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Master's
article:
The Path to the Sun
by the Master —, through Benjamin Creme
It is often to be observed that people do not always believe the evidence of their own eyes.
Hence the rejection of many experiences which would have been valuable to them as they search
for meaning and purpose in their lives. It is common, for example, that many disbelieve that
they have seen a UFO, as they are generally known, when all evidence shows otherwise. People are
loath to embrace the new and unknown, however much to do so it might be to their benefit. In
this way, they inhibit their awareness and growth. For many years now, the craft emerging from
our sister planets have roamed our skies, done immeasurable service on our behalf, and, from
time to time, given ample and inspiring evidence of their reality and presence. In ones and twos
and untold numbers, they have worked selflessly to mitigate, within the karmic Law, the harmful
results of our foolishness and ignorance. Many on Earth have seen them, have stood in awe and
wonder at their obvious mastery of space, and, fearful of ridicule, kept silence. Thus the
knowledge of their reality and the grateful understanding of their purpose has been lost to men.
Why should this be so? Why should men reject that which is most to their betterment to accept
and understand?
Fear
There are several reasons why men behave so unreasonably in this way. Chief among them is fear.
The great numbing fear of possible destruction lies deep within the human psyche, ready to rise
and condition all reactions, all spontaneous gestures of hope and wonder. It has, alas, always
been so for many. The governments and the media of most countries have failed in their duty to
educate and enlighten the masses. Much is known by many governmental agencies and withheld from
the public. Above all, the harmlessness of the UFO, even when known, is never affirmed. On the
contrary, everything concerning them, while wrapped in vague mystery, is presented as threat.
People in positions of power and control know that if their people knew the true nature of the
UFO phenomenon, and understood them to be envoys from civilizations far ahead of ours, they
would no longer accept, passive and mute, the conditions of life on Earth. They would demand
that their leaders invite these aerial guests to land openly, and to teach us how to live and
achieve in the same fashion.
Knowledge
The time is not far off when this will be the case. The time is coming when the true nature of
life on planets other than Earth will be common knowledge; when men will begin to think of the
Solar System as an interrelated whole, the planets at various points in evolution, but all
working together to fulfil the Plan of the Solar Logos, and to help and sustain each other on
the way.
(Read more articles by the Master)
Questions &
Answers:
Q. Could your Master please say how many millions of people demonstrated around the world
on 20 March 2004 — the first anniversary of the US/UK attack on Iraq? Did Maitreya and/or any of
the other Masters join in the marches?
A. Fifteen million. Yes. Maitreya marched in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Rome,
Madrid and New York.
Q. On 11 March 2004 in Madrid, Spain, there were multiple terror bombings on the commuter
train system that left at least 200 dead and more than 1,200 injured. It is the biggest terror
attack in a European country in peace time. Was the attack perpetrated by the Basque separatist
group ETA or by an Islamic group due to the Spanish involvement in the war against Iraq?
A. My information is that it was a fringe group of ETA. That is why the main ETA group denied
responsibility.
Q. If ETA was responsible for the Madrid bombing, (1) did they plan the attack alone? (2)
Did they execute the bombing by themselves or were they aided by other groups (Al-Qaeda, Islamic
radical groups, paid mercenaries, or others)? (3) Why isn’t the main Basque separatist movement
claiming it?
A. (1) Yes. (2) By themselves, but a fringe group only. They have no links with Al-Qaeda. (3)
They did not organize it, and the Spanish public reacted with such shock when the government at
first blamed ETA. They had never done anything on that scale before.
Q. Are the claims made by Al-Qaeda (as being responsible for the bombing) authentic, in
the sense that they were also involved, or are they using it in an opportunistic way to seed
fear among people everywhere?
A. Their claim is purely opportunistic.
Q. Denials were issued by a spokesperson from ETA’s political arm and from ETA itself
concerning their involvement in the Madrid bombing. Due to the present situation with ETA
weakened by their former leadership being in jail, is it possible that the bombing was performed
by a radical wing of ETA without the other part of the organization knowing about it?
A. That is precisely the case. A radical fringe group, impatient with the main ETA leadership,
decided to go further than ETA has ever gone before with a very large, destructive attack for
maximum effect. The Spanish Government was therefore correct in stating that the attack had “all
the hallmarks” of ETA. The public, however, were angered that the government was trying to
‘cover up’ an Al-Qaeda attack (as a result of the government involvement in Iraq) by suggesting
ETA was responsible. Immediately, the Bush Administration asked the Spanish Government (of the
time) to drop all reference to ETA and announce that the culprits were Muslim terrorists,
probably Al-Qaeda. This is now being done. A large group of Muslims, some from Morocco, have
been arrested so far. They are not guilty of causing this tragic act. The CIA, as usual, have
made attempts to lay ‘evidence’ — a bag with a Koran inside! It is of course, ammunition for
President Bush’s plans for re-election, that every terror attack be laid at the door of
Al-Qaeda, guilty or not.
Q. Is it too cynical to suspect US interference?
A. The US has interfered to make Al-Qaeda the culprit.
Q. If the US regime is involved in ‘changing the facts’ (1) how did they do it? Why? (2)
Were so-called ‘clues’ authentic?
A. (1) By pressuring the (then) Spanish Government. (2) They were not authentic, but given much
publicity while any other possibility, eg ETA, was quickly dropped.
Q. (1) Surely I’m not alone in thinking that if the US regime thought they could continue
to hoodwink the public they would by now be parading the supposed Saddam Hussein figure as a
vote catcher for the upcoming elections? As it is, we see and hear nothing of Saddam’s poor
double. (2) Is he still alive? (3) Where is he being held?
A. (1) Probably, yes. They realize public exposure would lead to much rejection of their captive
as Saddam Hussein. They most likely think he has served their immediate purpose. (2) Yes. (3) In
the US.
Q. What percentage of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay have been involved in terrorist
activities?
A. About one quarter — 25 per cent.
Q. I have followed Share International for more than 10 years now. I have made
donations, attended the meditations, read some of the books, read the website regularly, and
seen Benjamin Creme in person in Los Angeles and London. In fact, I planned a London vacation
with my family so I could attend a lecture. I am sensitive enough to feel the spiritual power
around Mr Creme; this has kept me listening. However, while I find the spiritual guidance
enlightening I find the politics often misguided. In particular I read the ‘Questions and
Answers’ section of your magazine carefully every month and have become more and more dismayed
at the political orientation of Mr Creme and Share International. It has kept me from
deeper participation in the organization. Because there are so many outrageous and irresponsible
assertions made that have no backing in any other source, I have begun to doubt the rest of the
program. I am not asking you to hide your orientation. It is good that you expose it so openly.
However, it does limit your credibility with me and perhaps others. Best wishes in any case.
A. I am sure the writer is not alone in his dissatisfaction with the political/economic element
in Share International. I can understand his dismay at what he sees as a greater and
greater encroachment on the ‘spiritual’ element of the magazine by the purely ‘political’. When
many of the political statements are deeply critical of the present US Administration and its
massive contribution to the present chaos, fear and stress in the world, and the reader is
American and sees US actions differently, it must be painful, vexing and embarrassing. So, too,
it is for many here in Britain when we see our Government lying and spinning in support of US
action. It should be remembered that our approach is never party-political and that the
questions come from readers who no doubt are seeking truthful answers which they are not getting
elsewhere. Certainly, they do not all find the answers to be “outrageous and irresponsible
assertions” but ones which do indeed have the backing of Hierarchy. The avowed intention of
Share International is to bring together the two major directions of New Age thinking — the
political and the spiritual — to show the synthesis underlying the political, social,
economic and spiritual changes now occurring globally. For Share International,
everything that makes life better for humanity is spiritual, whether on the physical, the mental
or the ‘spiritual’ plane. Why does Maitreya walk with the millions of protesters who call for
political action to end war and injustice? The spiritual crisis through which we are all
painfully moving is focused today in the political and economic fields. Only in these areas can
it be solved and open the way for the establishment of right human relations.
