Love liberates, restores and builds us up

“Love is what God is, love is why Jesus came, and love is why he continues to come, year after year to person after person.

May you experience this vast, expansive, infinite, indestructible love that has been yours all along. May you discover that this love is as wide as the sky and as small as the cracks in your heart no one else knows about. And may you know, deep in your bones, that love wins.” 

- Rob Bell

Yes, love wins because love is vast, expansive, infinite and indestructible and love resides in us. It may be said that love is embodied in God or Jesus, our highest self, who taught by example the essence of unconditional, universal and inclusive love. Indeed, the revolution is love, correcting everything that stands against love, just as Jesus (Christ in us, the hope of glory) is love in action, challenging and demolishing hierarchical and patriarchal structures, leveling mountains and raising valleys metaphorically, liberating people from oppression and injustice, as well as restoring them and building them up. 

Also, truth is both immanent and transcendent, residing in us as well as outside of us. Truth, like love, is self-existing and has no beginning and no end, just as the Universe is self-existing. We can see truth or love imprinted in the beauty of Nature, for example. 

Simplicity, patience, compassion

Simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

I think this profound quote sums up the greatest treasures within us very well. It reminds me of the kingdom of God that is within us Jesus spoke about, which is similar to the inner treasures of simplicity, patience and compassion Lao Tzu mentioned, that each of us has. 

Maybe when Jesus said to become like little children in order to enter this kingdom that is within us, he could be referring to simplicity in actions and thoughts which connects us to the source of our being, contrasting with the ways of religious institutions which tend to complicate life with their rules, rituals and doctrines. 

As for patience and compassion, I realise both come from remembering our true identity as Love because Love is patient and kind/compassionate according to 1 Corinthians 13, so when we start by being compassionate with ourselves, our kindness and patience naturally flows to others. As Lao Tzu says, we accord with the way things are and reconcile all beings in the world, as we reconnect with our true self and know we are Love - be still and know you are God, as the psalmist also would say.

Christianity and its repression

Christianity tends to cause followers to repress their feelings. For example, there is often a pressure being put on people to forgive others in Christian circles, without giving them room to come to terms with their feelings. Maybe those who condemn others for not forgiving have forgotten or ignored the fact that the book of psalms has a number of examples of the psalmists calling upon God to take revenge of their enemies or destroy their enemies. It is testimony that humans need to find outlets for expressing their hurts and sufferings in safe ways. It is unfortunate that there are Christians today who do not encourage others to feel their feelings and instead shame them for not following their so-called "positive" messages about forgiving others and moving on, without giving them freedom to do so in their own time and space. This only tends to cause the feelings of resentment to bottle up and explode later on. Maybe it is why Christians who repress their own feelings become callous towards others because they have not been in touch with their own humanity too.

"For what it's worth; in Hebrew the word for Spirit is ruach, grammatically, it is feminine"

"For what it's worth; in Hebrew the word for Spirit is ruach, grammatically, it is feminine."
 ~ Jeanne Schlumbohm

"Patriarchal language cloaks the maternal heart of God.
-Like a mother eagle (Deut. 32:11)
-Like one who gives birth (Deut. 32:18)
-Like a midwife (Ps. 22:9)
-Like a woman in labor (Is. 42:14)
-Like a nursing mother (Is. 49:15)
-Like a comforting mother (Is. 66:13)
- Like a mother bear (Hosea 13:8)
-Like a mother hen (Mat. 23:37)" ~Pam Hogeweide

Also, wisdom, as expounded throughout Proverbs, is portrayed as a woman and is a feminine noun.

~ Julie Ferwerda

The feminine grammatical meaning of the Spirit or Ruach, according to the email heading, reminds me of the novel "The Shack", in which the author William Paul Young  also uses a female character to represent the Holy Spirit. 

"3. “’Speaking of Sarayu, is she the Holy Spirit?’
‘Yes. She is Creativity; she is Action; she is the Breathing of Life; she is much more. She is my (Jesus’) Spirit.’
‘And her name, Sarayu?’
‘That is a simple name from one of our human languages. It means ‘Wind,’ a common wind actually. She loves that name.’” (pg. 110)" 

 

(From "Meeting “Sarayu” – God the Spirit")

Incidentally, the author also uses a female character Sophia to represent wisdom, just as the book of proverbs also personifies wisdom as a woman.

 

The secret of being free - Embracing our hurts and pains and letting things unfold in their own way and time

I agree that the secret of being free is to let things unfold in their own way and time. I think the reason some people judge us or hate us is because they have some issues that are unresolved, long before they even met us, and we happened to come along and witness their unresolved issues surfacing in the way they treat us (and others), at this stage of their journey. We realise that we are not their problem, and there is nothing wrong with us actually. Their vibrations therefore don't resonate with us at this point in time. Their jealous attitude and their shallow nature stems from the fear and separation mindset in them. We can free ourselves from their negative energy, like what you are already doing. In this sense, we are leaving them to work out their own unresolved issues.

Yes, as we leave them to work out their own issues, we will get to focus on rebuilding and enjoying our own life and health and well-being. We will look forward to living a brighter and better future towards the last chapter of our life, as mentioned in the quote. It is ok to embrace our hurts and pains along the way, even as we look forward to a better future, as it is what makes us humans who are compassionate, broken and empathic.

All Religious Books Are Man-Made Nonsense

One must consider the fact that, even now, there are religious zealots and ordinary people still entrenched in a control belief system that is so far removed from reality that it borders on madness. There is no rational or scientific way that organised religions can have a modicum of truth or factual reality because of the very reason that these books are entombed in the time that they were written. These books should therefore simply be viewed as limited parables and historical fiction, as well as a lesson in how millions of people can be so easily controlled."
 
The research paper also came to the conclusion that reward/punishment religions, as control systems, were losing their grip on most of the population of the world and only a few die-hard fanatics and delusional maniacs were carrying on with the flame of idiocy.

