I love the wisdom of Anthony deMello's quote. Yes, the silence of a spiritual master's or a dear friend's words contains the message of love and compassion, which transcends the words themselves. Indeed, words are like a finger pointing to the moon, and the moon - love and compassion (which embodies God) - is a beauty to behold in silent awe and rapture.
“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. 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.
My understanding offundamental Christianityis the elementary teachings aboutChristand 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 tospiritual 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.
"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.
"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.
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."
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.
"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," 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.
I think somebody will appreciate the invitation to think out of the box (tradition). Let's consider these questions.
Why would 'you' need grace from a God that is love? WHEN would LOVE have ever stopped loving? Are you sure that you have a clear understanding of what grace is all about? Love would simply forgive! NOT require a son on a cross!
These questions raise a pertinent point about grace because "grace" has often been used in a
legalistic way in the christian circles. To some preachers, grace is
like having a transaction with God, such as "God gives us his grace only
when we give God our faith" or "God needs to punish Jesus to fulfill
the law in order to give us his grace and forgiveness". That is not
grace; that is legalism disguised as grace because the law is always
conditional whereas grace is always unconditional.
Teachings that represent God/Jesus as a vindictive and vengeful divinity
are actually anti-Christ because revenge and retribution are against
his loving, gracious and non-violent nature. Jesus himself taught people
not to return an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth, but to love
their enemies. It is amazing to think how much the mainstream christian
teachings that propagate a picture of a judgmental and vengeful Jesus
have the gospel upside down that is contrary to his true nature.
The cross simply demonstrates Jesus' love, compassion and forgiveness.
He had said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do". If he
had wanted revenge, he would have said something that was condemning.
Since God is love, and love keeps no records of wrong, then it does not
make any sense for God to punish or require a sacrifice to atone for
people’s wrongs. The “atonement for sin” theology therefore is man’s
theology. I think Jesus came to help people repent (change their
mindset) about God – that the idea of “an eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth” is not compatible with God’s love (which keeps no records
of wrong), and that God’s heart is to love one’s enemies. He also came to show us that we are already innocent and perfect/complete, for the kingdom of God (innocence/righteousness, peace and joy) is within each of us.
This also answers the question “If God doesn’t require sacrifice for
“sins”, then why did Jesus die on the cross?” because Jesus’ suffering
and death was to demonstrate what Jesus himself taught in the sermon on
the mount – he did not return an eye for an eye when he was beaten, and
instead he blessed those who cursed him, and prayed for those who
persecuted him. The cross is a demonstration of the love of God which
keeps no records of wrong, and not to atone for so-called sins (which
man-made religions have mistakenly taught).
I believe there are people who will appreciate the invitation to think out of the
box and question religious traditions, so as to find their own freedom
from any kind of bondage of fear and condemnation imposed by organised
religions, and experience peace within themselves and with others.
"If you spend a good amount of time around religious folk you soon begin to pick up on the fact that most of their focus and energy is upon being good. In order to achieve this goal they have built their individual and collective way of relating upon form. A set of rules and regulations that when kept do produce a temporary feeling of being good. This of coarse also comes with a side dish of fear and the realization that if you fail to keep up the rules you are no longer good. Leaving the evil religious empire we walk out into the realm of the secular world. Here we find the focus is not on being good, especially (your version of what that means), but instead on feeling good. Pleasure seems to be the highest rung on the ladder. For someone fleeing the strict rules of religion this can feel like the ultimate freedom. And though there is an allowance to participate in many things once forbidden you get the sense that you have traded on small jail cell for a much larger one. As I have observed these things in my own own life and in those around me I have found that in both you can have powerful experiences that touch things deep inside and as these are awakened they demand more from those systems than they are able to give. For me the freedom that I desire has not been found in form i.e.,the strict adherence to rules of men or in feeling i.e., the pursuit of what fulfills my senses, but in faith. Faith here is simply the belief that there is something apart from myself and those systems that can and has met my deepest longings. That which both the world and religion have awakened but failed to satisfy.The freedom it produces is not a freedom from religion or from this world but from myself. A freedom from a self centered life. A freedom from those deep longings that are motivating every human being as they strive to be good and to feel good.It seems for me that when I find this foundation beneath my feet the world and religion loose their hold over me and I can see clearly to move about and make rational decisions rather than feeling like a junkie looking for his next fix."