Q. What do you and your Master think of the murder of Sheik Yassin, spiritual head of Hamas?
What consequences should the world expect?
A. It was terrorism at its most blatant, reckless and ruthless, and shows Sharon’s contempt
for and opposition to, the Peace process. It will only inflame the Middle East and lengthen the
struggle for justice for the Palestinian people.
Q. Sharon says he wants to pull out of some of the Israeli settlements. Is this just a
ruse? What’s behind this?
A. I am afraid Sharon’s statements have no value in the context of his actions against the
rights of the people of Palestine. He has no intention of surrendering land.
Q. History shows that empires overreach themselves, are often too busy on too many fronts
fighting real or imaginary or trumped-up enemies. (1) Is the American ‘empire’ entering the
final phase of its existence? (2) What can bring America to its senses?
A. (1) Yes. (2) Profound economic collapse.
Q. Every day more evidence comes to light of the United States, through agencies such as
the CIA, bullying other countries and manipulating their sovereign affairs (such as elections)
to benefit the US. (1) Has this always gone on, and we are now seeing the corruption come to the
surface, as Maitreya predicted? Or (2) has the present US Administration taken political
corruption to new depths?
A. The United States is a young country, dominated as a personality by the lower aspects
of the 6th ray of idealism or devotion. It therefore suffers from all of the vices of the ray:
devotion to its own interests, suspicion of others’ motives, combativeness and self-assertion,
self-deception about its own motives, etc, etc. Thus its bullying tactics are endemic and
long-standing. Its inhabitants and governments believe they are spreading Freedom and Justice
around the world, while they are actually serving their own interests. This self-deception is
one of the chief characteristics of the ray. This political corruption has, therefore, always
gone on; this Administration, led by fundamentalist extremists, is simply taking it to new
depths. The world, as the Master Djwhal Khul has written through Alice Bailey, is waiting for
the 2nd-ray soul of America to make its appearance felt, as it did through the Marshal Plan
after World War II.
(More questions and answers)
Letters to the
editor:
Over a number of years, some of the Masters, in particular Maitreya and the
Master Jesus, have appeared, in different guises, to large numbers of people around the world.
They also appear at Benjamin Creme's lectures and meditations, giving people in the audience the
opportunity to intuitively recognise Them. Some people recount their experiences to Share
International magazine. If the encounters are authenticated by Benjamin Creme's Master, the
letters are published. These experiences are given to inspire, to guide or teach, often to heal
and uplift. Very often, too, the Masters draw attention to, or comment on, in an amusing way,
some fixed intolerance (for example against smoking or drinking). Many times They act as saving
'angels' in accidents, during wartime, earthquakes and other disasters. The following letters,
previously published in Share International magazine, are examples of this means of
communication by the Masters.
The mirror never lies
Dear Editor, In the afternoon of 18 March 2004, I was on my way home. That evening we were to
hold our monthly lecture on the emergence of Maitreya. A young black man was coming in the
opposite direction. He said, in a slight French accent: “Have you ever looked at yourself in a
mirror? You are SO beautiful!” I was almost shocked when I heard this, but then thought he was
simply flirting. I saw his trolley was empty, with no door-to-door advertising material, which I
had assumed he was delivering. He carried straight on: “Indeed, look at yourself in the mirror!
How beautiful you are!” At that point, I felt quite embarrassed, and said to him: “It’s very
kind of you, but I must go home.” Then I realized perhaps he wasn’t simply just any young man.
He really did not stop it, and followed me all the way home: “Very beautiful, yes, you should
look at yourself in a mirror. How beautiful!” Finally, I reached home, not knowing exactly what
to do with this man. Suddenly, he said something different: “You live here, yes; well, we will
surely see each other. I will come to see you. Till then!” And we waved to each other cheerfully
as he left. Was the young man an ordinary person?
CF, Barcelona, Spain.
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms that the ‘young man’ was Maitreya.)
Vincent — but not Van Gogh!
Dear Editor, At 10am on 6 March 2004 Christophe and I were erecting an information stand in
front of the church near the station in Berne where we planned to give out details about
Benjamin Creme’s forthcoming lecture. The stand was difficult to erect; one of us held the frame
while the other stretched the awning. Suddenly we saw a young man of about 28 years under the
awning, holding up the roof. He helped us to set it all up. Then he placed his rucksack on a
chair at the back of the tent. He behaved as if he already belonged to our team, and for us this
seemed absolutely normal. He said his name was Vincent, and said in French that he came from
Lille (France), but was homeless. At the beginning of this encounter, I wondered if it could be
Maitreya, but I said to myself that Maitreya would have more shining eyes, so I dropped the
idea. We stayed together as if with old good friends; we spoke of simple things and it was very
natural. In the front of the tent, we had a table with the information cards for the lecture.
Vincent put his beer on the table and stayed behind it while we watched the passers by. It was a
great pleasure to be together, we didn’t mind that people were not interested in our
information. We three co-workers took turns having a break from the stand. When I was alone with
Vincent, he asked me who was paying all the costs of the event that we were organizing. I
answered very vaguely, because I did not want to tell him that we were assuming the costs. After
some silent reflection, I told him that the money is always available when it is for a good
purpose. Vincent asked what we did in our meetings. I said that we transmitted high energies
coming from the Spiritual Hierarchy into the world. He replied: “I also feel the energies and
when I go into the shops I feel bad energies, so I cover my head with a hat.” He insisted on
showing me by taking off the hat he was wearing and put it on again very tightly, covering his
forehead. Then we resumed watching the passers-by. I said to him: “The people don’t seem very
interested in our message; they don’t even see our stand.” He replied: “Yes, everybody is very
busy going shopping, buying a lot of things that they will accumulate in their houses and never
use.” The conversation with Vincent went on like that, in a very friendly and comprehensive way.
Each of us bought some food and drink for him. At one point, Vincent opened his rucksack and
showed us his collection of pens, saying that he takes a pen everywhere he goes. He gave three
of them to Anne-Françoise and he wanted to give me one too but I told him that I did not need
one. He started to draw on a small piece of paper, keeping three different coloured pens
together in his fist and drawing alternately with them! It was very funny and I felt great
friendliness and compassion for him. I reflected that if the social conventions would allow it,
I would invite him to my flat to take a shower, put on some fresh clothes and eat something good
— even stay for some days, since he told me that he was sleeping at the Salvation Army, with
sometimes 20 people in the dormitory. Then he gave me the drawing, which was a portrait sketch.
At about 1 o’clock he said goodbye and left the tent. In my heart I felt that I would like to
meet him again.
Francine Wild, Berne, Switzerland.
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms that ‘Vincent’ was Maitreya.)
Two experiences from the same person:
Light of the world
Dear Editor, Around 1996, after Transmission Meditation, I was on the way home. It was dark
and very quiet, nobody around — I felt myself very close to Maitreya and I thought: “Maitreya,
please could you show me now how you really are — without disguise.” After a few steps I saw a
small, shining pink light the size of a golf ball hovering over the sidewalk in front of me. I
was fascinated, it moved ahead in front of me hovering a few inches over the sidewalk. I looked
up to the buildings left and right thinking somebody was making fun of me with a torch. But
everything was quiet — not a living soul was around. I watched the pink light again which still
hovered ahead, about a metre in front of me. Suddenly it made a curve to the left and vanished.
