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#76 (permalink) | |||
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If I could only reach you
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the little boxes on the hillside made of ticky tacky....
Posts: 1,670
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
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Both. Sometimes to do good, or to love we sacrafice... And I feel it works out in the end, I know I will have some hard times ahead of me, but When I was watching how they have changed peoples lives... That is a feeling I want, and so I can look back on my life, and say yeah I did it. Quote:
See you matter, of course ya do! You ain;t no dying leaf in the wind! You gonna land and grow and from you will shoot all these other acorns who are going to grow!Quote:
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#77 (permalink) | |||||||||||||||
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Thy kingdom come...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 686
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
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Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Quote:
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#78 (permalink) | ||||||||||||
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Between Here and There
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: A Bit North of Lovely Seattle
Posts: 1,706
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
Hi, Leo- I want to preface this response by saying, for the benefit of readers, that I am (obviously) unorthodox in my approach to Christianity. So I am not saying my beliefs are aligned with mainstream Christianity. But I do follow Christ.
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I don't feel that the Bible has been corrupted that much. Rather, I think that most people misinterpret the Bible due to having a very different language and cultural context than the original authors had. Take a word like "fear" for example. We should fear God? But what does this mean? In Greek, fear means something different than in English-- there are particular kinds of fear. Fearing God in the original language meant having an awesome respect, not cowering and whimpering. But the English connotations of "fear" have meant that many Christians thought they should be [FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']afraid [/font]of God. This is very sad, because perfect love should not contain fear. We should be moved to show God's goodness through us because we have love and joy in God, not because we are afraid of consequences. This is like how we want our children to learn to be self-motivated in school, learning because learning is fun and worth the effort, not because they are afraid we will punish them otherwise (or, alternatively, motivated because we will reward them with some treat). Doing the will of God, loving God... it is its own reward and no fear is necessary. However, if we experience God, then we feel an awesome respect- how could we not? As a cultural anthropologist, I am acutely aware that my cultural and linguistic context is very different from the authors of the Bible. So, it is worth my time to take any passages in which I feel dissonance between what the Spirit leads me to interpret, and what the conventional interpretation is, and see if any of it is reconcilable by more careful study of context and original meaning. Quote:
And me as well. It's a beautiful sacred text. Quote:
I seek to be one with All. One with the Universe. Earth, all beings, stars, everything. I look into the stars and I feel at home. Druidry, after all, was a religion that was tied to astronomy as well as forests. For me, it is the union of earth and sky, just as Christ is the unity of humanity and the Divine. Quote:
I do understand. I believe creation can teach us about itself-- this is a way God expresses Itself to me, reveals Itself to me in little bits I can handle. I think by being close to creation, I come closer to God. And by being close to God, I come close to creation. A never ending feedback loop. The more I spend time with God, the more I see God everywhere I look. And the more I exist in that state, the more God is right there with me. Quote:
I think God gives each of us what we need from scripture when we need it. There is no need to feel gullible or anything like that. As you read, the Spirit will give you what you need at that moment. It may not be what I need, but that is the great thing about God- God can meet all of our spiritual needs simultaneously. This is why I can believe what I do, and yet not feel that others must agree. It's not a question of correctness, but rather usefulness- God gives me what is useful to my soul's journey with Him, and likewise, She does that with every other person. At least, that is my take on things. Quote:
I'd be interested in knowing if the Jews think that these were God's true forms. I'd be willing to bet on "no." From what I understand, God is absolute in Judaism and has no true form, but manifests in whatever way is appropriate for that time- a burning bush, etc. All is manifestation, nothing is God's real form, at least from what I understand. It might be a good question for the Judaism forum, actually. Quote:
Not really. I'm not really into solidity. What I mean, is I am after the experience of what God feels like, not so much what God might look like. Maybe that's because of how I've always experienced the world. I see two worlds (at least) and have since I was a small child: the world we see on the surface, and the energy/spirit world that is overlaid (underlaid?) on it. Any being (human, plant, animal, rock, star, whatever) is not just something my eyes see. It is an energetic feeling I get. It's the energy that I think of as the core/essence of something- it's the consciousness of whatever-it-is that I interact with, not the external form, that is what I see as the primary driver. The rest is a beautiful and temporary illusion on top of the eternal. So, by extension, I'm content with just experiencing closeness to God. I don't really need to see anything per se. I'll try to make a solid example. Take Jesus. The Christ was always there (eternal) and always will be. The Christ is the Logos (the Word) of God. Through the Christ were all things made. So... does the Christ look like Jesus now? Was Jesus the Christ's true form, or just a temporary manifestation of the Logos? In some of my visions, Jesus shows up in a "form" but I'm always aware that the form is just what my brain needs to feel comfy and recognize what's going on. That is, I know the Christ is not what I see in my vision. The Christ is the message, the energy behind the visualization I get. Quote:
