Posts
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A "perfect" or "flawless" friendship might never exist with any human being. For all are very complex and mutable. Once you think that a person is predictable, she can change. She can alter her preferences, behaviors, and priorities.
This is not bad. It reflects the massive variety possible within human freedom. But because people are always changing, what might have worked just fine yesterday might not work at all today.:)
Also, as you grow closer to any person, she begins to let down her "fences," to part her interior "curtains," to permit you to see her "unprepped" and "unadorned self. She allows you to "see" her "psychically naked." Gradually, if we are not careful, such real and genuine, indispensable Love-values as courtesy and politeness can
disappear. This is no minor or ignorable problem, but a major tragedy and catastrophe!
It is due to the disappearance of common courtesy that some long-married couples speak rudely, crudely, and thoughtlessly to each other. They would not dream of speaking so bluntly, so tactlessly, to any stranger.
In time, many couples also completely lose the desire to be attractive to each other. They eat too much, never exercise, and end up less than attractive.
We can prevent these tragedies if we keep seriously in mind a simple but very important Love-priority called "courtesy." To speak courteously is to refrain from rude or insulting remarks, put-downs, or impolite comments or remarks. It is to give to the other, ideally, the courtesy that we would want for ourselves. It is also to be at least as courteous to our loved ones as we are to strangers. (Actually, we should love them more, and be more courteous.)
And this is not simply for couples. For close friends, as they grow closer, can also lose courtesy. Or perhaps some have never been properly trained in the arts of courtesy. If you do not know about courtesy, get a friend to try to teach you, or read a book. For otherwise, a huge aspect of Love will be missing in your everyday life.
If you have a strong libra in your chart, diplomatic and kind speech is easier; if you have sagittarius, it will be more of a challenge to "couch" a statement in "cushioning," non-hurtful language. But this is the "exam" of courtesy, and it is not negligible, avoidable, or ignorable.
But no matter what our sign-configurations, we all need to work, every day, on the cultivation of a courtesy that reflects friendliness; for friendliness is a major Lovexpression on earth.
If a true and loyal friend sees that courtesy is being challenged or threatened in a friendship, she might probably care enough even to mention this sad factor. If she does point it out, from Love and loyalty, it will be difficult for her, as she does not want to be rude. But if she mentions that you have been rude, do not take it personally and blame her. Instead, open your heart to the possibility that she is right: Perhaps your behaviors are not always as "perfect" as you think. (No one else is "perfect," and it is unlikely that you are.)
When the wise, understanding, spiritual person, who wants to increase Love, comes across a "bump in the road" in a friendship, she rushes immediately to repair it by loads of communication. She might email, phone, or both. She will work hard to communicate, to make her position clear but kind, not dogmatic or closed. By utter contrast, an unloving, immature, psychologically maladjusted person will always be secretly looking for "holes" or "immperfections" in a relationship-- an "excuse" to terminate it. Since she does not feel wise or competent enough to maintain a strong, lasting, loyal friendship, she will feel relieved when the entire matrix of Love-friendship crumbles and falls apart. This kind of person is in need of very serious help. Anyone who jumps prematurely or suddenly to end a friendship has never had her heart in it; she has been playing the role of a false friend or hypocrite. This is very sick, and false, friendship. This person was never really a true friend at all.
So, let's keep improving, working on,making stronger, and clarifying, our friendships. Let us show massive and major patience, and extra kindness. Most important, let us be eager to forgive the tiny human foibles that always exist in and around personality. For only loads of consistent forgiveness can ever make a human-human friendship work; intolerance or the paranoia that the least imperfection is a "betrayal" will abruptly shatter and ruin what might have been a beautiful friendship. Let us see only Love in the other, even in her imperfections.
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Monday, June 25, 2007
Fear and Love
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I believe that every human being has encountered fears of a wide spectrum, several times. Anyone who says that he has never felt fear is a fake, or mentally ill, or both.
Courage does not mean never feeling fear. It means feeling fear and overcoming it. In moments when the lower nature gives fear-impulses to the brain, it is my strategy to absorb the fearing mind into the repetition of a mantra-- a simple phrase that "distracts" the mind from fear-thoughts.
We keep "running" the phrase until, sooner or later, the fear simply evaporates, or goes away. Clearing the mind in this way allows the thoughts of God, of Love, to come in. Fear and Love cannot coexist, and Love casts fear out, as it says in First John 4:18.
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I believe that every human being has encountered fears of a wide spectrum, several times. Anyone who says that he has never felt fear is a fake, or mentally ill, or both.
Courage does not mean never feeling fear. It means feeling fear and overcoming it. In moments when the lower nature gives fear-impulses to the brain, it is my strategy to absorb the fearing mind into the repetition of a mantra-- a simple phrase that "distracts" the mind from fear-thoughts.
We keep "running" the phrase until, sooner or later, the fear simply evaporates, or goes away. Clearing the mind in this way allows the thoughts of God, of Love, to come in. Fear and Love cannot coexist, and Love casts fear out, as it says in First John 4:18.
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The Year Twenty-twelve
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You forwarded a piece about the "prophecies" regarding the year 2012 (twenty-twelve). It is true that the Mayan calendar ends at that year-- on December 21, to be precise.:)
To the Mayans, this indicated the end of an "age," with the start of a new "age" immediately after. To them, this did not signify the "end of the world." That was a later distortion, a misunderstanding.
Worldenders, as you know, are people who have given up on ever creating a happy, fulfilling life. They are so bitter, and so hopeless, that they would rather see the end of the world than live another day in their boring, uneventful lives. The spectacle of the bloody and horrific Armageddon strikes them as "exciting." But they suffer from a mental disorder similar to the one that afflicts people who are thrilled by chain-saw movies. They mistake horror and excruciating human suffering for "excitement."
Often, oddly enough, they might be good people otherwise. Most never even allow themselves to picture or imagine, with crystal clarity, the gory and nightmarish death of the kids on the block, or the sweet old lady down the street. They would be absolutely horrified if they did allow themselves to picture all the pain, all the horror, all the blood, torture, and agony.
Consciously or subconsciously, some have carried this schizoid pattern into their "new age" philosophies. They are no longer "fundies," but they still feel hopeless enough that they want to see the "end of the world." They are still worldenders, but in just different packaging. They are still suffering from the same old mental illness, or serious personality disorder. Do they harbor a secret subconscious hatred for "sinners," or for people in general? Perhaps. But the end of the world, in any "wrapping," can never be pretty. It is a demonic and evil superstition, and can never represent the will of a just and loving God.