I looked at the buildings and windows again, searching for an explanation, supposing that
someone had fooled me, but it was as dark and silent as before. Could you please tell me where
this shiny pink light came from — did Maitreya manifest it, or was somebody pulling my leg?
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms that Maitreya was showing Himself as He really is — as
light.)
Benjamina?
Dear Editor, About four years ago (2000) I was sitting on the tram on the way home. At the
stop before I had to get out there was a woman standing outside, looking and smiling at me very
friendlily. She looked exactly like Benjamin Creme. She was wearing a skirt and a jacket or a
coat. She had yellow-blond curly hair and I instantly made out that it was a wig. The whole
person seemed to me somehow unreal but it was the face and the stature of Benjamin Creme — only
he was a woman. She was standing there without moving and looking straight at me, smiling. I was
looking at her too, but then I thought: “Well, you can’t stare at her like that,” and I tried to
turn my head away but she attracted me so much I just had to look at her. She kept on smiling at
me. Then as the tram started again she moved her lips, saying something like: “Nice day.” I
smiled too, nodded to her and said: “Same to you.” Then it was all over. That day and those
following I was uplifted so much. I think of this encounter very often, particularly every time
I pass that tram stop. Who was this woman?
AM, Zürich, Switzerland.
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms that the ‘woman’ was Maitreya.)
SIGNS OF THE TIME:
UFOs prevent meteor crashing in Turkey
Q. (1) The internet site www.siriusufo.org reported this remarkable event: A meteor, entering
the atmosphere of the Earth above Turkey on 1 November 2002 and likely to have caused a major
disaster, was pulverized and rendered harmless by a UFO before it could strike the Earth. This
conclusion was made by a research centre which investigated the reports of six aircrews. Amateur
photographs and video recordings have also been made of the event. Was there really an enormous
meteor above Turkey on 1 November 2002? (2) If so, did a UFO destroy this meteor and why? (3) On
whose authority would a UFO do this? (4) Where did this UFO come from and how could a UFO react
so quickly? A. (1) Yes. (2) Yes. It would have caused enormous damage and loss of life. (3)
There is a standing order to UFO crews to help in this way. (4) Mars. They do not work in ‘time’
as we know it.
(For eye-witness reports of this event see Share International magazine.)
Mysterious ‘fairy circles’ in southern Africa
Botanists say they cannot explain the mysterious round patches of bare sandy soil found in
grassland in southern Africa. They studied possible causes of the ‘fairy circles’ — radioactive
soil, toxic proteins left by poisonous plants, and termites eating the seeds. But tests do not
support any of these theories for the 2-10 metre diameter rings, according to New Scientist
magazine. The circles occur in the western coastal fringes of the Namib desert, from southern
Angola to the Orange River in South Africa. They are easy to see because they are barren in the
middle yet have unusually lush perimeters of tall grasses, which stand out from the otherwise
sparse vegetation of the desert. In the early 1970s researchers began to take an interest in how
the circles formed.
The ‘fairy circles’ have become so famous that they are included in
visitors’ tours. “They still remain a mystery,” says Gretel van Rooyen, a botanist at the
University of Pretoria, who headed the research team. Van Rooyen is exploring the theory that
toxic elements are deposited in the shape of the circle, making it impossible for plant life to
get established there. “But even if we find them, how they came there is the next problem — for
the moment, we’re left with the fairies,” said van Rooyen.
(Source: BBC, New Scientist, UK)
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms that the ‘fairy circles’ are landing patches made by
UFOs, variously scout-ships (the largest circles) and survey discs. The bare centres are caused
not by toxic substances, but by high-vibration radiation of the craft. The profuse grasses of
the perimeters are stimulated by the high-energy release. The craft come in ‘mother-ships’,
mainly from Mars and Venus.)
Miracle vegetable
Asif Hamid of Preston, Lancashire, UK, is trying to preserve a leek which he bought recently.
The reason? The vegetable quite clearly has the word Allah ‘written’ on it in Arabic script. Mr
Hamid believes that fate directed him to buy the ‘miracle vegetable’. He said he had looked at,
and picked up, quite a number of leeks before choosing the one he bought. Mr Hamid rushed to
show friends and family who were also convinced they could read the name ‘Allah’ on the
vegetable.
(Source: The Citizen, UK)
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirms this to be a genuine miracle manifested by Maitreya.)
Turin Shroud has 1st-century stitching
The Turin
Shroud: “It is the shroud in which the body of Jesus was wrapped after the crucifixion.”
(Benjamin Creme, The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of Wisdom) According to a new
documentary on the Turin Shroud, Shroud of Christ? by producer/director Alex Hearle, aired on
UK’s Channel 4 on 28 March 2004 in the ‘Secrets of the Dead’ series, new analyses have called
into question the carbon-dating results which claimed it was a medieval forgery. The 14-foot
cloth bearing the image of a crucified man is housed in a shrine in Turin Cathedral. Textile
expert Mechtild Flury-Lemberg, invited to Turin to undertake restoration work on the Shroud in
summer 2002, discovered it had 1st-century stitching. It was the first time a fabrics expert had
been able to work closely on the Shroud. On examining a side of the Shroud not previously seen,
her team found a style of stitching similar to one found in the ruins of Masada, a Jewish
citadel destroyed by the Romans in 74 AD. Forensic experts and bacteriologists also examined the
Shroud, and Alex Hearle reported that the rare blood type AB found on the Shroud is the same as
found on the Sudarium Cloth of Oviedo.
(Source: Channel 4, UK)
(Benjamin Creme’s Master confirmed in Share International July/August 1998, that the Cloth
of Oviedo, in the Cathedral of Oviedo in Spain, is the burial napkin of Jesus. In St John’s
Gospel (ch.20, v6&7), Jesus’ empty tomb is described as having a “napkin, which had been on his
head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself”.)
The
voice of the people
15 million people march for peace
According to Benjamin Creme’s Master 15 million people marched in cities around the world on
20 March 2004 — the first anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq. From Sydney to Tokyo, from
Seoul to New York, from London to Delhi, demonstrators condemned the US-led invasion of Iraq and
demanded the withdrawal of the occupying troops. Protests occurred in at least 65 countries as
part of a global day of action:
Rome, Italy: Between 1 and 2 million demonstrated “in probably the biggest single
protest” against the occupation of Iraq. “This is an expression of solidarity with the Iraqi
people and with the victims of all wars,” said Flavio Lotti, a member of the Stop the War
committee that organized the rally.
“This war was carried out for the wrong reasons,” said 24-year-old Stefania Martinelli, a human
resources employee from Busto Arsizio in northern Italy. “It was carried out for interests that
have nothing to do with democracy,” she said on the march in Rome.
Barcelona, Spain: Around 250,000 people demonstrated in Barcelona, and cities all over
Spain, calling for the withdrawal of troops. “The government took the country to war, but it was
ordinary people who got hurt and killed by the terrorists,” film producer Lila Pla Alemany said
at the protest in Barcelona. Chanting “Bring back our troops!”, about 40,000 people marched
through Madrid only a week after the surprising election victory of the opposition Socialist
Party, which had made a key election pledge to withdraw Spain’s 1,300 troops from Iraq unless
the 30 June deadline for transfer of sovereignty was met. “Today, Madrid is the moral capital of
Europe,” Portuguese Nobel prize-winning author José Saramago told the Madrid protesters.
