Thursday, 14 March 2013
Jonah.
The position of Jonah over the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel is most significant.
Firstly, it relates to the deep (the unconscious) which existed before the separation of light and darkness (the first panel of the ceiling).
Secondly, it represents the resurrection - three days in the whale and three days in the tomb - this is "'the sign of Jonah'" Luke 11:29b (NRSV) that Jesus spoke about.
Thirdly, the figure of Jonah leans heavily to the right as if casting a net. This recalls the story when Jesus says to cast the net on the right side of the boat and it is overwhelmed with fish.
Fourthly, the figure of Jonah looks upward towards the Separation of Light and Darkness. He looks directly at the light of God. This reflects his words, "'I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishment.'" Jonah 4:2b (NRSV)
Lastly, the last word in the story of Jonah is that God spares the city of Nineveh for pity citing many innocent people and animals (this echoes God's words about Sodom and Gomorrah).
So in effect God's mercy is over the Judgment.
[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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Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Love.
Life is about love.
The presence and absence of love.
All novels are about this.
Finding love, losing love.
Sex is the consummation of love.
All sex is looking for love.
Adulation is a pale facsimile of love.
Drugs are a substitute for love.
In life we learn how to give love.
To open our hearts to others.
This is the cause and the purpose of life.
To give love to whomever life places in our path.
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Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Things to Come.
What changes have come with Aquarius?
The main change is the social safety net (social welfare).
This empowers individuals in society.
Women rights and gay rights are other manifestations.
The drive for maternity leave and universal superannuation is another.
There will be more.
After Pluto's transit through Capricorn the power planet progresses into Aquarius from 2024 to 2042. During this 18 year period we will see revolutionary changes in society.
What might they be?
There may be an increase in shareholder activism.
Gay marriage will be sanctioned.
Aquarius represents the parliament and the state.
There may be legislation to force corporations to be more socially responsible.
There may be an increase in state ownership.
The attitude towards crime may change - becoming more rehabilitation-oriented rather than punishment-oriented.
The United Nations may become more important again.
Governments may become more aid-oriented.
Attitudes will change:
People will become more global-conscious.
Humanitarianism will thrive.
Environmentalism will increase.
We will see the end of the class system.
All these things are yet to come.
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Monday, 11 March 2013
Crystal Clear.
It's not black and white.
It's not winning.
God judges no one.
It's about the blossoming of the heart.
Tears, sympathy, understanding for those who do not conform to our idea of goodness.
It's about everyone.
All are brothers an sisters.
It's not about harsh penalties and tough punishments.
It's about forgiveness.
It's not about revenge and retribution.
It's about another chance.
It's not about naming and shaming.
It's about reconciliation.
It's not about justifying evil.
It's about transcending evil
Life is not God's rewards and punishments.
Life is what we do to each other.
Do to others what you would like them to do to you.
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Sunday, 10 March 2013
Throwing Rocks.
"Why? Why? Why?"
We are constantly being told (by the media) to blame God for serious crime.
But it is not God doing the crimes.
We do them to each other of our own free will.
We are constantly being told (by the media) to seek justice in the form of revenge.
"Lock them up and throw away the key."
"Make them suffer."
"Burn in hell for ever."
But Jesus says to forgive those who wrong us.
God does not punish sinners.
He loves them also.
This does not mean that He condones what they do.
But God does not hate sin.
He understands it.
This does not make evil O.K..
One definition of holiness is without evil or sin.
God transcends these worldly things.
The reason for suffering is sin.
The reason for sin is fear.
Fear will be forgiven.
The approach of punishing severely objective crime is totally opposed to God's ways.
Why would we be supposed to visit prisoners in jail if that was the case?
God's approach is more like the Chinese method of re-educating criminals - rehabilitation and re-absorption into society.
Jesus does this when he tells a man healed of an evil spirit to go and tell the Pharisees that he has been healed (made clean) and can thus be reconciled with society.
We are constantly encouraged to throw rocks at sinners, especially sex offenders.