- Rodney Stepp
Yes, living a fulfilling and satisfying life would entail avoiding both
extremes of religion/asceticism (trying to be good by following rules
and rituals) and secular hedonism (trying to feel good by seeking
sensual pleasures continually to find fulfilment). As the
post noted, religion makes people temporarily happy when they think they
obey the rules and miserable when they think they fail to be good.
While secular hedonism may seem better, it doesn't satisfy one's deepest
longings permanently.
The middle path therefore is practising non-attachment to self and living a life knowing we are already loved and
seeking the highest good of all. The pleasure
that comes with seeking highest good is a complementary by-product. The
act of loving and seeing others helped and blessed and uplifted is a pleasure and reward in and of itself.
"Doomsday was never God's idea; it is a doctrine invented by religion to distract from the powerful message of the cross
Religion cannot bear the thought of an innocent world
That would make them lose both their power and their income"
- Francois Du Toit
I agree with his observation that religion is about power and money, so it is perhaps no wonder they invented the idea of doomsday to control people with fear and make money as well from the sales of their books, CDs, DVDs, etc about doomsday theories.
Yes, God's idea is never about doomsday, but about the unveiling of Christ in us the hope of glory - it is not about the destruction of the physical world but about the transition from the old world system of law and control to the new world system of grace and freedom. The message of the cross is indeed about dying to the old way of thinking and living in condemnation and conformity, and resurrecting to a new and higher way of thinking and living in peace and authenticity. The cross brings to end the illusion of separation and unites humanity as one family of God/Divine Unconditional Love.
God is love, and there is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear. For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because lovecovers over a multitude of sins."
I googled the above verse to understand it better and I realise the context of the verse is about showing love and understanding and seeking peace and harmony in a social setting where people use their gifts to serve one another.
1 Peter 4:8-10
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
8 and, before all things, to one another having the earnest love, because the love shall cover a multitude of sins;
9 hospitable to one another, without murmuring;
10 each, according as he received a gift, to one another ministering it, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God;
In
group fellowships, there may be instances where we notice one another's
shortcomings, so usually people prefer to overlook them and focus on
offering goodwill and hospitality. It is like loving our neighbour as ourselves - just as we would not like to dwell on our own shortcomings because we love ourselves, we would usually also show the same love
to others in normal daily circumstances when they fall short of the
mark (as long as they are not intentionally hurting others) since we are
all imperfect human beings.
Proverbs 10:12
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
12 Hatred awaketh contentions, And over all transgressions love covereth.
You are valuable, you are loved, and someone knows you even better than you know yourself. There is an image and likeness imprinted upon your being that is the basis of your value ... a value beyond your wildest dreams.
Coins used to have the face of the person who guaranteed their value, minted onto them. Any note or coin has a guarantor, a person or institution that guarantees its value. Even if a coin gets lost, the coin never loses it's value.
The one who invented and designed you, stamped you with His own image and likeness.
He knows you better than you know yourself ... He knew you even before you were born. You might not know Him, but He has always known you. You might not be aware of Him, but He has always had you on His mind.
You might think 'why' ... why would anyone have such an obsession with me. Well, the creator of this universe sees a value and a beauty in you beyond anything in this natural world. He even sees a possibility of romance!
I like what Andre Rabe said in his message so far, especially the part that we cannot be lost unless we belong, and as we have seen in the 3 parables, the sheep remains the sheep, the coin remains the coin, and the son remains the son. Our true value and identity has not changed, and neither has God/Creator/Divine Love changed his mind about us, regardless of whether we know him or do things that impress/disappoint him. So the idea of separation (as propagated by organised religions) is a lie, and so the truth of the gospel of inclusion sets people free from the illusion of separation and enables them to enjoy peace and wholeness in their lives.
Further thoughts
I have finished listening to Andre Rabe's message video. Overall, it is a good message about God's love that affirms our intrinisc value, which is based on the image and likeness of God in whom we are created/made. This value is unchanging and incorruptible, as he said. I agree that God loves us not in spite of us, but because of who we are - we are valuable, precious and lovable, and God's love rejoices with the truth - that there is something so lovable about us.
Yes, God created us in his innocence and likeness, and God knew us before we were formed; he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1). Jesus is the revelation of what God thinks about us, and Jesus is God's mind made up about us - he is the Alpha and the Omega - he is God's original thought and final conclusion about us (our lives). (This is similar to Francois du Toit's main message of the gospel too.)
