Institutional sin is The System.
The selfishness and corruption of the multinational corporations.
The heartlessness of the establishment.
The fear and guilt manipulation of the Churches.
Domination through fear and threat.
Victory through violence.
Financial inequality.
Business conventions.
Hypocrisy about sex.
Profit motive.
The System ensures the domination of the rich and the persecution of minorities.
The hippies challenged the System in the 1960s - stopping the Vietnam War and electing a Labor government.
But the System had its revenge. The Labor government was dismissed and the conservatives took us back to the fifties. Blaming everything on the hippies - their political opponents.
Now we see the predominance of fear and the language of violence.
But how do we challenge institutional sin - the injustice which has ossified into the System.
How much do we care?
Enough to do something?
Enough to challenge the powers?
Or will we just slip comfortably into a niche in the System (out of fear).
The only thing which has more power than the corporations is the government.
If we care enough to elect a government that will act then they will have a mandate to regulate the corporations.
Tax and welfare is a kind of enforced unselfishness.
The corporations don't like it but it is the law.
They use their media outlets to oppose this by changing public opinion and (they hope) the government.
When public opinion is separated from the will of the corporations (the rich) then we will see a change in the System.
A more compassionate, more just society may develop.
The corporations' profit motive is fear of losing money. Even if they have more than they need.
To bring about a change we will have to address this fear.
A fear which has been great enough to corrupt them completely.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Doves.
Through ideation we experience naive understandings.
Things which seem true at first but don't stand up in time.
This results in cynical reactions, resentment and disillusionment.
When we are young we assume that because we are more or less benevolent and honest that others are the same. It takes some time for us to realize that others can be quite different from ourselves. Their heredity and experience can make them quite different.
We must understand that others are not perfect.
They are only human.
Even if they are in positions of authority, including spiritual authority, over us.
Forgiveness helps the forgiver as well as the forgiven.
We are free of cynicism, resentment and disillusionment.
"'be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.'" Matthew 10:16b (NRSV)
Know the world and be like God.
In the end there is only one teacher and that is 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.)
Things which seem true at first but don't stand up in time.
This results in cynical reactions, resentment and disillusionment.
When we are young we assume that because we are more or less benevolent and honest that others are the same. It takes some time for us to realize that others can be quite different from ourselves. Their heredity and experience can make them quite different.
We must understand that others are not perfect.
They are only human.
Even if they are in positions of authority, including spiritual authority, over us.
Forgiveness helps the forgiver as well as the forgiven.
We are free of cynicism, resentment and disillusionment.
"'be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.'" Matthew 10:16b (NRSV)
Know the world and be like God.
In the end there is only one teacher and that is 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.)
Friday, 5 April 2013
Suffering.
Rather than developing ideas of evil, which owe much to dualism, we should look at the purpose behind what happens to us.
Perhaps it suits God's purpose (the development of the individual heart) to allow us to help those who suffer.
Suffering is caused by nature or by ignorant human actions.
God wishes us to help,which comes from the human heart.
In my experience my own suffering caused others close to me to develop in ways that they may not have developed otherwise.
This is why prayers may sometimes remain unanswered.
We pray for a cure or a release from suffering.
The love that inspires our prayers is the desired result.
The love that we show to the suffering is the development that God seeks.
This remains.
Would we ever develop compassion if we did not suffer?
The suffering of others tugs at our heartstrings.
It is this that life is about.
And that is why life is not just endless pleasure.
If it were we would be selfish and cruel, hardhearted and unsympathetic.
It is suffering that inspires our tears and melts our hearts.
Our love for others grows from this.
And that is the purpose of life.
Perhaps it suits God's purpose (the development of the individual heart) to allow us to help those who suffer.
Suffering is caused by nature or by ignorant human actions.
God wishes us to help,which comes from the human heart.
In my experience my own suffering caused others close to me to develop in ways that they may not have developed otherwise.
This is why prayers may sometimes remain unanswered.
We pray for a cure or a release from suffering.
The love that inspires our prayers is the desired result.
The love that we show to the suffering is the development that God seeks.
This remains.
Would we ever develop compassion if we did not suffer?
The suffering of others tugs at our heartstrings.
It is this that life is about.
And that is why life is not just endless pleasure.
If it were we would be selfish and cruel, hardhearted and unsympathetic.
It is suffering that inspires our tears and melts our hearts.
Our love for others grows from this.
And that is the purpose of life.
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Satanism.
What Satanism in our rock music and entertainment does is tell people to sin.
It tells people to take drugs, to be promiscuous, to lie, and to take the cowardly option.
The intention is to create death and damnation for the unsuspecting listener.
Fortunately God does not do these things.
So they are wasting their time from that point of view.
Unfortunately the sin remains as objective actions which cause great suffering for men and women.
They oppose anything God might do to alleviate our suffering, reversing it and making things worse.
What they do is lies, of course, but it is cleverly disguised lies.
They pose as good and lead people astray.
Think of the suffering caused by drugs and divorce.
They are people who have sold their souls to the devil and do evil in the world.
They call themselves dogs (gods backwards).
But there is no Satan in reality so it is built on sand.
There is no supernatural effect, only direct effects through the collective unconscious (backtracking etc.).
So it only half works.
Satan cannot reward them because he does not exist.
But the sin remains.
So I pray that they see their errors and cease from their malice and evil actions.
It is not supernatural.
In the end it works more like propaganda.
