|
Endeavor,
and its founder Charles (Chuck) Anderson, a.k.a "Master
Teacher" for doing what needed to be done to bring about an end to
the copyright and the suppression of the Authentic Course and the legal
harassment of people who wished to offer public commentary on Jesus'
Course In Miracles.
Some have correctly noted that "it's not yet over" and there is some
remote possibility that the FACIM will appeal Judge Sweet's verdict.
Indeed it is not entirely over. But Judge Sweet's ruling has already
brought about an end to a great deal of the "controversy." There
remains no controversy regarding the honesty of Judith Skutch and Ken
Wapnick. They have been exposed by Judge Sweet as liars and
perjurers and charlatans and frauds.
No
appeal can erase the "findings of fact" by Judge Sweet and those findings
are damning.
I
am certain this is not the goal that Master Teacher set out to achieve
...but rather is the goal that Ken and Judith set out to achieve when
first they practiced to deceive.
What EA and MT set out to achieve was FREEDOM for the Course ... to allow
anyone and everyone to quote it, publish it, spread it, learn from it,
discuss it, study it, and live it. A small goal. It only
needed from Ken and Judith a simple "ok." But that simple "ok" had
the potential to cut seriously into their profits from marketing the
Course and thus they said no.
And
for seven long, trying and tiring years this has been drawn out in the
courts. Seven long years during which the dominant "conventional
wisdom" said that EA had no chance ... and that they'd get sued into
oblivion. But the conventional wisdom has proven wrong and Charles
Anderson has been proven right.
Which is rather a good thing, don't you think? For it frees the
Course for ALL!
During those seven long, difficult years EA got very little support from
the Course Community for its efforts to free the Course, efforts whose
victory has triggered such widespread celebration!
The
Course Community has been generally loathed to openly support Charles
Anderson, quick to condemn him for the slightest slip, and nearly
unanimous in the belief that his struggle for a free Course was doomed and
that the FACIM would prevail.
And
now many celebrate ... and others caution us that "it is not over yet!"
But who, just who, has given even a nod of recognition and appreciation to
our brother Chuck without whom none of this would have happened?
Now
I've personally never been very comfortable with the appellation “Master
Teacher" although I know Chuck didn't choose that name for himself, it was
given him by students who felt it fit. I'm not sure about that name but
never have I been more inclined to think "Master Teacher" is an
appropriate name for a man who has led us, liberated us, and marched so
far out in front of almost all of us, for seven long years when almost no
one supported him and so many derided him, criticized him, attacked him,
ridiculed him and condemned him ... all sure he would fail in court...
But
you know it was not MT who started the lawsuits. All MT did is what
most of us do on the newsgroups every day, quote Jesus and express an
opinion. The particular opinions MT expressed led Dr. Wapnick to do his
utmost to silence the man. It was not long until Dr. Wapnick was
attempting to silence almost everyone who had any opinion about Jesus or
the Course.
The
attempt was advanced with scare tactics, threats and intimidation. Most
who were targeted were frightened and intimidated and shut up.
Chuck didn't shut up.
Chuck stood for all of us on the basic grounds of freedom of conscience
and freedom of expression and raised money and hired lawyers and put
up with all the crap in the name of freedom. Not just his own freedom, but
freedom of the Sonship.
Charles Anderson, Master Teacher at EA did that.
I
feel very, very, very grateful and I offer this public tribute in
expression of my gratitude and you know, we all, all of us who now enjoy
freedom of expression and unfettered access to the authentic Course, owe
Charles Anderson, EA's "Master Teacher" a debt of gratitude far
larger than we are likely to ever know.
We
would not be here if not for him.
He
may not be a saint or a perfect human being but in this instance he has,
without any question, been the Holy Spirit's point man and has done what
needed doing not for selfish reasons, but for the freedom of all!
INCLUDING Ken Wapnick!
So,
Chuck, I wish to extend to you my heartfelt thanks and announce to the
world what I know, which is little enough, of what you have done for all
of us! SOME of us are grateful! ALL of us should be! For none
of us have failed to gain from what Master Teacher has done.
There are many other individuals associated with the New Christian Church
of Full Endeavor and EA who deserve honorable mention and kudos and
thanks. Too many to list but a few must be noted, Monty, Joan, Katie,
Ellie, Ted, Jubi, Jane ... you know who you are and what you have done.
KNOW that it is most profoundly appreciated by some of us, mostly those of
us who KNOW what you have done! And that is not many.
But
you know the old saying "the victors write the history." It's true.
You all have to come out of the woodwork when the story of this time is
finally told in all its miraculous and improbable detail! Heroes and
heroines all of you!
But
I do know some of what you have done for some of it we have done together
and I know that without what you have done, we'd all still suppose the
1975 abridgement was "virtually unchanged" and we'd all be prohibited from
exercising freedom of religious expression and we'd all be still being
sued if we quoted the Course without Dr. Wapnick's permission.
You
have freed us, Endeavor! You have given us the miracle. You
have blazed the trail. You have been the light in the dark tunnel.
You have led us to the promised land. You have been faithful when
most grew faint of heart. You have been fearless when most were
trembling in fear. You have all been true to the One Teacher Who is
the Holy Spirit and unflinching in your proclamation of the Lordship of
Jesus Christ.
You've been, quite simply, exemplary and remarkable when few others have
risen to the occasion and many scurried in fear for hiding places.
There is a story here, of fraud, corruption, greed, and hubris for the
self-proclaimed "guardians of the sacred trust" at FIP and FACIM.
But there is a more uplifting story of faithfulness and honor and
integrity ...the story of those who fearlessly and faithfully stood up to
the lies and falsehoods and spoke the truth when few would listen; when
truth was out of fashion. And that was you guys and gals at Endeavor.
The
Sonship is forever in your debt and very few realize how much and even
fewer can bring themselves to acknowledge it and I know, full well, I win
few friends by doing so. But doing so is needful for this is the
TRUTH!
Jesus has taught us "by their fruits ye shall know them and they shall
know themselves."
Endeavor ... and I address every last one of you ... we see your fruits
and we CELEBRATE and by your fruits we know what you truly are and even
when we are afraid of saying so, in our hearts and souls is GREAT THANKS!
You
have "done good!" For the world. For the Sonship! For
true Freedom. I need to say "thanks" and let you know how VERY MUCH we all
appreciate what you have done for us. Even those of us who don't really
know exactly what you've done.
I
know, and I thank you all.
I
also know that "worldly praise" and kudos is not what any of you sought
and this may even embarrass some of you. Accolades and praises and
laurel wreathes were never your objective. But allow me this one
indulgence in heaping praise upon you for what you HAVE DONE RIGHT!
Thank-you MT. Thank-you EA. Thank-you one and all.
There is a need to acknowledge, by all who celebrate freedom, from whence
it came. This round, it came through you MT.
Thanks!
Best regards,
Doug
dthompson74@execulink.com
|