USA: There were demonstrations in around 250 cities and towns across the United States.
“The 20 March Global Day of Action proves that opposition to the Iraq war and occupation is deep
and it is worldwide,” said Brian Becker, a spokesperson for the Act Now to Stop War and End
Racism (ANSWER) group which co-organized the New York and San Francisco demonstrations with the
United for Peace and Justice coalition. The most popular signs read: “Money for jobs and
education, not for war and occupation” and “Bush lies, GIs and Iraqis die” and “End occupation
of Iraq”.
New York, USA: 100,000 people marched and filled 45 blocks of midtown Manhattan chanting:
“Occupation is a crime from Iraq to Palestine” and “Bring the troops home now.” Speakers at the
rally included Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich, a Democratic candidate for President, and Tony
Benn, veteran British peace campaigner and politician.
Alan Feuer reported in The New York Times: “The protesters were middle-aged mothers,
tongue-pierced students, veterans and bearded professional dissenters, who all came together in
what organizers described as a broad-based protest of the Bush administration’s foreign policy
not just in Iraq, but in Haiti and Israel.” Rally organizer Mara Verheyden-Hilliard said: “The
streets of New York City were filled with people united in their opposition to the Bush program
of war, conquest and empire. Members of the Arab and Muslim community marched shoulder to
shoulder with military families and veterans demanding an end to the occupation of Iraq.”
Peta Lindsay, a national co-ordinator of the ANSWER Student and Youth National Coalition and a
student at Howard University said: “People around the United States recognize that they have
been lied to by the Bush Administration. When we were demonstrating in the millions a year ago,
we asserted that the Bush administration was rushing to war not because Iraq posed a supposed
grave and imminent danger to the United States but rather because the US had imperial ambitions
in this strategic and oil-rich region. We were telling the truth and Bush was lying and more and
more people can see that for themselves today.”
Reporting for the New York News Network, Lizelle A.Vibar wrote: “Students were a major presence
at the protest ... Katherine Rocchio, a student at Wheaton College in Northport, Massachusetts,
said she did not feel safer now than she did after 9/11. Seeing a connection between terrorism
and economics, Ms Rocchio said she thought the United States should be more understanding toward
countries that have less resources and money than we do.”
San Francisco, USA: Marching in San Francisco under a banner “Health Care not Warfare”,
Dr Michael Kozart, a physician at San Francisco General Hospital, said: “We want to show the
world there is not total acquiescence in the United States in support of Bush. We are exercising
our constitutional right to free speech. There has been a criminalization of dissent in this
country.”
“The tide is turning against George Bush,” said one of the rally speakers, Sister Bernice Galvin
of the San Francisco group Religious Witness with Homeless People. “The tide is turning against
the Bush war. Today and tomorrow, we will hit the streets and keep this tide turning.”
London, UK: According to Benjamin Creme’s Master, 29,600 people marched through central
London to Trafalgar Square. Speaker after speaker underlined what the majority of people know:
that Bush and Blair are making the world a more dangerous place. Peace campaigner George
Galloway told the demonstration that the allies’ action had not been legitimate: “Just because
they call themselves the international community doesn’t mean their actions are right.” In a
moving, symbolic gesture, the crowd all raised a right hand for peace during a moment’s silence,
followed by the release of 2,000 black balloons in memory of the thousands of dead Iraqis,
troops and victims of the Madrid bombings.
Tokyo, Japan: In March 2004 The Asahi Shimbun newspaper found that 66 per cent of
Japanese voters believed the US had no legitimate reason to invade Iraq, and on 20 March around
130,000 people protested across Japan, with 60,000 in Tokyo, despite pouring rain.
Kenkichi Takahashi, reporting for Body And Soul, writes: “[A] man in his early twenties carried
a placard that said: “Mr Bush, where are the weapons of mass destruction? You should get rid of
your weapons of mass destruction in the US.” Kazuko Sasaki, a 72-year-old housewife, said the
United States should leave Iraq now and let the United Nations handle a post-war Iraq. “For the
sake of Iraqi people, the UN must take a central role. The US troops bring nothing but chaos,”
she said.
Marches also took place in Osaka (20,000), Fukuoka (7,000) and Sapporo (5,500). On the northern
island of Hokkaido protests took place in more than 12 towns, with around 11,000 people walking
for peace.
Brussels, Belgium: 6,000 people marched in the Belgian capital. A minute’s silence was
observed for all victims of war and terrorism and a huge symbolic Israeli Apartheid Wall was
constructed by the Action Platform For Palestine.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Up to 2,000 people demonstrated and speakers linked the oppression
in Iraq and Palestine with the lack of democracy and the loss of social welfare at home. A wide
variety of participants took part: young, old, black, white, workers, students, men, women.
Helsinki, Finland: 1,500-2,000 people marched in cold, rainy weather shouting: “Troops
out — occupation is crime,” “Stop the killing, stop the crime — Israel out of Palestine,” and
“True terrorist — Bush, Blair and Sharon.” Demonstrations also took place in other major cities.
Reykyavik, Iceland: 1,000 people demonstrated in the capital.
Athens, Greece: Around 10,000 marched on the US embassy.
Amsterdam, the Netherlands: About 2,000 people marched in Amsterdam.
Paris, France: 10,000 people demonstrated in Paris with placards saying: “Bush, Sharon,
Aznar, Blair: Assassins! Troops out of Iraq, Justice in Palestine.” On the same day, French
foreign minister Dominique de Villepin told Le Monde newspaper that the invasion “has not made
the world safer”.
Budapest, Hungary: A peace conference took place in Budapest where a minute’s silence was
observed for all victims of terror attacks.
Germany: Thousands of people took part in demonstrations in 70 towns across the country.
“George Bush did not wage a war against terror,” veteran anti-war activist Franz Alt told about
2,000 protesters gathered near the entrance of the US military’s Ramstein Air Base in western
Germany. “He has ensured that with his wars, terrorism is now stronger.”
New Dehli, India: 3,000 people marched against the continuing occupation in Iraq by the
US and its allies. Various organizations, prominent intellectuals and citizens marched together
under the banner of the Citizens Against War and Occupation (CAWO). Strong opposition was also
expressed towards the continuing occupations of Afghanistan and Palestine. Leaflets were
distributed in Hindi and English, and there were street skits with actors using inflated masks
of Bush and Blair and impromptu collective singing of peace songs. Demonstrations were held in
many cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chandigarh,
Nagercoil and Trivandrum.
Canada: Around 25,000 people, including peace campaigner and writer Noam Chomsky,
demonstrated in Vancouver, and 7,000 in Montreal. Events took place all over Canada.
Tens of thousands marched in the following countries, often in several cities: Mauritius
Turkey, Brazil (in more than 20 cities)’, Chile, Colombia and Nicaragua.
Australia: 6,000 people marched through Sydney and heard journalist and writer John Pilger
address the rally. Marches also took place in Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra and Perth.
Jakarta, Indonesia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Seoul, South Korea: About 10,000 people
protested in Daehak-ro, the biggest Korean demonstration against the war in Iraq. The success
was due to the support and sponsorship of 300 social and civil organizations and 2,500
individuals: 30,000 posters, 20,000 stickers, 70,000 leaflets, and 2,000 subway posters were
distributed nationally.
Organizers report: “It was a day that showed the world that the anti-war movement, whether in
Korea or elsewhere, is here to stay.” Large demonstrations took place in six other cities.
