No Discrimination.

                            

God does not discriminate.

He loves gay and lesbian people the same as He loves heterosexual people.

He accepts us totally and equally.

He invites us to communion.

And binds us in His covenant.

We partake of His redeeming love.

And share in everlasting life.

We will enter Heaven when we die.

Of this there is no doubt.


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God's Will.

What is God's Will?

It is God's Will that we love one another.


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Nothing Works.

                            

Do you find that no matter how many self-help books you read or how many things you try nothing seems to work?

Your life is on hold.
We are manipulated and controlled.

Everyone complains.
But no one knows what's wrong.

Well there is an answer.

The rock music you are listening to and the T.V. and movies you are watching are sabotaging you.

Evil, darkness, violence, materialism, hate, fear, and dark fantasies.

All these things are poisoning your mind, sabotaging your aspirations, and cursing your quest.

And this is being done deliberately by malevolent forces in our popular culture.

Rock stars, movie stars, directors, T.V. producers, writers, sports men and women, and commentators - all have turned to Satanism for fame and fortune at our expense.

We are tempted, corrupted, cursed, and damned.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Most of this evil is hidden in the unconscious where it manipulates our thinking and behavior.

And that's why nothing works.

But there is a solution.

If we eliminate these things from our lives and turn to God through prayer and contemplation there is an answer.

God will deliver you from evil.

He will save your life and rescue your soul.

And then things will begin to work.


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Principles.

                                      

And what are these principles by which we are expected to act?

Mercy, forgiveness, compassion, honesty, truthfulness, charity, generosity, gratitude, altruism, humanitarianism, faith, hope, and love.

But most of all:

Love.


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Your Soul.

                            

When we meditate we observe our thoughts.
Therefore I am not my thoughts.

But what is my true self?

Carl Jung said that we hide our true selves from others.
This is because we are afraid of being hurt.
We are protecting our hearts.

So my true self is closer to my heart than my mind.

Many religions teach that our true self is a form of consciousness.
But I say that our true self, or our soul, is in our heart.

Love brings us into contact with our true selves, or our souls, which are in our hearts.

Love brings our true self to the surface where we can meet other souls.

Fear makes us hide our true selves.
We bury our souls and become separated from them.

Love integrates our personalities.
Love allows us to express our true personalities.

So do not be afraid.
Love others, even as you love yourself.


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Gay Theology.

                            

Most of the world's religions have traditionally represented God as male.

And the relationship between God's representatives on earth (His priests etc,), who were also traditionally male, and this God was symbolized as marriage.

To avoid the obvious homosexual connotations of this situation the Christian religion stated that the Church was feminine and was symbolized as a submissive wife.  The Indian yogis* also stated that all human sexual energy was feminine (shakti).

Rather than twisting my mind into a pretzel to avoid it I would suggest that the obvious solution to this problem is to admit that God accepts homosexuality.  Indeed all priests and yogis are in a same-sex marriage with God.

They assume the feminine sexual role rather than say that God is homosexual.

This, of course, is a ridiculous situation.

But it shows to what lengths men have gone to avoid homosexual connotations in the past.

The time has come to admit that God accepts gay relationships and indeed gay marriages.

It is much simpler than the traditional solutions.

Furthermore, all those feminists who insist that God is female (The Goddess) are in lesbian relationships with their deity.

This, of course, is just as ridiculous.

So there you have it.

Those who insist on the same-sex identity of God are all in homosexual relationships with their deity.

Examine your own claims and you will see that this is true.

Wouldn't it be simpler to say that God also engages in homosexual relations, even same-sex marriages?

If God is everything and everyone then He/She is also homosexual.  


*Yoga means union - i.e. union with God.

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Orthopraxy.

                            

We are not expected to just believe.

We are expected to act.

Religion is not just a set of mental principles to which we give lip service.

Religion is a way of life, a way of acting in the world.

"He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"  Micah 6:8 (NRSV)


[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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Trinities.

                              

The spirit of God - breath (nephesh) and wind (ruach) - is the spirit of Life.

This is the Holy Spirit of which Jesus speaks.

And it forms a Trinity with God (The Father) and Jesus (The Son).

But this is not the only pathway to God.

Hindus approach God through Krishna (Light).

Yoga says that God is Energy (Life).

Yet others say that God is Love.

All of these form Trinities with God and their agent.