I agree that the gospel is not a "product" to be purchased by the "currency" based on the amount of grief, faith, remorse, etc shown by the "customer". As he put it, we are not selling a product. Rather, the gospel is a mirror, and what we declare in the gospel is true, whether we believe or not - that God has declared us innocent and righteous, and has included in his love and acceptance. Yes, knowing this truth doesn't make people grovel in the dust anymore or continue to live in a pigsty like the prodigal son did, parabolically speaking. Looking into the mirror of our true identity can transform our experience of how we live our lives -knowing who we are can cause us to want to not continue in our illusion of separation (since we are already one with our highest self), just as it causes the prodigal son to forsake the pigsty that has never been his origin. (To me, it simply means a place of ignorance of God's love.)
I like his sharing of Psalm 22 - God has done it, and the ends of the earth shall REMEMBER - yes, we cannot remember unless we once knew the truth of who we are and later forgot who we are.
As he pointed out, some people say "God is love but he is also just" as if God is in conflict with himself, and yet there is nothing God does not do for us in justice that is different from his love, so justice and love are one because God does not have a multiple personality disorder. I also noted that Jesus prayed to the father that we may be one - before the world began, we were all already in a relationship of love (John 17) Yes, God is not a grumpy judge in an antiquated legal court. Rather, in his fullness and completion, his love overflows to reach out and embrace us.
I also agree that loving God is shown in loving people - loving our brothers who are made in the image of God too (1 John), so for our doctrine to be worth something, we will demonstrate love to others in our own lives.
Last but not least, Andre also shared that Jesus is fully God and fully man - representing both God and humanity, and that the law came not to fix the problem but to reveal the problem - the law demands perfect obedience and declares man exceedingly sinful (in terms of measuring up to absolute standards). My take is that the law was only for those under the old covenant, who placed themselves under the law of Moses - so it is only applicable in their culture and tradition. The law is not applicable to us, so we are not "sinners" to start with.
So, innocence is our original state, and in a sense, we did not know until the gospel came to reveal the truth. As for 2 Corinthians 5 that says God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ, I agree that is the gospel to the people living in the first century, and I would add that the world was referring to the known world back then (in the Roman empire), based on a preterist perspective. For us in our modern context, I see it as being reconciled to our true self who is never separate from us. We live in a time that is beyond the Jewish religion, beyond covenants, and beyond sacrifices. While some symbolisms in the Bible may not apply directly to us (such as the temple, covenants, etc), we can still learn and benefit from the gospel described in the bible.
All in all, I agree with the overall message that God the father (Divine Love, highest self, universal consciousness, Great Spirit) enjoys who we are, and is proud of us, and there is nothing wrong with us, and the truth of God's love sets us free to be ourselves and trust and accept ourselves for who we are.
Someone said: "Since God is love and if you want to change circumstances in your life, then be listening to still, small voices. And be a still small voice of love in someone else's life."
Yes, the still small voice within us is the voice of Divine Love/God who
always builds us up and guides us from within by teaching us all things
and bringing to our remembrance all things concerning our true
identity/Self. When we are attuned to the living and loving voice of our
spirit that reminds us we are beloved children of God, made in Love's
image, we will do all things based on the truth of who we are, as an
expression of Love and Light.
As mentioned in the quote, I think by
reminding someone else of their true identity and their oneness with
Divine Love, we can be the still small voice in their life that
resonates with them and affirms what they intuitively know in their
heart.
"The highest expression of Universal Mind otherwise known as God is Peace. (Peace in this context is the same as Love.) We are not referring to the ego's version of Peace which is nothing more than the opposite of conflict, but the Peace that surpasseth understanding." James F Twyman
Yes, peace as the highest expression of Universal Mind is much more than an absence of conflict or chaos as it goes deeper than the world's (or ego's, according to the quote) notion of peace. I think the peace that passes all understanding is available to every person regardless of their belief system or religion. For example, peace may be attained through meditation for followers of Buddhism, or through prayer for followers of Christianity and Catholicism, or through yoga for yoga practitioners, and so on. And yes, peace is equivalent to love because both stem from the same source of Universal Mind.
