Forgiveness.

                            

In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant  a slave who is forgiven a huge debt refuses to forgive another who is in debt to him.  (Matthew 18:23-35)

This is dealt with in Matthew's traditional way of harsh punishment.
This is a form of hyperbole used by the writer of Matthew and is not to be taken literally.

But the lesson remains - we should forgive others as we have been forgiven. 


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Pure Evil.

                            

In the 1980s when Satanic rock music emerged from its hiding place many people turned to evil in order to win.

13, 666, Friday the 13th, the Beast, black, hate, horror, demons, violence, and pure evil became household words.

We were faced with violence on one side and political persecution on the other.

This is when the Hippie Generation was deconstructed.

We were condemned and abused, intimidated and attacked.

Only to be reconstructed by our political enemies.

But this kind of victory - a victory by violence - is no victory at all.

The attitudes of the Hippie Generation before they were reconstructed, before they were betrayed by their rock stars, represents the closest attitudes to God.

Peace, love, non-violence, benevolence, and tolerance are the ways of God. 


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Authority.

                            

Where then is our authority?

If scripture alone - sola scriptura - is no longer our authority in spiritual matters where then is our authority?

In the 21st Century authority will come from personal experience.

No other source of authority is acceptable to people in our post-modern world.

People want to experience God directly not through some mediating agent.

This is why so many people have embraced Eastern religions and Yoga with their meditation practises and their promise of personal enlightenment.

Not that many have achieved enlightenment.
But it is personal experience they seek.

The Churches can no longer dictate to people what they should believe or even what they should do.

The only religion people will accept is one that leads to personal experience.

So the religion of the future will be a kind of mysticism with the promise of union with God.

We are seeing a surge in interest in mysticism in our world right now.  And this is the reason.

So rather than the old exoteric religion of rules and beliefs we should be concentrating our efforts on esoteric mystical practises and teachings.

There is a glimmer of hope.

And it is here that it resides.


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Goodwill.

                                   

Peace on earth, and goodwill to all.

With this blessing God broke into human history with the birth of Jesus, the light of the world.

And this is His Will - that there should be peace on earth and goodwill between all.

This is consistent with His word through the prophets and indeed through Jesus himself.

Let the discerning mind see.

No longer should we live in fear.

No longer should we make war.

No longer should we destroy the environment.

Peace on earth, and goodwill to all.


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Atheists.

                            

If you're young and gay the natural position is to say that you don't believe in a God that hates, punishes, and tortures people.

So they will say that they are atheists.

This is because atheism seems to be the more sensible position.

What they don't realize is that Satanists in our popular culture encourage this approach.

They deny God and preach sex.

Little did we know that they believe this ends in hell.

Some may even say that they want to go to hell.

This is our dilemma.

I don't believe that there is a hell.
Or a devil for that matter.

But they do.

Turn to God with a sincere heart.

God will wipe away our tears.

And surround us with His Love.


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Sin.

                            

I am loathe to use the word sin.

One translation of the Hebrew word for sin is to miss the mark.

The word sin is associated with bad behavior.

But there are reasons why people commit sins.
Mostly out of fear.

So, if there are reasons for our sins, are they really sins?

Are they not merely mistakes through which we learn?

Traditionally sin has been used to place human beings in debt in order to control their behavior.

This is an abuse of theology.

The emphasis should not be on our sins but on the forgiveness we have received from God.

May we forgive those who have sinned against us as we have been forgiven.


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Birth.

                                    

Whenever a child

is born

we experience joy

and hope and wonder.

For once again

Life

is born

into the world.



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Differences.

                            

There are differences between Progressive Christianity and Orthodox Christianity.

Most of these are to do with the supernatural aspects of Orthodox belief.

Original sin, Virgin Birth, Physical Resurrection, Nature Miracles etc. are put to one side by Progressive Christians as a concession to science.