*******
You forwarded a piece about the "prophecies" regarding the year 2012 (twenty-twelve). It is true that the Mayan calendar ends at that year-- on December 21, to be precise.:)
To the Mayans, this indicated the end of an "age," with the start of a new "age" immediately after. To them, this did not signify the "end of the world." That was a later distortion, a misunderstanding.
Worldenders, as you know, are people who have given up on ever creating a happy, fulfilling life. They are so bitter, and so hopeless, that they would rather see the end of the world than live another day in their boring, uneventful lives. The spectacle of the bloody and horrific Armageddon strikes them as "exciting." But they suffer from a mental disorder similar to the one that afflicts people who are thrilled by chain-saw movies. They mistake horror and excruciating human suffering for "excitement."
Often, oddly enough, they might be good people otherwise. Most never even allow themselves to picture or imagine, with crystal clarity, the gory and nightmarish death of the kids on the block, or the sweet old lady down the street. They would be absolutely horrified if they did allow themselves to picture all the pain, all the horror, all the blood, torture, and agony.
Consciously or subconsciously, some have carried this schizoid pattern into their "new age" philosophies. They are no longer "fundies," but they still feel hopeless enough that they want to see the "end of the world." They are still worldenders, but in just different packaging. They are still suffering from the same old mental illness, or serious personality disorder. Do they harbor a secret subconscious hatred for "sinners," or for people in general? Perhaps. But the end of the world, in any "wrapping," can never be pretty. It is a demonic and evil superstition, and can never represent the will of a just and loving God.
*******
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Repentance
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Repentance-- remorse and recompense for errors-- is a part of the whole "package" of Love. Love includes repentance, and so, it is not a separate pursuit.
We have all made many mistakes. Earth is a place designed to make errors. That is one of the most effective ways to grow and to learn. Just as when you are teaching a person math or a foreign language, she makes many mistakes. But we do not become outraged, we do not beat her over the head with a ballbat. Instead, we gently correct her, and patiently remind her of the correct answers.
God is a billion times more loving, patient, and reasonable than any of us. So, God does not murder people, or torture people, for having made mistakes. Jesus' attitude towards sin was scandalous to the "righteous" and "religious" leaders of his day, because he was so tender, so kind, so loving. He lived and acted as if souls were more important than errors. He forgave instantly, on the spot. He even dared say, "All your sins are forgiven.".
He was right: The Soul is more important than any mistake a person might make. Very religious people often get this wrong, and the mistake, the "sin," becomes more important than compassion. They want punishment for the sinner, not learning or growth for her. This is an evil and unloving attitude.
Why do we here equate "sin" with error? Is not "sin" a deliberate rebellion against God? No, it is not. The Greek word used for "sin" in the Christian Scriptures was a term borrowed from archery, and meant "missing the mark." When an archer aims at a target, and misses, she does not do this deliberately. She is honestly doing her best to hit the bull's eye, but she misses because she is imperfect. This is error, not deliberate evil.
That is why this term was chosen by the ancient Christians. They wanted to give the message that sin was not deliberate evil, but error. Is there really any such thing as deliberate sinfulness? Yes,there is; but most "sin" is simply error: You honestly try to do your best, like the archer, but you miss the target.
Because we all screw up in many ways, many times, the universal Mind of Love (God) is pervaded by an infinite (endless) supply of forgiveness. For it is God's will that everyone find life and happiness, and a person bound to a practice of "sin" has become its slave; she knows no freedom. To be a slave is to be unfree, and Jesus said, "The truth [Reality] will make you free." (Jn.8:32)
Because we all sin, when we begin to love God, self, and other creatures, naturally we encounter sorrow due to these imperfections. This is not pathological, but completely normal and natural. It is natural repentance, and Love and repentance always come as a set, like salt and pepper, or two bookends. For one is incomplete without the other.
A healthy person is not always berating herself for her sins. For, once she has carefully studied them, and learned everything that she can from them, she then practices selforgiveness. It is then time to be gentle, merciful, and compassionate with the self as you try to be with others.
Jesus said to forgive "seventy times seven," a number that, in numerological symbolism, represents infinity. For in the healthy mind, there are no limits to the quantity or quality of genuine forgiveness. God has an unending supply; as we grow closer to Her Mind, we also become infinite in our forgiveness-capacity. When a person does not forgive, the only one who suffers is the one who refuses to forgive.
In summary, repentance is a great quality of the enlightened person. It is a genuine reflection of humility-- the very opposite of pretending to be "perfect" or "flawless"-- a stupid game played by only the foolish and unwise.
*******
Repentance-- remorse and recompense for errors-- is a part of the whole "package" of Love. Love includes repentance, and so, it is not a separate pursuit.
We have all made many mistakes. Earth is a place designed to make errors. That is one of the most effective ways to grow and to learn. Just as when you are teaching a person math or a foreign language, she makes many mistakes. But we do not become outraged, we do not beat her over the head with a ballbat. Instead, we gently correct her, and patiently remind her of the correct answers.
God is a billion times more loving, patient, and reasonable than any of us. So, God does not murder people, or torture people, for having made mistakes. Jesus' attitude towards sin was scandalous to the "righteous" and "religious" leaders of his day, because he was so tender, so kind, so loving. He lived and acted as if souls were more important than errors. He forgave instantly, on the spot. He even dared say, "All your sins are forgiven.".
He was right: The Soul is more important than any mistake a person might make. Very religious people often get this wrong, and the mistake, the "sin," becomes more important than compassion. They want punishment for the sinner, not learning or growth for her. This is an evil and unloving attitude.
Why do we here equate "sin" with error? Is not "sin" a deliberate rebellion against God? No, it is not. The Greek word used for "sin" in the Christian Scriptures was a term borrowed from archery, and meant "missing the mark." When an archer aims at a target, and misses, she does not do this deliberately. She is honestly doing her best to hit the bull's eye, but she misses because she is imperfect. This is error, not deliberate evil.
That is why this term was chosen by the ancient Christians. They wanted to give the message that sin was not deliberate evil, but error. Is there really any such thing as deliberate sinfulness? Yes,there is; but most "sin" is simply error: You honestly try to do your best, like the archer, but you miss the target.