I want more of God too. Always. I don't think there is a "supposed to." I think it is the seeking that is important, and God meets us where ever we are at. Quote:
I don't. My point is that if we assign God human emotions like jealousy, then we claim to know and understand how God feels and thinks. Jealousy is psychologically tied to fear. We do not feel jealous unless we are afraid of loss. I don't think God is afraid of anything, so I don't think jealousy is an option. It could be that jealousy meant something else in Hebrew and then it would make sense to me. Or it could be that some people thought God would be jealous but that was just their opinion. I believe the Bible is a book about the human relationship to the Divine, and the Jews' ideas about it. I don't think it was meant to be without re-interpretation and revelation. Quote:
No. And no. What some see as wrath is simply destructive force. Destruction is necessary for creation. Out of the same stuff springs forth infinite life- it's recycling. It all leads to life, does it not? Consider any destruction, and from it springs new life. Life is good. Nature destroys and nature creates, and in that cycle is wholeness. Quote:
No problem. But I don't worship nature spirits. I worship God, and I talk to nature spirits. I treat nature spirits like I treat other humans- like people. Sometimes they can teach me, just like other people can. Sometimes they need healing, just like other people do. Sometimes we just enjoy each other's company. Quote:
Mmmm, I see where you're going. But I don't think God causes it all, really- at least not directly. I think God created a universe that operates with synchronicity. What I put forth in my deepest mind (not necessarily what is in my waking consciousness), this affects the world around me and brings me what I need. This is not to say that God is not involved- I think this is due to God's will and order. But I don't think God chooses my circumstances for good or bad. I've seen a lot of people whose faith goes out the window when they think they are doing all the right things spiritually and then they become very ill, or poor, or lose a loved one. And suddenly, there is no God. I think the mistake was them thinking that all these things were connected to their faith. I should worship God and seek to be a vessel for Love because that is my highest purpose, the essence of my being, and what is most harmonious in the universe. My circumstances at any given moment are a manifestation of not only my own consciousness, but all other beings' as well (or at least all sentient beings). So, sometimes I manifest something in my life because I am either harmonious with God's will (my purpose) or because I am not. And sometimes others manifest things into my life by peripheral impact- other people's choices affect me simply because they're around me. Sometimes what I might interpret as bad for me (poverty, getting a disease, etc.) is just a bummer effect of other people, but usually if I give it to God, I will gain spiritually from the challenge. I believe we should work toward ending suffering and healing all beings, showing the light and love of God to everyone without measure. It's a tall order, but Jesus showed us the way, and encouraged us that we could do work such as his, and to take up his cross and follow him. I have hope that we can do it. |
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#79 (permalink) | ||||||||||
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Between Here and There
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: A Bit North of Lovely Seattle
Posts: 1,706
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
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I've written a little bit about some of them in the Science and the Universe section under the Chaos and Big Theories thread. Those were the two most mind-blowing, but I've had lots and lots of them. I started with dreams and visions when I was maybe 2 or 3. I think it's just how I "tick" for some reason. I've talked a bit about my journey in the Alternative Christian Awakenings thread (not sure where it is, but I think that was the title- you might try a search). Quote:
Yes and no, respectively. I think everything was made in God's image, and we have some unique characteristics that show some of God's attributes- namely, the capacity to create and the capacity to be awake to both self and God at once (that is, the capacity to think of ourselves as individual entities and then move into consciousness that we are not actually individual entities). But all of His characteristics? No. I don’t think we’re exact replicas of God, and only an exact replica of God in Its fullness could have all His characteristics. Quote:
I understand what you are saying, but I disagree. I think that is not the type of love God is. It is an impure love. Someone can care that a person does something wrong without the attachment to jealousy or anger. Of course, I have been angry (occasionally) and jealous (very rarely), but I think that is my own shortcoming, not evidence of love. There is a space of detachment to self in which love exists that is never angry or jealous. That is, a realization that what is real cannot be threatened, so there is a sense of what is just, but no negative emotions associated with injustice. The capacity to act decisively for what is most harmonious and supports love without negativity means that we can adequately communicate to another being the love of God, and we meet no resistance. Others resist when they feel our negativity. Without this, they feel safe and can therefore learn and grow. They can hear our real concern and the truthfulness of our sense of justice because it is not clouded by our personal emotions and investment in the situation. Discipline is not about jealousy or anger or fear. It is about perceiving the path of most harmony, of God's will, and applying it to life, whether to our own life, or sharing it with others. I completely disagree about children fearing their parents. All the children I know who fear their parents stop telling them things. Tons of my friends when I was in high school talked to my mother about difficult things- and took her advice- because she was not angry and didn’t cause them fear or shame or guilt. So then, they felt safe and were free to make better choices based on sound advice. They had little resistance to a person that showed them love and respect, yet had wisdom. I think fear does not