「第十二章：遠離負面影響」
Chapter 12: Avoid Negative Influences
「你還記得我之前提到的那個黑暗宗教嗎？」
“Do you remember the religion of darkness I mentioned earlier?” “Yes.”
「有些人不停地散播那種信仰。他們或許甚至不知道自己在傳教，但內心清楚自己正以恐懼情緒為滋養。他們圍繞這種情緒來構建訊息，藉此牟利並擴大自身的權勢。」
“There are people who preach it constantly. They may not even know they are preaching a religion, but they know that they are feeding on feelings of fear. They design their message around it. They profit and expand their power through it.”
「他們到底是誰？」
“Who are they?”
「他們就在你身邊。你可以在許多地方、以各種方式找到他們，但最常見的就是新聞媒體。」
“They’re all around you. You can find them in many places, and in many ways, but the most common is the news.”
「你的意思是，出現在新聞裡的人嗎？」
“You mean the people on the news?”
「不，我指的是新聞公司本身——那些總監、編輯、撰稿人和記者。」
“No. The news companies themselves. The directors, the editors, the writers, and reporters.”
我心想，新聞報導的確傾向於聚焦世間的惡劣事件。
News stories did tend to focus on the bad things happening in the world, I thought.
「可是，瞭解世界的狀況難道不重要嗎？」
“But isn’t it important to know what is going on in the world?” “But do you really?”
「當然。我可以從中了解其他國家的情況、自然災害以及其他相關事宜。」
“Sure. I can learn about what is going on in other countries, natural disasters, and things like that.”
「你認為這能完整呈現世界的全貌嗎？還僅只是那些罕見而驚心動魄的事件？」
“Do you believe that is a clear picture of everything going on? Or is it just the rare and titillating things?”
「嗯，那些資訊確實很實用。」
“Well, it’s useful information.”
「實用？你拿那些資料又能做什麼？它會改變你的生活方式嗎？」
“Useful? What do you do with that information? Does it change how you live your life?”
我不得不承認，除了影響情緒外，新聞大部分內容其實並未真正影響我的生活——倒是更添趣味，而非實質實用。
I had to admit that other than how it made me feel, most of what I heard on the news didn’t really affect me at all. It was more interesting than useful.
「通常不會，但難道就沒有任何正面的效益嗎？」
“Not usually, no. But isn’t there any good that can come from it?”
「當然，但你必須保持智慧並非常審慎地選擇。你很容易就會被無休止的新聞循環牽扯進絕望與恐懼的洪流中，而這會改變你看待世界的方式，乃至你對事件和他人的看法。這種環境滋生偏見 (Prejudice) 並抑制愛意；隨著時間的推移，一切都會顯得消極，你將漸漸失去那源自上帝的光明。」
“Of course, but you need to be wise and very selective. It is easy to get pulled into the river of despair and fear of the constant news cycle. It changes how you see the world, the way you think about events and other people. It feeds prejudice and dampens love. Over time, everything will just seem negative, and you will lose touch with the brightness that comes from God.”
「就像你曾說過，凡是我們允許進入心靈的東西都會影響我們？」
“Like when you said that everything that we allow inside of us affects us?”
「正是如此。那黑暗宗教希望所有人每天整天觀看暴力、戲劇以及充滿恐懼的影像。事實上，的確有人這麼做；若全由這種信仰支配，新聞頻道只會集中報導各地的負面事件。他們不希望人們接觸任何能夠激發你內在光明或豐富靈魂 (Life line) 的正面內容，因為一旦你這麼做，他們對你的掌控就會大大削弱。」
“Exactly. The religion of darkness wants everyone to watch violence, drama, and fearful images every day, all day long. Some people do. If it was up to this religion, there would only be news channels focused on every negative event everywhere. They don’t want people watching positive entertainment. They don’t want you to watch anything that builds your inner light or your soul, because when you do that, they lose influence over you.”
「但有時候還會有一些正面的新聞報導。」
“But sometimes there are good news stories.”
「有的。不過你要明白，新聞節目本質上是一門生意，他們會竭盡所能利用低級情感來吸引你，讓你源源不斷地回來觀看。仔細看看，即便是所謂的正面新聞，其報導結構中也常常夾雜著痛苦、傷害與負面情緒。他們刻意把緊張與衝突編織進去，以提高節目的觀看率。人性本就傾向於低頻信息 (lower frequencies) 的吸引。」
“Sometimes. Understand that news programs are running a business, and they will do everything they can to appeal to base emotions to hook you and keep you coming back for more. Look closely at how even good news stories are constructed; they’re laced together with pain, hurt, and negativity. Weaving tension and conflict into the story is how they make it more engaging. Our baser natures are naturally drawn to those lower frequencies.”
「那麼，我是不是該徹底避開新聞呢？」
“So, I should have just avoided the news completely?”
「我並不是那樣說。你確實需要瞭解世界在發生什麼，尤其是當你有能力去改變它的時候，但同時也要意識到這些節目的本質，並限制你投入其中的注意力與精力。如果你不斷暴露在負面與痛苦之中，久而久之，這將會讓你變成一個受傷害、靈魂被腐蝕的人——也許不會完全毀壞，但絕對不會完整無缺。」
“That’s not what I’m saying. You are right that it is good to know what is going on in the world, especially when you can make a difference. Just be aware of the nature of the programs, and limit the attention and energy you give to it. If you’re constantly exposed to negativity and pain, over time, they will create a damaged person with a corrupted soul. Maybe not completely broken, but not completely whole, either.”
我想起那些我所認識的人，他們似乎對新聞上癮：無論是把電視不停地開著新聞，還是在沒有電視時不時在手機上查看新聞，生怕錯過任何動態。Drake 說得對，這些人往往顯得悲觀、多疑且充滿恐懼。
I thought of people I knew who seemed to be addicted to news stories. They either had to have the news running on their TV, or, if they were away from a TV, had to check the news on their phones regularly, afraid that they might be missing something. Drake was right. These people seemed pessimistic, doubtful, or fearful.