It tells people to take drugs, to be promiscuous, to lie, and to take the cowardly option.
The intention is to create death and damnation for the unsuspecting listener.
Fortunately God does not do these things.
So they are wasting their time from that point of view.
Unfortunately the sin remains as objective actions which cause great suffering for men and women.
They oppose anything God might do to alleviate our suffering, reversing it and making things worse.
What they do is lies, of course, but it is cleverly disguised lies.
They pose as good and lead people astray.
Think of the suffering caused by drugs and divorce.
They are people who have sold their souls to the devil and do evil in the world.
They call themselves dogs (gods backwards).
But there is no Satan in reality so it is built on sand.
There is no supernatural effect, only direct effects through the collective unconscious (backtracking etc.).
So it only half works.
Satan cannot reward them because he does not exist.
But the sin remains.
So I pray that they see their errors and cease from their malice and evil actions.
It is not supernatural.
In the end it works more like propaganda.
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
The Beatitudes.
"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 5:3-10 (NRSV)
I believe that in the Beatitudes Jesus is differentiating between the ways of the world and the ways of God in the coming kingdom.
When God comes these attributes will be recognized.
In the world they are persecuted as they persecuted "the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12b (NRSV)
The ways of the world are: power, status, fame, wealth, pleasure, ego, force and violence.
The ways of God are: love, compassion. forgiveness, charity, humility, gentleness, and peace.
Satanism covertly encourages the ways of the world.
Jesus teaches us the ways of God.
N.B. By practicing the qualities set out in the Beatitudes we bring about the coming of the kingdom on earth - Lorraine Parkinson.
(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.)
'Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.
'Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 5:3-10 (NRSV)
I believe that in the Beatitudes Jesus is differentiating between the ways of the world and the ways of God in the coming kingdom.
When God comes these attributes will be recognized.
In the world they are persecuted as they persecuted "the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:12b (NRSV)
The ways of the world are: power, status, fame, wealth, pleasure, ego, force and violence.
The ways of God are: love, compassion. forgiveness, charity, humility, gentleness, and peace.
Satanism covertly encourages the ways of the world.
Jesus teaches us the ways of God.
N.B. By practicing the qualities set out in the Beatitudes we bring about the coming of the kingdom on earth - Lorraine Parkinson.
(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.)
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
The Greatest Commandment.
If you look at the story of the Greatest Commandment in Matthew, Mark, and Luke you will see how that details of the three versions differ.
In Mark 12:28-34 a scribe asks Jesus, "'Which commandment is the first of all?'" and Jesus answers, "'.....love the Lord your God.....'" and then adds the second, "'.....love your neighbor.....'". The scribe then says that Jesus is right and reiterates the two sayings (from Deuteronomy and Leviticus). Then Jesus says to him, "'You are not far from the kingdom of God. '" (NRSV)
In Matthew 22:34-40 a Pharisee asks which commandment is the greatest. Jesus replies, "'.....love the Lord your God.....'" and adds that the second is like it, "'.....love your neighbor.....On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'" (NRSV)
In Luke 10:25-28 a lawyer asks, "'..... what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" Jesus asks him what is written in the law. The lawyer answers, "'.....love the Lord your God.....and your neighbor as yourself.'" Jesus says he is right and, "'do this and you will live.'" (NRSV)
It can clearly be seen that the identity of the questioner differs, who asks who differs, the ending differs, but the message is the same in all three versions: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Deuteronomy 6:5 (NRSV) and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18 (NRSV)
This should teach us not to get hung up on the details of the narratives and parables but to look for the inner meaning.
(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.)
In Mark 12:28-34 a scribe asks Jesus, "'Which commandment is the first of all?'" and Jesus answers, "'.....love the Lord your God.....'" and then adds the second, "'.....love your neighbor.....'". The scribe then says that Jesus is right and reiterates the two sayings (from Deuteronomy and Leviticus). Then Jesus says to him, "'You are not far from the kingdom of God. '" (NRSV)
In Matthew 22:34-40 a Pharisee asks which commandment is the greatest. Jesus replies, "'.....love the Lord your God.....'" and adds that the second is like it, "'.....love your neighbor.....On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.'" (NRSV)
In Luke 10:25-28 a lawyer asks, "'..... what must I do to inherit eternal life?'" Jesus asks him what is written in the law. The lawyer answers, "'.....love the Lord your God.....and your neighbor as yourself.'" Jesus says he is right and, "'do this and you will live.'" (NRSV)
It can clearly be seen that the identity of the questioner differs, who asks who differs, the ending differs, but the message is the same in all three versions: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." Deuteronomy 6:5 (NRSV) and "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" Leviticus 19:18 (NRSV)
This should teach us not to get hung up on the details of the narratives and parables but to look for the inner meaning.
(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.)
Monday, 1 April 2013
The Center.
God is at the center.
God hints, nudges, directs, relieves, corrects.....
The process, the idea, the event is guided by God.
The hand of God can be discerned in it.
A movement of the spirit.
A great leap forward.
A process of enlightenment.
The heart is at the center.
The opening of the heart.
The blossoming of the heart.
Giving Love.
The water of human kindness.
To everyone.
God hints, nudges, directs, relieves, corrects.....
The process, the idea, the event is guided by God.
The hand of God can be discerned in it.
A movement of the spirit.
A great leap forward.
A process of enlightenment.
The heart is at the center.
The opening of the heart.
The blossoming of the heart.
Giving Love.
The water of human kindness.
To everyone.
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