Because we all screw up in many ways, many times, the universal Mind of Love (God) is pervaded by an infinite (endless) supply of forgiveness. For it is God's will that everyone find life and happiness, and a person bound to a practice of "sin" has become its slave; she knows no freedom. To be a slave is to be unfree, and Jesus said, "The truth [Reality] will make you free." (Jn.8:32)
Because we all sin, when we begin to love God, self, and other creatures, naturally we encounter sorrow due to these imperfections. This is not pathological, but completely normal and natural. It is natural repentance, and Love and repentance always come as a set, like salt and pepper, or two bookends. For one is incomplete without the other.
A healthy person is not always berating herself for her sins. For, once she has carefully studied them, and learned everything that she can from them, she then practices selforgiveness. It is then time to be gentle, merciful, and compassionate with the self as you try to be with others.
Jesus said to forgive "seventy times seven," a number that, in numerological symbolism, represents infinity. For in the healthy mind, there are no limits to the quantity or quality of genuine forgiveness. God has an unending supply; as we grow closer to Her Mind, we also become infinite in our forgiveness-capacity. When a person does not forgive, the only one who suffers is the one who refuses to forgive.
In summary, repentance is a great quality of the enlightened person. It is a genuine reflection of humility-- the very opposite of pretending to be "perfect" or "flawless"-- a stupid game played by only the foolish and unwise.
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Balancing Exercise with Rest
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Have you ever worked seriously (for extended periods) with St. Johnswort or the amino acid phenylalanine? The first is called "nature's Prozac," and the second has shown remarkable success in treating depression.
Your challenge is to keep your life in balance. Right at the moment, this means balancing reasonable and moderate aerobic exercise with moderate and reasonable rest. When we do not get enough oxygenating exercise (that which makes us pant or breathe deeply), the chemistry ofthe brain is altered significantly, and thrown into unhappy imbalance.
For, as humanimals, we are made to move regularly. So, go to the root of the problem, instead of trimming the leaves: Be sure to balance healing exercise with healing rest.
I sense that your life is currently a bit too sedentary, and that your blood needs to be filled with bright blue oxygen, carried to the hungry brain. This will change your mood, and general feeling, for the better. Please do not simply think about, or visualize, these actions; instead, begin a regular routine of exercise. You will always be glad that you did!! It will help you "burn off" excess tension and worry.
I live in your thoughts and dreams; the best of Me lives in your heart.
*******
Have you ever worked seriously (for extended periods) with St. Johnswort or the amino acid phenylalanine? The first is called "nature's Prozac," and the second has shown remarkable success in treating depression.
Your challenge is to keep your life in balance. Right at the moment, this means balancing reasonable and moderate aerobic exercise with moderate and reasonable rest. When we do not get enough oxygenating exercise (that which makes us pant or breathe deeply), the chemistry ofthe brain is altered significantly, and thrown into unhappy imbalance.
For, as humanimals, we are made to move regularly. So, go to the root of the problem, instead of trimming the leaves: Be sure to balance healing exercise with healing rest.
I sense that your life is currently a bit too sedentary, and that your blood needs to be filled with bright blue oxygen, carried to the hungry brain. This will change your mood, and general feeling, for the better. Please do not simply think about, or visualize, these actions; instead, begin a regular routine of exercise. You will always be glad that you did!! It will help you "burn off" excess tension and worry.
I live in your thoughts and dreams; the best of Me lives in your heart.
*******
Shining Sapphire Account Update
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Special Thanks and Acknowledgments
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To all our Dear Friends of the Heart and of the Light,
We are excited and delighted to fulfill our promise to keep all of you updated re the Shining Sapphire Account-- the funds now being collected for the production of the "abiographical" video. If you have any suggestions for it, please send them along.
We are delighted to report that we have had several pledges from our dear friends, you who so care for the things that are truly important. Thank you so very much! And, so far, we have received our first eleven donations. [We plan to remind all of you, our friends, from time to time, in the uld ("Universal Love Digest").] This is not an exercise in ego-- our common challenge. It is simply a way of acknowledging, and thanking, our friends for their courtesy, support, and Love. (We hope that, in the days to come, this "list of donors" will grow! Meanwhile, we are starting the list in alphabetical order.:)
The first donations have arrived! They have been sent in by:
Carol "Coral" Espelage, $50
Chris Finer, $25
Pat Fields, $150
Mick and Toni Gallagher, $75
Ronda Lambert, $75.
Brenda Lee, $25.
Joe Polovich, $100
Diann Proffitt, $100.
Phyllis Ray, $100.
Barb and Dale Siler, $100.
Terry Smith, $50.
_________
Total 061907: $850.
*****
Thank you! Donations of any and every size are welcome. If you are using checks, please make them out to Love Ministries, Inc. Our snailmail address is:
Love Ministries, Inc.
5100 Liberty-Fairfield Rd.
Liberty Township, OH 45011.
Thank Love in your hearts, and thank all of you, with deep sincerity and gratitude.
Love,
shi and the
Love Education Team
*******
Special Thanks and Acknowledgments
*******
To all our Dear Friends of the Heart and of the Light,
We are excited and delighted to fulfill our promise to keep all of you updated re the Shining Sapphire Account-- the funds now being collected for the production of the "abiographical" video. If you have any suggestions for it, please send them along.
We are delighted to report that we have had several pledges from our dear friends, you who so care for the things that are truly important. Thank you so very much! And, so far, we have received our first eleven donations. [We plan to remind all of you, our friends, from time to time, in the uld ("Universal Love Digest").] This is not an exercise in ego-- our common challenge. It is simply a way of acknowledging, and thanking, our friends for their courtesy, support, and Love. (We hope that, in the days to come, this "list of donors" will grow! Meanwhile, we are starting the list in alphabetical order.:)
The first donations have arrived! They have been sent in by:
Carol "Coral" Espelage, $50
Chris Finer, $25
Pat Fields, $150
Mick and Toni Gallagher, $75
Ronda Lambert, $75.
Brenda Lee, $25.
Joe Polovich, $100
Diann Proffitt, $100.
Phyllis Ray, $100.
Barb and Dale Siler, $100.
Terry Smith, $50.
_________
Total 061907: $850.
*****
Thank you! Donations of any and every size are welcome. If you are using checks, please make them out to Love Ministries, Inc. Our snailmail address is:
Love Ministries, Inc.
5100 Liberty-Fairfield Rd.
Liberty Township, OH 45011.
