How to acquire knowledge and freedom

A person with knowledge knows that he knows, and is able to answer questions pertaining to his knowledge. There may be those, unprepared to listen to one’s viewpoint, but not taking away the fact that he would be knowledgeable. This world, as known to be oppressive, carries those seeking to hinder knowledge.

Suppressive people feel threatened by those acquiring knowledge, ahead of them. In their desire to maintain relationships, the knowledge aspirants succumb to oppressors. They would be unable to confront the antagonistic environment. The suppressive conditions, hindering the quest for knowledge, could cause illness or mental illnesses, to some people.

There are three methods, through which any person can secure freedom, in order to pursue knowledge in any subject. The first is appreciating being different from those opposed to one’s ideas. Most people are under suppressors, seeking to control them, insisting that they know better than him. Many people are victims of such tomfoolery. The greatest achievers are those realizing being themselves, as distinct from other people.

The geniuses confront the suppressors. Alternatively, they may avoid communicating with them. This frees them to engage in what they consider workable, according to their God-given self-determinism. Such characters are geniuses, having attained great achievements in this life; the likes of Steve Jobs and others.

The second method of acquiring knowledge and freedom is in knowing how to study. Knowledge is achievable by means of study. But very few people know how to study. There is a definite technology, that needs application, for anyone desiring to achieve anything in the field of study. There are only three barriers, against accessing knowledge.

The first barrier is the absence of mass or the absence of the physical object being studied. Imagine a person intending to study computers. He may acquire volumes of books, but be unable to progress, due to lacking the mass. He may listen to qualified lecturers, on the subject. But as long as not having observed the physical garget, the person experiences difficulties.

Lacking the mass of what is being studied, causes a person to feel squashed. Bent, and sort of dead, sort of spinney, bored and exasperated. His face may also feel squashed, his stomach feeling funny, with headaches. Feeling dizzy from time to time, and his eyes may also hurt.

To remove such manifestations is to avail the mass, or the object being studied. If the object cannot be available, pictures may temporarily help. The person may also have to demonstrate, using pieces of material, such as bottle tops, corks, or paper clips. The purpose would be to demonstrate the workability of the subject being studied. Another way of handling the absence of mass is the usage of clay.

When used skillfully, the usage of clay clarifies technical details of whatever is studied, leading to the person’s satisfaction. The idea would be to solve problems, resulting from lacking the mass of what is being studied. The good thing about clay is that the person moulds, according to the shape of what needs to be understood.

Demonstrating, for purposes of learning, can also be handled by means of sketching. Using rough drawings, a person could figure out the workability, solving the absence of mass. The aforesaid demonstrations are rough details, designed to help students solve problems of lacking mass—being the first barrier to study.

The second barrier, “Too steep a gradient” is commonly applied to practical learning. Anything needing practical learning requires a gradient approach. One starts with the lowest level, before moving on to a gradient level, higher than the first. The steps can be simplified, according to the learner’s requirements.

The simplicity of this is in learning the functions, starting with the lowest level, before accessing the higher level. One gets confused, after skipping a gradient. The remedy would be to cut back to the previous level, assumed to have been understood. The person then normally discovers the erroneously performed function, needing correction before continuing.

Wherever confused, this barrier requires cutting back to the previous level where the person assumed to understand. One should not waste time fumbling, in the area of confusion. The function became problematic before getting to the next level.

This is because the person assumed to know what he didn’t fully understand. Hence, when confused on any step, the solution is to cut back and find out what was assumed to be understood, previously.

The third and the last barrier, but considered the most important, in the field of education, is a misunderstood word. School dropouts are a result of a misunderstood word. The previous barriers do not cause school dropouts, other than the described manifestations, applicable to them. The misunderstood word is the only cause for school dropouts.

The reason is that the person imagines being unqualified or unsuitable for the subject. He presumes that the subject is technically too difficult for him. As the person tries to continue studying or listening to the lecture, he feels blank, as to be unable to concentrate further.

The physiological manifestations, after feeling blank, include feeling stupefied, as assuming the subject would be too complicated. After reading, but encountering a misunderstood word, the person continues reading. But, he then feels blank, right after encountering the misunderstood word. From then on, his study would have been jeopardised, unless he finds the misunderstood word.

The word may, actually, be familiar to him, but used in a different context. The person might not be capable of spotting his own misunderstood words, thereby assuming the subject to be incomprehensible. The solution would be to go back to the point where he was feeling bright.

At the point where he started to feel the subject was incomprehensible, would be a misunderstood word. The person ought to skillfully use a simplified good English dictionary, to clear the meaning of the misunderstood word.

Without the study technology, most scholars would either memorize to pass or assume that the subject would be too difficult for them. The person memorizing cannot apply whatever would be learnt. This is how fake graduates are produced.