We can approach God through any of these aspects.

All are valid paths to God.


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The Lord.

                            

"'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.'" Exodus 34:6,7a,b (NRSV)

This is the description of God given to Moses which is repeated throughout the Bible.

It is the description used by the priest Nehemiah, King David in the Psalms, the prophet Daniel, and the prophet Jonah.

It is repeated almost word for word.

What does this tell us about God?

This is certainly not a God waiting to punish us.
This is not a moral accountant.

This is a generous, forgiving, God of Love "'ready to relent from punishing.'"  Jonah  4:2e (NRSV)

Why is it this is not the standard description of God?

Why have we been told that God will judge us?

Why have we been told that we are condemned?

The answer is simple:

Fear.

Humankind is so fearful of an almighty God that our guilt and shame drive us to slander Him.

And yet God says, "Fear not."
Jesus says, "Fear not."

The way is the way of the heart.

It is not a way of rules and punishments

God will forgive us.

If we open our hearts..  


[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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Epiphany.

                            

"For there is still a vision for the appointed time."  Habakkuk 2:3a (NRSV)

That time is now!

"'For here the saying holds true, "One sows and another reaps."  I send you to reap that for which you did not labor.  Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.'"  John 4: 37,38 (NRSV)

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, 'Your God reigns.'" Isaiah 52:7 (NRSV)

We are blessed to be messengers of the good news from God that is manifesting now.

This is the epiphany that ushers in the Age of Aquarius.

We will enter into a brotherhood with all humanity.

And it will bind all life on this planet in an everlasting covenant with God.


[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 Darkest Hour.

                            

The darkest hour is upon the earth.

The media is saturated with sin and evil.

We are cursed and distracted.

We are oppressed and controlled.

Religion is dead.

Our culture is dark, materialistic, and hopeless.

Inequalities are extreme.

We are alienated and disturbed.


But the darkest hour is just before the dawn.


There is a flicker of light on the horizon.

God is manifesting through progressive religions and activism on the Internet.

A spark of enlightenment and justice and love.

Can the light overcome the darkness?

The light illumines both good and evil.

Will we see?

Will we realize?


Rock music poisons us.

Celebrities betray us.

Sports distract us.

Find your purpose.

Follow the light.

Pray, listen, see!

God will rescue you.


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Message.

                            

To those who have sold their souls to the devil and do his work in the world:

There is no devil in reality, only God's Love.

So you cannot sell your souls.

Your soul is part of God.

As for the works of Satan: you have invented them by reversing orthodox religious practices.

Satan cannot reward you.

As for fame and fortune and sex: these things come naturally to anyone who has talent and works hard - they are not dispensed by Satan.

There are many who have bargained with the devil and not received these things.

All your malice and sabotage is for nothing.

There is no devil, only God.

So turn to God and be forgiven.


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Disturbing the Peace.

                            

Rock music disturbs the mind.

The negativity, excitement, hedonism, and beat of rock music has created generations of disturbed youth.

And that's not counting the evil messages which are backtracked in the music.

Rock music stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain addicting you to pleasure and excitement.

It is like the drugs that rock musicians have pushed on the Hippies and subsequent generations.

But peace comes from God:

The silence of nature.
The serenity of sacred classical music.
The stillness of prayer.

All these things create peace of mind.

A peace that comes from God.


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Dialogue.

                            

The time has come for us to initiate dialogue between the warring factions.

Dialogue between dictators and freedom fighters.
Dialogue between religious fundamentalists and religious progressives.
Dialogue between social conservatives and social liberals.
Dialogue between Muslims and Christians.
Dialogue between Hindus and Buddhists.

The pendulum is swinging.

Unless we engage both camps the pendulum will swing to the other extreme and we will see equally violent reprisals.

The answer is not to crush any threat to our supremacy, which is what we are doing now, the answer is to listen to our enemies and acknowledge their concerns.

This does not necessarily mean giving in to all their demands.
Some of their concerns may be irrational fears with no basis in reality.

But other concerns may be legitimate complaints and criticisms.

It is not weakness to listen to our enemies.

In fact it shows strength of character and true security.

Conflict can only be resolved through dialogue.

And then we might know peace.


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A True Prophet.

                               

Jesus said, "'Then if anyone says to you, "Look!  Here is the Messiah!  or "There he is!" do not believe it.  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.'"  Matthew 24: 23,24 (NRSV)

How can we recognize a true prophet?