"The game is up for all religions, how long can this sham carry on, with their ridiculous outdated ceremonies? The priests are deceivers, and they need to come up with some pretty radical solutions to their thousand year old magic trick. People aren't as dumb or easily swayed as they used to be thousands of years ago, they actually have reasoning powers and can see through the utter nonsense of organised control systems like religion."

(From "Scientists Prove That All Religious Books Are Man-Made Nonsense" by B. Delaire)

I think with the continual progress in scientific discoveries, technological advancement, literacy developments and expanding consciousness of humanity, it is inevitable that more and more people begin to realise that organised religions are fundamentally man-made, and their concept of God had been religionised and institutionalised. The perception of God itself had been evolving over thousands of years, varying among different cultures. It reminds me of some thoughts I shared some time ago, in one of our email discussions, and I have blogged about it here.

In my blog, I wrote:

Come to think of it, those people in the olden days thousands of years didn’t have modern day conveniences such as computers and cars, so life was very slow-paced. No wonder they had a lot of time sitting around and telling stories, and comparing their own culture’s stories with other cultures’ stories as they travelled and interacted and traded with one another, and they inevitably added and modified some elements from one another’s stories, and formed new stories. I suppose that’s how we have many religions today containing a mixture of elements, since they all borrowed some plots and characters from one another, and created their own characters’ names and backgrounds.

(From "The mythological nature of the Christian Bible")

At the most, I see that myths and stories serve a purpose in conveying deep truths, even though they are not the truths themselves. They are only a finger pointing to the moon. At the core of every religion, the commonality shared among them is love and compassion, which is known intuitively by every person, regardless of their belief system. Any other element added to their religion, such as conditions for reward and punishment, is only a man-made device designed to control others, as noted by the article.

Deep joy and deep pain in the density of life

"The possibility of deep joy requires a commitment to the density of life. This however means an openness to the possibility of deep pain"

~ Peter Rollins

Yes, the density of life is deep and wide, and contains the possibilities of both deep joy and deep pain. One cannot truly exist without the other, and so it is by embracing deep pain that we experience deep joy. It is one of the paradoxes of life, just like it is by embracing fear that we experience peace.

This quote reminds me of a devotional by Henri Nouwen I read recently about mourning and dancing - like deep pain and deep joy, both have their place and belong to each other.

"[There is] a time for mourning, a time for dancing" (Ecclesiastes 3:4). But mourning and dancing are never fully separated. Their "times" do not necessarily follow each other. In fact, their "times" may become one "time." Mourning may turn into dancing and dancing into mourning without showing a clear point where one ends and the other starts.

Often our grief allows us to choreograph our dance while our dance creates the space for our grief. ... Let's trust that the beauty of our lives becomes visible where mourning and dancing touch each other."

~ Henri Nouwen

It appears that we need the seasons of life for a complete growth and an experience of diversity and variety in life. The summers produce harvest and fruitfulness while the winters produce strength and steadfastness. It enables us to maintain a balanced perspective of life, such that in our moments of deep joy, we maintain our human empathy to relate to the sufferings of deep pain, and in our moments of deep pain, we retain our human capacity to relate to the experiences of deep joy.

"shame-based conscience may sound like the voice of God and condemn us when there is no condemnation"

According to this illuminating blog, the shame-based "conscience" is often a result of learned conditioning based on one's background, upbringing, culture and so on, in which one is exposed to conservative views of family, schools, churches and society. Unfortunately organised religion sometimes propagate the erroneous idea that the "conscience "is the voice of god condemning us when actually there is no condemnation. The gospel of grace and peace hence plays a part in liberating people from this crippling sense of shame and guilt by declaring we are already innocent, blameless, beloved and whole. Our true identity of innate perfection never changes regardless of our performance. This is good news for everyone indeed.

Courage, integrity and authenticity in sharing our struggles

I think the common unifying force that connects people is our human frailty and struggle because everyone goes through their personal struggle, and we may relate to one another better when we see others going through similar struggle as we do when they share about theirs. While some institutional church pastors may have shared some of their struggles with the congregation, it is usually in the form of testimony that describes how they met with some crisis and then they found faith in God whom they claimed to have turned things around for them, or how they struggled with some habits or addictions and then they claimed "God delivered them". While it might sound encouraging to some, in retrospect, this doesn't really give encouragement to those who still have doubts about God or are going through spiritual crisis or are coming to terms with their own sexuality, especially for those who are gays. In fact, such testimonies might even give the hearers the impression that there is something wrong with themselves that needs to be "fixed".

I suppose in institutional churches, pastors are generally tied to their pay checks, church committee and peer acceptance by other church pastors in the Christian circles, unfortunately, so they may be constrained to how much struggle they can afford to share with the congregation. If a pastor were to share with the congregation he is currently struggling with his doubts about God, or is questioning the church doctrines such as the literal hell doctrine, or is considering the fact that he might be gay, he risks being expelled from the institution and rejected by his peers in the Christian circles.

But if a pastor decides to be true to himself and be intellectually honest with his own doubts about certain doctrines as well as his own struggles in personal life, he would be willing to count the cost and bear the stigma of being ostracised by the religious fraternity and follow Jesus and find true freedom and peace. This act of courage, integrity and authenticity would also be an inspiration to those who are going through similar struggles themselves.

I rest in this assurance - Acceptance

I rest in this assurance-
Acceptance:
God in His infinite wisdom
Did not make me very wise-
So when my actions are stupid, They hardly take God by surprise
- Langston Hughes

Yes we can rest in the assurance of a full and unconditional and unreserved acceptance in the love of God, for God is love and love believes the best of us. We are made in the image and likeness of God/Love so we are already perfect, complete and innocent. We are growing in wisdom, understanding and knowledge of our true identity, so it is a process we all go through and God, our highest self, understands that and is hardly taken by surprise when we make mistakes, so to speak. It doesn't change our identity as beloved and blameless children of God/Divine/Universe because as Jesus is, so are we in this world. I have come to learn that this is how we are perfected in love that casts out fear, including the fear of being judged by ourselves or others - to know and believe the love God has for us, that we are of God, that Christ is manifested in every one of us in the flesh, that nothing shall separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our true Self.