Other differences relate to theology.
Progressive Christianity rejects the negative doctrines and concepts of Orthodoxy: Fall/Redemption, Substitutionary Atonement, Sin, Penitence, Judgement, Hell, End Times.

And replaces them with positive conceptions: Original Blessing, Universal Forgiveness,  Inclusiveness, Unconditional Love, Life after Death for Everyone.

Progressive Christians do not seek to start a new religion or even transform the old religion.

We seek to be allowed to hold alternative views within the existing Churches.

Time will tell if this is possible. 


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Michelangelo Angel.

From afar

you come,

eyes filled with love,

hand outstretched,

like some

Michelangelo angel!

Young and Gay.

                            

Young gay people think that because I worship God I must be a Fundamentalist.

This is because they associate all religion with Evangelical Fundamentalism.

The blame for this lies squarely with the media.

Whenever a dispute over gay rights arises the media present the opposing views of the Fundamentalist Churches.

The conciliatory views of Churches like the Uniting Church in Australia are never presented.

So young gay people think that God hates them.

And when I say that gay people go to Heaven they say they wouldn't want to if God's like that.

But God is not like that.

God loves gay people in the same way as He loves others.
He does not judge or punish us.  He does not damn us.

It is our job to reassure young people that God is a God of love and compassion not a harsh judgemental God.

I can state categorically from personal experience that it is not God who condemns gay people but the hard-right factions of His Churches who monopolize the media and intimidate their opponents.

These factions do not represent Jesus' views but the views of the Pharisees who killed Jesus.

So do not despair of God's Love.

It is my prayer that you will experience the Love that has delivered me.


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The Tenants.

                            

If you choose to join a Church you must realize that you will encounter the tenants.

The tenants are those who have been given the job of administering God's Churches.

But, as happens in the Biblical Parable of the Wicked Tenants, if you challenge them they may be unwilling to give up their authority and power - they may be reluctant to change.

They may even become threatening or violent.

So, if we are to bring with us the New Paradigm, we must be prepared to confront the tenants of the Churches.

My contention is that the reason they resist change and progress is fear.
Fear of losing control, fear of losing their position, fear of anything new or different.....

This is particularly the case in relation to the acceptance of pratising homosexuals in the Churches.

They cling to their homophobic past like leeches.
They dig in and refuse to change.

So be prepared.

You may experience psychic or spiritual violence if you persevere.

But know that this is not a sign of guilt but a sign of change.

A change for the better which the Churches are resisting.


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Restorative Justice.

                            

Restorative Justice differs from Retributive Justice in that Retributive Justice seeks to make the perpetrator pay while Restorative Justice seeks to restore both victim and perpetrator to health and society.

Thus Restorative Justice will involve mediation and rehabilitation rather than judgement and punishment.

God practises Restorative Justice.

In fact this is where we get our model for Restorative Justice.

Our loving Father seeks to restore our wholeness not to make us pay.

So any ideas of Penal Substitution are false.

God forgives us.

And restores us to health and society.


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Cooperation.

                            

Yoga teaches us to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts.

But this only applies where those thoughts are true.

If someone is manifesting negative behavior it may help to think positive thoughts about them but not to the point of denying their negativity.

Christianity teaches that the truth will set you free.

So, rather than vying for supremacy, Eastern and Western religions should learn to cooperate.

Evil forces will try to magnify the differences between us and create conflict, even war.

This can also take place on a personal level.

So any efforts to promote cooperation and peace are contributing to God's work in the world.


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The Will of Heaven.

                            

At first we identify the vicissitudes of life with the Will of Heaven.

And it is easy to ascribe these changes to rewards for good behavior and punishments for bad behavior.

But on closer inspection it is not at all certain that these relationships exist.

Often bad behavior will be rewarded and good behavior will result in suffering.

The Book of Job in the Bible was written to demonstrate this reality.

It now seems to me that most of our suffering is the result of the ignorant actions of human beings with free will, usually inspired by fear.

