Posts
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The Bible is a collection of sixty-six small books that span many centuries. Its writers did not always know one another, and so, had some different ideas. For all human beings are unique, and each is a little different from all others. Just as the fingerprints, retinaprints, and bloodprofiles of each person are unique to that one, so are her thoughts and ideas.
I respect the fact that you are a "believer" in the Bible. I also use it almost every day, and have studied it for over thirty years.
But I know that people who are deeply religious often interpret natural events as the "actions of God." When you and I communicated recently about disease, remember, I said that they were usually simply the product of nature and behavior, and usually were not caused by either God or devil.
So, I believe that the story of Annanias, found in the book of Acts, and his wife, was a story of this kind. He suffered from a heart-attack, and died. The early Christians knew that he had tried to cheat, and so they superstitiously ascribed his death to God.
My God does not kill-- anyone,ever! For my God is Love plus nothing. The god of the Old Testament was always killing people. But this was the Jewish god, Yahweh or Jehovah. Since I am not a Jew, and certainly not an ancient Jew, I do not worship the Jewish god of ancient times.
If we trust that God is Love (and I do), then we can never be misled by the statements and interpretations of human beings. And while there are parts of the modern "Bible" that are inspired by God (Love), there are also parts that contain only human ideas. This is what Paul meant when he wrote, "This I say, and not the Lord..." This was a clear statement of what I have just said: Parts of the Bible reflect accurately the Mind of God, and parts contain human ideas about God or religion.
You already agree with part of this. For example, when one of the ancients committed a serious mistake ("sin"), Jehovah commanded, in the Hebrew Scriptures ("Old Testament") to slaughter a bull as a sacrifice. This was a Jewish law, and appears in the Jewish Bible. But Christians do not follow this law even though it is commanded in the Bible!
Why not? Because they realize that some things said by the ancients about their god, Jehovah, do not apply to the Christian God, Who is Love. So, in reading even the Christian Scriptures ("New Testament"), we must use our God-given gifts of discernment, wisdom, and understanding. Just because someone (even a Bible-writer) says that something is from God, it does not mean that it was truly from God. If we are going to believe most fully in a God of purest Love, then we cannot accept the god of the Hebrews, who was constantly killing, committing murder, genocide, and much violence. I choose to believe in a God of purest, uncontaminated, undefiled Love. A God Who is Love cannot hate, and is never harsh towards his own children. For Love is a Fountain of infinite forgiveness; and no sin in the universe can ever be greater than God's Love (including perfect forgiveness).
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Showing posts with label bible study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible study. Show all posts
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Love (God) Calls to Love
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Religion has taught people, for so many centuries, that "understanding the Bible" is what spirituality is all about. But, in history, people who were "experts" at understanding and explaining the Bible have been pedophiles, thieves, liars, political manipulators, warriors, rapists, and murderers (such as those who murdered Jesus).
So, "understanding the Bible," or particular teachings, is not what true "Christianity" is all about.
No, instead, Christianity is about living with as much Love as possible. Jesus himself said that his true followers would be marked (identified) by only Love. (Jn. 13:34,35). Jesus was not an expert on the Bible; for our modern Bible did not even exist during his lifetime.
No, pleasing God is not about understanding everything, or even understanding many ideas, concepts, teachings, or doctrines. It is all about Love.
A very simple man (let us use the parable of a mentally arrested person) who truly showed kindness and gentleness to all, who did the very best that he knew how, but never picked up a Bible, would fare better at Judgment than A Bible-expert who was a "walking encyclopedia," but who did not "have time" for others.
God does not care if we learn much about dogmas and teachings. People are always arguing over the Bible precisely because it is not clear in these matters. If God really cared about intellectual teachings, he would have written a ten-volume encyclopedia, explaining everything.
God uses the earth, not a church, as our "school." The church should energize us to remember the holiness of Love, and it should encourage the activities of Love.
Every act of Love is an act of worship.
And there is no "small" act of Love.
All involve God, Who is Love.
God could not care less about our intellect or our beliefs. He cares about only our Love, and Jesus always encourages Love-- mostly, through non-judgment (never saying that any Soul has no good), and endless forgiveness.
To please God, you do not have to belong to the "right" church. Jesus and the apostles did not belong to any of the modern churches-- neither Catholic nor Protestant. They did not exist in those days. So, we must do what Jesus did-- according to our limited ability. We cannot cure the sick, but we can perform acts of loving-kindness everywhere that we go. Sometimes, a simple smile can change a whole day; sometimes, you can help by doing errands; sometimes, you can listen on the phone; sometimes, you can write emails or snailmails. A kind word can help a person through a tough day.
Every action of Love is an act of service to God.
The only Way to "love God" is to love human beings and other creatures.
God wants us to love ourselves and to help (aid, assist, give to) each other. Our world needs a billion acts of Love every day. It is better to lay a single brick than to dream of a thousand palaces. An act of Love is worth a thousand sermons. So, do something "small," some small acts of kindness, every day. For kindness is Love; kindness is true religion. Forget about all the complicated ideas of religion. They can be interesting, but, when they become a burden, drop them and lay them down. But never stop loving!
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Religion has taught people, for so many centuries, that "understanding the Bible" is what spirituality is all about. But, in history, people who were "experts" at understanding and explaining the Bible have been pedophiles, thieves, liars, political manipulators, warriors, rapists, and murderers (such as those who murdered Jesus).
So, "understanding the Bible," or particular teachings, is not what true "Christianity" is all about.
No, instead, Christianity is about living with as much Love as possible. Jesus himself said that his true followers would be marked (identified) by only Love. (Jn. 13:34,35). Jesus was not an expert on the Bible; for our modern Bible did not even exist during his lifetime.