Thoughts on book review and background of Rob Bell's "What we talk about when we talk about God"

Thoughts on Brandon Robertson's book review of "What we talk about when we talk about God" by Rob Bell

I have read through the book review by Brandon Robertson. I think it is a fairly balanced review of the book, as the reviewer recognises that the book is "paradigm shifting", and he has rightly noted that "It will be wholly rejected by the conservative community (unfortunately). But none the less- it is still a thoroughly Christian work that can and will help countless people renew their faith in God."

 I also like the book reviewer's conclusion in his review here:

"It’s about time we rethought the notion of God. Not because we need something intrinsically new to say and believe- good luck finding that- but because we are so often blinded by our own lense with which we view the world. Rob Bell paints an image of God in this book that I am certain thousands upon thousands will find refreshing, revitalizing, and worshipful. I know I do. Rob makes it okay to believe in modern scientific discovery and hold a  robust faith in God. He makes it okay to doubt as a healthy and vital part of faith. He makes it okay to embrace paradox and unknowing. He does just what the early Christians themselves did- proclaims the mystery of our faith.
...
This book will offend those who are looking to be offended, inspire those who seek to be inspired, and will spark a new conversation about what we really talk about when we talk about God."

Yes, it reminds me of the four stages of spiritual growth in which a person's worldview changes and evolves as he or she matures in spiritual growth and learns to ask questions and look within oneself for inner guidance instead of depending on religious institutions and dogma, or on scientific theories alone.

The reviewer also rightly noted that his new book will offend who are looking to be offended, and inspire those who seek to be inspired. Indeed, we have witnessed how some people who have not even read his book for themselves have chosen to be offended and posted judgmental comments on Rob Bell's Facebook page. They are only projecting their own fears and insecurities through quoting bible verses out of context; in fact, the bible is a mirror - how people interpret the bible will reflect on the kind of person they are. Those who are mean and small-minded will see their god as mean and small-minded, and those who are loving and gracious will see their god as loving and gracious.

I think some of the detractors have also quoted 2 Timothy 4:3 out of context - from my understanding, Paul was exhorting Timothy to preach the word in season and out of season - and the word is concerning the mystery of Christ in us the hope of glory - that is to me sound doctrine. Contrary to what the followers in evangelical or fundamentalist christianity say, having "itching ears" is actually referring to desiring to listen to teachings and fables about the outdated, mean, violent and vengeful god that was thought to be separate from man, which is based on the illusion of separation and duality of knowledge of good and evil, and the rituals and sacrifices borrowed from pagan traditions. Such teachings and fables appeal to itching ears probably because they stroke the ego of those who like to feel they are exclusively handpicked for a certain heaven.

How Rob Bell deals with his critics

I was reading about a recent interview with Rob Bell during his talk at Mars Hill Bible Church last Sunday - apparently he is aware critics are already up and about busy bashing his book even before they have read it, and he questioned whether they are really serious Christians since they have spent a lot of time and energy criticising other people of faith when they could have made use of their time more productively such as addressing social issues.

The author of the bestselling and oft-demonized “Love Wins” also talked a bit with MLive and a Publishers Weekly reporter about criticism he gets from some fellow Christians.

“It’s just important to be about your work and, hopefully, it brings you great joy. And if somebody doesn’t respond well to it, OK, they have the freedom to spout off about that,” Bell said.

He went on to question how “people who would consider themselves serious Christians would have that kind of time and energy” to bash his teaching.

“What is there, 800 million people who don’t have access to clean drinking water? Or what is it, a million people committed suicide last year?" Bell said. "Like, if you’re a serious person of faith and you wake up in the morning and the best possible use of your energies is to shred other people of faith, I don’t know, that’s sort of losing the plot if you ask me.

"So I try to be about my work.”

(From "Watch Rob Bell 'Talk About God,' read how he responds to critics")

Why Rob Bell left Mars Hill Bible Church and wrote his new book

I have checked out this article in which Rob Bell has clarified the reason he left Mars Hill Bible Church - that he wanted to talk about the things that matter most and to create the space for that. I suppose he sensed that Southern California has many people who want to know about God they can believe in but do not want to connect with organised religions, hence he and his family decided to locate there "to pursue other ministry work and begin development of a talk show with Carlton Cuse, a former writer and producer of the popular show "Lost", as mentioned in this related article. 

According to the article:

"This is a book for people who can’t buy the traditional concept of a judgmental, thumbs-up-or-down God, or the new atheism that says the world you see is all there is. It’s for people who want to believe in a God they can believe in."

(From "Rob Bell's new book is for people who want 'a God they can believe in'")

 So, it looks like his book is targeted for mainly postmodern people and progressive thinkers who are not at stage 2 or are no longer at stage 2 of fundamentalism and are also ready to move on beyond stage 3 of atheism to embrace stage 4 of mysticism and mystery of the universe, if I may interpret this according to M Scott Peck's theory of the four stages of spiritual growth. 

Spirituality, religions and fundamentalisms

"Spirituality is awareness of the water in the ocean, and religions are the currents in the ocean that fish can choose to swim in to go faster and further than they otherwise could. Fundamentalisms are aquariums that keep fish confined." – Roger Wolsey

I think it is an apt description of the nature of spirituality, religions and fundamentalism. It reminds me of a similar parable by Anthony de Mello about a fish wanting to find the ocean, and going about asking where the ocean is, until one day it realises it is already in the ocean. That is to me spirituality - an awareness of the water in the ocean. 

Religions to me, on the other hand, are subjective mental constructs and spiritual practices meant to help people become aware of the water in the ocean - to realise God or Divine is already in us, with us, around us and as us, in the here and now. 