generate self-motivated. When we are afraid, we are always motivated by someone else and what we think they might do “if we do this or that.” I think mature morality is when we are self-motivated to love and show goodness. I think this comes in cultivating children’s intuitive capacity to sense the path of best action, and their intuitive desire to experience God. If we teach them to fear us, we have problems- some children rebel. Some children withdraw. Some children never develop their own awareness of the conscience, so new situations are confusing. Some children live in shame or guilt. Not making those around me (whether children, co-workers that are under my management, horses I train, etc) fear me is not the same as having no discipline. For example, my horses don’t fear me, but they respect me. Why? Because I never react with anger, but I always react with calm consistency. They know what to expect and what the boundaries are, and the consequences, but the consequences are never applied with anger, so they know there is nothing to fear. The same thing works with people. The biggest problem I see in parenting is that many parents are inconsistent *and* angry, which accomplishes little but making children scared of them, depressed, and/or rebellious, depending on their personality. It isn’t that too much fear is the problem, but rather that respect is not the same thing as fear. Respect comes from consistent, calm, thoughtful leadership- and leading foremost by example, providing choice, and teaching each being its own capacity to choose the right path. Fear comes from unpredictability, chaotic emotion and energy, and selfish leadership- leading by threat, intimidation, or hypocrisy. Quote:
We’ll have to agree to disagree. My views are based on anthropological science, which is my profession. I can honestly say that we see in the archaeological record supports some Biblical events, but it does not support agricultural societies and large civilizations being the bulk of human history. It’s a very recent thing. Shamanism and animism were around much longer than any other form of religious structure, at least in the archaeological record. Quote:
I don’t think in terms of what I deserve, just what is. I’m grateful for what is, whether I deserve it or not. God creates, God gives life. That’s wonderful. Why feel any sense of shame or guilt or inferiority about the gift? I just accept what’s given with thanks in my heart and praise God with my soul. It’s simple, but it’s just what I do. I think God gives us life so that we can be loving and joyful, so that’s what I try to do. Quote:
I know, it’s always hard with words- hard for all of us. And you don’t come across as arrogant at all. Quote:
No, not at all. I don’t see the glass as half empty or half full. I think everything that is, is. We should change everything we can that causes suffering or works against love. The rest that we cannot change, that is not caused by us, we should change our perception so that we learn and grow spiritually from it. For example, we can change that there is war. We cause war. We could choose not to cause war, and we should. War is bad, and it happens because we screw up and cause it. We can’t (arguably) change that there is disease and death. Disease happens because other organisms have a right to live (bacteria and such) and sometimes that impinges on what we wanted (longer life and more comfort). But is that really so bad? Is it causing suffering in the way we think it is? Does it work against love? Or do we suffer because we have not progressed beyond wanting to remain the same forever, wanting to be painless, wanting to be the first and foremost being in creation (and therefore without any impact from other beings in Nature)? From the cow’s point of view, or the carrot’s—it’s really bad that we eat and they die. From our point of view, it’s the circle of life, it’s a good thing- we get to live. From my point of view—it’s really bad that I might get sick and die. From the germs’ point of view, it’s the circle of life, it’s a good thing- it gets to live. Quote:
I entirely agree. Quote:
I do question and wonder. I just don’t think the answers are necessary or particularly relevant for salvation. My mind wonders, but my spirit is content to experience. I acknowledge I’m kind of odd, because I’ve always been kind of dualistic in myself- my spirit observes my mind and vice versa. My spirit is what experiences the visions and just… is. Experiences the presence of God. Joy. Love. Peace. My mind is what tries to figure out “what does this all mean? How do I communicate it to others? How do I apply it to today?” I think it’s the former that is my deliverance and my essence, and the latter is necessary only because of the illusion of matter. When I’m out of my body, I don’t think about what I experience. I just experience things and get messages. So I tend to see the questioning as a function of my brain/body rather than my spirit. Quote:
I hear them singing. Or whispering. Blessings to you, Leo- Path |
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#80 (permalink) |
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Interfaith Forums
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,757
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
Jesus what happens now ?
And I heard another voice out of heaven say: "Get out of her, my people, if YOU do not want to share with her in her sins, and if YOU do not want to receive part of her plagues. 5 For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. REVELATION 18;4 Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’"; "‘and I will take YOU in.’" 2 CORINTHIANS 6;17 ok ![]() |
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#81 (permalink) | |||
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Interfaith Forums
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Valley of the Sun
Posts: 567
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Re: Jesus: What happens now?
That is the question; since he was supposed to die for all man's sins and then didn't stay dead; then what happens now?
Kind of spooky that a young person is who came up with that question. That it is only of the old retention of faithful ignorance that the children of today simply will not comply with the fibs of the old. Quote:
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Remove the self from the desires. Be responsible for what you do in all actions. such that to continue the fibs of faith; then realize as the child is who offered the question of this thread; they will be your judges! be careful! |
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