Questions and Answers a selection
Q. How many television interviews has Maitreya given to date? A. 48 (As of 12 November 2011.) Q. Has Maitreya appeared on Brazilian television again <http://www.share-international.org/magazine/old_issues/2011/2011-11.htm\ #TVbrazil> , since the November 2011 issue Share International? A. Yes, twice. Q. How did viewers in Brazil respond? A. The response was mixed, for and against. Q. The ongoing news of the Arab Spring is wonderful but how sad if the countries revert back to old ways of inequality for women. Already talks of Sharia Law are in the news and sadly women seem to be low on the priority list. Is this something that only Maitreya can deal with? A. It would be sad indeed if Arab groups attained the present promise of freedom and democracy without extending it to all Arab women. Personally I do not expect this to be the case, in for example, Egypt or Tunisia or Libya. Many `liberated' Arab women do not oppose much of Sharia Law, seeing it as rational and useful in many cases and they're even prepared to limit their own freedoms if necessary. One has to remember that freedom for women in many Arab countries has been for long non-existent and that change takes time. If we believe in democracy we have to also believe that Muslims have the right to make their own choice of laws. I have no doubt that some of the most severe aspects of Sharia Law, particularly as used in places like Afghanistan, will take Maitreya's breadth of view to moderate. Q. Currently what is the most important work that the World Teacher is carrying out? A. From our point of view, the awakening of the spiritual nature of humanity to manifest and so to change the world for the better. Q. The Occupy movement in the United States has been criticized by some people for not having a specific set of demands which would pressure the US government to make specific changes. Others say that the Occupy movement is not a political movement, and that they are trying to create something new, and more broadly based to change society fundamentally. What is your view of this? A. I agree with this second idea. There would be no end to the demands and therefore no action if that was the only intention. Q. The International Atomic Energy Agency has recently reported that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons. Do you think this report is accurate, and if so, what if anything should the world community do about this? A. My information is that this growing assumption by America, Israel and other states, is not accurate. My information is that Iran is focusing its nuclear programme, as it says, for peaceful purposes only, but that they want to develop a system where they would, if attacked, have the possibility of creating a retaliatory weapon. They want it both ways in other words they're not creating weapons of assault but want to have the possibility of retaliation if attacked. One should not forget that Israel has nuclear weapons. Q. You once said that karma is withheld until a person reaches seven years of age and even then it is mitigated until they turn 14. Also, it is only those people who are aged 14 or over who will be able to experience Maitreya's overshadowing on the Day of Declaration because their chakras will be developed enough to withstand the energy. Am I right to presume that the age of 14 in both these circumstances is not coincidental and that the chakras have to be fully formed before karma can be fully faced? A. No, you cannot assume that. The Masters see children as not fully formed `adults' until the age of 14. The child's brain would not be fully equipped to interpret the meaning and purpose of Maitreya's message. This would inevitably risk causing fear, and/or confusion. Q. What is the solution to the `gypsy question' which so vexes politicians in various countries? A. Gypsies are seen as `alien' groups in their various countries, just as immigrants are. It is to do with protecting the `citadels of wealth'. Commercialization demands by its very nature the exclusion of those poorer groups who do not fit into the privileged realms of the money-makers. There is only one solution the recognition of the oneness of all humanity and therefore the need for justice and sharing in all aspects of life. Q. Some say that the gypsies should integrate and settle down to become part of mainstream life; what is your opinion, please? A. In a democratic society gypsies have as much right to decide their own way of life as anybody else. Q. The Arab League appeared successful in brokering a peace deal with the Syrian authorities but President Assad appears to be continuing along the same lines, flouting international opinion including that of the Arab World. What can be done to help the Syrian people? A. There is a huge awakening taking place throughout the Arab world. Successful demonstrations of this can be seen in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. But each country presents different problems and therefore different solutions. The freeing of Syria will take place but it will take longer. Q. I see Share International is just coming to the end of its 30th year. Congratulations! You still have no advertizing in your periodical. How have you managed to keep going all these years without giving in to commercial pressure? A. We have managed to keep publishing because (a) everyone connected with the magazine works as an unpaid volunteer and (b) we are supported by the generous donations and understanding of our readers. Q. Do you and your Master think your magazine has achieved some of its aims? A. Yes, to some extent. We have tried to show the connectedness of the political, economic and spiritual changes that are happening in the world, and to reveal the relation of these changes to the emergence of Maitreya and Hierarchy. Q. Will there be many Masters doing work in the world and possibly working in the political field? A. Yes! Q. Can Maitreya and the Masters change their appearance at will? A. Yes. Q. Are things going to change soon? Within the next couple of years I hope things will start picking up pace. Will they? A. Yes. Q. In May 2011 a non-governmental organization in Japan began a project of removing radioactive materials in Fukushima by applying microbiological technology, and reported that, by the use of a multiple fermentation technique, the amounts of radiation and radioactive materials were in a short time drastically decreased. Were the decreases of the amounts of radiation and radioactive materials caused by the conversion of radioactive organisms into non-radioactive ones? A. Substantially, yes. Q. What is your Master's and your comment on how Colonel Gaddafi died? A. The Master has no comment. I thought it was brutal and inhumane. Q. Given how, according to your information, the deaths of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden have been manipulated by the American government, can you clarify the circumstances of the death of Muammar Gaddafi? A. It was exactly as reported in the media. Q. How much longer do you think the European Union can survive the economic and political turmoil? A. For some time but not for ever. It is most important that `Europe' is not seen as one nation but simply as an economic union. Individual nationhood is sacrosanct. Q. What would the effect be on the world's economy if the euro collapsed? A. Probably less than people think. Q. To my mind the Occupy movement (which I support 100% as one of the 99%!) in London has created a distraction by being camped outside St Paul's Cathedral. Surely the issue is social and economic injustice, corruption, profit being put before people, and not the location of the protestor's camp? However, being outside St Paul's Cathedral, London, is making the clergy think about their stance vis à vis money and ethical trading and investment; Jesus drove the money lenders and traders out of the temple: what is your opinion about the situation? A. This location for the Occupy movement camp may not be altogether appropriate but it has resulted in an unusual demonstration of unity with the occupiers by the Church authorities, and anything which brings the Church closer to supporting the people is to be welcomed.