Manila, Philippines: Filipinos joined the worldwide demonstrations. The Philippines
Global Day of Action Committee issued a statement which ended: “We, the democratic forces and
peace advocates around the world, unite in this Global Day of Action Against War and Occupation.
We will never ever give up the fight for peace, justice, and democracy because we know that
another world is possible — a world with many worlds in it; a world where peace and co-existence
thrives; a peaceful world where people are respected for what they are and not for what they
have.”
(Sources: Green Left Weekly, Australia; Body And Soul, www.Japantoday.com, Japan;
www.stopwar.org, The Guardian, The Observer, UK; New York News Network, Bloomberg News, Reuters,
The New York Times, USA)
WORLD SCAN:
“Showing up the lies!”
On 15 February 2003, Maitreya was seen and filmed, in the guise of a Caribbean man, among
the people at the Peace March in London (see Share International, April 2003). “I am proud today
to hear brothers and sisters SPEAKING THE TRUTH and showing up the lies, THE LIES, that’s
beautiful!” He said. Now, a year later, the lies are becoming more and more exposed.
Carter says Iraq war “based on lies”
Former US President Jimmy Carter has strongly criticized President George W. Bush and Prime
Minister Tony Blair for waging an unnecessary war to remove Saddam Hussein based on "lies or
misinterpretations". The 2002 Nobel peace prize winner said Blair had allowed his better
judgement to be swayed by Bush's desire to finish a war that his father had started.
Carter said the two leaders probably knew that many of the claims being made about Saddam
Hussein's weapons of mass destruction were based on imperfect intelligence. He said: “There was
no reason for us to become involved in Iraq recently. That was a war based on lies and
misinterpretations from London and Washington, claiming falsely that Saddam Hussein was
responsible for [the] 9/11 attacks, claiming falsely that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
And I think that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair probably knew that many of the
allegations were based on uncertain intelligence ... a decision was made to go to war [then
people said] 'Let's find a reason to do so'."
Carter said he believed the momentum for the invasion came from Washington and that many of
President Bush's senior advisers had long ago signalled their desire to remove Saddam by force.
"I think that Bush Jnr was inclined to finish a war that his father had precipitated against
Iraq. I think it was that commitment of Bush that prevailed over, I think, the better judgement
of Tony Blair and Tony Blair became an enthusiastic supporter of the Bush policy." (Source:
The Independent, UK)
Gorbachev calls Iraq war “great mistake”
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has described the US-led war in Iraq as a "great
mistake that led to more terrorism and not the prevention of this scourge." Speaking at a peace
conference in Mexico City on 19 March 2004, he said: "Every day we witness the consequences of
the erroneous invasion of Iraq." Democracy cannot be achieved by military force, he continued.
"Democracy is not imposed with tanks and missiles, but with respect of other peoples and
international law.”
The war has also hurt US relations with traditional allies, the former Soviet leader said.
"Nobody doubts the economic, military and democratic power of the United States. We recognize
this and that (Washington) can be a world leader. But we do not believe in leadership through
domination. There is no other path than through the respect of international law and
cooperation. Anything else would be a great danger to the rest of the world." (Source: Agence
France Presse)
Former counter-terrorism head condemns US policies
In a new book entitled Against All Enemies: Inside America’s War on Terror, and in testimony
before the Commission investigating the 11 September terror attacks, former counter-terrorism
director Richard Clarke presented a scathing condemnation of the Bush Administration for its
exploitation of 9/11 for political purposes and for ignoring the threat of Al-Qaeda in order to
focus on the invasion of Iraq.
Clarke complained that combatting terrorism was not a priority for the Bush Administration prior
to 9/11 despite receiving many warnings about its urgency. He also asserted that not only was
the war in Iraq unnecessary, but that in effect it strengthened the fundamentalist, radical
terrorist movements worldwide, thereby making the world more unsafe.
Clarke has been a highly regarded civil servant for over 30 years, having served in senior
positions in both the Republican Reagan and elder Bush’s Administrations as well as the
Democratic Clinton Administration. (Source: The New York Times, New York Newsday, USA)
David Kay calls on US to admit Iraq mistakes
David Kay, former chief United States weapons inspector in Iraq, has implored the US to admit
its mistakes in Iraq. Kay resigned in January 2004 from his post as weapons inspector saying he
believed no weapons of mass destruction existed and that the prewar intelligence regarding them
raised serious questions. In a speech at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, he
cautioned the United States that if it failed to admit that the stated reason for going to war
with Iraq was wrong, it would destroy its credibility regarding future events. “The answer is to
admit you were wrong, and what I find most disturbing around Washington is the belief you can
never admit you’re wrong,” he said. (Source: Reuters)
Poland misled on Iraq, President says
Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski, a key US ally, said that Poland was "misled with the
information on weapons of mass destruction " and was considering withdrawing troops from Iraq
several months early. The remarks came as polls showed about half of Poles were opposed to
involvement in Iraq. (Source: Associated Press)
Forward planning
American magazine Vanity Fair published in April 2004 an account by Sir Christopher Meyer,
former British Ambassador to Washington, of an extraordinary conversation between President Bush
and Prime Minister Blair at a private White House dinner nine days after the terror attacks of
11 September 2001. It provides new corroboration of the claims made by Bush's former
counter-terrorism chief, Richard Clarke, that Bush was 'obsessed' with Iraq as his principal
target after 9/11.
According to Sir Christopher Meyer, who was present at the dinner, Blair told Bush he should not
get distracted from the war on terror's initial goal — dealing with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in
Afghanistan. Bush, claims Meyer, replied by saying: “I agree with you, Tony. We must deal with
this first. But when we have dealt with Afghanistan, we must come back to Iraq.” Regime change
was already US policy. It was clear, Meyer says: “that when we did come back to Iraq it wouldn't
be to discuss smarter sanctions.”
Elsewhere in his interview, Meyer says Blair always believed it was unlikely that Saddam would
be removed from power or give up his weapons of mass destruction without a war. Faced with this
prospect of a further war, he adds, Blair “said nothing to demur”.
Commenting on the article, David Rose writes in The Observer newspaper: “The implications for
Blair may be still more explosive. The discussion implies that, even before the bombing of
Afghanistan, Blair already knew that the US intended to attack Saddam next, although he
continued to insist in public that 'no decisions had been taken' until almost the moment that
the invasion began in March 2003. His critics are likely to seize on the report of the two
leaders' exchange and demand to know when Blair resolved to provide the backing that Bush
sought.” (Source: The Observer, UK)
The
‘Separation Wall’ — a barrier to peace
An interview with Professor John Dugard by Felicity Eliot
No symbol for separation and strife could be more powerful than that of a wall. Almost two
decades after the fall of that modern icon of conflict and division the Berlin Wall, Israel is
constructing a giant barrier. The walls of Jericho were said to have been brought down by the
power of trumpets sounding in unison; perhaps the ‘Separation Wall’ will be brought down by the
power of the united voices of people demanding justice.
Professor John Dugard, professor of international law at Leiden University in the Netherlands,
is also on the Commission on Human Rights as a Special Rapporteur on human rights in the
Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967. He was born in South Africa and lectured
at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa; he is an acknowledged authority on
Palestinian human rights abuses. Felicity Eliot interviewed him for Share International before
the latest developments at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Share International: You have spent a number of years observing, writing and reporting
back to the United Nations about the plight of the Palestinians. Could you say why it is that
the ‘Separation Wall’ is such a contentious issue and one which seems to have caught public
attention?