"Observing silence, and breathing deeply and gently is the easiest way to open the heart. You can also open it through sacred dancing and movements which incorporate the breath and encourage gratitude and presence in the moment. The method you use to fall into the heart is just a tool. Do not make it important. What is important is that you find a way to access the deeper aspect of your being which is at peace." (From "The Silence of the Heart: Reflections of the Christ Mind" by Paul Ferrini)
"If one believes that the world is meaningful, yet does not love, they
cannot help but experience the world as meaningless. Yet if one believes
that the world is meaningless yet loves, that person cannot help but
experience their world as meaningful."
Peter Rollins
I can see the point in Peter Rollins's quote about love being the main
factor in determining whether a person experiences their world as
meaningful, and not the belief system the person professes. It is easy
for anyone, especially in the religious circles, to dictate for oneself
and others a certain set of beliefs to make life meaningful, but without
love, these beliefs and actions are meaningless. For example, a
preacher may tell the congregation to "give their lives to god" and "get
involved in ministries" to live a "meaningful" life but these
activities are only superficial acts mainly for show and not from the
heart if people are just following orders and rituals.
In comparison, outside
of organised religions, when people live freely and do not follow a
prescribed set of rules, rituals and programs, though they may seem to
live "meaningless" lives in the eyes of the religious, they are actually
experiencing a meaningful life when they love themselves and others
without any condition. They are living from the heart.
Love and the
meaning of life go hand and hand, and transcend all religious, social
and political boundaries, because they cannot be bound by dogma. Indeed,
as noted in your question in YA, people who love usually do not need to
preach about the meaning of life or follow any particular religion -
they simply focus on living their own truth and expressing their own
authentic self.
until you understand love...........your fellow man will be a stranger...........only known by the knowledge of...........good and evil........religions son in whom the serpent is well pleased.......blessings - Dean Dosher
Yes, the understanding of Love enables people to transcend the illusion of the knowledge of good and evil, as noted by Dean Dosher. According to the gospel (as I understand it), when we know the love of Christ that has become our identity, we will no longer know people according to the flesh (based on good and evil, which is also the law mindset), but we know people based on the truth of our true identity as new creations - the old Adamic identity is done away, and the new paradigm of how we see ourselves and others in Christ, our true origin, has come.
So, we see that the gospel of grace and peace transforms people's mindset to see one another as fellow brothers and sisters of the same family of Love, and no longer relate to one another based on our performance. In Christ, there is neither male nor female, Jew nor Greek, christian nor hindu nor buddhist nor atheist, gay nor straight, Chinese nor Indian nor Japanese nor African nor American, for all are one in Christ (who is an archetype of our true identity), and God is all and is in all.
2 Cor 5:17 Now whoever you thought you were before, in Christ
you are a brand new person! The old ways of seeing yourself and
everyone else are over. Look! The resurrection of Jesus has made
everything new! (Just imagine this! Whoever a person was as a Jew,
Greek, slave or freeman, Boer, Zulu, Xhosa, British, Indian, Moslem or
American, Chinese, Japanese or Congolese; is now dead and gone! They all
died when Jesus died! Remember we are not talking the law language
here! The 'If' in, "If any man is in Christ" is not a condition, it is the almighty conclusion of the revelation of the gospel! Man is in Christ by God's doing. 1 Cor 1:30, Eph 1:4. (Mirror Translation by Francois du Toit)
To My Entire
Soul Family
Thank you
For Being Here
At this Amazing time
On This Beautiful Planet
With Me
I am so Glad I found you
Thank you for Touching My Heart
And Reminding Me Who
I Am
And For Making this World a Better Place…
Namaste
I Am Eternally Grateful
We Are All One
Together We Fly
Information
You Are
Perfect, Strong and Beautiful…
Just The Way You Are
For I See The GOD In You
Bless is The Day
I LOVE YOU ME US
I SEE YOU
☜❤☞
Music & Words By
Alaenura
“No
matter how much drama others are into, you can see them as the creative
expression of the same one Source from which all has sprung. When you
are in that holy space and you begin to look at things with new eyes,
there will come a peace that the world does not know, but a peace that
you know very deeply within your soul, a peace that you yearn for, a
peace that says, ‘I am okay no matter what happens in my life, no matter
what drama, no matter what seeming loss or abandonment, no matter what
seeming wrong choices have come, I am okay. I am divine. I am loved. I
am love walking on two feet, and I will be that sun —s-u-n— the Light of
the world.’ "
Oakbridge University ~ Jeshua Online ~ Message of the
Day~
Yes, when we are resting in the Source, we are experiencing a deep
unmovable sense of peace, knowing we are loved and we are divine.
