Greetings from Russell's Remnant:

Russell Whitesell laughed at what we disciples call "love". He would say, "Love -- it is such an illusion. Disciples go it alone."

D.K. commented, in several places, the following:

"A hard but great lesson is to recognize the spiritual family to which you belong - this is seldom the same as the earthly family. Blood relationship impedes the acceptance of the concept of Brotherhood. Do not tie yourself to those you love. Often the clinging hands of love can hinder progress - not only your own but also that of those we love. Free yourself or you will muddle through the remainder of this incarnation and, in another life, have to face the identical problem of family relationships and financial responsibility. Hold on to no physical plane attachments. If you do, they will fail you and the pain in holding will hinder you on the Path. Walk free and hold no person to you in the bonds of attachment. Stand alone or only with your brother disciples as friends. Your Tibetan brother and other individuals do not count. If they count with you, you are in error. It is truth that counts and the associating of yourself with the highest truth you can contact. Soul has to relinquish all ties (especially personal). Disciple's love for their children, their family, their friends and intimates is of supreme importance, but that love holds them prisoners in the lower worlds. They do not stop to recognize that their love is primarily love for the personalities, and only secondarily for the souls. Upon this rock, many disciples are for lives broken, until the time comes when, through pain and suffering and the constant losing of that which they so much cherish, their love enters into a newer, a higher and truer phase. The most frequent problem of parents who are on the Path of Discipleship is this. Through your children is the lesson learnt which can release you for initiation. Disciples hold their children to them; and this, being counter to the law of nature, works out disastrously. It is the height of selfishness. Realize that to hold, one must detach; and to keep, one must release. Such is the law."

"Hold on to no physical plane attachments. Be attached to souls - detached from personalities. Let not the lesser voices of the loved deflect you from the path of service. Souls heal and aid each other's personalities. Personality relationships drain and devitalize." D.K.

"A tiny handful of you have responded, sacrificed, and worked hard. The rest have been interested intellectually, but could not make the needed sacrifices, or refuse to put first things first - secondary issues occupied their lives." D.K.

One evening before Russell and his wife Kathy arrived for the Tuesday Night Group meeting, Russell’s beloved disciple was quoting the Bible in reference to what a disciple must do to become a close friend to the Christ. He stated that you must hate your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your wife, your children, yea, even your own life itself, or you cannot be a disciple of the Christ.

This seemed to offend the group members, especially the mothers in the group. At that point, a scholarly member of the group, challenged the original disciple by stating that that was not what that scripture meant - that is not what the Christ was saying. The original disciple did not argue this point as he would often do. He just sat back and remained silent.

Russell then arrived and started his lecture. About one hour into the lecture, he suddenly started loudly quoting the Bible. "You must hate your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, your wife, your children, yea, even your own life itself, or you cannot be Christ’s disciple." Russ then sitting straight up in his chair, grabbed the lapels of his coat, looked at the dissenting disciple and emphatically stated, "That’s exactly what he meant."

The group looked rather sheepish after that. No more was said about the matter. No one thanked Russell for setting them straight, and no one apologized to Russell’s beloved disciple for "in effect" calling him a liar. Russell said of this disciple, "If he takes the time to talk to you, you’d better listen for he ain’t wrong very often!"

The following week, Russell began his lecture and about one hour in, he quoted the same scripture, sat up straight, looked around the room and said of the Christ’s quote, "That’s exactly what he meant" - as if to make sure the class got the message.