Professor John Dugard: The Israelis call it the ‘Security Fence’ or ‘Seam Zone’, and in
Palestine it is generally known as the ‘Separation Wall’. These terms are euphemisms and serve
to obscure the true facts. The Wall is in fact a clear act of territorial annexation in the West
Bank and yet it is presented under the guise of security.
SI: Do you accept that Israel has the right to security just as the Palestinians do?
JD: Absolutely. The problem with regard to the Wall, however, is that it is not only a matter of
securing borders but, as I said, of territorial annexation.
SI: Are you saying, just to clarify this issue, that the Wall does not follow already
existing borders but actually cuts into Palestinian territory?
JD: It doesn’t follow the so-called ‘Green Line’, the 1967 boundary between Israel and Palestine
which is generally accepted as the border between these two countries. The Wall’s route
incorporates substantial parts of Palestine into Israel. At present, in places, the Wall
intrudes between 6 and 7 kilometres into Palestinian territory, but now there are proposals to
extend it even deeper into Palestinian land to include the settlement of Ariel.
SI: How does that impact on Palestinian lives?
JD: It means that the route taken by the Wall creates a barrier that separates Palestinian
villages from the West Bank and converts them into isolated enclaves. Palestinians between the
Wall and the Green Line will effectively be cut off from their farmland and workplaces, schools
and health clinics. So you can imagine the disruption caused.
SI: What is the Wall like?
JD: The Wall between Israel and the West Bank will, when completed, stretch for approximately
650 kilometres. In places it is an 8-metre-high (26-foot) wall, which is higher than the Berlin
Wall was. In other places it is a fence or barrier surmounted with razor wire. It is guarded,
with watch-towers at intervals. On both sides of the Wall there are wide buffer zones running
alongside it. So it takes the form of a barrier 60 to 100 metres wide, which includes buffer
zones, trenches and barbed wire, trace paths to pick up footprints, an electric fence with
sensors, and a two-lane patrol road.
SI: How does one cross to the other side? Supposing I’m a Palestinian farmer — I want to
get to my olive orchards and perhaps also see my children safely to school, but both the school
and my small farm are cut off from my family home by the Wall.
JD: One of the problems is that a sort of ‘no-go’ area has been created within Palestinian
territory. To enter it Palestinians will be required to carry and show a visa. Israelis living
there will not need a permit. At the checkpoints Palestinians must show their papers and may be
held up some time. But, more dangerously, it is feared that Palestinians penned in between the
Wall and the Green Line will become so frustrated and find their daily lives made so intolerable
that they may decide to move to the eastern side of the Wall — that is, to what remains of the
West Bank. By doing so they would in effect be creating a new generation of refugees.
It is widely expected that, following the completion of the Wall separating Israel from the West
Bank on the western side, an eastern wall will be constructed separating Palestine from the
Jordan Valley. The illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank will be the principal
beneficiaries of the Wall. It is estimated that ultimately more than half the settler population
of 400,000 will be incorporated on the Israeli side of the barrier.
SI: Israel maintains that the Wall is a temporary measure — what is your response to that?
JD: I know it is said to be a temporary measure; however, my experience in Palestine leads me to
believe otherwise. Why? The Wall itself: the nature and structure of the Wall, the fact that
no-go areas are being established, that land is seized, all makes it seem rather permanent in
nature. The evidence strongly suggests that Israel is determined to create ‘facts on the ground’
amounting to de facto annexation. Like the settlements it seeks to protect, it is manifestly
intended to create facts on the ground. It may lack an act of annexation, as occurred in the
case of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. But its effect is the same. Annexation of this
kind goes by another name in international law: conquest.
SI: Do you think the Wall should be dismantled?
JD: Israel’s security concerns cannot be denied but some limit must be placed on the violation
of human rights in the name of counter-terrorism. Yes, I believe it should be pulled down.
SI: Who is paying for the Wall’s construction — it must be very costly?
JD: I believe the cost of constructing the Wall is said to be 8.5 billion shekels (US$1.7
billion). The Wall is being built at great cost to the Israeli taxpayer.
SI: But is there not a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the Wall as being illegal
and requiring Israel’s compliance in dismantling it? It is in fact a contravention of
international law, if I understand correctly?
JD: Yes, it was declared to be a contravention of international law.
SI: But there’s no compliance on the part of Israel.
JD: No, none. But now the question is, what will be done?
SI: Will the case be taken to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague? And
do you think it would be correct and useful to do so?
JD: Whether this case is to be heard in The Hague hinges on the opinions of Western countries.
My information is that they are divided on the issue. Some are worried about the usefulness of
such an advisory opinion to resolving the conflict. There is also the question of whether it
would be good for the International Court to be given such a hot potato. Those in favour of a
resolution argue that it would serve the same purpose as the 1971 advisory opinion on Namibia.
I think it is useful to look at the Palestinian issue in the context of Namibia. Both were
mandated territories under international tutelage. In 1971 the International Court was asked for
an advisory opinion and it held that South Africa was in unlawful occupation of Namibia. That
had no immediate effect but it did shape subsequent UN resolutions in respect of Namibia. It
took 20 years to be implemented but it was the foundation for change. With regard to the Wall,
the Court’s advisory opinion might serve at least to establish the fact that Israel should not
trespass any further into Palestinian territory.
[Addendum, March 2004:
JD: In December 2003 the General Assembly asked the ICJ for an advisory opinion on the legality
of the Wall. In February 2004 the ICJ heard oral presentations on this matter. Palestine
presented its arguments to the ICJ but Israel and the Western states made written
representations in which they asked the court not to give an opinion.]
SI: What movement is there on this issue within the UN — the General Assembly?
JD: The matter will be brought before the Assembly again, particularly in view of the
undertaking on the part of the Secretary-General to report within a month (in December 2004,
probably). The Arab states — not only the Arab states but what we could call the ‘non-aligned
states’ — are in favour of requesting an advisory opinion.
SI: How can pressure be brought to bear to get Israel to comply and begin dismantling the
Wall? And what are the implications of Israel’s non-compliance for peace in the Middle East?
JD: I think the Wall remains a major stumbling block to peace in the Middle East. I really don’t
see that the ‘Road Map’ can ever be implemented without a dismantling of the Wall. I don’t think
the Palestinians are prepared to negotiate on the settlements, although having said that, there
is a certain amount of flexibility on the part of the Palestinians to accept that perhaps some
of the settlements might become part of Israel. However, I don’t think there’s any room for
compromise on the Wall in so far as it intrudes into Palestinian territory. So it is a major
stumbling block.
What will be done about this? I suppose the answer is “Nothing,” without the assistance of the
United States. The United States holds the key, in my view, to peace in the Middle East, but at
present there’s no sign it is prepared to unlock the door to allow negotiations to continue. The
US is, domestically, not willing to take a firm stand on the Wall.
SI: Do you think that their reluctance is only for domestic reasons, or it is part of US
foreign policy?
JD: I’m not an expert on US foreign policy but the general belief is that, given the fact that
there are Presidential elections on the horizon, the present administration doesn’t want to
alienate an important US constituency.
SI: Given that there is constant and continuing unrest, tension, terrorism coming out of
the situation in the Middle East, how do you see the situation panning out in the wider world?
JD: I find it rather strange that President Bush recently made a major policy speech about
democracy in that part of the world, and I certainly share his view, but it’s difficult to
understand how he could make such a call without any attempt to address the principal obstacle
to peace — and that is the Palestinian issue.
If a democracy were to be established in Palestine, with democratic institutions, this would set
an example to states in the region and I think that Palestine is the one state in the region
which could set such an example. But it is being denied that opportunity, largely by the United
States.
