There's nothing quite like being there

I learned a new term today: 'Cognitive entrenchment'. It was from an Epoch Times article which looked promising. "Being able to admit you're wrong is the first step in getting it right". This I agree with. We shouldn't be too rigid in our worldview, right? Then they talked about different modes: politician mode when you're trying to win audience approval, preacher mode when you are convinced that you are right, and prosector mode when you are trying to expose the fault. We don't spend enough time in scientist mode which is looking at the evidence and coming to a conclusion based on that. It reminded me of "Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan who had characters caused Obstinate and Pliable, Passion and Patience, where Obstinate and Passion were bad. These days a lot of 'scientists' do seem to find agreement with those who pay them. Arguably Trump is not a politician even when President of the USA; some people do need to be prosecuted and not all preachers are wrong . . .

But, last year, we have been faced with situations that were outside of our usual experience. The lockdowns imposed by a government armed with emergency powers inflicted upon many people's lives - for our own good (? ! ! !) The mainstream media did not honestly report on the rioting that started last summer and many were surprized to find that they were deemed domestic terrorists who attended the Trump rally on January 6th. There are still riots in Portland at the time of writing and, of course, the damage done is being played down by the MSM. i think that this 'cognitive dissonance' - this can't be happening! - is a way to be rid of cognitive entrenchment.

As I mentioned in earlier posts evil is on display right now for everyone to see. Last year government with its emergency powers has proved again that it is not always right in spite of access to experts, and not always on the side of 'we the people'. There needs to be a fundamental switch in the role of government to serve the people rather than control and use the people. There is a choice between Communism where the state is the focus or government that the founding fathers of the USA had in mind when they established a new nation and a Constitution where no-one is above the law.

Once the oppression from a socialist government is actually experienced by one and all there will develop a consensus that will tend to naturally align with that of the founding fathers. That is what I think is happening right now.

When I first came to stay in this nation i came to realize that despite all its faults and corruption there was a much greater degree of personal freedom in this country that any other country that I've been in. It is certainly an upgrade on my home country - the UK. I think that a lot of Americans don't fully realize just how great this nation of America is. So what's been happening since January 20th is a wake up call.

​I believe that the previous administration was resetting to the spirit of the founding fathers and the Constitution whereas this present administration seems to embrace the ideas of big government and control of the people. 

That's why there's nothing like actually experiencing something to know what it is. There is nothing quite like being there. So, all this hardship can become a blessing.

I think that the first chosen people had cognitive entrenchment when they couldn't accept Jesus as the Messiah. The nation of Israel, even after 2000 years! still doesn't acknowledge that. The second chosen people, the Christians, are so sure that they wouldn't make the same mistake. That's why I put on the Home page of this website: "What kind of 2A of Christ are you expecting?" In spite of Daniel 7:13 Jesus was born on the Earth. In spite of Malachi 4:5 Elijah came as a new person with a different name according to Jesus. Even though John the Baptist denied that he was the Elijah, as per John 1:21, Jesus asserted that he was. (furthermore JtB didn't even follow Jesus and, therefore, became a major stumbling block) JtB was a total failure.

So what if the same kind of perplexing things happen at the 2A of Christ as happened at the first. Yep. The church Christians have missed the Second Coming just as Jesus warned that they would.

This last year when churches were closed out shows how weak present day Christianity actually is. Christianity does need to connect with the 'new truth' of the 2A of Christ to raise up Christian thought to the level of a God-centered ideology that can take on Communism and win.

The basic teaching is available in a condensed form that can even be read out for you. It is the red Divine Principle teaching. I put it on both the Home and the Resources pages. You can check it out in a relatively short time.

As St. Paul proved it is never too late to connect with the one sent by God. The first chosen people never really grasped the magnitude of their crime in rejecting and having executed the Messiah, Jesus. In fact the term 'Messiah' is better understood by the term 'True Parents' that Rev. Moon introduced. The Fall of Man was a bad start from false parents. We need True Parents and a change of lineage from that of the Fall to that of God. 

What is happening now in America should serve as a wake up call. We can no longer go to a new world as the founding fathers did. We need to realize how this country was founded on Christian principles and a government of, by, and for the people. This nation is the closest thing to the original ideal and can become a starting point. The 'new truth' from the 2A of Christ, aka True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind, aka God's Substantial Self do need to be engaged with by the brightest and best of this nation.

The kingdom of Heaven is something that has to be built by people who are in alignment with God. It will not float down from the sky! Jesus did not float down from the sky. The 2A of Elijah did not float down from the sky. If that is your expectation be prepared to wait forever. We are God's children - not God's pets. All we need to do is connect with the words of Christ and become the substantiation of God's Word like Jesus as the 2nd Adam who, together with the Holy Spirit, gave spiritual re-birth, and like Sun Myung Moon as the 3rd Adam who comes to give both spiritual and physical re-birth.

If you come across a stumbling block please let me know. We can reason together, right?

As always, looking forward to hearing from you. These are awesome times that we're living in. Say, "bye bye" to cognitive entrenchment.

Andrew Derricutt