No, pleasing God is not about understanding everything, or even understanding many ideas, concepts, teachings, or doctrines. It is all about Love.
A very simple man (let us use the parable of a mentally arrested person) who truly showed kindness and gentleness to all, who did the very best that he knew how, but never picked up a Bible, would fare better at Judgment than A Bible-expert who was a "walking encyclopedia," but who did not "have time" for others.
God does not care if we learn much about dogmas and teachings. People are always arguing over the Bible precisely because it is not clear in these matters. If God really cared about intellectual teachings, he would have written a ten-volume encyclopedia, explaining everything.
God uses the earth, not a church, as our "school." The church should energize us to remember the holiness of Love, and it should encourage the activities of Love.
Every act of Love is an act of worship.
And there is no "small" act of Love.
All involve God, Who is Love.
God could not care less about our intellect or our beliefs. He cares about only our Love, and Jesus always encourages Love-- mostly, through non-judgment (never saying that any Soul has no good), and endless forgiveness.
To please God, you do not have to belong to the "right" church. Jesus and the apostles did not belong to any of the modern churches-- neither Catholic nor Protestant. They did not exist in those days. So, we must do what Jesus did-- according to our limited ability. We cannot cure the sick, but we can perform acts of loving-kindness everywhere that we go. Sometimes, a simple smile can change a whole day; sometimes, you can help by doing errands; sometimes, you can listen on the phone; sometimes, you can write emails or snailmails. A kind word can help a person through a tough day.
Every action of Love is an act of service to God.
The only Way to "love God" is to love human beings and other creatures.
God wants us to love ourselves and to help (aid, assist, give to) each other. Our world needs a billion acts of Love every day. It is better to lay a single brick than to dream of a thousand palaces. An act of Love is worth a thousand sermons. So, do something "small," some small acts of kindness, every day. For kindness is Love; kindness is true religion. Forget about all the complicated ideas of religion. They can be interesting, but, when they become a burden, drop them and lay them down. But never stop loving!
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Sunday, July 15, 2007
Translations of the Bible
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There is only one God and one truth. But that God, and that truth, are so vast that, within them are many varying perspectives. God does not like for everyone to think exactly alike. He wants us to use our reasoning-power to make up our own minds about most issues.
If God wanted us all to think and believe exactly alike, he would have produced a simple, crystal-clear set of statements, lucidly and simply explaining everything about the cosmos.
God loves diversity. That is why each and every fingerprint is different, and so is each and every brain. Also, God demonstrates His Love for diversity and variety in nature: There are fifty thousand types of butterfly, and forty thousand kinds of rose.
The Bible is a very ancient document. It has been through thousands of hands over the centuries. Even in its clearest, and most lucid, translation, it is still not always "crystal clear" when it comes to doctrines (teachings). For the truth is, all church-teachings are human-fabricated. No teaching, except the practice of Love, is clearly and obviously taught in the Bible. Each is the result of imperfect human observations and speculations. Each and every teaching is an interpretation of the Bible, not a "Biblical teaching"-- no matter what the claim!
Each word, in the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) could have several accurate translations. These varied considerably, and a single word could alter the meaning of a whole sentence, or paragraph.
English is also a rich language, with many synonyms, each designed to express an often very subtle nuance of the meaning of a word. So, when you take the complex Greek texts (for the Christian Bible) and translate them into another complex language, English, you are going to end up with a variety of finer distinctions.
This does not necessarily mean "war" among translators. It simply enriches everyone to have such an excellent diversity, such a beautiful wealth of various ideas. The wise, and educated, student of the Bible uses several translations, versions, or renditions in her study. This provides a more well-rounded understanding of a verse.
One book that is very helpful to the serious student is called an "interlinear." This contains a Greek text, with an English translation beneath each line. This helps to bring the reader closer to the original.
*******
There is only one God and one truth. But that God, and that truth, are so vast that, within them are many varying perspectives. God does not like for everyone to think exactly alike. He wants us to use our reasoning-power to make up our own minds about most issues.
If God wanted us all to think and believe exactly alike, he would have produced a simple, crystal-clear set of statements, lucidly and simply explaining everything about the cosmos.
God loves diversity. That is why each and every fingerprint is different, and so is each and every brain. Also, God demonstrates His Love for diversity and variety in nature: There are fifty thousand types of butterfly, and forty thousand kinds of rose.
The Bible is a very ancient document. It has been through thousands of hands over the centuries. Even in its clearest, and most lucid, translation, it is still not always "crystal clear" when it comes to doctrines (teachings). For the truth is, all church-teachings are human-fabricated. No teaching, except the practice of Love, is clearly and obviously taught in the Bible. Each is the result of imperfect human observations and speculations. Each and every teaching is an interpretation of the Bible, not a "Biblical teaching"-- no matter what the claim!
Each word, in the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) could have several accurate translations. These varied considerably, and a single word could alter the meaning of a whole sentence, or paragraph.
English is also a rich language, with many synonyms, each designed to express an often very subtle nuance of the meaning of a word. So, when you take the complex Greek texts (for the Christian Bible) and translate them into another complex language, English, you are going to end up with a variety of finer distinctions.
This does not necessarily mean "war" among translators. It simply enriches everyone to have such an excellent diversity, such a beautiful wealth of various ideas. The wise, and educated, student of the Bible uses several translations, versions, or renditions in her study. This provides a more well-rounded understanding of a verse.
One book that is very helpful to the serious student is called an "interlinear." This contains a Greek text, with an English translation beneath each line. This helps to bring the reader closer to the original.
*******
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Salvation and Love
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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.
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