bid you all farewell and the service will be concluded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV-hSgL1R74
I would prefer to pass on saying the creed and instead offer the time to you all to think over your own humility and how sometimes the best choice in a situation can be at personal sacrifice
May The Force be with you all, Always
