Beauty.

Beauty is Goodness,

Goodness, Truth.


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Understanding.

The mind may know.

But the heart understands.


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Fear x 2.

As if the fear of sex and homosexuality was not bad enough already the child sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Churches have multiplied that fear times two.

Instead of addressing the fear that causes repression of our natural impulses the child abuse scandals have increased the fear of any kind of sex within the Churches.

This resulted in the queer scapegoating statements made by Pope Benedict XVI.
He tried to ban sex altogether out of fear.

The clergy (and their congregations) are now so terrified that someone, let alone a priest or minister, should commit some sexual crime within the Church that any attempt to reform the Churches' sex-phobia seems farther away than ever.

This is a great tragedy.

Because what the Churches need is a healthier attitude toward sex.

Not more fear.


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Within.

The heart gives us depth.

It leads within.

And at the center we find God.


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Depth.

The mind may lead to a higher plain.

Sex may bring us down to earth.

But only the heart gives us depth.


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Your House.

A person is like a house:

It is cold in the attic.

It is dark in the cellar.

But it is warm by the fire in the hearth.


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Tough?

You don't have

to be tough.

You can be soft.

And fragrant

as a Rose.


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Murasaki.

In the 11th century Japanese novel The Tale of Genji the author Lady Murasaki (which means purple) discusses with the ladies of the court their affairs with the princes and courtiers.

One of the characters says that she thinks it is cruel for the ladies to hold out against their suitors.  She says that she takes pity on them and allows them to make love to her.

It seems to me that this is a more enlightened approach than western ideas of moral purity.

Rather than denying sex out of some misplaced sense of spiritual superiority we should manifest compassion like the Lady Murasaki.

Sex is not going away.
It is universal and urgent.

Better to overcome our fear and have pity.

And develop a healthy attitude toward sex.


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Nature.

Nature's forms are more amazing

than any artist's creation.

You will not find

the white iris or startling strelitzia

from any human palette.


Majestic mountains and sparkling seas

are not of mankind's making.

The perfect peacock and human beauty

do not derive

from our imagination.


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Ask.

Ask not what your God can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your God.


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Our Hearts.

Our eyes and mind

would tell us

that our self

is in our head.

But life reminds us

every time

our soul

is in our heart.


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Science and Faith.

Between science and faith

      there is no contradiction.


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My Garden.

Rain washes

the horizon

as sunlight

brightens

my garden.


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Respect.

With desire comes love.

And with love comes respect for the beloved.

What diverts this respect is fear.

Fear of losing out, not experiencing communion.

When this fear is gone we experience respect for the loved one.

Respect for their wishes.

Respect for their rights.


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Song.

Goodness before righteousness.

Justice before judgement.

Love before principle.

Understanding before knowledge.

Song before speech.


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Righteousness.

"He leads me in right paths
    for his name's sake."  Psalm 23:3b (NRSV)

Because of your hypocrisy and the hardness of your hearts He has done this.

God's preference is for compassion.

But you are for judgement and punishment.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Spring!

Spring!

And the fruit trees

burst into

blossom.


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The Aquarian Temple.

The Aquarian Temple is a circular building surrounded by water.

It is built on the solid foundation of modern scholarship.

Its pillars are men and women of great faith who who respect and revere God.

In its ceiling is a glass pyramid that lets in the light.

At its heart is a rose-shaped altar with a jar of pure water*.

And people come to drink.

(*A heart full of unconditional love.)

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The Water.

"'"Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water."'"  John 7:38b (NRSV)

What is this mysterious water?

The Water Carrier, Aquarius, gives water to the thirsty, gives help to those in need.

This is the water of human kindness which is Love.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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The Devil's Dance.

All we have is

the devil's dance.

And every one

a broken heart.


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The Ball.

The Ball.

And the hall

is filled

with

young hearts

full of hope.


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In the Beginning.

In the beginning religion was about appeasing the gods with offerings and sacrifices.  This was to ensure that good things happened to you and bad things happened to your enemies (curse tablets).

Later religion acquired a moral dimension:
the Ten Commandments, Confucius' Analects, the philosophy of Socrates, the teachings of the Buddha.....
Religion became a civilizing influence.

With the arrival of Jesus we saw the development of qualities of forgiveness and love.  Religion was refined to create a positive spiritual force.

Now religion is becoming universal.
Heaven is not just for a privileged few, it is for everyone.
Issues like world poverty, healthcare, women's education, equality, and gay rights are being addressed.

And our consciousness is taking the next step towards a God of unconditional love.


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Peace.

In darkest days

we crave the ways

of peace.


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Ethics.

There are several branches of ethics with which we can respond to any situation.

These include revealed principles which we can adhere to out of duty; and reasoned consequences for the common good.

There are various questions we can ask ourselves and various versions of the Golden Rule.

But I say to ask yourself, "What does my heart say?"

This approach will bring forth compassion, sympathy, and love.

Thus avoiding the pitfalls of judgementalism and callousness which can result from other approaches.

So when you are confronted with an ethical dilemma ask yourself, "What does my heart say?"

And live.  


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Strelitzia.

Of all the flowers

God has made

the most startling

is the Strelitzia -

the Bird of Paradise

flower.


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The Trickle-Down Effect.

When AIDS first struck our world what was needed was a compassionate response.

I remember thinking that what AIDS sufferers needed was the compassion and love of God.  And this could be experienced through the sympathy of Jesus.

Unfortunately what happened was the exact opposite.

The Christian followers of Jesus rejected us outright and doubled our suffering by sending us to hell.  Others declared us sinful and tried to straighten us.

What we need now is the trickle-down effect.
The trickling down of God's tears through the hardened hearts of His believers.
Opening hearts as He proceeds.

It is no coincidence that Aquarius governs homosexuality.

It is our job to carry the water to those who are suffering, including those who are suffering from AIDS.

And to open our hearts to the sick and the grieving.


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Eternal Life.

In Luke 10 a lawyer asks Jesus, "'Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" Luke 10:25 (NRSV)

Jesus in turn asks him, "'What is written in the law?'"  Luke 10:26 (NRSV)

The lawyer replies to love God and love your neighbor.

And Jesus says, "'do this, and you will live.'"  Luke 10:28 (NRSV)

My question is: how can the lawyer ask Jesus about eternal life if eternal life only began after Jesus' death and resurrection?

It must be that either the Jews had a tradition of eternal life after death (he was a lawyer) or these words have been put into Jesus' mouth by the Gospel writer to make a point.

My personal belief is that eternal life is not exclusive to Jesus and his followers.

Jesus as much as says so in this passage.

Could it be that people have always been raised after death?

Could members of other faiths be in other mansions?  


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]


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Testimony.

Testimony was a very important part of early Christianity.
People who believed in Jesus would testify to the power of his name or the Holy Spirit.

Some modern Christians continue this practice.

In fact the Bible is a record of testimony about God.
The Old Testament is the record of the prophets' testimony about God.
The New Testament is the record of the Gospel writers' testimony about Jesus.

The very word Testament should give us a clue as to how we should interpret the Bible.

It is testimony and therefore human words, not the word of God.

This explains why the image of God evolves as the Bible progresses.

Each writer brings with him the prejudices and assumptions of his own time.

So do not treat the Bible as if it was dictated by God.

The Bible is a Testament - the testimony of man's experience of God.


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Unite!

Allies of the light

Unite!

Put aside

your differences

and join together

in delight!


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Love.

Light, Life, and Love.

These three come from God.

But most of all

Love.


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Translating the Light.

God is the Light.

I merely translate

what I see.


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