「悲哀的現實是，新聞業靠衝突營利。他們從中獲利，且大部分內容都是為了娛樂而設計的，就像電影或電視劇一樣，由導演精心策劃。他們能夠把一個微不足道的小事誇大成大問題，也能將大事縮小成微塵。他們掌控著你看到和聽到的資訊，因此也左右了你的信念。這比虛構還來得陰險，因為你會完全相信他們所傳達的內容，儘管這些資訊經過過濾和包裝，扭曲了真正的事實。不要讓他們對你擁有那樣的權力。」
“The sad reality about the news is that they are in the business of conflict. They thrive and profit from it. Most of it is designed for entertainment. There are directors, just like in movies and television shows. They can take a molehill and turn it into a mountain. Likewise, they can take a mountain and make it a molehill. They get to script what you see and hear, and, therefore, what you believe. It’s more insidious than fiction because you believe that what they are telling you is absolutely true, even though it is filtered and packaged in a way that distorts the real truth. Do not allow them that power over you.”
「那麼，我該如何知道什麼才是重要 (Importance) 或正確的呢？」
“So, how am I supposed to know what is important or right?” “Always remember that you’re hearing the news secondhand. When you do, and when you are connected to God, you’ll know the truth of what stories are important and what stories aren’t. You can then seek out those stories that are truly important for you and only expose yourself to those things.
「學會忽略那些噪音 — 那些使你憤怒、恐懼，並將你與兄弟姐妹隔離的分心事物，因為這正是他們最終的目的。」
“Learn to ignore the noise—the distractions that keep you angry and fearful and isolated from your brothers and sisters, because that’s their ultimate goal.”
「他們的目的？」
“Their goal?”
「那正是恐懼宗教 (Religion of fear) 的目的。他們要你相信，任何與你不同的文化都是敵人，任何不是你種族的都是敵人，任何性取向若與你不一致，就都是敵人。這一原則適用於所有與你不同的人，無論他們在價值觀上的優先順序、思維方式、收入水平、生活方式、居住地，甚至語言，都與你有所不同。他們的目的是讓我們彼此成為對立的敵人。」
“The goal of the religion of fear. They want you to believe that whatever culture is not your culture is your enemy. They want you to believe that whatever race is not your race is your enemy. They want you to believe that any sexual orientation that is not your sexual orientation is your enemy. That applies to anyone who is different. It applies to people who prioritize values differently. People who think differently. People who make more or less money. People who live a different life or live in a different place or speak a different language. They want us all to be enemies against each other.
「別被那些看似包裹著正面消息，實則充滿負面情緒的故事所欺騙。即便新聞報導宣揚團結 (Unity of heart and mind) 的理念，背後往往也隱含著利用我們彼此分裂、使人以衝突角度看待問題的意圖。若你能找到那些純粹正面、無矛盾的報導，一定要大力吸收並分享。世界需要更多這樣的消息，這能讓每個人都更快樂，許多生命也會因此而改觀。」
“Don’t be fooled by stories that are wrapped in good news but are actually full of negative emotions at their core. Even when the news paints a story promoting unity, often the story is structured to exploit the divides between us and to make people think in terms of conflict. If you can find stories that are purely good, by all means take those in. Share them. The world needs more of that. It would make everyone happier and a lot of lives better.”
「『這倒是有道理。』」
“That makes sense.”
「我們主要談論了新聞，但請你明白，不只是新聞機構而已。還有許多其他團體依靠衝突而興盛，利用分裂來吸引追隨者、籌集支持，若你追隨他們的教條，就遠離了上帝。」
“We’ve mostly discussed the news, but realize, though, that it’s not just news organizations. There are plenty of other organizations that also thrive on conflict and exploit divisiveness to gain followers and build support for their cause. Whoever they are, if you follow their teachings, you are out of alignment with God.”
「聽起來像是在說政治。」
“That sounds like politics.”
「沒錯，政黨也包括在內。而且還有不少其他誘惑會讓你關注錯誤的事情。」
“Yes, political parties are on that list. And there are plenty of other distractions that can get you focused on the wrong things.”
「例如什麼呢？」
“Like what?”
「還有更多呢。隨著地球科技日新月異，人們獲取恐懼負面情緒的方式也會日益增多。新技術即將問世，能讓人們陶醉於向世界炫耀所展現的驕傲，或是羨慕他人展示卻自己所缺乏的。」
“There is more to come. As earth's technology advances, there will be more ways that people can feed the negative emotions of fear. New technology is coming that will enable people to feed their pride in what they show off to the world, or their envy of what other people are showing off that they don’t have.
「你看，黑暗宗教(Guardian's Riddle)希望你向他人展現完美人生。這種幻象讓你誤以為心情愉快，但實際上只會令你感到空虛與不滿足。即使你本意是為了激勵他人，你分享的內容也可能使他們心生嫉妒，對自己和那瑕疵重重的世界感到失望。」
“You see, the religion of darkness wants you to portray a perfect life to others. Creating that illusion makes you think that you feel better, but it really just leaves you hollow and unfulfilled. Even if you mean for it to inspire others, what you share can leave them feeling jealous and dissatisfied with themselves and their imperfect world.”
「我突然領悟到，那些虛假呈現生活的電視與電影，其故事與訊息確實深深影響了我的思想、慾望及行為，儘管我知道它們並非真實生活的再現。」
I suddenly understood the impact of television and movies that portrayed life inauthentically. Even though I knew they weren’t showing real life, their stories and messages had definitely influenced my thoughts, desires, and behavior.
「Drake展露出溫暖的笑容，說：‘是的，你正在將這些聯繫串起來，做得非常好。’」
Drake gave me a broad smile. “Yes, you are making the connections. Very good.”
「可是，媒體難道不能用來做些好事嗎？」
“But can’t the media be used for good?”
「當然可以。我並不是說媒體本身不好，而是它作為一個強大的工具，被黑暗宗教用來混淆情感與動機。」
“Of course, it can. I’m not saying that media itself is bad. It’s just a powerful tool that the religion of darkness uses to mix up emotions and motivations.”
「就像新聞一樣？」
“Like the news?”
「正是這樣。在我們之中存在著絕對真理，正是在那真理中我們找到共通點；而在這共通點中，我們發現了上帝、愛，以及通往自由、力量和真正賦能（Exceed potential）的根基。這說得通嗎？」
“Exactly. Between us all there is absolute truth. And it’s in that truth that we find commonality. It is in that commonality that we find God, love, and the fundamentals to freedom, power, and true empowerment. Does that make sense to you?”
「我點頭道：‘有的。’」
I nodded. “Yes.”
「‘很好。接下來，我想你會對這個原則感興趣。’」
“Good. Now I think you’ll find this next principle interesting.” “What’s that?”