One who is close to God has an open, loving heart; personal integrity; and humble, simple ways.

He/She has a peace that is palpable.

His/Her life is characterized by joy, non-violence, and gentleness.

Egotistical, self-obsessed, social-climbing celebrities are best avoided.

It is unlikely they are close to God.


[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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Crucifixion.

                            

Why did Jesus lose his life?

Fear.

The Pharisees' fear of their losing position of spiritual leadership when Jesus criticized them.

The Romans' fear of an insurrection when Jesus was called King of the Jews.

How can we avoid this happening to Progressive Christianity today?

We must assure those in positions of spiritual and temporal authority that we are not out to depose them but to allay their fears and touch their hearts.

If we can convince them that they have nothing to fear from opening their hearts to God and to the people then the world may become a more compassionate and loving place.


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Suffering.

                            

To be gay today is to experience prejudice and persecution, hatred and discrimination.

Those who die of AIDS experience hatred and rejection as well as suffering and pain.

These things are caused by fear.
Fear of disease and death.
Fear of difference.

But it is all too easy to think that others do not suffer.

Everyone suffers.

Those who are captive to materialism suffer.

Those who are captive to hedonism suffer.

Because they are rich or popular does not mean they do not suffer.

But if you turn to God you will experience joy and peace which can be found nowhere else.

So turn to God and be healed.


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Gay Spirituality.

                            

The first relationship between God and Adam was a same-sex relationship.

And because God was Father/Mother and Adam was male/female (i.e. this was before Eve was created from part of Adam) it closely resembles a modern same-sex relationship - a young gay man will often seek an older man who is a kind of father figure.

So gay men can relate to God as The Father.

This is the image that Jesus gave to us of God - a loving Father.

Gay people also often create a family from their friends and lovers.
This relates to the spiritual idea that all people are our brothers and sisters.

If God is our Father then everyone is our brother or sister.

Although same-sex relationships do not of themselves create children modern technology and surrogacy can take the place of heterosexual sex and provide gay couples with children.

So gay couples are closer than ever to equal status with heterosexual couples.

The last hurdle to overcome is the Biblical injunctions which seem to condemn homosexual acts.

These passages have been dealt with extensively by many modern scholars and most people seem now to be convinced that the Bible does not explicitly ban gay relationships as they exist in the modern world.

So there is no impediment to gay people being accepted as full members of the Church - receiving communion and marrying as other do.

The Bible was written in a time when homosexual orientation was not understood as it is today.  So homosexual acts were thought of as a perversion of a heterosexual orientation and were therefore immoral. This is the basis of Biblical moral objections to same-sex acts and it is based on a false premise.

So, if we accept that gay people are born with a same-sex orientation, then there can be no further objections to gay membership and marriage in the modern Church.

Finally, gay people go through a long process of identity development and suffering caused by the prejudice and hatred of society.

This forces gay people to develop in a way that heterosexual people may not.

So gay people have an extra dimension to their personalities which heterosexual people may not have.  Gay people are often more compassionate and sure of who they are than others.  And this makes them better qualified to practise a mature spirituality.

Unfortunately many gay people have been rejected by the Churches and have in turn rejected the concept of God and religion altogether.

So we are crying out for  Gay Spirituality.

A spirituality which is accepting and celebrates our gay identities and relationships.

Perhaps the Age of Aquarius will provide us with this much needed covenant.  


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Hide and Seek.

                            

A prominent progressive theologian once said that sometimes searching for God was like a game of hide and seek.

I believe that there is a good reason for this.

We are shown glimpses of the Divine but then God seems to withdraw.

This is because God does not want us to leave everything to Him.

He shows us His Love and then withdraws in order to allow us to respond - to love in return.

And not just to love Him but to love those around us in the world as we have been taught.

Jesus said to love God and love our neighbor.
He did not say to receive love (from God or others) but to give love.

In my experience when you do this God returns.

So God's hope for us is that we learn to give love.

And love is its own reward.


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God's Business.

                            

If you are

a business man

pray to God

that His Love

may be expressed

through you.


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Your Business.

                            

Your business should be run like a family.

Your workers should be like your children.

Your employees should be like your brothers and sisters.

Your purpose should be to provide.

And your heart will be at peace.


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Beyond Cynicism.