The person would be holding a graduate certificate, but not able to apply what the certificate signifies.  There are many graduates who become victims, resulting from misunderstood words. The only difference between dropouts and those memorising to pass, is time-saving, including cost-serving, on the former. Otherwise, both are croppers on the subject concerned.

What is covered, here, is a brief summary on the subject of acquiring knowledge and freedom through study. The Church of Scientology organizations are currently the only providers of the prescribed study technology.

Any person desiring to pursue studies without hindrance are free to approach any nearest Scientology organization to obtain precise information on study technology. The three barriers are the only reason why some people consider studying as cumbersome.

But any person could achieve whatever is intended in life, as long as properly trained on how to handle these barriers. The last barrier may, actually, be the cause of criminality and suicides in the environment, including drug addictions.

The study technology provides answers to eradicate such problems. If not closer to any of the Church of Scientology organizations, one may access their assistance online. The message being advanced, here, is that there are solutions to any study program, for anyone desiring knowledge out of studying.

We have so far covered two methods by which knowledge can be acquired. The first involves an assertive determination to be truly oneself. Daring to be self-taught and achieve what has not been achieved by anyone.

That person believes in himself, as to be able to handle those who invalidate him/her on whatever he/she would be talented in. This category comprises the known geniuses, who are self-motivated to engage in any subject of their interest.

The second one is designed to help those desiring to attain knowledge out of studying. Using the available data on the subject of studying. This gives a pointer to the question of how to study? There are many scholars, earnestly desiring to study, but being hindered from learning by the three barriers to study.

They engage expensive colleges to study subjects of their interest, only to be limited by the aforesaid three barriers. In short, there is no limitation to learning what one desire to learn in this life. Depending on what the person focuses on, in terms of interest, anything is achievable.

Any person can acquire knowledge and wisdom, from this piece of information, using it for one’s advantage. What pains the author, is observing young people struggling in life, due to lack of knowledge. Yet any knowledge is as accessible as knowing how to study, through these facilities.

Only knowledge and wisdom provide a brighter future for any person and our society. The third and last method, by which knowledge can be accessed, is through Jesus Christ. The condition involving this method may not be acceptable to those personally desiring beneficial results.

But, nevertheless, it grants freedom just as the other methods grant freedom. The difference is that, in Jesus, the benefits are futuristic. This method is not designed for those desiring immediate benefits. The conditions require a person to first count the costs, before engaging in Christianity.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:28-33 NIV).

While true that we have many people clamouring to become Christians; there is more misunderstanding in Christianity, than anyone cares to imagine. The story of the creation of man is misunderstood by most people. Nevertheless, the suffering experienced, in this world, is unnecessary.

Humans were created in God’s image so that they could enjoy life with their Creator. The Hebrew Bible reveals a story about Adam, our ancestor, having exposed us to sin. Humans have been suffering, ever since. The Israelites were given the hope of a Messiah, who eventually came.

Jesus came through the Jewish community. However, the Jews could not recognize Him. Jesus could not appeal to human reasoning, as descriptive of a Messiah they had all along anticipated to come. The name of Jesus has filled the entire world. But most people are still ignorant of Jesus.

The futuristic Kingdom of God, in its full glamour, will be established by the resurrected Jesus. Since the first century, the gospel has been preached. Few individuals are granted the opportunity to reign with Christ, on this planet.

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood, you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10 NIV).

This is the only reason why Jesus is described as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. (Revelation 19:16). His followers obtain knowledge, above every other knowledge, although they cannot enjoy glory in this life. Most of them were killed, or can never be identified glamorously, to ordinary people, in this world. They live in this world, but no longer belong to this world.

The followers of Jesus are not ordinary, just as Jesus was not ordinary. The knowledge granted to them is beyond human imagination. In heaven, they are identified as God’s Children, just as Jesus, who calls them his brothers, is also the Son of God. Everyone is invited to be part of God’s children, when willing to forsake everything associated with this world.

Many people carry some imagination of a glorified Jesus. But they are not aware of some people, in their midst, who will also be crowned with Jesus. During His time on earth, Jesus could not be identified by many people. His brothers are also not known by many people (John 14:17).

Knowledge is still important, whether a person becomes God’s child or not. Ignorance carries with it, suffering and uncertainty. Ignorance causes the unbearable suffering to humanity. This is why, God, through the Prophet Hosea, declared:

“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children” (Hosea 4:6 NIV).

Knowledge and freedom are attainable to the wise, using the facilities, prescribed in this presentation. All humans desperately need knowledge, and it is possible to acquire knowledge. The starting point is to sincerely desire to acquire knowledge. And avoid assuming to know what one does not fully understand. The idea is to use the acquired knowledge for the benefit of others.

Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope.

The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99

Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com  for $6.99