This recalls the woman taken in adultery.
Jesus says, "'Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.'" John 8:7b (NRSV)
Afterwards he says, "'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?'" John 8:10 (NRSV)
Then, "'Neither do I condemn you.'" John 8:11b (NRSV)
It has often been pointed out that Jesus tells her not to sin again.
This is true.
It depends what you call sin.
Many of those opposed to homosexuality say that this applies to us.
That is to say that homosexuality is a sin.
I disagree.
Homosexuality is no more a sin than heterosexuality.
Some say that homosexuality is a demon.
It is not.
Those who oppose homosexuality are gripped by fear - fear of transgression, fear of hell.
Homosexuality is not the abominable sin that they think it is.
Homosexuality is love - love for someone of the same sex.
(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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Saturday, 9 March 2013
Sabotage.
Aquarius will support increased equality and humanitarianism. Globalization in the form of international brotherhood will develop. The internet will increasingly create the global village. We will increasingly be a family of humanity.
Any positive effects from this, however, will be sabotaged and perverted by Satanists in the rock music industry. They are already playing the role of saboteur and will push drugs, promiscuity, and insanity to the point where the effects of Aquarius will be virtually nullified , or even negative.
This has implications for God's plan for the world.
Any effort to eradicate poverty and institute social justice, even to create a more warm and friendly world, will be sabotaged to the point where it is negligible. In fact they may make it worse.
God will lose, and so will Aquarius.
This is compounded by the fact that the humanitarian movement is constantly being opposed by rich conservative forces who use their media outlets to propagandize against anything that will cost them money or challenge their power, social and political.
They use their media to shift public opinion and this influence combined with the black sabotage in music and entertainment means that little progress can be made, even though there is a clear majority of Aquarian souls.
Today we are seeing the Aquarian forces challenging the conservatives. There is some hope that they might win out. It is yet to be seen whether the war to win hearts and minds can be won.
The vitriol of the conservatives is caused by their fear of socialism and losing their privileges and excessive wealth and their hold on power.
But anything that the Rainbow Children may try to do will be sabotaged by Satanists disguised as saviors. Bad people will be encouraged and rewarded, good people will be led astray and ruined. It is their intention to get everyone into hell. And there is no one to stop them.
So we must make it known that rock musicians and sportspeople and entertainers worship the devil and practice black magic. People should not listen to them, follow them, or copy them.
Sex and drugs and rock and roll, selfishness, materialism, promiscuity, darkness, malice, lies, cowardice, money, celebrity, fame.....
All these things will be done to sabotage Aquarius.
God's house is almost empty.
Humanitarian work and charity are increasingly becoming secular concerns.
We are seeing the downfall of institutional religion.
Spirituality is increasingly becoming an individual concern.
But even if the Rainbow Children try to practice some sort of spirituality on an individual basis the web of evil will be too strong and nothing will work. I know this , I tried.
It was only when I joined a religious community and called on God in prayer that I was able to make any headway at all.
So group spirituality is important. It will not work on an individual basis.
Whether this is the Church or something new I do not know but group spirituality of some sort is vital.
But God does not favor an adversarial approach. He makes peace between warring factions. He wishes to unify His house.
So, instead of trying to win out against the conservative forces, we should be trying to make peace with them.
In the Church it is possible to talk about fear and have some sort of sympathy for them. But in society it is difficult to have sympathy for those who manipulate and bully us.
Fear motivates them.
Perhaps we can have sympathy for that.
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Friday, 8 March 2013
Heart of Flesh.
On earth there is also another way.
This is the way of the heart.
And it works through people.
God says, "I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26b (NRSV)
God removes the heart of stone - a heart that is hard and cold, a heart that cannot love.
And what is a heart of flesh?
It is a heart that loves people not things.
In the end it is not things which make us happy but the people in our lives.
"'"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are my family, you did it to me."'" Matthew 25:40 (NRSV)
All people are members of God's family and worthy of our love.
If you remember that you are heading home.
(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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