Humanism.

Progressive Christians are sometimes labelled humanists.

This is not really a problem.

To be human, to aspire to the highest expression of our humanity, is indistinguishable from spirituality.

The ideals of human beings are our spirituality.

So do not be concerned if you are called a humanist.

It is essentially the same as spirituality.

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Cosmic and Personal.

God is both cosmic and personal.

God is everything and everyone.
All the universe and more.

But God is also personal.

Jesus experienced God as the Father.

This is because human beings are also part of the cosmos.
We are stardust.

And because God is everything and more God is also consciousness and communication.

So when we are relating to God He takes the human-like form of the Father.

Thus we are able to communicate with God.

And manifest Love.

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Science and Humanity.

When we try to understand God scientifically we become more and more baffled.

This is because the scientific mode of thinking deals with the interaction of impersonal forces according to fixed laws.  God is absent.

We come to the conclusion that nature (and therefore God) is heartless.

But this is not true.

We humans are part of nature.
We are nature's heart.

We respond when a cyclone devastates a community.
We care for someone who is sick.

Animals also have hearts.
Dogs love you.  Horses love you.

We are all part of nature.
We are all interconnected.

Even our thoughts - the source of our individual pride - are subject to influences from the collective unconscious.

Science is true.
Your T.V. works, your microwave oven works, the electric light works.
So science is true.

It is up to us how this knowledge is used.
We can destroy the whole human race with nuclear weapons.
We can destroy the environment with pollution.

Or we can ask, "What does our heart say?"
And live.

Animals respond to love.
Plants respond to love.

It is up to us to be the heart of nature and the savior of planet earth.

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Satanic Rock.

When I say that rock stars have sold their souls to the devil and do the devil's work in the world you say that there is no devil so they can't.

But because there is no devil does not mean there are not people who believe in the devil and do what they believe to be his work in the world.

You then say there is no devil so it doesn't do anything.

But they still tell people to take drugs.
They still tell young girls to act like sex objects.
They still tell us to sin and be wicked.
They still tell us to be filthy.
And to have affairs.
And to get tattoos.
And to abandon our faith.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
I shudder to think what is concealed beneath the surface and backtracked in their music!

The symbols they use are bad enough:
skulls, spider webs, flames, daggers, broken hearts, snakes, apples, death.....

Their music is poison.

Throw it away.

And be free at last.

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Unity.

The Uniting Church in Australia has an expression that reflects the Church's philosophy.

"Unity in Diversity".

The Uniting Church is the union of three denominations: Methodist, Congregationalist, and Presbyterian.
So it is a conglomerate of different philosophies.

But it was not until the sexuality debate with its varying attitudes to homosexuality that the expression was adopted.

It seems to me that "Unity in Diversity" is a good umbrella for the wider Church, and even religion in general.

We all worship the same God.

Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the God of Abraham and Hindus and Buddhists recognize an absolute divinity.

So we are like brothers and sisters of the one family.
The family of humanity.

If we could generate a tolerant, live and let live approach we could all live in harmony on the one planet.

Instead of conflict we could all live in the rainbow of "Unity in Diversity".

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The Great Divide.

God's house is divided.

It is split between two conflicting factions.

One is the Fundamentalist/literalist faction.

The other is the Progressive/metaphorical faction.

They both serve the same God.

They both work to establish God's Kingdom on earth.

But their methods are very different.

Our job is to bring unity to God's house.

But how can this be done?

We seek to make peace between the warring factions.

Perhaps astrology holds the key.

The two factions are ruled by two significant planets - the Fundamentalist faction is ruled by Saturn and the Progressive faction is ruled by Uranus.

These two planets are the co-rulers of Aquarius.

Another body - the asteroid Chiron - orbits between Saturn and Uranus.

Chiron was a centaur - half man, half horse - who was a learned and gifted healer.
He taught Asclepius the physician and trained many heroes including Achilles.
He was also an astrologer and oracle.

He is called the wounded healer because he could heal others' wound but not his own wound ( accidentally inflicted by Hercules poisoned arrow).

Chiron bring healing to the conflict between Saturn and Uranus.
He heals the wounds which each has inflicted on the other.

It is unclear at this stage how final peace will be brought about between Saturn and Uranus but the future of the Age of Aquarius depends upon it.

Because both planets rule Aquarius it is unlikely that one will win out over the other.
Both planets will still be present.

So some solution must be found that does not compromise the truth.
And brings unity to God's house.

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Have a Heart.

What does it mean to have a heart?

If your heart is hardened you will feel nothing when others suffer.

If you have a heart you will feel sorrow and sympathy when confronted with suffering.

If your heart is hardened you will do nothing when others cry for help.

If you have a heart you will do something to help those in need.

If you have hardened your heart you will do nothing when confronted with oppression and injustice.

If you have a heart you will act to make the situation right.

Fear makes us harden our hearts.

Tears melt the heart.

But it is Love that opens our hearts.

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No One is to Blame.

No matter what happens no one is to blame.

People might be responsible for certain things but there is always a reason for it.

Satanists may be responsible for a lot of human suffering and error but there are reasons why people become Satanists.
Not the least of these is the negative image of God put out by the Churches.

But the Church is not to blame.
There are reasons for the negative doctrines that they preach.

In the end the reason is fear.
Fear passed down from generation to generation.
Beginning and ending with the fear of God.

So don't be too quick to assign blame.

You may just be blaming yourself.

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