「來談談魔鬼吧。」
“Let’s talk about the devil.”
第十二章：避免負面影響
Chapter 12: Avoid Negative Influences
「你還記得我之前提到的黑暗宗教嗎？」 「記得。」
“Do you remember the religion of darkness I mentioned earlier?” “Yes.”
「有些人不斷宣揚它。他們甚至可能不知道自己在宣揚一種宗教，但他們知道自己在以恐懼的感覺為食。他們圍繞這個設計他們的訊息。他們通過這個獲利並擴大自己的權力。」
“There are people who preach it constantly. They may not even know they are preaching a religion, but they know that they are feeding on feelings of fear. They design their message around it. They profit and expand their power through it.”
「他們是誰？」
“Who are they?”
「他們就在你周圍。你可以在許多地方和以許多方式找到他們，但最常見的就是新聞。」
“They’re all around you. You can find them in many places, and in many ways, but the most common is the news.”
「你是指新聞上的人嗎？」
“You mean the people on the news?”
「不。是新聞公司本身。導演、編輯、作家和記者。」
“No. The news companies themselves. The directors, the editors, the writers, and reporters.”
我想，新聞報導確實傾向於關注世界上發生的壞事。
News stories did tend to focus on the bad things happening in the world, I thought.
「但知道世界上發生了什麼不是很重要嗎？」 「但你真的知道嗎？」
“But isn’t it important to know what is going on in the world?” “But do you really?”
「當然。我可以了解其他國家的情況、自然災害和類似的事情。」
“Sure. I can learn about what is going on in other countries, natural disasters, and things like that.”
「你相信這是一個關於所有事情的清晰畫面嗎？還是只是一些稀有而刺激的事件？」
“Do you believe that is a clear picture of everything going on? Or is it just the rare and titillating things?”
「嗯，這是有用的信息。」
“Well, it’s useful information.”
「有用？你對這些信息做了什麼？它改變了你生活的方式嗎？」
“Useful? What do you do with that information? Does it change how you live your life?”
我不得不承認，除了它讓我感受到的情緒外，我在新聞中聽到的大部分內容對我根本沒有影響。這更有趣而不是有用。
I had to admit that other than how it made me feel, most of what I heard on the news didn’t really affect me at all. It was more interesting than useful.
「通常不是。但難道沒有任何好處可以從中獲得嗎？」
“Not usually, no. But isn’t there any good that can come from it?”
「當然，但你需要明智且非常挑剔。很容易被絕望和恐懼的新聞循環所吸引。這會改變你看待世界的方式，影響你對事件和他人的思考。它滋養了偏見，抑制了愛。隨著時間的推移，一切都會顯得消極，你將失去來自上帝的光明。」
“Of course, but you need to be wise and very selective. It is easy to get pulled into the river of despair and fear of the constant news cycle. It changes how you see the world, the way you think about events and other people. It feeds prejudice and dampens love. Over time, everything will just seem negative, and you will lose touch with the brightness that comes from God.”
「就像你說的，我們所允許進入內心的所有事物都會影響我們？」
“Like when you said that everything that we allow inside of us affects us?”
「正是如此。黑暗宗教希望每個人每天都觀看暴力、戲劇和恐懼的影像。有人確實這樣做。如果這個宗教有話語權，新聞頻道將只會專注於各地的每一個負面事件。他們不希望人們觀看積極的娛樂。他們不希望你觀看任何能夠增強你內心光明或靈魂的東西，因為當你這樣做時，他們就會失去對你的影響力。」
“Exactly. The religion of darkness wants everyone to watch violence, drama, and fearful images every day, all day long. Some people do. If it was up to this religion, there would only be news channels focused on every negative event everywhere. They don’t want people watching positive entertainment. They don’t want you to watch anything that builds your inner light or your soul, because when you do that, they lose influence over you.”
「但有時候會有好消息的報導。」
“But sometimes there are good news stories.”
「有時候。要明白，新聞節目是在經營一項生意，他們會竭盡所能吸引你的基本情感，以便讓你上癮並不斷回來。仔細看看即使是好消息的報導是如何構建的；它們通常是與痛苦、傷害和消極情緒交織在一起的。將緊張和衝突編織進故事中是他們讓故事更具吸引力的方式。我們的低層本性自然會被這些低頻率所吸引。」
“Sometimes. Understand that news programs are running a business, and they will do everything they can to appeal to base emotions to hook you and keep you coming back for more. Look closely at how even good news stories are constructed; they’re laced together with pain, hurt, and negativity. Weaving tension and conflict into the story is how they make it more engaging. Our baser natures are naturally drawn to those lower frequencies.”
「所以，我應該完全避免新聞嗎？」
“So, I should have just avoided the news completely?”
「我不是這麼說的。你說得對，知道世界上發生了什麼是好的，特別是當你能夠有所作為的時候。只需注意這些節目的性質，並限制你對它們的注意力和精力。如果你不斷接觸消極和痛苦，隨著時間的推移，它們會創造出一個受損的人，擁有一個腐敗的靈魂。也許不會完全破碎，但也不會完全完整。」
“That’s not what I’m saying. You are right that it is good to know what is going on in the world, especially when you can make a difference. Just be aware of the nature of the programs, and limit the attention and energy you give to it. If you’re constantly exposed to negativity and pain, over time, they will create a damaged person with a corrupted soul. Maybe not completely broken, but not completely whole, either.”
我想到我認識的那些似乎對新聞故事上癮的人。他們要麼必須讓新聞在電視上播放，要麼如果遠離電視，就必須定期查看手機上的新聞，擔心自己可能會錯過什麼。德瑞克是對的。這些人似乎悲觀、懷疑或害怕。
I thought of people I knew who seemed to be addicted to news stories. They either had to have the news running on their TV, or, if they were away from a TV, had to check the news on their phones regularly, afraid that they might be missing something. Drake was right. These people seemed pessimistic, doubtful, or fearful.