SI: Would you give examples of how the Wall and the present circumstances are impacting on
individual Palestinians?
JD: Well, it’s not a question of individuals — it’s a question of an entire population! The
latest UN report suggests that 680,000 Palestinians will be harmed by the existence of the Wall
in some way or another. It is obviously going to contribute further to the restrictions on
freedom of movement, [and] deterioration of the Palestinian economy — where already 40 per cent
of the people are unemployed, and 60 per cent are below the poverty line. There are curfews and
checkpoints; the Wall will obviously aggravate the situation because it will further restrict
freedom of movement by introducing more checkpoints. It has serious implications for a large
number of Palestinians. I’ve seen only some of the villages that are directly affected, but it
is estimated that it has serious consequences for 122 towns and villages and has a direct impact
on them. It is an extremely serious matter — the statistics are quite alarming — and one would
like to see it addressed more vigorously.
SI: You are talking about the United Nations and European states working together on this?
JD: One would love to see the United States become part of a coalition for change for peace in
the Middle East, but it seems to be dragging its heels.
SI: Is there any chance of further support coming from elsewhere?
JD: There is a bit of light, in that important voices within Israel are unhappy with the present
situation. Former security chiefs have condemned the Israeli Government policy. There’s also the
Geneva Accord promoted by the Swiss Government bringing together moderates from both sides,
who’ve come up with a proposal which involves the recognition of two states, Israel and
Palestine, with the dismantling of most, but not all, settlements and the return of a limited
number of refugees, but certainly not all. It is an attempt to promote the kind of solution
which has always appealed to the Israel left. And one hopes that the Israeli electorate will see
sense and change from its support of the present government.
SI: There is also growing frustration and anger around the world at the injustice and
double standards practised; public demonstrations demanding change are growing.
JD: I don’t know whether that will have any effect on public opinion in Israel. I’m a South
African and lived under the apartheid regime most of my adult life and that regime was able to
stay in power largely because of the ‘security threat’ which was manipulated by the government
of the day. In such a situation the electorate is simply incapable of accepting the need for
change and, I fear, that is where the Israeli electorate is today. It is terrified by the
suicide bombings which obviously disrupt society and constitute a real security threat. So one
cannot expect too much of the Israeli public, but, with proper leadership, something may be
possible.
SI: Talking about leadership, what should be done by the international community about the
plight of Chairman Yasser Arafat, and the way he is sidelined by the Israelis?
JD: He is still an important voice in Palestinian society. I don’t think it would be possible to
reach a viable agreement without his support. It doesn’t help to negotiate with his lieutenants
while he’s left out in the cold. It seems a very strange way of proceeding. The history of peace
negotiations shows that personalities who dislike each other have to sit down and negotiate and
seek agreement at some point. The present situation is an unusual and unhelpful way of
proceeding.
SI: What role could Arab states play?
JD: The Arab states are all very concerned and they have a serious problem in that public
opinion is incensed by what is happening in Palestine and they certainly have to reckon with
that. On the other hand they have had experience of conflicts with Israel and they know that the
Israeli military is very powerful. I think they [Arab states] pin their hopes very much on the
United Nations and also on the United States. So there is a real awareness on the part of
Palestinians and Arab countries and others that the key to peace in the Middle East is with
Washington.
SI: What is your opinion of the suicide bombers?
JD: I’ve always condemned them. It is unhelpful to the Palestinian cause. Of course, the
Palestinian authority has also condemned them, repeatedly. Whether they’re able to control the
suicide bombers is another issue.
SI: To sum up then, your hope is that through negotiated agreement two independent states
with guaranteed secure borders for both could be established.
JD: Yes, I believe that a two-state solution would be the best for all, but the longer the
current situation is allowed to continue the more likely it becomes that one state will become
the only possibility and that would be disastrous for Israel. That’s why it is difficult to
understand why the Israeli Government does not negotiate with the Palestinian Authority which,
after all, represents the moderate element in Palestinian society.
SI: Are you optimistic about peace in the Middle East?
JD: As a South African I am optimistic. I know that miracles can happen and I hope the place
that produced a miracle before might produce a miracle again. A free and democratic Palestine
would be an excellent example to other countries in the region.
Benjamin Creme — thirty years preparing the way for Maitreya (Part 2)
In March 1974 Benjamin Creme formed, in London, the first Transmission
Meditation group, and began his public work of preparing the way for Maitreya, the World
Teacher. Now, 30 years on, there are around 650 Transmission Meditation groups in over 40
countries, and his information is known to millions of people around the world.
My arrival in Los Angeles for the first time, on 1 January 1980, was very pleasant, sunny and
a warm 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 Celsius), unbelievable. I stayed with a new friend who lived in
Hollywood in a house once owned, I was told, by famous film actors. It was charming and
quintessential Tinsel Town, L.A. There was practically no furniture, the rooms decorated with
scores of large professional photographs. In the evening, you entered a room and clapped your
hands to turn on the light. I spent a long time one evening sitting on the floor talking to a
woman who told me, in all seriousness, that she went every year on holiday to Venus in little
red space ships sent specially for her.
The three-day Conference, at which I had been invited to speak and be generally available for
the participants throughout, began immediately (jet-lag had not been invented in those far-off
days). For three days, on four hours’ sleep overall, I answered incessant questions. I had never
seen such a hunger for information. The enthusiasm and response was extraordinary.
My first ‘lecture’ was strange and totally unexpected: I mounted the platform and looked around.
There were several hundred people already there, expectant. One man in the first row to my right
sat engrossed in his newspaper, oblivious to all else. Before I could say a word of
introduction, or even “Good afternoon”, I was overshadowed by Maitreya and I just looked at the
audience in a total, ‘pin-drop’ silence. They stared back at me, as if entranced, tears
streaming down many faces. This continued for 50 minutes although it felt to be outside time, no
time at all. At one point the gentleman to my right looked up and round, heard nothing, folded
his newspaper and walked out.
When the overshadowing stopped, I said: “Well, I was supposed to give a lecture but we have only
10 minutes left. What do you suggest?” Someone said: “Can you answer questions?”, which for the
next 20 minutes I did, giving the essence of my information on the Reappearance of the Christ.
This silent introduction was repeated a few months later at another Conference in Florida, and
for many years has been the norm (only for about half an hour) at all my lectures. This
happening is for many people the most convincing. The energies released during the overshadowing
are so powerful and produce such a feeling of well-being that many are convinced about the
reality of the ‘message’ by this alone. Some are more or less clairvoyant and claim to see the
light of the overshadowing around me and filling the room.
Immediately after the Conference I began a week of lecturing in towns north and south of Los
Angeles, between San Diego and Santa Barbara, a gruelling two lectures a day, plus travelling.
The Americans are certainly into the work ethic!
From California I flew to Salt Lake City, Utah, and lectured to the Mormons, staying with a
charming Mormon family, the mother of whom was already totally convinced of the truth of my
information.
Then followed Colorado, with lectures and Transmission Meditation in Denver and Boulder. For
some reason, through the years, Denver media has always been particularly interested in my
‘story’ and five or six interviews a day were quite usual.
One stands out in my mind for its bizarre sequel. With a friend I arrived in the radio studio at
11.30pm, the fifth or sixth interview of that day. The host’s name was Berg, the studio the size
of a large cupboard (closet), with a notice, pinned above an ashtray brimming with ash and
stubbed cigarettes, which read: “I thank you for not smoking.” Mr Berg smoked continuously,
which was unpleasant in the confined space. The interview began and quickly passed over to
phone-ins from the public, most of whom were very interested and had serious and intelligent
questions.