                            

As we grow up in a corrupt and unjust world we develop a cynical attitude to everything around us.

But there is something beyond cynicism.

Jesus said to enter the Kingdom of God we must become again like a little child.

This is post-cynical innocence.

And it comes from contact with God.


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Deep Peace.

                             

What people experience in the silence and stillness of nature is a deep peace.

And it is this deep peace which they intuitively associate with God.

This is spirituality.

To hear nothing but the calls of the birds and the wind in the trees is to experience spirituality.

And to commune with God.

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After Modernism.

                                    

Modernism was a time of certainty - science knew everything, everything was enclosed within a Newtonian mindset, and progress was inevitable.

Post-Modernism is the time after Modernism when quantum physics and astronomy proved that Newtonianism was not universal, there were things that science did not know, and progress went backwards.

We are now moving forward from the closed mind of materialism to a mind which is more open to spiritual dimensions - mysticism is emerging in the world's religions and people are becoming active through the Internet.

We live in exciting times.

But it is important to remember what happened to the 60s generation - their idealism was perverted and betrayed by their rock legends until their youthful purity became selfish and sinful, corrupt and criminal.

Nothing much remains of 60s idealism.

And what they have handed down to the next generation will suffer the same fate unless we see what betrayed them.
   

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God's Will.

                           

"In the days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills.
People shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.'" Micah 4:12 (NRSV)

Many people seek to know the ways of God.

His ways are the ways of peace.
"They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."  Micah 4:3 (NRSV)

Many world leaders and powerful people have claimed to seek God's will.
But most will be surprised and saddened to learn that His ways are non-violent and merciful.  He is even-handed and gracious.

God's will for us is that we should love one another.


[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 Psychology of Satan.

                            

What Generation X have done is resort to Satan in order to win.

Satan justifies any use of violence - verbal, emotional, psychic, or spiritual - to beat your opponent.

Generation X were so jealous of the Baby-Boomer Generation that they were willing to corrupt themselves to beat them.

With the endorsement of Ronald Reagan and the neo-conservative political machine they succeeded in demonizing and intimidating a whole generation.

They then rationalized their behavior by obeying the powers of the world - the corporate plutocrats and C.E.O.s - so that they could claim goodness as the victors.

They then projected their evil onto their opponents.

To protect this dubious position they rely on the notion of moral relativism.

But to say that this is merely your opinion is not enough.

The light shows the absolute truth.

There is a truth which is not relative.

And that truth is that God is wholly good.
Satan and evil are not viable alternatives, even if you deny them and project them onto others.

And no amount of strength or force or violence can change that.

Eventually Generation X will have to face what they have done.
And that is to resort to evil and violence and Satan in order to win privileges and power for themselves.

And that is the absolute truth.


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Death.

                           

St. Paul wrote, "For the wages of sin is death."  Romans 6:23a (NRSV)

This is death to God and damnation.

Think Death Metal music which is overt Satanism in our popular culture.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Covert Satanism is rife in our music, movies, T.V., literature, and sports.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll equals death to God and damnation.

This is what we are being fed night and day.

We are living backwards in a perpetual dance of death.

But this death is not a real thing.
It is a concept - a negation.

There is no devil in reality.

Only God's 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.  ll rights reserved.]

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Beyond Dualistic Thinking.

"The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7 (NRSV)

God is the source of all life.

So if you think dualistically there must be death and a source of death.

This is the bane of religious thinking.

Death was thought to be the condition of men and women separated from God, a way of life not conforming to the commandments of God.

"For the wages of sin is death."  Romans 6:23a (NRSV)

And the source of death was thought to be the devil.

"the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil."  Hebrews 2:14b (NRSV)

But this is a false dichotomy.

Progressive Christianity invites us to think of God holistically, i.e. as an integrated whole.

Dualistic thinking is like the pre-school of religious thought.

But there is no devil in reality, no death, no hell.

Evil is a human concept.
It is the result of dualistic thinking.

Animals have no concept of evil.
Nature cannot be evil.

It is only humans who can choose evil as an alternative to good, which is God.

But God is transcendent - i.e. beyond sin and evil - which is not to say that God is a blending of the opposites.

God is light without shadow, life without death, love without hatred.

God is infinite and sublime - beyond our primitive dualistic thinking.

God is panentheistic and immanent.

God is One.

There is no other.


[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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