Finally, fundamentalism is creating walls of an aquarium, as the quote says, and limiting the divine to a particular time and space and to a particular creed for an elect group of fishes that like to feel exclusive to experience that oh-so-elusive divine that comes once in a while and disappears when they think they miss it.

 

What is fundamentalist christianity?

My understanding of fundamental Christianity is the elementary teachings aboutChrist and have not moved forward to maturity. 

Hence fundamentalists are a group of people who are stuck in old ways of thinking, don't want to put away childish things and those who have refused to progress, grow and mature. 

It is based on Hebrews 6: Therefore let us go on and get past the elementary stage in the teachings and doctrine of Christ (the Messiah), advancing steadily toward the completeness and perfection that belong to spiritual maturity. Let us not again be laying the foundation of repentance and abandonment of dead works (dead formalism) and of the faith [by which you turned] to God,"

Fundamentalist Christianity holds on to the outdated traditions of Judaism and borrowed traditions of paganism that revolve around rituals and sacrifices. In a recent video on YouTube, Carlton Pearson pointed out that Christianity itself is a combination of ancient traditions, including astrology, and so it is not so much about a historical Jesus but about the principle of Christ in every person.

Spiritual progress, maturity or evolution then, is about moving beyond the illusion of separation and beyond religious rites and institutions, and embracing the mystery of Christ in every person, and reconnecting each person to Love and our true divine self in consciousness.

"If I cannot find the Love of Christ in the worst 'hell', then Jesus is not Lord and I must look for another ...."

Someone wrote:

"If I cannot find the Love of Christ in the worst 'hell', then Jesus is not Lord and I must look for another ....

This is not a 'hell' debate, nor is it about universalism, it is a statement about Jesus being Lord, and if we cannot see Him in our worst of the worst situations that we will ever face, ever, then we are left hopeless, or even worse, we place our hope on someone or something else, and that is possibly why a huge percentage of human beings look to some other leader or guru in our various real or imagined plights ....
And the blind lead the blind ....

If Jesus is Lord, then He is Lord of All, whether of things above or beneath, and of any and every other still unknown dimension ...."

Yes, there is no other Lord except Christ who is in us the hope of glory. Where Christ is, we are, so whether in the best of times (heavenly experience) or in the worst of times (hellish experience), the love of Christ is always with us. This reminds me of psalm 139, which I believe symbolically describes the love of Christ that is ever present, regardless of one's geographic location or state of consciousness.

"Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend up into heaven, thou artthere: if I make my bed in hell (Sheol), behold, thou art there.
If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;"
(Psalm 139:7-9)

Psalm 46 also says Christ is our very present help in times of need, and we can be still and know I Am, so the love of Christ is a present reality. When we practise being in the here and the now, focusing on the in-breaths and out-breaths, we become aware of the love of Christ that is in our breaths. The breath of life is the breath of love, and every moment is the reality of the love of Christ.

"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;"
(Romans 10:8)

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, just as nothing can separate us from our breath. We and our breath (ruach, prana, qi) are one. Even when we pass on eventually one day, our breath merges with the breath/wind/spirit of the universe - as Jesus said, "Father into your hands I commit my spirit (breath)". Jesus did not cease to exist but become one with the universe in cosmic consciousness. Jesus continues to live with us, among us and as us in spirit and in truth.

Like what the post says, there is no other hope outside of ourselves. Hope is found within us, and we are the Christ whom we seek. Love is where our true home is, and no one can take away our true home, and love is always present with us wherever we go, whether in the best of times or in the worst of times - the love of Christ sees us through every season of our life, never leaving us nor forsaking us because love is one with us.

"Breathing in, I know I'm breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I'm breathing out.
Breathing in, I enjoy my in-breath.
Breathing out, I enjoy my out-breath."

Breathing is enjoyable. Whether we're sitting, standing, or lying down, breathing becomes a pleasure because in the breathing there is peace."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh (From "Together We Are One")

No time for religious fundamentalism

One could be warlike, greedy, racist, selfish, and vain in most of christian history, and still believe that Jesus is one’s “personal Lord and Savior”... The world has no time for such silliness... The suffering on earth is too great.
~Richard Rohr

Richard Rohr's observation of many people who profess to believe Jesus as their lord and saviour and yet demean their fellow human beings is unfortunately spot-on for the most part. It is as if they think saying the magic word "Jesus" is the passport to go to "heaven" and yet they can continue to discriminate others for whatever reasons such as when others do not agree with their dogma. This reminds me of a recent blog by Dylan Morrison in which he shared some observations about self-professed Christians or "religious junkies" (RJ).

"1) The RJ believes that they are on a mission for God.

This mission is more or less defined as getting others saved or to put it more eloquently, to bring others into a relationship with Jesus Christ. The RJ believes that God will hold them accountable for their efforts on this mission of mercy. At the end of the space-time road, the Divine Judge will have a look at the facts and figures of their evangelistic efforts. Many RJs who get into full-time ministry are doubly zealous in this conversion push, especially as it may overlap with running a successful church i.e one with many bums on seats."

(From "Religious Junkies - The Sequel" by Dylan Morrison)

Like what Richard Rohr says, the world has no time for such silliness, for the suffering on earth is too great. What people need is kindness and acceptance, not religious affiliation or fundamentalism.

The gospel introduces us to ourselves again, so that we may know evenas we've always been known! 1 Cor 13:12

"Neither Jesus nor Paul told people to “get born again”! You couldn’t even get yourself born the first time, how are you going to get it right a second time?

Jesus did say to Nicodemus unless you’re born from above (meaning unless you realize that you originate from above) you would have no interest or appetite for heavenly things! John 3:13

God is not man’s idea; mankind is God’s idea. Man began in God, not in his mother’s womb. God says to Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb” Jer 1:5 Mankind is by design the god-kind.