Thank Love in your hearts, and thank all of you, with deep sincerity and gratitude.
Love,
shi and the
Love Education Team
*******
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Judaism and Christianity, Jesus and Messiah
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The entire history of the Ten Commandments has never had anything to do with the Christian religion. The entire doc has been, from the beginning, a Jewish text. If "Christians" were fighting for the display of the Sermon on the Mount, at least, their arguments could hope to make a tiny bit of sense. But, they regularly make the nightmare error of equating the ancient wargod Jehovah with the Lord of pure Love taught by Jesus. They insist also that every Jewish law is also somehow "Christian." This despite the fact that most of the ancient Jewish laws, recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament"), go absolutely ignored by almost all Christians all the time. Jehovah forbade the eating of pork, for example, but Christians-- almost all of them-- continue to chew and swallow huge amounts of the dangerous fats of bacon and ham.
It is as ludicrous and out-of-place for a Christian to fight to protect the Ten Commandments as it is for a Jewish person to argue for the "messiahship" of Jesus Christ.
The people of the Book [Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament")] have made it clear, repeatedly, that Jesus is not, was never, their messiah. Now, the whole idea of a "Messiah" was a Jewish one, not a Christian teaching. And does it not make sense, if you have a question about Judaism, to ask the experts-- the Jews-- about any of their teachings? The "Messiah," in prophecy, was predicted to be a very bloody general who would lead legions of Jewish soldiers in war against the Romans. The whole world, it was predicted, would be flowing with the blood of the Messiah's "enemies." Jesus, a man of non-negotiable and unchanging peace, did not fit this profile at all. So, it only made sense for the Jewish people to reject him as their Messiah. So, despite later Christian bias, and the twisting of ancient records and prophecies to make them look as if they were specifically about Jesus, I have come to the logical (indeed, inevitable) conclusion that Jesus was not the "Messiah of Jewish prophecy. Except for a single text in Mark, which might have suffered emendation and/or alteration by a later Christian scribe, Jesus himself never claims to be the Messiah. In fact, I believe that he denied it, as he does in The Mystic Gospels of Jesus the Christ.
What mostly uneducated fundies have never come to terms with is the solid historical fact that Christianity and Judaism are two very different, in many ways, unrelated, faiths. As two faiths, they have two separate sets of Scriptures, two different sets of recognized "prophets," two different sets of teachings, different traditions, different "holy" days, different customs, and yes-- most spectacularly-- different gods. The "Jehovah" of the Hebrew Scriptures was never the God of pure Love taught by Jesus. (That alone explains why, although some form of the wrongly translated name "Jehovah" appears nearly seven thousand times in the Hebrew Scriptures, it does not appear a single time in the best ancient texts of the Christian Scriptures.)
Most Jewish people today have as sophisticated and loving an image of God as anyone. But, four thousand years ago, the primitives worshipped a god of genocide, rage, emotional immaturity, violence, and psychosis. This confusion between two very different godimages is why Christian fundies are so hopelessly confused.
Your best bet, with people whose minds resemble blocks of unchanging granite, is just to let them be. In time, karmic force alone has the necessary power to alter some minds. Happily, it is not our job even to try to change the dogmatic mind!
*******
The entire history of the Ten Commandments has never had anything to do with the Christian religion. The entire doc has been, from the beginning, a Jewish text. If "Christians" were fighting for the display of the Sermon on the Mount, at least, their arguments could hope to make a tiny bit of sense. But, they regularly make the nightmare error of equating the ancient wargod Jehovah with the Lord of pure Love taught by Jesus. They insist also that every Jewish law is also somehow "Christian." This despite the fact that most of the ancient Jewish laws, recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament"), go absolutely ignored by almost all Christians all the time. Jehovah forbade the eating of pork, for example, but Christians-- almost all of them-- continue to chew and swallow huge amounts of the dangerous fats of bacon and ham.
It is as ludicrous and out-of-place for a Christian to fight to protect the Ten Commandments as it is for a Jewish person to argue for the "messiahship" of Jesus Christ.
The people of the Book [Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament")] have made it clear, repeatedly, that Jesus is not, was never, their messiah. Now, the whole idea of a "Messiah" was a Jewish one, not a Christian teaching. And does it not make sense, if you have a question about Judaism, to ask the experts-- the Jews-- about any of their teachings? The "Messiah," in prophecy, was predicted to be a very bloody general who would lead legions of Jewish soldiers in war against the Romans. The whole world, it was predicted, would be flowing with the blood of the Messiah's "enemies." Jesus, a man of non-negotiable and unchanging peace, did not fit this profile at all. So, it only made sense for the Jewish people to reject him as their Messiah. So, despite later Christian bias, and the twisting of ancient records and prophecies to make them look as if they were specifically about Jesus, I have come to the logical (indeed, inevitable) conclusion that Jesus was not the "Messiah of Jewish prophecy. Except for a single text in Mark, which might have suffered emendation and/or alteration by a later Christian scribe, Jesus himself never claims to be the Messiah. In fact, I believe that he denied it, as he does in The Mystic Gospels of Jesus the Christ.
What mostly uneducated fundies have never come to terms with is the solid historical fact that Christianity and Judaism are two very different, in many ways, unrelated, faiths. As two faiths, they have two separate sets of Scriptures, two different sets of recognized "prophets," two different sets of teachings, different traditions, different "holy" days, different customs, and yes-- most spectacularly-- different gods. The "Jehovah" of the Hebrew Scriptures was never the God of pure Love taught by Jesus. (That alone explains why, although some form of the wrongly translated name "Jehovah" appears nearly seven thousand times in the Hebrew Scriptures, it does not appear a single time in the best ancient texts of the Christian Scriptures.)
Most Jewish people today have as sophisticated and loving an image of God as anyone. But, four thousand years ago, the primitives worshipped a god of genocide, rage, emotional immaturity, violence, and psychosis. This confusion between two very different godimages is why Christian fundies are so hopelessly confused.
Your best bet, with people whose minds resemble blocks of unchanging granite, is just to let them be. In time, karmic force alone has the necessary power to alter some minds. Happily, it is not our job even to try to change the dogmatic mind!