「關於新聞的悲哀現實是，他們是在經營衝突的生意。他們從中獲利並繁榮。大多數內容都是為了娛樂而設計的。就像電影和電視節目一樣，有導演。他們可以將小山變成大山。同樣，他們也可以將大山變成小山。他們掌控了你所看到和聽到的內容，因此也掌控了你的信念。這比虛構更隱蔽，因為你相信他們告訴你的絕對是真實的，即使它是經過篩選和包裝的，扭曲了真實的真相。不要讓他們對你擁有這種權力。」
“The sad reality about the news is that they are in the business of conflict. They thrive and profit from it. Most of it is designed for entertainment. There are directors, just like in movies and television shows. They can take a molehill and turn it into a mountain. Likewise, they can take a mountain and make it a molehill. They get to script what you see and hear, and, therefore, what you believe. It’s more insidious than fiction because you believe that what they are telling you is absolutely true, even though it is filtered and packaged in a way that distorts the real truth. Do not allow them that power over you.”
「那麼，我該如何知道什麼是重要或正確的？」 「永遠記住，你聽到的新聞是二手的。當你這樣做時，當你與上帝相連時，你會知道哪些故事是重要的，哪些故事不是。然後你可以尋找那些對你真正重要的故事，並只將自己暴露於那些事情中。」
“So, how am I supposed to know what is important or right?” “Always remember that you’re hearing the news secondhand. When you do, and when you are connected to God, you’ll know the truth of what stories are important and what stories aren’t. You can then seek out those stories that are truly important for you and only expose yourself to those things.
「學會忽略噪音——那些讓你憤怒、恐懼並與兄弟姐妹隔絕的干擾，因為那是他們的最終目標。」
“Learn to ignore the noise—the distractions that keep you angry and fearful and isolated from your brothers and sisters, because that’s their ultimate goal.”
「他們的目標？」
“Their goal?”
「恐懼宗教的目標。他們希望你相信，任何不是你文化的文化都是你的敵人。他們希望你相信，任何不是你種族的種族都是你的敵人。他們希望你相信，任何不是你性取向的性取向都是你的敵人。這適用於任何不同的人。這適用於那些優先考慮不同價值觀的人。思考方式不同的人。賺取更多或更少金錢的人。生活方式不同或居住在不同地方或講不同語言的人。他們希望我們彼此成為敵人。」
“The goal of the religion of fear. They want you to believe that whatever culture is not your culture is your enemy. They want you to believe that whatever race is not your race is your enemy. They want you to believe that any sexual orientation that is not your sexual orientation is your enemy. That applies to anyone who is different. It applies to people who prioritize values differently. People who think differently. People who make more or less money. People who live a different life or live in a different place or speak a different language. They want us all to be enemies against each other.
「不要被包裹在好消息中的故事所欺騙，但其實在核心中充滿了負面情緒。即使當新聞描繪一個促進團結的故事時，這個故事往往也是為了利用我們之間的分歧，讓人們以衝突的方式思考。如果你能找到純粹美好的故事，儘管如此，請接受它們。分享它們。這個世界需要更多這樣的東西。這會讓每個人更快樂，讓許多生活變得更好。」
“Don’t be fooled by stories that are wrapped in good news but are actually full of negative emotions at their core. Even when the news paints a story promoting unity, often the story is structured to exploit the divides between us and to make people think in terms of conflict. If you can find stories that are purely good, by all means take those in. Share them. The world needs more of that. It would make everyone happier and a lot of lives better.”
「這讓我覺得有道理。」
“That makes sense.”
「我們主要討論了新聞，但要明白，這不僅僅是新聞機構。還有很多其他組織也在衝突中繁榮，利用分裂來獲得追隨者並為他們的事業建立支持。無論他們是誰，如果你追隨他們的教義，你就會與上帝不一致。」
“We’ve mostly discussed the news, but realize, though, that it’s not just news organizations. There are plenty of other organizations that also thrive on conflict and exploit divisiveness to gain followers and build support for their cause. Whoever they are, if you follow their teachings, you are out of alignment with God.”
「這聽起來像政治。」
“That sounds like politics.”
「是的，政黨在這個名單上。而且還有很多其他的干擾會讓你專注於錯誤的事情。」
“Yes, political parties are on that list. And there are plenty of other distractions that can get you focused on the wrong things.”
「比如什麼？」
“Like what?”
「還有更多的事情會發生。隨著地球科技的進步，人們將有更多的方式來滋養恐懼的負面情緒。新的科技即將到來，將使人們能夠滿足他們對於向世界炫耀的自豪感，或是對於其他人所展示的他們所沒有的東西的嫉妒。」
“There is more to come. As earth's technology advances, there will be more ways that people can feed the negative emotions of fear. New technology is coming that will enable people to feed their pride in what they show off to the world, or their envy of what other people are showing off that they don’t have.
「你看，黑暗宗教希望你向他人展示完美的生活。創造這種幻覺讓你覺得自己感覺更好，但實際上只是讓你感到空虛和不滿足。即使你是想激勵他人，你所分享的也可能讓他們感到嫉妒，對自己和他們不完美的世界感到不滿。」
“You see, the religion of darkness wants you to portray a perfect life to others. Creating that illusion makes you think that you feel better, but it really just leaves you hollow and unfulfilled. Even if you mean for it to inspire others, what you share can leave them feeling jealous and dissatisfied with themselves and their imperfect world.”
我突然明白了那些不真實地描繪生活的電視和電影的影響。即使我知道它們並沒有展示真實的生活，但它們的故事和訊息確實影響了我的思想、渴望和行為。
I suddenly understood the impact of television and movies that portrayed life inauthentically. Even though I knew they weren’t showing real life, their stories and messages had definitely influenced my thoughts, desires, and behavior.
德瑞克給了我一個燦爛的微笑。「是的，你正在建立聯繫。非常好。」
Drake gave me a broad smile. “Yes, you are making the connections. Very good.”
「但媒體不能用於做好事嗎？」
“But can’t the media be used for good?”
「當然可以。我不是說媒體本身是壞的。它只是一個強大的工具，黑暗宗教利用它來混淆情感和動機。」
“Of course, it can. I’m not saying that media itself is bad. It’s just a powerful tool that the religion of darkness uses to mix up emotions and motivations.”
「就像新聞？」
“Like the news?”
「正是如此。在我們之間有絕對的真理。而在那個真理中，我們找到了共同點。正是在那個共同點中，我們找到了上帝、愛，以及自由、力量和真正賦權的基本要素。這對你來說有道理嗎？」
“Exactly. Between us all there is absolute truth. And it’s in that truth that we find commonality. It is in that commonality that we find God, love, and the fundamentals to freedom, power, and true empowerment. Does that make sense to you?”