(You'll enjoy "Thoughts on the new birth" in my book Divine Embrace! Kindle or print)"

- Francois du Toit

Yes, it occurred to me that the phrase "born again" was used only in the context of addressing the Jews to give up their natural identity as Jews and embrace their true identity as sons and daughters of God, together with other members of the human race, regardless of ethnicity, nationality or religion.

As I learnt recently, Jesus could be telling Nicodemus to give up his natural identity as a Jew and adopt a new identity as a child of God in the family of humankind. (Jesus had said in another place that the kingdom of God is within us.) If Nicodemus sees himself only as a Jew, he will see himself separate from other people who are seen as non-Jews. But if he sees himself as a child of God in the family of humankind, he will see himself as one with other fellow human beings and there is no separation between him and other people.

Similarly, Peter wrote to the Jews about "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever", which I believe is about renewing their mind to see themselves not as Jews by natural descent but as children of God by spiritual descent. In the same way, we are all made in the incorruptible image of God and we all began in God, as mentioned in the post.

I like what 1 Cor 13 said about that which is perfect has come.

"But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." 1 Corinthians 13:10

Yes, the perfect has come in the person of Jesus, and we no longer see ourselves through a glass darkly but we see ourselves face to face with our Beloved in the mirror of our divine beauty. Indeed, the gospel introduces us to our true divine self, and we shall know even as we are known by Divine Love.

Annie Daugherty: What we resist persists

"i understand the egoic allure of (self-)'righteous indignation', that surge of endorphins in imagining oneself the sole defender of truth and justice. yet, in the end, what we resist persists, and Jesus offered some pretty good advice regarding the 'pharisees': "Leave them alone..." - Annie Daugherty

I think that is good advice from Jesus who had much experience in dealing with the Pharisees of his day. There were times he engaged them on a discourse about God and the kingdom of God, and there were times he disengaged from them and departed from them when they resisted his message and wanted to stone him. Similarly, when his disciples shared the gospel, they also learnt to shake the dust off their feet and moved on to another town if they were not welcome in a town.

I think today's Pharisees can be likened to those who do not see Jesus manifested in the flesh (in everyone on earth) and look forward to a physical return of Jesus in future, not realising the kingdom of God is in the here and now and is within us. This egoic allure of imagining oneself to be the sole defender of truth and justice is in everyone, including the Pharisees. For example, many a times, some modern pharisees/evangelists would claim to speak for "God" and pronounce judgment on some groups or some societies for not living up to certain expectations. That could also be a manifestation of the egoic expression of the dualistic self.

When it comes to promoting social justice and setting people free from oppression, we can follow our heart and intuition, as Jesus did. Sometimes it involves speaking up for the marginalised, just as Jesus defended the woman he healed on the sabbath day who was bowed down by religious oppression. Sometimes it involves speaking in parables which invite people, including Pharisees, to think for themselves what the kingdom of God means, as Jesus said, "he who has ears, let him hear." When people's hearts are open and ready or willing to learn more about the gospel, they will come to Jesus and listen more of his teachings, as it was in the case of Nicodemus the Pharisee.

A short sermon by Rob Bell (25 Feb 2013)

"how about a short sermon?

“this is the day that God has made.” [psalm 118]

really-this day? the one with wars and poverty and divorce and addiction and betrayal? this one?

yes, this one.

this one because there’s a difference between analysis and awareness.

analysis pulls things apart, looks for cracks in logic, points out the inconsistencies.

analysis needs things to make sense.

there’s nothing wrong with analysis, of course, it’s often vital to our survival and thriving. but if we stay there, in that mode and that mode only, we can easily find ourselves stepping back with arms folded, pointing out all that’s wrong with this day and all the ways it falls short and all of the evidence for why this particular day doesn’t appear to be the kind of day that God would make-all while this day passes us by.

(this is very easy to do, by the way. it’s why cynicism is so popular. it’s easy.)

but in this psalm-the one that says that this is the day that God has made- this psalm isn’t first and foremost about analysis, it’s about awareness.

and the difference is massive.

awareness doesn’t ignore or gloss over the very real questions and pains of this day, it transcends all of that analysis with the very straight forward acknowledgement that whatever this day is, it’s a gift to be embraced and engaged and maybe even enjoyed.

this day maybe be rough and bloody and heartbreaking but it is here and it is now and it is bursting with untold potential and possibility and our response to it is of utmost, urgent importance.

we may, it’s important to note, not get another one. my friend’s brother was recently killed in a car accident, another friend’s father just died, and the mother of another goes in for another round of chemo this week. you know exactly what i’m talking about-whatever this is, we’re all acutely aware that is very, very fragile.

so yes, this is the day."

- Rob Bell 

I find Rob Bell's short sermon powerful, insightful and deep. It is true that our analysis of things that go wrong and do not live up to our ideals, or things that remind us of pains, suffering, injustice, greed and struggles in the world, can overwhelm us and cause us to be jaded or cynical about humanity, about God, about life, and therefore it is hard to rejoice and be glad in the day that God has made, let alone be glad at all. I have been there before, such as when I read the newspaper yesterday about how establishments wanted to paint a one-sided view of GM (genetically modified) salmon and other GM foods to sway public opinion to accept GM food, while mainly glossing over the fact that such food can harm human health and the environment. And that is just one example of greed and injustice among many others in the world. 

But as Rob Bell pointed out, our awareness frees us from being overwhelmed by our analysis of all the pains and problems as it reminds us that in spite of and in the midst of all these negative things, we can still appreciate - embrace, engage and even enjoy - the gift of the day because not only the here and the now is bursting with potential and possibilities, the day is also fragile, so we can be glad at least for the miracle of being alive. This is a great reminder for me to focus on being in the present moment and live life with awareness and mindfulness, so as to find peace and stability even as I navigate a world that is filled with pains and sufferings but also with hope and beauty.