*******
Love to the Donkey
061907tues
Dear Friends of the Heart,
Some of you have been asking about the health of the donkey (physical body). It is not dying-- any faster than all of us!:) Thanks to all of you for your tender and genuine concern. In the past, you have created a great psychic and spiritual "safety net" that has healed the donkey more than once! This has all been a product of sheer Love, and is deeply appreciated with profound gratitude.:)
Currently, the donkey is not in "crisis-mode." But this does not mean that he is well. The donkey has been the subject of numerous psychospiritual "experiments" with positive thinking, affirmation, and related belief-structures. But, although these ideas are very pretty and promising on paper, they are limited in what they can actually do, and we, as human beings, are limited in what we can do with them. If it is your karma to experience a challenge, you can "affirm" twenty thousand times a day, and the event will not be significantly changed. For karma arises from the Soul-level of Mind, much more powerful than the mere conscious (thinking, aware) mind. The great Mind can change any situation, but the conscious mind is limited. Real life continuously and consistently demonstrates this principle.
For an example of karma, people who have won major lotteries have often never even heard of "affirmation," and people who "affirm" ten thousand times a day, for weeks, often do not win. Also, a hypochondriac might tell herself that she is suffering from a very specific illness; she might learn everything about this illness, reading several books. She obsessively thinks about it, is convinced that she has it, and, in essence, "affirms" this thousands of times a day, for years. But, upon examination, she is found to be completely free of the disease. Why does she not have it? Because the conscious mind does not have the power to alter matter, not even within one's own body.
Here is the current status of the donkey: The medical news is not the best; the drug that formerly kept him alive is now acting as a toxin. He is also allergic to the most common alternate drug (another "immunosuppressant"). So, the search is on for "plan c," another alternative. Or, some kind of natural approach might be discovered, but these almost exclusively are used to increase the immunity, and that is the opposite of a solution here.
This letter is written for our dear, sweet friends who have compassionately expressed concern over healing the donkey. Please rest assured that every word of Love is a minor healing, and that these do add up! So, although healing might not be complete or immediate, loving each other is always a very valuable investment of our timenergy. So, let us continue, continuously, to send Love to each other, with the intent of healing body, mind, and even Soul. Here is a mantra recommended for healing: person's name (egoname), followed by the color that you are using (in chromovisualization). For those sweet friends who are working to help heal the donkey at present, the mantra would be: "Richard Francis, sky-blue silver."
Again, thanks to all of you who are such loyal, faithful, powerful buddies in Love and friendship!:):)
Love and Joy,
shi
Dear Friends of the Heart,
Some of you have been asking about the health of the donkey (physical body). It is not dying-- any faster than all of us!:) Thanks to all of you for your tender and genuine concern. In the past, you have created a great psychic and spiritual "safety net" that has healed the donkey more than once! This has all been a product of sheer Love, and is deeply appreciated with profound gratitude.:)
Currently, the donkey is not in "crisis-mode." But this does not mean that he is well. The donkey has been the subject of numerous psychospiritual "experiments" with positive thinking, affirmation, and related belief-structures. But, although these ideas are very pretty and promising on paper, they are limited in what they can actually do, and we, as human beings, are limited in what we can do with them. If it is your karma to experience a challenge, you can "affirm" twenty thousand times a day, and the event will not be significantly changed. For karma arises from the Soul-level of Mind, much more powerful than the mere conscious (thinking, aware) mind. The great Mind can change any situation, but the conscious mind is limited. Real life continuously and consistently demonstrates this principle.
For an example of karma, people who have won major lotteries have often never even heard of "affirmation," and people who "affirm" ten thousand times a day, for weeks, often do not win. Also, a hypochondriac might tell herself that she is suffering from a very specific illness; she might learn everything about this illness, reading several books. She obsessively thinks about it, is convinced that she has it, and, in essence, "affirms" this thousands of times a day, for years. But, upon examination, she is found to be completely free of the disease. Why does she not have it? Because the conscious mind does not have the power to alter matter, not even within one's own body.
Here is the current status of the donkey: The medical news is not the best; the drug that formerly kept him alive is now acting as a toxin. He is also allergic to the most common alternate drug (another "immunosuppressant"). So, the search is on for "plan c," another alternative. Or, some kind of natural approach might be discovered, but these almost exclusively are used to increase the immunity, and that is the opposite of a solution here.
This letter is written for our dear, sweet friends who have compassionately expressed concern over healing the donkey. Please rest assured that every word of Love is a minor healing, and that these do add up! So, although healing might not be complete or immediate, loving each other is always a very valuable investment of our timenergy. So, let us continue, continuously, to send Love to each other, with the intent of healing body, mind, and even Soul. Here is a mantra recommended for healing: person's name (egoname), followed by the color that you are using (in chromovisualization). For those sweet friends who are working to help heal the donkey at present, the mantra would be: "Richard Francis, sky-blue silver."
Again, thanks to all of you who are such loyal, faithful, powerful buddies in Love and friendship!:):)
Love and Joy,
shi
Salvation and Love
*******
We all always need to be "saved"-- from ignorance and arrogance, as early gnostic Christians pointed out, and from the falsehoods and dangers of the lower nature (the humanimal mind and the animal mind).
The "quickest and easiest" Way to salvation is through Love-- through Love-immersion. This means that we think almost continuously about Love and its many flowers or "fruits," such as kindness, reason, goodness, generosity, and wisdom. We must never forget the poor and the disadvantaged among us. When we can afford it, we even give money to those who need it. We can do this through recognized charities, but, since a high percentage of their funds often goes for administration, often, we are better off just giving to a person whom we know to be in need.
Love is also expressed as tolerance and patience. Recognizing that we do have forever, the humanitarian Lover is not always rushing around, or rushing others. She is a being of patience. Because of her Love, she tolerates diversity-- in lifestyle, sexual preferences, politics, and religion. This does not imply that the person of Love must be indecisive, a wishy-washy type who says that nothing really matters. That is not deep spirituality, but one of its opposites-- apathy or complacency.
The spiritual being might know with solid and total firmness what she believes, and might even share it. But she will do so only educationally; the spiritual being does not make "converts." For God is continually "converting" the heart from within, and conversion is Her job, not that of the human being.
Love, in this kind of world, must be not only relentless, but continuous. We must often try to love the being (Soul) beneath the person (mask). The person might be ignorant, arrogant, and even repulsive. But it is up to the enlightened to see beneath the surface, to see that tiny "spark" of the "sun of God" that dwells within every person. Thus, we can never "damn" anyone, which is the "judgment" prohibited by the Master. (Mt. 7:1)
To love endlessly, tirelessly, universally, consistently, and unconditionally is the Way to salvation. This includes the three subpaths of real spirituality: 1) love everyone, 2) serve everyone, and 3) forgive everyone.