我點了點頭。「是的。」
I nodded. “Yes.”
「很好。現在我想你會覺得下一個原則很有趣。」 「那是什麼？」
“Good. Now I think you’ll find this next principle interesting.” “What’s that?”
「讓我們談談魔鬼。」
“Let’s talk about the devil.”
第12章：避免負面影響
Chapter 12: Avoid Negative Influences
“你還記得我之前提到的黑暗的宗教嗎？”“記得。”
“Do you remember the religion of darkness I mentioned earlier?” “Yes.”
“有些人不斷地宣揚它。他們可能甚至不知道自己在宣揚一種宗教，但他們知道自己在利用恐懼的情緒。他們圍繞這一點設計他們的信息。他們通過這樣做獲利並擴大他們的權力。”
“There are people who preach it constantly. They may not even know they are preaching a religion, but they know that they are feeding on feelings of fear. They design their message around it. They profit and expand their power through it.”
“他們是誰？”
“Who are they?”
“他們就在你周圍。你可以在很多地方和很多方式中找到他們，但最常見的是新聞。”
“They’re all around you. You can find them in many places, and in many ways, but the most common is the news.”
“你是指新聞中的人嗎？”
“You mean the people on the news?”
“不，是指新聞公司本身。導演、編輯、作家和記者。”
“No. The news companies themselves. The directors, the editors, the writers, and reporters.”
我想，新聞故事確實傾向於關注世界上發生的壞事。
News stories did tend to focus on the bad things happening in the world, I thought.
“但知道世界上發生的事情不是很重要嗎？”“但你真的需要知道嗎？”
“But isn’t it important to know what is going on in the world?” “But do you really?”
“當然。我可以了解其他國家的情況、自然災害和類似的事情。”
“Sure. I can learn about what is going on in other countries, natural disasters, and things like that.”
“你認為那是對所有事情的清晰描繪嗎？還是只是罕見且刺激的事情？”
“Do you believe that is a clear picture of everything going on? Or is it just the rare and titillating things?”
“嗯，這是有用的信息。”
“Well, it’s useful information.”
“有用？你用這些信息做什麼？它改變了你的生活方式嗎？”
“Useful? What do you do with that information? Does it change how you live your life?”
我不得不承認，除了它讓我感覺如何之外，我在新聞中聽到的大多數事情對我實際上沒有影響。它更有趣而不是有用。
I had to admit that other than how it made me feel, most of what I heard on the news didn’t really affect me at all. It was more interesting than useful.
“通常沒有。但難道沒有任何好處嗎？”
“Not usually, no. But isn’t there any good that can come from it?”
“當然有，但你需要明智且非常挑剔。很容易被不斷的新聞循環中的絕望和恐懼之河所吸引。它改變了你看待世界的方式，你對事件和其他人的看法。它滋養偏見並抑制愛。隨著時間的推移，一切都會顯得消極，你會失去與來自上帝的光明的聯繫。”
“Of course, but you need to be wise and very selective. It is easy to get pulled into the river of despair and fear of the constant news cycle. It changes how you see the world, the way you think about events and other people. It feeds prejudice and dampens love. Over time, everything will just seem negative, and you will lose touch with the brightness that comes from God.”
“就像你說的，我們允許進入我們內心的每一件事都會影響我們？”
“Like when you said that everything that we allow inside of us affects us?”
“正是如此。黑暗的宗教希望每個人每天整天都觀看暴力、戲劇和恐懼的畫面。有些人確實這樣做。如果由這個宗教決定，將只有專注於每一個負面事件的新聞頻道。他們不希望人們觀看正面的娛樂。他們不希望你觀看任何能夠增強你內心光明或靈魂的東西，因為當你這樣做時，他們對你的影響力就會減少。”
“Exactly. The religion of darkness wants everyone to watch violence, drama, and fearful images every day, all day long. Some people do. If it was up to this religion, there would only be news channels focused on every negative event everywhere. They don’t want people watching positive entertainment. They don’t want you to watch anything that builds your inner light or your soul, because when you do that, they lose influence over you.”
“但有時候也有好消息的故事。”
“But sometimes there are good news stories.”
“有時候。要明白新聞節目是在經營一門生意，他們會竭盡所能地吸引你的基本情緒，讓你上癮並不斷回來看更多。仔細看看即使是好消息的故事是如何構建的；它們被痛苦、傷害和消極情緒交織在一起。將緊張和衝突編織進故事中是他們讓故事更具吸引力的方法。我們的本性自然會被這些低頻率吸引。”
“Sometimes. Understand that news programs are running a business, and they will do everything they can to appeal to base emotions to hook you and keep you coming back for more. Look closely at how even good news stories are constructed; they’re laced together with pain, hurt, and negativity. Weaving tension and conflict into the story is how they make it more engaging. Our baser natures are naturally drawn to those lower frequencies.”
“所以，我應該完全避免新聞嗎？”
“So, I should have just avoided the news completely?”
“我不是這麼說的。你說得對，了解世界上發生的事情是好的，尤其是當你可以有所作為的時候。只是要意識到節目的性質，並限制你給予它的注意力和能量。如果你不斷接觸消極和痛苦，隨著時間的推移，它們會創造出一個受損的人，靈魂被腐蝕。也許不會完全破碎，但也不會完全完整。”
“That’s not what I’m saying. You are right that it is good to know what is going on in the world, especially when you can make a difference. Just be aware of the nature of the programs, and limit the attention and energy you give to it. If you’re constantly exposed to negativity and pain, over time, they will create a damaged person with a corrupted soul. Maybe not completely broken, but not completely whole, either.”
我想到我認識的一些似乎對新聞故事上癮的人。他們要麼必須讓電視上的新聞播放，要麼如果他們離開電視，就必須定期查看手機上的新聞，害怕錯過什麼。德雷克是對的。這些人似乎悲觀、懷疑或恐懼。
I thought of people I knew who seemed to be addicted to news stories. They either had to have the news running on their TV, or, if they were away from a TV, had to check the news on their phones regularly, afraid that they might be missing something. Drake was right. These people seemed pessimistic, doubtful, or fearful.