Meditation on a quote by Dennis Wholey

"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting a bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian." ~ Dennis Wholey

Yes, being a good and kind person doesn't quite guarantee that we won't be treat unfairly by the world because we may at times come across or encounter people who are at war within themselves, and we may be unfortunate recipients of their own self-hatred and jealousy. Even for the peacemakers who seek to do good and bring justice and freedom to the oppressed, such as Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi, John Lennon, Rob Bell and so on, they have been attacked by those who are jealous of them. Perhaps we have to accept the fact that we live in a world system that is influencing people in a negative way through the separatist and egoistic mindset, and remember we are not of the world. This will help us remember to keep a distance from those who tend to hurt us/others, and remain focused on who we are and what we can do to help make the world a better place in our own ways.

The most important journey

"You can travel great distances, but still stay where you are.

Sometimes we spend our lives running from one place to the next, but remain the same person. This is why the same types of situations, people, and chaos seem to follow us wherever we go until we discover the lessons we are meant to learn and make an inner change.

Personal growth has little to do with where we are, and everything to do with how we are."

~Yehuda Berg

Yes, the most important journey we can make is the inner journey between our mind and our heart, as a saying goes. While the environment may play a part in facilitating or influencing our personal growth and transformation to some extent, much of our inner growth and change lies within us, regardless of our physical location.

I think this is why many of us who make long pilgrimages to our holy land or temple or church building still remain largely untransformed long after we return from our holy pilgrimages because we have not yet learnt to walk our inner journeys of the heart on a regular basis. I think that is also why Thich Nhat Hanh advocates spiritual practice wherever we are, whether home or workplace or marketplace or anywhere else in the society instead of retreating to a remote monastery because we can experience inner growth right where we are and still impact the society with our inner peace. He calls this "engaged buddhism" and I think this practice is applicable for any other belief system or religion as well. I also like what he says here in his book "Being Peace":

"We don't need to go to China to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to travel into the future to enjoy our breathing. We can be in touch with these things right now."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

the TRUE SELF (the Divine, God within) ~John O'Donohue

"So, we first need to recognize our false self, then comes the struggle with our false self; and then... may it be an opening of our heart to allow the blossoming of the TRUE SELF (the Divine, God within)" - Sigrid Marshall

"Often we can't feel the presence of God because we don't let ourselves alone." ~John O'Donohue

I agree that it is in stillness and silence of our solitude that we become more aware of the presence of God or the Divine within us, as the verse goes, be still and know I Am (God/Divine). As the post mentioned, it may involve an initial struggle within to recognise our false self and comes to terms with our false self, and as we open our heart to embrace the totality of who we are, we allow our true self (God or the Divine within) to blossom. This reminds me of the enlightenment scene in the movie "Little Buddha" which illustrates how Prince Siddharta eventually conquered his false self (known as mara or the tempter) while meditating under the bodhi tree, and awakened to his true self. Similarly Jesus wrestled with his false self (or the devil) in the wilderness and prevailed, not giving in to the temptation to do something prove that he is the son of God because he has learnt to be still and know he is God incarnated, and his true self cannot be taken away or changed by doing or not doing anything.

John O'Donohue's quote is also remarkably true because it is usually when we are alone that we commune best with God through listening to the still small voice within us. It is unfortunate that in mainstream or evangelical Christianity, the followers are not encouraged to spend time alone as much as they are encouraged to "go to church" and "be in the presence of God" because the preachers would quote Jesus saying "when two or three are gathered in my name, there I am". However Jesus was not referring to a church building or organisation when he said that, and he was simply referring to his manifestation in terms of a collective body of Christ made up of people that is not confined to any particular location or religion or belief system. So this mistaken idea of "going to church" to be "in God's presence" has become a bondage to fear for both the preachers and the church goers to perpetuate the weekly system of church programmes in the name of God because they might be afraid if they don't go to the Sunday service, they may "miss God's voice" or God may not be pleased with them, and so on. Yet Jesus himself often spend time alone in nature to be with God/Divine, and the bible recorded he heard God's voice audibly not in a synagogue but in nature places, such as by the river or on a mountain, declaring he is God's beloved son in whom he is well pleased. Similarly when we are alone, we will hear the still small voice affirming our belovedness and innocence and divinity as pertaining to our true self. Love is who we are.

Thoughts on "A reading of John 14:6 - Brian McLaren"

Here is an interesting article by Brian McLaren called "A reading of John 14:6".

http://www.brianmclaren.net/emc/archives/McLaren%20-%20John%2014.6.pdf

Brian McLaren's take on John 14:6 generally sits well with me. If only more people in the Christian circles take the time to examine that verse in the whole literary and social context like he did, then they will understand better what Jesus could have meant by those words "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

I like how McLaren explored the chapter just before John 14 that put in place the context of Jesus' conversation with his disciples about his imminent suffering and death, that led to his statement in John 14:6. I agree Jesus was referring to his destination in terms of suffering and death in the immediate future which he must bear alone, and the disciples could not follow, until some time in future when they would follow his footsteps (willingly).

My take on the "Father's house" is similar to McLaren's in the sense it may refer to a physical manifestation of the kingdom of God on earth. This is revealed by Jesus' words later in the chapter when he said:

"At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
(John 14:20)

I believe that is when they received the revelation via the Holy Spirit that they are one with Jesus/God in consciousness and God is in them and with them. They will realise that they are sitting with Christ in the heavenly places (that is, in higher consciousness).

I think McLaren has asked an important question on "Jesus is the way to what?" because different people will answer differently, depending on what they are looking for in life. For example, if people are looking for the four noble truths, then Jesus is not the way but Buddha. In the case of the disciples, they are looking for the way to the Father whom Jesus often spoke about. In his reply, I could almost sense a bit of exasperation when Jesus told Philip that he would have known by then that the Father was in him, and by seeing him, they would have already seen the father. After all, in John 10, Jesus also said he and the father are one.

"Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works."
(John 14:9-10)

So, the Father is not someone up there in the sky who can only be seen somewhere in future but is already present in the here and now, in the person of Jesus standing right before them. The disciples had thought the Father was separate from Jesus, but Jesus made it clear that he and the Father are one. In fact, they had already seen the Father without realising it; Jesus had to confirm it by telling them that they knew and had seen the Father because they knew and had seen him.