The suffering caused by natural disasters demonstrates the autonomic state of nature itself not the Will of God.

The Will of Heaven is wholly good and benevolent.

It is light without shadow, life without death, good without evil.

Heaven is transcendent, sublime, beautiful.

It is gentle, non-violent, peaceful, and happy.

But most of all it is Love.


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The Hearts of the Fathers.

                            

The fathers of our world are the corporate plutocrats, the captains of industry, the boards of directors, the C.E.O.s, the businessmen.....

It is their attitudes which shape our society.

But what of a father's love?

Contrary to popular opinion I believe that these fathers are full of fear.

Fear of poverty, fear of failure, fear of justice.....

So how can we bring about a change of heart?

If the bosses of our world could see their workers as sons and daughters instead of units of productivity we might have some hope.

I pray for that.


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Leonard the Lizard.

In the 1983 Woody Allen film Zelig a man constantly changes to become like the people around him.

This is a comic look at a phenomenon which affects us all.

After a time we begin to become like those around us.

This is human nature.

But it is also a trap.

When we join a church we can begin to absorb the theology and practices of the people in that church.

We can become insular, racist, and hypocritical.
But we can also become unselfish, charitable, and grateful.

We must be constantly vigilant.
We must maintain our true personality amid peer pressure.
We must reflect only that which is positive.

Otherwise the pigs develop faces of men.
And we are back where we started.


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Grandiloquent.

They come.

Parading in line.

The red carpet shines.

In glittering jewels.

Silk suits,

Gorgeous gowns.

Made-up like queens.

Fashionably dishevelled.

They condescend to speak.

They pose for the paparazzi.

But behind the mask,

Beneath the fine apparel,

Their grandiloquence is

Evil.


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The Spell.

                            

How could rock bands and superstars sell their souls and practise Satanism for fifty years and not be found out?

It is as if we are all under a spell.

Of course this is exactly what they think they are doing.

They think they are practising black magic.

But I would suggest that it works more like subconscious propaganda.

We have been betrayed.

So look more closely at what is being presented to you.

You may be surprised.


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Lament.

                            

We lament the state of our world:

The disparity between rich and poor.
The domination of corporations.
The corruption of politicians.
The control of the media.
The violence.
The war.

We lament the suffering:

The drugs.
The divorce.
The materialism.
The alienation.
The loneliness.
The abuse.

But what we don't realize is that there is a reason why we suffer these things.

There are evil forces at work in our world which actually create suffering.

We are led astray and deceived by rock musicians and stars who have turned to evil in order to boost their careers.

The subliminal web of evil created by rock music and dark entertainment drags us down.

We are poisoned and cursed.

But this is cleverly disguised - like whited sepulchres.

We should not just take them at face value.

They pose as divas and messiahs.

Even sports are affected by this evil.

So when you suffer look to what you listen to and watch.

You may just find the cause.


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Islam.

                            

It is encouraging to note that Rumi (b. 1207) - the founder of Sufism - and Baha'u'llah (b. 1817) - the founder of Baha'i - were born in Persia and followed Islam.

It would be difficult to find two more peace-loving, non-violent religious leaders in all of history.

Sufism emphasizes the Love of God and trust in God's benevolence.

Baha'i teaches that all humanity is One and all creatures are emanations of the Divine.

So any attempts to paint Islam as a violent religion are false.

Look at the beautiful flowers it has given birth to.


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Peace on Earth.

Peace on Earth

And goodwill to all.


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Peace.

Peace.


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Healthy Sex.

                            

Those who react to the Churches' repressive attitude towards sex may think that Satanism has a healthy attitude towards sex.

But this is not the case.

Satanism teaches that sex is bad, so bad in fact that you have to be punished.  It teaches spanking and domination.  It is sado-masochistic.  It teaches bondage and torture.  It is negative and dark.  It is hell.

These things are not healthy.
They are perversions of our sexuality.

