As a former christian, leaving the dogmas of the church, but embracing the truth of the faith, I appreciated this piece. I loved the correlation to God and the feeling of "peace" within the nervous system. I've written similar works that, for example, Heaven is not out there, but here, within us. We're looking for God OUT THERE -- when in fact, God is here, within us. Rupert Sheldrake had something very recently on how to find God in sports because in high intense sports, you're not thinking --- allowing the ego to run. You're "in the zone" alert, but relaxed. This is the realm of God.
Great piece and very similar to what I've discussed. Love whenever people can look at the faith and incorporate Steiner, gnosticism, etc. On Jesus, ironically, I had a thought in the shower before reading this and aligns perfectly. Jesus, more accurately Yeshua, was a priest made divine by Rome. Once we understand this, we can look at the teachings of the faith more realistically vs literally.
I have no problem with the proposition of the divinity of Christ as pertaining to Jesus of Nazareth in some mysterious fashion - it is there in Paul & John and the other 3 gospels; the problem begins when it becomes church dogma combined with the dogma that to be a church members means you are supposed to believe it.
Of course, the church as an institution needs dogma, it can't exist without it; but human souls do not need dogma (even if they need a church with one), but faith & gnosis, which precludes dogma.
If the divinity & the humanity of Jesus Christ is a mystery & a paradox, how can it also be dogma?
Christian profess to believe in something they admit they do not (cannot) understand on the basis that "the Church" has established it to be true. But even Paul did not understand this (read the epistles), and few people understand Paul.
So to parrot church dogma as personal conviction is essentially to assert ignorance as faith.
Doubt, it seems to me, is much closer to an honest proclamation of faith.
Excellent Jason. Optimal Poly-vagal regulation speaks to such peace. (In Christian terms - direct experience of the ‘living waters’.) I’m fortunate enough to cultivate this via guided meditation (mindfulness in the NHS) with cancer patients, who are nearly always thirsty for this.
Probably tomorrow I will post the second and third parts to a short series about the importance of "now". The first was about "ghosts". (Edit- ended up being 4)
This line: "The Christ event is happening now"
Really resonated with me because this is what I have come to understand via encounter. I hope as I move forward with wrestling this more clarity is granted. But "now" is where we need to exist , its the only place I have met the man in the alley.
For me, the presence of and connection with God isn't only in moments of relaxation, though I can empathise with what you write regarding times when we really know we have nothing to strive for. I find God in all sorts of feelings and situations. He is definitely close by at points of distress, anxiety, loss and deep sadness too - in all kinds of suffering.
I once spoke with a female friend whose child had died as a young adult - she said that, when her child died and for a time afterwards, she could feel God physically holding her, giving her support.
I know nothing of Andrew Wilson, nor the other fellow you mention: however, the thought occurs that, in one sense, to be nationalist is quite a Christ-ian thing to do, as the one-world-government globalist push is discernibly anti-Christ-ian. However, I'm aware that nationalism comes in all kinds of flavours, some of which are quite bitter.
I had to reread the parts about “acts” of God and Jesus— because act also means to pretend— as in a theater play. I had to put the word action in instead to get the meaning it seemed you were laying out. Which is how I try to be— not paying lip service to an outside Creator but by believing that I am walking every day in the Creator’s feet 👣 Not even his shoes!
We are the externalization of the Creator and it does look 7-8 billion different ways, if you only count the human expressions 😂 As you said, the Way is unique to each. And this comes with great creative power but also that twisty demanding and ever- challenging Responsibility. We can’t be lazy or lulled. It’s a very PRO-ACTIVE way of living.
As a former christian, leaving the dogmas of the church, but embracing the truth of the faith, I appreciated this piece. I loved the correlation to God and the feeling of "peace" within the nervous system. I've written similar works that, for example, Heaven is not out there, but here, within us. We're looking for God OUT THERE -- when in fact, God is here, within us. Rupert Sheldrake had something very recently on how to find God in sports because in high intense sports, you're not thinking --- allowing the ego to run. You're "in the zone" alert, but relaxed. This is the realm of God.