No amount of "Bible-study," no giving of sermons, no Bible-thumping, no "gift of the Spirit" is worth anything without accompanying Love. So, if you had all of these, without Love, they would all be worthless. Joining any particular church or religion is also useless, if it does not create or stimulate Love in the heart. Joining any group that damns others is sin. But if you have Love alone, without any of these, you are blessed beyond imagining. (Compare the "Canticle of Love," in First Corinthians,
chapter 13.)
Some preachers and ministers do not know this, and so, they emphasize the wrong things-- actions that eclipse Love in the heart. We must be careful never to become followers of incompetent and ignorant human beings. Why should we? For we have the Master of Love, living entirely in each and every heart.
*******
We all always need to be "saved"-- from ignorance and arrogance, as early gnostic Christians pointed out, and from the falsehoods and dangers of the lower nature (the humanimal mind and the animal mind).
The "quickest and easiest" Way to salvation is through Love-- through Love-immersion. This means that we think almost continuously about Love and its many flowers or "fruits," such as kindness, reason, goodness, generosity, and wisdom. We must never forget the poor and the disadvantaged among us. When we can afford it, we even give money to those who need it. We can do this through recognized charities, but, since a high percentage of their funds often goes for administration, often, we are better off just giving to a person whom we know to be in need.
Love is also expressed as tolerance and patience. Recognizing that we do have forever, the humanitarian Lover is not always rushing around, or rushing others. She is a being of patience. Because of her Love, she tolerates diversity-- in lifestyle, sexual preferences, politics, and religion. This does not imply that the person of Love must be indecisive, a wishy-washy type who says that nothing really matters. That is not deep spirituality, but one of its opposites-- apathy or complacency.
The spiritual being might know with solid and total firmness what she believes, and might even share it. But she will do so only educationally; the spiritual being does not make "converts." For God is continually "converting" the heart from within, and conversion is Her job, not that of the human being.
Love, in this kind of world, must be not only relentless, but continuous. We must often try to love the being (Soul) beneath the person (mask). The person might be ignorant, arrogant, and even repulsive. But it is up to the enlightened to see beneath the surface, to see that tiny "spark" of the "sun of God" that dwells within every person. Thus, we can never "damn" anyone, which is the "judgment" prohibited by the Master. (Mt. 7:1)
To love endlessly, tirelessly, universally, consistently, and unconditionally is the Way to salvation. This includes the three subpaths of real spirituality: 1) love everyone, 2) serve everyone, and 3) forgive everyone.
No amount of "Bible-study," no giving of sermons, no Bible-thumping, no "gift of the Spirit" is worth anything without accompanying Love. So, if you had all of these, without Love, they would all be worthless. Joining any particular church or religion is also useless, if it does not create or stimulate Love in the heart. Joining any group that damns others is sin. But if you have Love alone, without any of these, you are blessed beyond imagining. (Compare the "Canticle of Love," in First Corinthians,
chapter 13.)
Some preachers and ministers do not know this, and so, they emphasize the wrong things-- actions that eclipse Love in the heart. We must be careful never to become followers of incompetent and ignorant human beings. Why should we? For we have the Master of Love, living entirely in each and every heart.
*******
Happiness and Money
*******
The text quoting Jesus as asking, "what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" is a warning. It is telling us that life with only material riches ("the whole world") is a dead-end life. For riches cannot bring happiness, joy,fulfillment, contentment, or real satisfaction.
Very poor people often fantasize that, if only they had enough money, all their problems would be solved, and they would be completely happy. This perspective reflects only the desperation of their poverty. It does not reflect truth. As evidence, most winners of the lottery selfdescribe their lives as "unhappy" all the way to "utterly miserable."
If money cannot "profit" one, create real happiness, what can? The very question betrays our spiritual lack. For we all already know, deep down, that happiness arises from friends, Love, companionship, interaction, work, and play. A person who is truly happy does even work, not simply to earn money, but to better herself and the world.
Finding the "Soul," the deepest personal Mind, creates true peace and happiness, for it is this that we are designed to do. For the same reason that water satisfies thirst ("we were made to drink water"), only wisdom and spiritual understanding (gnosis) can make human beings content.
*******
The text quoting Jesus as asking, "what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" is a warning. It is telling us that life with only material riches ("the whole world") is a dead-end life. For riches cannot bring happiness, joy,fulfillment, contentment, or real satisfaction.
Very poor people often fantasize that, if only they had enough money, all their problems would be solved, and they would be completely happy. This perspective reflects only the desperation of their poverty. It does not reflect truth. As evidence, most winners of the lottery selfdescribe their lives as "unhappy" all the way to "utterly miserable."
If money cannot "profit" one, create real happiness, what can? The very question betrays our spiritual lack. For we all already know, deep down, that happiness arises from friends, Love, companionship, interaction, work, and play. A person who is truly happy does even work, not simply to earn money, but to better herself and the world.
Finding the "Soul," the deepest personal Mind, creates true peace and happiness, for it is this that we are designed to do. For the same reason that water satisfies thirst ("we were made to drink water"), only wisdom and spiritual understanding (gnosis) can make human beings content.
*******
A Huge Universe: Beachball and Beebee Parable
*******
An illustration that we have found useful is the "beebee/beachball" comparison: If the earth were the size of a beachball, you could not even see a human being. We are all much too tiny. Now, if you make the earth the size of a beebee, the sun is the size of a beachball. Compared to other suns in our galaxy, the sun is like a beebee and the other stars like the beachball. How small is the earth in this comparison? It is so tiny as to be invisible. Our galaxy contains one hundred thousand million suns. Now, imagine that entire galaxy the size of a beebee, and, compared with some supergalaxies, they are the size of beachballs. Now, when our whole galaxy is the size of a beebee, where is the earth in that scenario. It is literally microscopic.
*******
An illustration that we have found useful is the "beebee/beachball" comparison: If the earth were the size of a beachball, you could not even see a human being. We are all much too tiny. Now, if you make the earth the size of a beebee, the sun is the size of a beachball. Compared to other suns in our galaxy, the sun is like a beebee and the other stars like the beachball. How small is the earth in this comparison? It is so tiny as to be invisible. Our galaxy contains one hundred thousand million suns. Now, imagine that entire galaxy the size of a beebee, and, compared with some supergalaxies, they are the size of beachballs. Now, when our whole galaxy is the size of a beebee, where is the earth in that scenario. It is literally microscopic.