A healthy attitude is that sex is the consummation of love.
We give pleasure to our partner as an expression of love.

Sex is not dirty or bad as Satanism might portray it.

Sex is love.

Sex is part of God's good creation.

We can give thanks for that.


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Smart Muscle.

Because he's built

does not mean he's a dummy.


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A Human Face.

                            

The mercy of God has a human face.

This is because God resides in the heart.

The heart mediates between the body and the mind.

The heart mediates between the ego and the spirit.

God does not reside in the rigid principles of righteousness.

God does not reside in extreme physical pleasures.

God resides in the heart.

His judgements are guided by Love.

This is why Jesus challenges the law.

This is why Jesus forgives.

The mercy of God has a human face.

Because God resides in the heart.


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Humanity.

                            

Religion should enhance our humanity.

It should not make us violent or hateful.

This is where we differ from the righteous.

The righteous worship a God who enforces good.

But who defines what is good?

Rigid moral principles do not define good or God.

God does not punish us.

God resides in the heart.

And His mercy has a human face.

So we should look to enhance our humanity.

And open our fearful hearts.


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Rain.

Muscle in the rain.


Photo Credit: Sohail Photography.

Dream.

One world.

No walls.

Clean air.

Clean waters.

Shared resources.

Equal value.

Equal rights.

Peace.


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Him.

He doesn't need to be smart.

But he needs to have a heart.


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Set-Up.

                            

What is it for which we are condemned?

Many Hippies are condemned by Eastern religions and by society for taking drugs and practising Yoga.

But who told them to take drugs and practise Yoga?

It was the rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

There was no drug problem before 1960.

Where did it come from?

From rock musicians.

They encouraged us to take drugs and practise Yoga.

This turned out to be a transgression of Eastern religions resulting in untold suffering and guilt.

It was an offence for which you could be damned.

But God does not punish us.

God will forgive.

Especially when we were set up.

It was  a set-up from the beginning.

"Once there was a way."  But not any more.
With these words they consigned us to hell.

But there is no hell in reality.

God will forgive us.
And offer us healing.

It is mankind that condemns.

Not God.


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Words.

                            

God.
Light. Man. Subdue. Dominion.
Flood. Ark. Covenant.
Stars. Sodom. Sacrifice.
Wrestle. 12.
Egypt. Plagues. Exodus. Sea.
Mountain. Stone. Commandment. Law.
Manna. Tabernacle. Milk. Honey.
War. Trumpet. Judge. Hair.
Satan. Suffering. Justified.
Prophet. King. Jerusalem.
Stripped. Harp. Psalm.
Temple. Wisdom. Savior. Exile.
Babylon. Lament.
Fish.
Virgin. Baby.
Baptism. Net. Messiah. Blessed. Miracle.
Pharisee. Plot.
Donkey. Hypocrite. Arrest. Thorns.
Crucifixion. King. Blood. Death.
Resurrection. Life. Ascension.
Flames. Tongues.
Blind. Christ. Flesh.
Plagues. Beast. 666. Armageddon.
Bride. Crystal. Lamb. Light.
Water. Life.
God.


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Love Without Limits.

                            

What stops us from loving others?

Only fear.

Fear of being hurt.  Fear of rejection.

But God will not reject us.

And it is when we realize this that we lose our fear.

And learn to love without limits.


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Red Roses.

My prayer

is that

the red rose

of my passion

meet with

the red heart

of your

compassion.


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Beautiful.

Blue eyes.                                                     Smiling.

Massive muscles.                                        Waiting.

Big heart.                                                      Giving.

Beautiful.                                                      Living.

Angel.                                                            Lover.


Photo Credit: Pinterest.

Mending Broken Hearts.

                              

Our experiences in the world lead us to a broken heart - a heart buried by fear.

But because our love is requited by God He actually mends our broken hearts.

God loves us in return.
And this repairs the damage done.

So that we can be agents of love in the world.

Love God and love your neighbor.

Then you will be safely home.


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