Great piece and very similar to what I've discussed. Love whenever people can look at the faith and incorporate Steiner, gnosticism, etc. On Jesus, ironically, I had a thought in the shower before reading this and aligns perfectly. Jesus, more accurately Yeshua, was a priest made divine by Rome. Once we understand this, we can look at the teachings of the faith more realistically vs literally.
Thanks for the work!
I have no problem with the proposition of the divinity of Christ as pertaining to Jesus of Nazareth in some mysterious fashion - it is there in Paul & John and the other 3 gospels; the problem begins when it becomes church dogma combined with the dogma that to be a church members means you are supposed to believe it.
Of course, the church as an institution needs dogma, it can't exist without it; but human souls do not need dogma (even if they need a church with one), but faith & gnosis, which precludes dogma.
If the divinity & the humanity of Jesus Christ is a mystery & a paradox, how can it also be dogma?
Christian profess to believe in something they admit they do not (cannot) understand on the basis that "the Church" has established it to be true. But even Paul did not understand this (read the epistles), and few people understand Paul.
So to parrot church dogma as personal conviction is essentially to assert ignorance as faith.
Doubt, it seems to me, is much closer to an honest proclamation of faith.
Great to see some unorthodox love of Paul. If you're interested here are two of my favorite books on Paul:
-Paul's Necessary Sin: The Experience of Liberation by Timothy Ashworth (a Quaker, but his interpretation is very original)
-Paul and the Stoics by Troels Engberg-Pedersen (compares the "shape" of Stoic and Pauline transformation and finds much in common)
Excellent Jason. Optimal Poly-vagal regulation speaks to such peace. (In Christian terms - direct experience of the ‘living waters’.) I’m fortunate enough to cultivate this via guided meditation (mindfulness in the NHS) with cancer patients, who are nearly always thirsty for this.
Probably tomorrow I will post the second and third parts to a short series about the importance of "now". The first was about "ghosts". (Edit- ended up being 4)
This line: "The Christ event is happening now"
Really resonated with me because this is what I have come to understand via encounter. I hope as I move forward with wrestling this more clarity is granted. But "now" is where we need to exist , its the only place I have met the man in the alley.
For me, the presence of and connection with God isn't only in moments of relaxation, though I can empathise with what you write regarding times when we really know we have nothing to strive for. I find God in all sorts of feelings and situations. He is definitely close by at points of distress, anxiety, loss and deep sadness too - in all kinds of suffering.
I once spoke with a female friend whose child had died as a young adult - she said that, when her child died and for a time afterwards, she could feel God physically holding her, giving her support.
I know nothing of Andrew Wilson, nor the other fellow you mention: however, the thought occurs that, in one sense, to be nationalist is quite a Christ-ian thing to do, as the one-world-government globalist push is discernibly anti-Christ-ian. However, I'm aware that nationalism comes in all kinds of flavours, some of which are quite bitter.
Jesus was a nationalist?
One can be deeply relaxed in grief, despair, even in crisis (as someone above makes the comparison with athletics).
(i) no;
(ii) yes, and.
Very insightful and moving, thank you for sharing this.
Very nice work. Will share with my own small group of Faithful followers.
I enjoyed reading this with my morning tea. Thank you.
Goaded into it! Ha! Made me smile, thanks
Thank you for the word CHURCHIANITY!
I had to reread the parts about “acts” of God and Jesus— because act also means to pretend— as in a theater play. I had to put the word action in instead to get the meaning it seemed you were laying out. Which is how I try to be— not paying lip service to an outside Creator but by believing that I am walking every day in the Creator’s feet 👣 Not even his shoes!
We are the externalization of the Creator and it does look 7-8 billion different ways, if you only count the human expressions 😂 As you said, the Way is unique to each. And this comes with great creative power but also that twisty demanding and ever- challenging Responsibility. We can’t be lazy or lulled. It’s a very PRO-ACTIVE way of living.