*******
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Pervasive Meditation
*******
For thousands of years, deeply spiritual people have longed and yearned to get in touch with the Soul, Spirit, and Unconscious generally. They have developed, over centuries, various forms of meditation or "silent prayer."
You must still the busy-ness of the conscious (thinking) mind and open yourself to the deep Love-nature (Christ-spirit or Buddha-nature) profoundly in the mind of all people. To clear the mind, many use a mantra, a simple phrase repeated. Some effective ones include: "God is Love and..." "Jesus Christ and..." "I am at peace," "aAhmitabha" (Lord of Light), "Loving Mary," "Gentle KwanYin," "Does not matter," etc.
There are literally hundreds of variations and possibilities.
A phrase of four syllables falls very easily into a rhythm, and that is why it is used in "pervasive meditation" (acognitive therapy). As this name for meditation indicates, clearing the mind is very therapeutic and healing to both mind and body.
Whenever you have a spare minute or two, start to "run" (repeat) the phrase in your mind. Relax as deeply as possible, centering your whole being on pure Love, and excluding everything else. Gently push all other thoughts and mind-pictures out of your mind. Take some deep cleansing breaths, and you might also want to visualize your body surrounded by a beautiful blue or golden light.
Do this as often as possible during the day. This will get you in touch with the Lovemind, Coremind, or Godmind within. In time, without any effort, your thoughts, words, and actions will begin to change for the better. You will find yourself happier, more joyful, more contented, satisfied, and fulfilled. You will find yourself speaking, thinking, and acting with greater patience and Love. You will express healthy and healing compassion, goodness, and kindness. You will find self-forgiveness pouring from the interior "Fountain" of God (Love)inside you.
Do not give up. Keep on trying. Keep returning to your phrase, no matter how many times the mind gets distracted. For you are opening the interior "door" to the Holy Spirit, your highest Self or nature.
*******
For thousands of years, deeply spiritual people have longed and yearned to get in touch with the Soul, Spirit, and Unconscious generally. They have developed, over centuries, various forms of meditation or "silent prayer."
You must still the busy-ness of the conscious (thinking) mind and open yourself to the deep Love-nature (Christ-spirit or Buddha-nature) profoundly in the mind of all people. To clear the mind, many use a mantra, a simple phrase repeated. Some effective ones include: "God is Love and..." "Jesus Christ and..." "I am at peace," "aAhmitabha" (Lord of Light), "Loving Mary," "Gentle KwanYin," "Does not matter," etc.
There are literally hundreds of variations and possibilities.
A phrase of four syllables falls very easily into a rhythm, and that is why it is used in "pervasive meditation" (acognitive therapy). As this name for meditation indicates, clearing the mind is very therapeutic and healing to both mind and body.
Whenever you have a spare minute or two, start to "run" (repeat) the phrase in your mind. Relax as deeply as possible, centering your whole being on pure Love, and excluding everything else. Gently push all other thoughts and mind-pictures out of your mind. Take some deep cleansing breaths, and you might also want to visualize your body surrounded by a beautiful blue or golden light.
Do this as often as possible during the day. This will get you in touch with the Lovemind, Coremind, or Godmind within. In time, without any effort, your thoughts, words, and actions will begin to change for the better. You will find yourself happier, more joyful, more contented, satisfied, and fulfilled. You will find yourself speaking, thinking, and acting with greater patience and Love. You will express healthy and healing compassion, goodness, and kindness. You will find self-forgiveness pouring from the interior "Fountain" of God (Love)inside you.
Do not give up. Keep on trying. Keep returning to your phrase, no matter how many times the mind gets distracted. For you are opening the interior "door" to the Holy Spirit, your highest Self or nature.
*******
Mystical Sources
*******
The Nag Hammadi Library is a collection of fifty-two tractates (booklets) dating from the fourth century, but whose Greek originals go back probably to the first century. The works are in Coptic (Egyptian written with Greek letters). They represent an alternative Christianity," that of gnosticism, as contrasted with orthodoxy ("Catholic" Christianity). The works are quite profound, and emphasize the interiority of the Christ, "Christ" as contrasted with Jesus, the Goddess Sophia, celestial structures, mystical realizations, etc. (The Library was discovered in 1945.)
Yes, writing can be a very time-consuming activity, but time invested in good writing will create a work that can survive its author; some books have lasted for thousands of years. I owe a great debt to books, and the best way to "pay back" into the system is by writing. For a true writer, there is no greater pleasure than "getting lost" in the writing-experience. Since almost all mystics are "called" to teach, there is no more natural expression personally.
*******
The Nag Hammadi Library is a collection of fifty-two tractates (booklets) dating from the fourth century, but whose Greek originals go back probably to the first century. The works are in Coptic (Egyptian written with Greek letters). They represent an alternative Christianity," that of gnosticism, as contrasted with orthodoxy ("Catholic" Christianity). The works are quite profound, and emphasize the interiority of the Christ, "Christ" as contrasted with Jesus, the Goddess Sophia, celestial structures, mystical realizations, etc. (The Library was discovered in 1945.)
Yes, writing can be a very time-consuming activity, but time invested in good writing will create a work that can survive its author; some books have lasted for thousands of years. I owe a great debt to books, and the best way to "pay back" into the system is by writing. For a true writer, there is no greater pleasure than "getting lost" in the writing-experience. Since almost all mystics are "called" to teach, there is no more natural expression personally.
*******
Sunday, June 10, 2007
One down, one to go...
Dear Friends of the Heart,
We did it! Thanks to thousands of people like you across the country, the US Senate passed legislation that would make prescription drugs safer. But the fight is not over. We need to get strong drug safety legislation to the president’s desk.
Together we have come a long way. People who lost loved ones or who were left disabled by unsafe drugs visited Washington to tell their stories. And together we have sent almost 80,000 messages and made over 1,800 phone calls to the Senators!
Help us keep this momentum going! Strong drug safety legislation is stuck in a House committee and it needs more support to move forward. That’s where you come in.
Ask your House member to support HR 1561 today!
Last week one US Senator said, “Since 2000 … the pharmaceutical companies have contributed almost $250 million in campaign contributions," and that the real question was "whether the Congress of the United States is in fact prepared to stand up to the most powerful, the greediest special interest in the United States of America."