"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him."
(John 14:7)

Later in his conversation with his disciples, Jesus went one step further and told them not only he and the Father are not separate from each other, the disciples are also not separate from him or the Father, because they are all one. The Holy Spirit would open the eyes of their heart to see their oneness in their consciousness.

"At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
(John 14:20)

In retrospect, I am glad Jesus' disciples were not afraid to ask questions; even though they might look silly to many of today's readers of the bible, their bold and honest questions to Jesus actually gave him the opportunity to clarify many things about himself, about the Father, about them, and so on. In a way, their questions and Jesus' answers serve as an essential FAQ that readers would appreciate. In a sense, the disciples might represent us who would also have thought of similar questions to ask Jesus. Yet in another sense, Jesus might represent us answering our own questions because Christ the living wisdom is living in us and as us, and having the mind of Christ, we too can find the answers we seek within ourselves through silent contemplation, listening to the still, small voice of Love. And when we read or listen and learn from others, we can go by what resonates with us that we have already intuitively known in our heart to be true for us.

Related posts
John 14 What did Jesus mean when He said that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life?
What if Jesus has come back many times since the Roman Empire?

"Most people are religious because their parents are."

Someone said in Yahoo Answers:

"Most people are religious because their parents are. While there are a few true converts in each religion, the vast majority root for the same teams as their parents and culture.

The internet is breaking down that tribalism. The more viewpoints you see, the more trivial a primitive tribalist viewpoint appears. People become atheists after being religious usually because they realize it's all a bunch of crap designed to keep people believing.

I am the son of a pastor in a highly religious family full of pastors. I attended Christian college and was a Christian til I was almost 30. One day, I just realized that I couldn't believe in God because evidence of him was no more credible than all the other things I didn't believe in (alien abduction, astrology, Islam, etc.)"

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjfEVT8CbKCnFylYE_K_7f3ty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20130124035543AAmhnP6 

It reminds me of similar accounts I read of how those who grew up in religious families or backgrounds came to realise that most of the teachings in institutional churches are based on fear and superstition and do not portray the fullness of the love of God or misrepresent God. Some of them end up not considering themselves christians anymore. So in this respect, being an atheist is mainly a response to rejecting the primitive notion of a mean, angry God. Like what the answerer said, the internet plays a part in breaking down the tribalism that is prevalent in religious circles - the more viewpoints we see regarding what the religion is all about (such as how the bible came to be, and how it can be interpreted in so many ways, and so on), the more trivial a primitive tribalist viewpoint appears.

Re: The meaner the 'god', the meaner YOU will be inside

Someone wrote:

"People generally live as both the 'god' they acknowledge in their minds and the servant of that 'god'...
The meaner the 'god', the meaner they will be inside, yet accompanying this mindset is the need to serve this 'god', and with it a fear induced compulsion to be as nice as possible to 'him', giving 'him' credit for everything, and therewith being nice to other people in case you tick 'him' off, even though you really couldn't give a damn .....
What a horrible conglomeration of confusion lurks in humanity!

When asked how to communicate with God, Jesus speaks to some lads of the Jewish religion and to some others who were in the audience, all steeped in various mythological folklore ....

And he begins with 'Our father ...'
'Our Father ??'

What a blow to the mindsets of mythology, bringing the beginning of understanding to his listeners that would sweep out any concept of a domineering 'god who demanded to be 'served' or else !

Later Jesus says 'if you have seen me, you have seen the Father' and in the same conversation, he says 'I don't call you servants, but friends'

John, who penned the words of that conversation, had this to say about the one true God that Jesus introduced to us as 'Father and Friend.....'

"God is Love"

'Love is my father, Love is my friend !'

To have the understanding that Love is our beginning, our friend and our end, brings a profound settling in our hearts and minds, because we instinctively know this to be what is good and real and true, and it is in this environment that our 'beings' cultivate their best, where loving and respecting others becomes a natural outflow from the heart, and the warmth of true affection and harmony with others is our daily experience ....

To genuinely love Love and to love all our brothers and sisters naturally ......
Isn't this what real life is all about ?"

The above quote sums up how people (especially in christian circles) become as mean as the god they subscribe to in their mind and how Jesus came to unveil the heart of God that is love. Many people in the Old Testament times, as well as many followers of Christianity today, had a mental image of a demanding, domineering god and they lived with a servant mentality to serve this god of their mind. As a result, they become mean and miserable - mean to others who do not believe the same way as they do, and miserable when they think they fail to live up the expectations of their god (a la mafia boss).

Jesus himself bore the brunt of their meanness and misery when he interacted with the Pharisees and the Jews who subscribed to the idea of a judgmental god, and he was called all kinds of names by them for challenging their discriminatory views and calling out their unfair treatment of others as well as their hypocrisy.

Yes, Jesus came to reveal the nature of God that differs from their fragmented view - that God is the father and he is the manifestation of the father, who is also their friend. He is the friend who loves at all times. I agree that when people know and experience the love of God through having a heart revelation of Jesus being their friend and of God being their father, they will end up naturally loving and accepting themselves and others.

Are Israel's god and ten commandments "stolen" from Egypt?