“關於新聞的悲哀現實是，他們是在經營衝突的生意。他們從中茁壯成長並獲利。大多數都是為娛樂而設計的。有導演，就像在電影和電視節目中一樣。他們可以把小事變成大事。同樣，他們可以把大事變成小事。他們可以編寫你看到和聽到的內容，因此你相信的內容。這比虛構更具隱蔽性，因為你相信他們告訴你的絕對是真實的，即使它是以扭曲真相的方式過濾和包裝的。不要讓他們對你有這種權力。”
“The sad reality about the news is that they are in the business of conflict. They thrive and profit from it. Most of it is designed for entertainment. There are directors, just like in movies and television shows. They can take a molehill and turn it into a mountain. Likewise, they can take a mountain and make it a molehill. They get to script what you see and hear, and, therefore, what you believe. It’s more insidious than fiction because you believe that what they are telling you is absolutely true, even though it is filtered and packaged in a way that distorts the real truth. Do not allow them that power over you.”
“那麼，我該如何知道什麼是重要的或正確的？”“永遠記住，你聽到的新聞是二手的。當你這樣做，並且當你與上帝相連時，你會知道哪些故事是重要的，哪些不是。然後你可以尋找那些對你真正重要的故事，並且只讓自己接觸那些事物。”
“So, how am I supposed to know what is important or right?” “Always remember that you’re hearing the news secondhand. When you do, and when you are connected to God, you’ll know the truth of what stories are important and what stories aren’t. You can then seek out those stories that are truly important for you and only expose yourself to those things.
“學會忽略那些讓你憤怒、恐懼和與兄弟姐妹隔離的噪音，因為那是他們的最終目標。”
“Learn to ignore the noise—the distractions that keep you angry and fearful and isolated from your brothers and sisters, because that’s their ultimate goal.”
“他們的目標？”
“Their goal?”
“恐懼宗教的目標。他們想讓你相信，任何不是你文化的文化就是你的敵人。他們想讓你相信，任何不是你種族的種族就是你的敵人。他們想讓你相信，任何不是你性取向的性取向就是你的敵人。這適用於任何不同的人。適用於那些優先考慮價值觀不同的人。思維方式不同的人。賺錢多或少的人。生活方式不同或住在不同地方或說不同語言的人。他們想讓我們彼此成為敵人。”
“The goal of the religion of fear. They want you to believe that whatever culture is not your culture is your enemy. They want you to believe that whatever race is not your race is your enemy. They want you to believe that any sexual orientation that is not your sexual orientation is your enemy. That applies to anyone who is different. It applies to people who prioritize values differently. People who think differently. People who make more or less money. People who live a different life or live in a different place or speak a different language. They want us all to be enemies against each other.
“不要被那些包裝在好消息中的故事所愚弄，但其核心實際上充滿了負面情緒。即使當新聞描繪一個促進團結的故事時，通常故事的結構是利用我們之間的分歧，讓人們以衝突的方式思考。如果你能找到純粹的好故事，務必吸收它們。分享它們。世界需要更多這樣的東西。這會讓每個人更快樂，讓許多生活更美好。”
“Don’t be fooled by stories that are wrapped in good news but are actually full of negative emotions at their core. Even when the news paints a story promoting unity, often the story is structured to exploit the divides between us and to make people think in terms of conflict. If you can find stories that are purely good, by all means take those in. Share them. The world needs more of that. It would make everyone happier and a lot of lives better.”
“這很有道理。”
“That makes sense.”
“我們主要討論了新聞，但要意識到，這不僅僅是新聞機構。還有很多其他組織也依靠衝突茁壯成長，利用分裂來吸引追隨者並為他們的事業建立支持。無論他們是誰，如果你追隨他們的教義，你就與上帝不一致。”
“We’ve mostly discussed the news, but realize, though, that it’s not just news organizations. There are plenty of other organizations that also thrive on conflict and exploit divisiveness to gain followers and build support for their cause. Whoever they are, if you follow their teachings, you are out of alignment with God.”
“聽起來像政治。”
“That sounds like politics.”
“是的，政黨就在那個名單上。而且還有很多其他分心的事情會讓你專注於錯誤的事情。”
“Yes, political parties are on that list. And there are plenty of other distractions that can get you focused on the wrong things.”
“比如什麼？”
“Like what?”
“還有更多。隨著地球科技的進步，將會有更多的方法讓人們滋養恐懼的負面情緒。新的技術即將到來，將使人們能夠炫耀他們向世界展示的東西，或羨慕他們沒有的其他人展示的東西。”
“There is more to come. As earth's technology advances, there will be more ways that people can feed the negative emotions of fear. New technology is coming that will enable people to feed their pride in what they show off to the world, or their envy of what other people are showing off that they don’t have.
“你看，黑暗的宗教希望你向他人展示一個完美的生活。創造這種幻覺讓你覺得自己感覺更好，但實際上只是讓你感到空虛和不滿足。即使你是為了激勵他人，你分享的內容也可能讓他們對自己和他們不完美的世界感到嫉妒和不滿。”
“You see, the religion of darkness wants you to portray a perfect life to others. Creating that illusion makes you think that you feel better, but it really just leaves you hollow and unfulfilled. Even if you mean for it to inspire others, what you share can leave them feeling jealous and dissatisfied with themselves and their imperfect world.”
我突然理解了電視和電影對生活的不真實描繪的影響。即使我知道它們沒有展示現實生活，它們的故事和信息確實影響了我的思想、願望和行為。
I suddenly understood the impact of television and movies that portrayed life inauthentically. Even though I knew they weren’t showing real life, their stories and messages had definitely influenced my thoughts, desires, and behavior.
德雷克給了我一個燦爛的微笑。“是的，你正在建立聯繫。非常好。”
Drake gave me a broad smile. “Yes, you are making the connections. Very good.”
“但媒體不能用於好事嗎？”
“But can’t the media be used for good?”
“當然可以。我不是說媒體本身是壞的。它只是一個強大的工具，黑暗的宗教用來混淆情感和動機。”
“Of course, it can. I’m not saying that media itself is bad. It’s just a powerful tool that the religion of darkness uses to mix up emotions and motivations.”
“像新聞？”
“Like the news?”
“正是如此。在我們之間有絕對的真理。在這個真理中，我們找到了共同點。在這個共同點中，我們找到了上帝、愛，以及自由、力量和真正賦權的基礎。這對你有意義嗎？”
“Exactly. Between us all there is absolute truth. And it’s in that truth that we find commonality. It is in that commonality that we find God, love, and the fundamentals to freedom, power, and true empowerment. Does that make sense to you?”