The problem was that Mr Berg would scarcely let me answer a question but jumped in with his own
vague patter. Both I and the listeners complained that he should let me answer the questions but
to no avail. During a break for commercials I told him I had better things to do and would go
unless he let me answer. He snarled: “Get out before something worse happens to you!”
We left and immediately switched on the car radio. Mr Berg was telling the listeners how
surprised he was that I left, that he was ‘bending backwards’ to be supportive of me. It
transpired that he had been a lawyer in, I think, Chicago, who had got into some trouble and was
de-barred or de-frocked or whatever happens to double-dealing lawyers, and had been involved
with the Mafia. A week later he was found outside the radio station riddled with bullets. I
assure readers that this extreme act had nothing to do with me.
From Denver I returned to Los Angeles where the nucleus of the first US group was formed, and
firm plans to form Tara Centre and to publish The Reappearance of the Christ and the Masters of
Wisdom were made. We had already published the book in London and I carried a dozen or so copies
with me to America where they were quickly snapped up. An unforgettable two weeks had passed
since I arrived, and, like a forest fire, the information spread quickly across the US, so much
so that when I returned a few months later the tour took in almost half of that enormous country
…
(See Share International magazine for the full article and related questions and
answers. To be continued.)
Benjamin Creme lectures — first time accounts
Since 1974 Mr Creme has given thousands of lectures on Maitreya’s emergence in the UK,
throughout Europe, the USA, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and other
countries. He encourages his colleagues also to convey the information in this most direct way,
face to face. Coming from all walks of life, audiences hearing Benjamin Creme for the first time
often remark how his ‘message of hope’ has changed their lives. The following accounts have been
written by various people who have attended his lectures.
HT, Japan (Public servant)
I attended Benjamin Creme's lecture for the first time at Tokyo in 1991. The lecture hall was
rather big and I was surprised that the 500-600 seats were almost filled to capacity. When Mr
Creme appeared on the platform he looked a very friendly and warm person.
Once the overshadowing began, his expression changed and he looked very dignified. It seemed
that a deep calmness emanated from him. I thought he seemed to be a great Zen master and was so
moved that I felt like running to him and kneeling before him. It was a very unusual experience
for me (I am not a devotee type at all).
The question and answer session was very interesting for me because he answered some unasked
questions which had been on my mind. Above all I was glad to hear him say that essentially
Krishnamurti’s teaching was Maitreya’s, as I was reading Krishnamurti's books intensely in those
days. In a word my impression after listening to the lecture was: this is authentic!
Diana Elderton, London, UK (Teacher and librarian)
In 1982 a good friend told me about Benjamin Creme’s lectures. Intrigued, I arrived in a large
lecture hall in Friends House and was shown to my seat.
During the ‘overshadowing’ of Mr Creme, and his pronouncement of the final message [of the
series of 140 messages], a profound calm and hush descended on the audience. The message was
spoken in a strong clear voice with deliberate pauses and an almost biblical rhythm. I felt
uplifted, comforted and nourished not only by the atmosphere, but also by the words of optimism
and hope for humanity.
After this moving experience, Mr Creme gave a statesman-like lecture, about world events,
linking developments to the benign but potent influence, not only of an emerging World Teacher,
but of his team of Masters, many of whom had taken their places in the modern world. This was a
biblical story brought right up to date with current information, filling the void which had
sent me running from organized religion in my late teens. Here was a humanitarian perspective of
global politics and economics, and a proposal for the realistic changes required to set the
world to rights. This was not a revolutionary call to arms, but a call to ordinary people to see
their role in events, the part they could play in implementing sharing and justice, in ending
hunger in the world.
Horacio Londner, Barcelona, Spain (Biochemist)
In August 1993, a few months after hearing for the first time about the presence of Maitreya and
the Masters in the world, and after reading Maitreya's Mission Volume One, my girlfriend and I
went to London to a lecture by Benjamin Creme. We arrived a bit early and sat down. The room was
quiet and calm as Benjamin Creme was looking at the audience. I closed my eyes. There was a kind
of vibrating and lively stillness. At one moment, I felt a very strong energy concentrating on
me. I opened my eyes and saw that Benjamin Creme was looking in my direction. I closed my eyes
again and remained in that position till the overshadowing was over and the lecture started.
As had happened to me when reading his book, I found an internal recognition that Mr Creme’s
words were the truth I had being looking for since childhood. As if the pieces of a puzzle were
coming into place.
[Later that evening, reading Share International for the first time] — the Master's article and
an interview with the Master called ‘The challenges of the 21st century’ — we knew that this
information had to be spread as widely as possible.
Jackie Osterloh, Dublin, California, USA (Payroll Processing Manager)
My first Benjamin Creme lecture was a life-changing experience for me. I had an intuitive
response to the overshadowing. I saw this older gentleman looking intently at everyone in the
audience. I just had a sense that something extraordinary was going on. When he looked directly
at me with a slight smile on his face I allowed myself the thought: “I suppose it is possible
that the Christ is looking at me." At that moment I felt a jolt go up my spine. He continued
looking at me with that sweet smile for a little while longer and then moved on. The lecture
proceeded and I was amazed at how logically the story unfolded. I thought: “At last, someone is
telling me the TRUTH about the Christ, about the evolution of man towards mastery; the reasons
for the terrible tension in the world due to lack of love and sharing of the world's resources.”
To hear about the presence and guidance of the Spiritual Hierarchy was like a huge weight being
lifted from my mind, which was so very concerned about the future for the planet and for
humanity. That night as I laid in bed I thought to myself: "I am going to see the Christ and see
the total transformation of the planet." I then cried, sobbing tears of joy. I was never the
same person after that lecture.
Tim Welch, Milton Keynes, UK
The first Benjamin Creme lecture I went to was the result of a recommendation from a friend. The
element of the talk that focused on the esoteric teachings gave me what was the most complete
explanation I have ever heard about how the universe works at the perceivable and unperceivable
levels. The ground was set for a system of beliefs that came over as a philosophy and a
framework for a responsible way of living. There were no ‘isms’ and that drew me straight away.
The fact that Mr Creme was effectively saying “test this for yourself to see if it rings true
for you” was also a very refreshing change. Most peddlers of religions, or belief systems, don’t
ask that question so this was another very refreshing change from anything I had heard before.
Also I was not being tapped for money.
The need for a fairer and more equitable sharing of the world’s resources amongst the world’s
population, and the need to care for the environment struck a particular chord for me.
I was particularly impressed by the wide range of people who attended the lectures, evidently
from all walks of life. It feels that many of us are seeking a more just and equitable world and
wish to see the many wrongs of such a polarized world put right.
Lastly, and most importantly, was the tremendous sense of hope given by the fact of the presence
of Maitreya, and the Masters of Wisdom, in the world.
Felicity Eliot, Amsterdam, Holland (Teacher)
In 1976 an advert caught my imagination about a “World Teacher”. I found Friends House, London,
crept in slightly late, sat down and was immediately absorbed and in seventh heaven because of
what I was hearing. It was as if I had a little check-list in my head which suddenly gave me
access to ideas I’d always known but not necessarily thought out consciously. To everything Mr
Creme said I found myself nodding enthusiastically; I think I must have sat there beaming and
nodding.
This was it! This was what I’d been looking for all those years when I’d read all sorts of
books, looked into various disciplines and areas of life trying to find a fully satisfying
complete understanding of reality.
After the lecture I literally skipped, hopped, jumped, flew along the corridor in Friends House
barely suppressing squeals of delight. Such joy — the most joyful day of my life so far. |