Find out whether your House member will stand up to the big drug lobby and support patient safety. Please ask your House member today to co-sponsor HR 1561!
Help us get a bill to the president’s desk. Please take a moment to forward this to everyone whom you know, so that they can register their own thoughts on the importance of safer drugs for all Americans.
Thank you.
Liz Foley
PrescriptionForChange.org
A project of Consumers Union
101 Truman Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057
A President, or a King?
"There is nothing 'conservative' or 'tough on terrorism' in selectively stripping people of their rights." – New York Times editorial
Dear Friends of the Heart,
Congress gave away one of the oldest Constitutional rights. Tell them to take it back.
Congress made a terrible mistake last October, and allowed president bush to damage one of the oldest founding principles of our democracy. They gave the President the authority to seize people and hold them without ever explaining why – despite the fact that the Constitution itself says he should not have that power.
Now some members of the House have recognized how big a deal this is, and they're trying to set it right. Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) is beginning a fight to restore the right of habeas corpus, which Congress gave away.
Tell your Representative to Restore our Constitutional rights to habeas corpus.
http://action.truemajority.org/campaign/habeas_corpus
Maybe it sounds like a legal technicality, but the habeas corpus right is pretty simple, and pretty important. It is "the right of anyone who’s tossed in prison to appear in court and say 'Hey, why am I in prison?'."1
Without that right, people get thrown into places like Guantanamo Bay for years with no evidence other than the say-so of a bounty hunter collecting his $5,000 fee.2 And legal experts say that the law is written so that anyone, U.S. citizen or not, could get that treatment if she acts against the president.3
It's hard to write about even the basic facts here without sounding overly-dramatic, but this is how it is. One of the reasons that we fought the Revolution was so that a king could not imprison people without a court hearing. Taking away that right is not protecting America; it's dismantling it.
Congressman Nadler is trying to add language to an existing bill which would restore habeas corpus. If that fails, he promises to bring it up again, as an amendment. If that fails, there are new bills waiting which would undo the damage of last October's "Military Commissions Act." Send your message now to tell your Representatives to do what it takes to restore this cornerstone of American democracy.
Matt Holland
TrueMajorityACTION Online Director
1 - The death of habeas corpus - MSNBC.com
2 - The Shame of Guantanamo – Washington Post Writers Group
3 - Challenging the Military Commissions Act, Jurist, October 04, 2006
For More Information:
Article I, Section 9, Clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States:
“The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.”
Who's Really Locked up in Guantanamo?
Here's the message we'll send to your Representative:
The right of habeas corpus is one of the oldest founding principles of our democracy – the right of someone held by the government to ask why she has been seized. The Military Commissions Act cancelled that right, and I insist that Congress restore it. I urge you to support efforts by Rep. Nadler to add language which does that into the Defense Authorization bill, and also to back bills such as the Habeas Restoration Act.
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for TrueMajorityACTION. TrueMajorityACTION.org is a grassroots group of citizens who believe in America's true values of openness, fairness and compassion. We believe participating in an effective government is the best way to be mutually responsible for our community.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Bread and the Bread of God
*******
The text, "Man shall live, not by bread alone, but by every utterance of God," was used by Jesus, in the Wilderness Temptation, to refute a temptation to profit personally from the Powers of the universe (miracles). It is implied that Power is never to be used selfishly or personally. And it is never to be used to show off.
It means also that "bread"-- all material things-- are not enough to sustain human beings emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually. People of our society are always trying to live by "bread" alone. Most will do anything to earn more "bread" or money.
Yet depression is the most common malaise of our time and culture. It is depressing to the Soul (deeper interior Mind) to try to live without the words of God (Love). Not only is it true, as the ancient song says, that "money can't buy you Love," but the attempt to live without Love is a hell of utter depression and pain-- no matter how much money you have.
For the human mind (nature) was not created to be satisfied by money. The truth is that, in the history of the whole world, not a single human being has ever been "made happy" by the possession of money and things that money can buy!
The wealthy, who are often consistently miserable, are proof of this premise. This applies to those who, being very rich, seek escape in sexual promiscuity and carelessness, or in alcohol or other drugs. Money and its offspring, business, make a very shoddy and tawdry "religion." For it does not create warmth, friendship, Love,family, fulfillment, or satisfaction.
Buying sports-cars, indulging in trips and travel, or engaging in various sports, are simply ways that miserable people can use to try to "lose themselves" in kinetic outer activity. These expensive pursuits never bring peace or tranquility.
We are designed to "lose ourselves" in the vast interior Mind of Love. What people truly need-- the "bread of God"-- is Love. It can be available to the poorest person, if she is willing to give Love. To trade Love for cash-- by using our time to earn money instead of developing spiritually-- is like trading goldust for dust.
*******
The text, "Man shall live, not by bread alone, but by every utterance of God," was used by Jesus, in the Wilderness Temptation, to refute a temptation to profit personally from the Powers of the universe (miracles). It is implied that Power is never to be used selfishly or personally. And it is never to be used to show off.
It means also that "bread"-- all material things-- are not enough to sustain human beings emotionally, psychologically, or spiritually. People of our society are always trying to live by "bread" alone. Most will do anything to earn more "bread" or money.
Yet depression is the most common malaise of our time and culture. It is depressing to the Soul (deeper interior Mind) to try to live without the words of God (Love). Not only is it true, as the ancient song says, that "money can't buy you Love," but the attempt to live without Love is a hell of utter depression and pain-- no matter how much money you have.
For the human mind (nature) was not created to be satisfied by money. The truth is that, in the history of the whole world, not a single human being has ever been "made happy" by the possession of money and things that money can buy!
The wealthy, who are often consistently miserable, are proof of this premise. This applies to those who, being very rich, seek escape in sexual promiscuity and carelessness, or in alcohol or other drugs. Money and its offspring, business, make a very shoddy and tawdry "religion." For it does not create warmth, friendship, Love,family, fulfillment, or satisfaction.
Buying sports-cars, indulging in trips and travel, or engaging in various sports, are simply ways that miserable people can use to try to "lose themselves" in kinetic outer activity. These expensive pursuits never bring peace or tranquility.
We are designed to "lose ourselves" in the vast interior Mind of Love. What people truly need-- the "bread of God"-- is Love. It can be available to the poorest person, if she is willing to give Love. To trade Love for cash-- by using our time to earn money instead of developing spiritually-- is like trading goldust for dust.
*******
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