我點了點頭。“是的。”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“很好。現在我想你會覺得下一個原則很有趣。”“那是什麼？”
“Good. Now I think you’ll find this next principle interesting.” “What’s that?”
“我們來談談魔鬼。”
“Let’s talk about the devil.”
第十二章：避免負面影響
Chapter 12: Avoid Negative Influences
「你還記得我之前提到的黑暗宗教嗎？」「是的。」
“Do you remember the religion of darkness I mentioned earlier?” “Yes.”
「有些人不斷地宣揚它。他們可能甚至不知道自己在宣揚一種宗教，但他們知道自己在滋養恐懼的情感。他們圍繞這種情感設計他們的信息。他們通過它獲利並擴展他們的權力。」
“There are people who preach it constantly. They may not even know they are preaching a religion, but they know that they are feeding on feelings of fear. They design their message around it. They profit and expand their power through it.”
「他們是誰？」
“Who are they?”
「他們就在你身邊。你可以在很多地方、以很多方式找到他們，但最常見的是新聞。」
“They’re all around you. You can find them in many places, and in many ways, but the most common is the news.”
「你是說新聞上的人？」
“You mean the people on the news?”
「不。是新聞公司本身。導演、編輯、作家和記者。」
“No. The news companies themselves. The directors, the editors, the writers, and reporters.”
我心想，新聞故事確實傾向於專注於世界上發生的壞事。
News stories did tend to focus on the bad things happening in the world, I thought.
「但了解世界上發生的事情不重要嗎？」「但你真的了解嗎？」
“But isn’t it important to know what is going on in the world?” “But do you really?”
「當然。我可以了解其他國家發生的事情、自然災害之類的。」
“Sure. I can learn about what is going on in other countries, natural disasters, and things like that.”
「你相信那是對正在發生的一切的清晰畫面？還是只是稀有且刺激的事情？」
“Do you believe that is a clear picture of everything going on? Or is it just the rare and titillating things?”
「嗯，這是有用的信息。」
“Well, it’s useful information.”
「有用？你用這些信息做什麼？它改變了你生活的方式嗎？」
“Useful? What do you do with that information? Does it change how you live your life?”
我不得不承認，除了它讓我感覺如何之外，我聽到的大多數新聞對我其實沒有什麼影響。它更多是有趣而不是有用。
I had to admit that other than how it made me feel, most of what I heard on the news didn’t really affect me at all. It was more interesting than useful.
「通常不會。但這沒有什麼好處嗎？」
“Not usually, no. But isn’t there any good that can come from it?”
「當然有，但你需要明智且非常有選擇性。很容易被持續的新聞循環的絕望和恐懼之河捲入。它改變了你看待世界的方式，你對事件和其他人的思考方式。它滋養偏見並抑制愛。隨著時間的推移，一切都會顯得負面，你會失去與來自上帝的光明的聯繫。」
“Of course, but you need to be wise and very selective. It is easy to get pulled into the river of despair and fear of the constant news cycle. It changes how you see the world, the way you think about events and other people. It feeds prejudice and dampens love. Over time, everything will just seem negative, and you will lose touch with the brightness that comes from God.”
「就像你說的，我們允許進入我們內心的東西會影響我們？」
“Like when you said that everything that we allow inside of us affects us?”
「正是如此。黑暗宗教希望每個人都每天、整天觀看暴力、戲劇和恐懼的畫面。有些人確實這樣做。如果由這種宗教決定，只會有專注於每個負面事件的新聞頻道。他們不希望人們觀看正面的娛樂。他們不希望你觀看任何能增強你內在光芒或靈魂的東西，因為當你這樣做時，他們對你的影響就會減弱。」
“Exactly. The religion of darkness wants everyone to watch violence, drama, and fearful images every day, all day long. Some people do. If it was up to this religion, there would only be news channels focused on every negative event everywhere. They don’t want people watching positive entertainment. They don’t want you to watch anything that builds your inner light or your soul, because when you do that, they lose influence over you.”
「但有時也會有好的新聞故事。」
“But sometimes there are good news stories.”
「有時。明白新聞節目是在經營生意，他們會盡一切可能吸引基本情緒來吸引你，讓你不斷回來看更多。仔細觀察即使是好的新聞故事是如何構建的；它們與痛苦、傷害和負面交織在一起。將緊張和衝突編入故事是讓它更吸引人的方式。我們的低級本性自然會被這些較低的頻率吸引。」
“Sometimes. Understand that news programs are running a business, and they will do everything they can to appeal to base emotions to hook you and keep you coming back for more. Look closely at how even good news stories are constructed; they’re laced together with pain, hurt, and negativity. Weaving tension and conflict into the story is how they make it more engaging. Our baser natures are naturally drawn to those lower frequencies.”
「所以，我應該完全避免新聞？」
“So, I should have just avoided the news completely?”
「我不是這個意思。你說得對，了解世界上發生的事情是好的，特別是當你能有所作為時。只要注意這些節目的本質，限制你給予它的注意力和能量。如果你的注意力總是被分散，無論收到什麼信息都無關緊要，因為你根本不會注意到它們。」
“That’s not what I’m saying. You are right that it is good to know what is going on in the world, especially when you can make a difference. Just be aware of the nature of the programs, and limit the attention and energy you give to it. If you’re constantly exposed to negativity and pain, over time, they will create a damaged person with a corrupted soul. Maybe not completely broken, but not completely whole, either.”
我想起了我認識的一些似乎對新聞故事上癮的人。他們要麼必須讓電視上的新聞一直播放，要麼如果遠離電視，必須定期檢查手機上的新聞，害怕錯過什麼。德雷克說得對。這些人似乎悲觀、懷疑或恐懼。
I thought of people I knew who seemed to be addicted to news stories. They either had to have the news running on their TV, or, if they were away from a TV, had to check the news on their phones regularly, afraid that they might be missing something. Drake was right. These people seemed pessimistic, doubtful, or fearful.