"Ra was Egypt's god! Think maybe that's why Pharaoh chased them? Maybe they were stealing their god? What/who was it?
2 Sa 7:24 For thou hast confirmed to ((thyself)) thy people>[am] IsRAel to be a people>[am] unto thee for ever: and (((thou))), LORD, art become their God."
- Rick Olson

"Israel (Is /Isis) (Ra /AMEN Ra) (El/ Elohim)
Ra was known as Horus. Ho-Ri-Son (horizon) Horus Rising Zone! Ra=Rays as in the Sun or Son (Crown of thorns r a halo with rays on it). That is why Jesus and others have a Halo. Hello,...salt,...salutations. Solar=Sun. Halo means salt in Greek. Solar plexus, etc."
- Dante Salvatore

"all stories are the same story....his-story"
- Rick Olson

The above is an interesting observation that Israel's god was probably a stolen version of Egypt's god Ra. I recently found out that even the Ten Commandments was not original as it was probably "stolen" or adapted from the Egyptian book of the dead, given their similarities and the fact that the book of the dead was written much earlier than the said provision of the ten commandments.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_10cl.htm

"The Book of the Dead was written circa 1800 BCE. 2 The Schofield Reference Bible estimates that the Hebrew Exodus from Egypt and the provision of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai occurred in 1491 BCE., some three centuries later. Many religious liberals, historians, and secularists have concluded that the Hebrew Scripture's Ten Commandments were based on this earlier document, rather than vice-versa."

For more details, click here to read my other blog.

"The Still, Small Voice of Love" - Henri Nouwen

Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, "Prove that you are a good person." Another voice says, "You'd better be ashamed of yourself." There also is a voice that says, "Nobody really cares about you," and one that says, "Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful." But underneath all these often very noisy voices is a still, small voice that says, "You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you." That's the voice we need most of all to hear. To hear that voice, however, requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen.

That's what prayer is. It is listening to the voice that calls us "my Beloved."

- Henri Nouwen

One heartfelt hug

It is said that "one heartfelt hug is more convincing that God is Love than a thousand Bible scriptures."

Yes, a heartfelt hug conveys warmth and love and gives a human touch, whereas bible verses tend to lack a human touch even though they may be uplifting.

Maybe that is also why Jesus (the Word) was manifested in the flesh because it is not enough for people to know mentally that God is love but also to know, see and feel the love of God in a tangible way, who can relate to them as human beings. Jesus demonstrates the love of God visibly and tangibly through his words and actions by lifting up people and embracing them with love and acceptance. In the parable of the prodigal son, the father (God/Divine Love/Highest Self) embraced the son who returned home, which means much more than words.

A heartfelt hug is also life-giving, and I am reminded of the real life example of a rescuing hug that one baby gave to her baby sister who then recovered from a life-threatening condition.

"People are either guided by love or enslaved by fear"

Joshua Guild writes:

"If you believe you have something to give, you'll give it... The emotionally distant believe they have little to offer... A person who fails to return affection sees them self as emotionally bankrupt... don't take it personal... Remember fear is the greatest obstacle to love. Many of our fears are yet to be discovered... Many people unknowingly spend their entire life running from fear... Awareness, discovery, enlightenment is the answer... We cannot unsee, but we can be forever changed by what we see... We don't need to be fixed, only awakened and this happens through meditation, processing, prayer... It is the difference between telling and showing... the difference between reading and experiencing... The only way to reach deep into the heart of an enemy is to love them... People are either guided by love or enslaved by fear... Light reveals, but darkness enslaves, so when you feel anxiety turn on the light, don't act upon anxiety... Acting upon anxiety creates more anxiety, more regrets, more destruction and keeps you enslaved... Unwrap each fear, one by one to reach the love at your core... Love starts with getting to know yourself... You're not emotionally bankrupt, you have eternity inside you. You have enough love behind those fears to give some to every person you meet... You just need to be awakened from the bad dream know as living unconsciously... you need to become conscious... I once was blind, but now I see this love inside of me and out of this love comes depth, warmth, beauty, allure... I am not a Christian, but I believe the person of Jesus manifested such depth, such love... such divinity... Namaste."

Yes, the axiom "People are either guided by love or enslaved by fear" sums up his post because love and fear are mutually exclusive. Organised religions have tried to include both love and fear in the hearts of their followers through their teachings, which only results in people living in fear of judgment. It is hard for people to love themselves and others when they are put under fear. I have been there before too. I agree with his post that "we don't need to be fixed, only awakened and this happens through meditation, processing, prayer..." 

I also find that the gospel or good news (which is not necessarily confined to christianity) about our true identity that we are already beloved and innocent and complete/perfect children of God/Divine Love/Universe has helped me become free from fear and self-limiting thoughts, and learn to embrace myself (including my "dark" or shadow self), and accept others the same way too. I am on a journey still even as I am sharing this. I appreciate always reading such reminders as this because this axiom captures a timeless truth that is relevant for all time and applies to everyone regardless of their age, background, belief system, etc.

"Perception makes projection"

"Perception makes projection," meaning that every time we're upset about something, we look to what we're thinking. The problem is always our projected perception, not what appears to be happening. - Sane Curriculum

It is a reminder for me that perception plays a part in how I respond to any given situation. I am learning to manage my perceptions in life, and I think one way to do so is meditation - to take a step back and breathe deeply and look into the nature of a given situation or problem and reflect on how it may be addressed in a calm and rational manner with love and understanding. This may take time and practice.

"5 lines worth erasing in your life" - Jim Palmer

5 lines worth erasing in your life:
The line between "sacred" and "secular"
The line between "us" and "them"
The line between "divine" and "human"
The Line between "God" and "life" 
The line between "the pretend you" and "the real you" 
Jim Palmer 

Yes, we are all one and connected to the Divine and to one another, so there is no separation or duality. All life is sacred, and we are both human and divine. 

 

The greatest gift for our heart

Someone said:

"The greatest gift you can give your self is a safe place for your heart to be and to heal.
Whatever that looks like to you.
A safe place where you can be fully you, where there is full unconditional love, and absolutely no judgement.
It's the greatest gift.
It truly is."

I agree it is the greatest gift as it enables us to live loved and function at our optimal level as a unique and authentic expression of our true self. It reminds me of the 2013 daily affirmations, in that we see ourselves in Peace, harmony, love and joy, and as we continue to connect with people of kindred spirit and place ourselves in conducive environments that nurture our spirit, we will keep growing, evolving and transforming from glory to glory. So, finding that safe place for our heart is to keep ourselves in such conducive environments. This is a timeless reminder for me as well.