「新聞的悲哀現實是它們在衝突的生意中。它們從中蓬勃發展並獲利。大多數是為了娛樂而設計的。就像電影和電視節目一樣有導演。他們可以把小題大做，也可以把大事化小。他們決定你看到和聽到的東西，因此影響你相信什麼。它比小說更陰險，因為你相信他們告訴你的是絕對真實的，即使它被過濾和包裝的方式扭曲了真相。不要讓他們對你有這種權力。」
“The sad reality about the news is that they are in the business of conflict. They thrive and profit from it. Most of it is designed for entertainment. There are directors, just like in movies and television shows. They can take a molehill and turn it into a mountain. Likewise, they can take a mountain and make it a molehill. They get to script what you see and hear, and, therefore, what you believe. It’s more insidious than fiction because you believe that what they are telling you is absolutely true, even though it is filtered and packaged in a way that distorts the real truth. Do not allow them that power over you.”
「那我怎麼知道什麼是重要的或正確的？」「永遠記住，你聽到的新聞是二手的。當你這樣做，並與上帝連繫時，你會知道哪些故事重要，哪些不重要。你可以尋找那些對你真正重要的故事，只讓自己接觸那些東西。
“So, how am I supposed to know what is important or right?” “Always remember that you’re hearing the news secondhand. When you do, and when you are connected to God, you’ll know the truth of what stories are important and what stories aren’t. You can then seek out those stories that are truly important for you and only expose yourself to those things.
「學會忽略噪音——那些讓你憤怒、恐懼和與你的兄弟姐妹隔離的干擾，因為那是它們的最終目標。」
“Learn to ignore the noise—the distractions that keep you angry and fearful and isolated from your brothers and sisters, because that’s their ultimate goal.”
「它們的目標？」
“Their goal?”
「恐懼宗教的目標。他們希望你相信任何不是你文化的文化是你的敵人。他們希望你相信任何不是你種族的種族是你的敵人。他們希望你相信任何不是你性取向的性取向是你的敵人。這適用於任何不同的人。適用於優先價值觀不同的人。思維方式不同的人。賺更多或更少錢的人。過不同生活或住在不同地方或說不同語言的人。他們希望我們都成為彼此的敵人。
“The goal of the religion of fear. They want you to believe that whatever culture is not your culture is your enemy. They want you to believe that whatever race is not your race is your enemy. They want you to believe that any sexual orientation that is not your sexual orientation is your enemy. That applies to anyone who is different. It applies to people who prioritize values differently. People who think differently. People who make more or less money. People who live a different life or live in a different place or speak a different language. They want us all to be enemies against each other.
「不要被那些表面上是好新聞但核心充滿負面情緒的故事所欺騙。即使新聞描繪了一個促進團結的故事，故事的結構也往往利用我們之間的分裂，讓人們以衝突的方式思考。如果能找到純粹好的故事，務必接受它們。分享它們。世界需要更多這樣的東西。這會讓每個人都更快樂，讓許多人的生活更好。」
“Don’t be fooled by stories that are wrapped in good news but are actually full of negative emotions at their core. Even when the news paints a story promoting unity, often the story is structured to exploit the divides between us and to make people think in terms of conflict. If you can find stories that are purely good, by all means take those in. Share them. The world needs more of that. It would make everyone happier and a lot of lives better.”
「這有道理。」
“That makes sense.”
「我們主要討論了新聞，但要意識到，不僅僅是新聞機構。還有許多其他組織也靠衝突繁榮，利用分裂來吸引追隨者並為他們的事業建立支持。無論他們是誰，如果你遵循他們的教義，你就與上帝脫節。」
“We’ve mostly discussed the news, but realize, though, that it’s not just news organizations. There are plenty of other organizations that also thrive on conflict and exploit divisiveness to gain followers and build support for their cause. Whoever they are, if you follow their teachings, you are out of alignment with God.”
「這聽起來像政治。」
“That sounds like politics.”
「是的，政黨也在這個名單上。還有許多其他干擾會讓你專注於錯誤的事情。」
“Yes, political parties are on that list. And there are plenty of other distractions that can get you focused on the wrong things.”
「比如什麼？」
“Like what?”
「還有更多。隨著地球科技的進步，會有更多方式讓人們滋養恐懼的負面情緒。新的科技即將出現，將使人們能夠滋養他們向世界展示的驕傲，或對他人展示而自己沒有的東西的嫉妒。
“There is more to come. As earth's technology advances, there will be more ways that people can feed the negative emotions of fear. New technology is coming that will enable people to feed their pride in what they show off to the world, or their envy of what other people are showing off that they don’t have.
「你看，黑暗宗教希望你向他人展示完美的生活。創造這種幻覺讓你以為自己感覺更好，但實際上只會讓你感到空虛和不滿足。即使你想以此激勵他人，你分享的東西可能會讓他們感到嫉妒和對自己及不完美世界的不滿。」
“You see, the religion of darkness wants you to portray a perfect life to others. Creating that illusion makes you think that you feel better, but it really just leaves you hollow and unfulfilled. Even if you mean for it to inspire others, what you share can leave them feeling jealous and dissatisfied with themselves and their imperfect world.”
我突然明白了電視和電影以不真實的方式描繪生活的影響。雖然我知道它們不是真實的生活，但它們的故事和信息確實影響了我的思想、慾望和行為。
I suddenly understood the impact of television and movies that portrayed life inauthentically. Even though I knew they weren’t showing real life, their stories and messages had definitely influenced my thoughts, desires, and behavior.
德雷克給了我一個燦爛的微笑。「是的，你正在建立聯繫。很好。」
Drake gave me a broad smile. “Yes, you are making the connections. Very good.”
「但媒體不能用於好的目的嗎？」
“But can’t the media be used for good?”
「當然可以。我不是說媒體本身是壞的。它只是一個強大的工具，黑暗宗教用來混淆情緒和動機。」
“Of course, it can. I’m not saying that media itself is bad. It’s just a powerful tool that the religion of darkness uses to mix up emotions and motivations.”
「像新聞？」
“Like the news?”
「正是如此。我們之間有絕對的真理。在這真理中我們找到共性。在這共性中我們找到上帝、愛，以及自由、力量和真正賦權的基礎。這對你有意義嗎？」
“Exactly. Between us all there is absolute truth. And it’s in that truth that we find commonality. It is in that commonality that we find God, love, and the fundamentals to freedom, power, and true empowerment. Does that make sense to you?”
我點點頭。「是的。」
I nodded. “Yes.”
「很好。現在我想你會覺得下一個原則很有趣。」「那是什麼？」
“Good. Now I think you’ll find this next principle interesting.” “What’s that?”
「讓我們談談魔鬼。」
“Let’s talk about the devil.”