In the past I would not have described myself as a people person.
I may have called myself an intellectual, or an artist, or even a contemplative.
But the closer you get to God the closer you get to the people around you.
The love and the life which accompany the light of God lead directly to everyone around you.
God is profoundly personal.
He knows your inmost heart.
He knows the longings and the desires of your heart.
So now I would describe myself as a people person.
God has brought me closer to the people around me.
He has taken away my fear.
For now all are my brothers and sisters.
Friday, 23 August 2013
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Flames.
While we were watching television a video of a famous singing group appeared.
What was extraordinary about this live performance was that behind the four singers, who were all dressed in black, was a huge video screen on which was fire. Flames spread across the whole of the background.
This didn't appear to have anything to do with the song that the four men were singing. And it kept up through the whole performance.
These are the flames of hell.
Famous singers sell their souls to the devil and use their performances to spread his works.
This may seem incredible in 2012 but I assure you that this is what is happening.
Others may use images of the beast or 666 or death.....
Skulls, spiders, snakes etc. are also used.
All rock musicians are involved so don't be fooled by their image, which is like a mask of respectability, even goodness, that hides their intent.
They sell their souls for fame and fortune.
They poison and curse their fans.
It works like unconscious propaganda.
There is no Satan to reward them.
But the harm remains.
What was extraordinary about this live performance was that behind the four singers, who were all dressed in black, was a huge video screen on which was fire. Flames spread across the whole of the background.
This didn't appear to have anything to do with the song that the four men were singing. And it kept up through the whole performance.
These are the flames of hell.
Famous singers sell their souls to the devil and use their performances to spread his works.
This may seem incredible in 2012 but I assure you that this is what is happening.
Others may use images of the beast or 666 or death.....
Skulls, spiders, snakes etc. are also used.
All rock musicians are involved so don't be fooled by their image, which is like a mask of respectability, even goodness, that hides their intent.
They sell their souls for fame and fortune.
They poison and curse their fans.
It works like unconscious propaganda.
There is no Satan to reward them.
But the harm remains.
Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Hell.
Where did hell come from?
Before Jesus there was the afterlife which existed in the underworld - Hades and Sheol -a place of shades and spirits. But this is not hell - the place of unquenchable fire and eternal torment.
I am reliably told that hell derives from the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10 (NRSV)
The first mention of this lake of fire is slightly earlier:
"And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur." Revelation 19:20 (NRSV)
The Book of Revelation,which is the last book of the Bible, is an exaggeration of all the end times passages of the prophets.
The second of the above quotations (which is the first reference to the lake of fire) derives from the prophet Daniel:
"And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body given over to be burned with fire." Daniel 7:11 9NRSV)
As it is clear in Daniel that the beast is a "kingdom" Daniel 7:23 which is defeated in battle. The slaying of the beast is the last act of war - the killing of its leader. And his body is destroyed by fire.
This refers to the ancient practice of burning the bodies of the dead after battle, nothing more.
The writer of Revelation has transformed this passage into some sort of supernatural fire in the same way as he has exaggerated the other end times passages.
So hell does not exist.
We need not fear something which is clearly a misunderstanding.
And this misunderstanding has been responsible for much suffering - from threats of hell-fire to burning people at the stake.
The Bible is their justification.
But the Bible is in error.
There is no hell, 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. All rights reserved.]
Before Jesus there was the afterlife which existed in the underworld - Hades and Sheol -a place of shades and spirits. But this is not hell - the place of unquenchable fire and eternal torment.
I am reliably told that hell derives from the Book of Revelation in the Bible.
"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10 (NRSV)
The first mention of this lake of fire is slightly earlier:
"And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur." Revelation 19:20 (NRSV)
The Book of Revelation,which is the last book of the Bible, is an exaggeration of all the end times passages of the prophets.
The second of the above quotations (which is the first reference to the lake of fire) derives from the prophet Daniel:
"And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body given over to be burned with fire." Daniel 7:11 9NRSV)
As it is clear in Daniel that the beast is a "kingdom" Daniel 7:23 which is defeated in battle. The slaying of the beast is the last act of war - the killing of its leader. And his body is destroyed by fire.
This refers to the ancient practice of burning the bodies of the dead after battle, nothing more.
The writer of Revelation has transformed this passage into some sort of supernatural fire in the same way as he has exaggerated the other end times passages.
So hell does not exist.
We need not fear something which is clearly a misunderstanding.
And this misunderstanding has been responsible for much suffering - from threats of hell-fire to burning people at the stake.
The Bible is their justification.
But the Bible is in error.
There is no hell, 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. All rights reserved.]
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Harmony.
Our task is to bring the various factions of God's house into harmony.
"'In my Father's house there are many dwelling-places.'" John 14:2a (NRSV)
One will not win out over another.
One will not dominate the others.
This does not only refer to the various denominations of Christianity but to all the world's religions.
How can God's house stand if it is divided against itself?
The various religions are like the colors of the spectrum - they all derive from the white light of God. They do not clash but blend harmoniously one into another.
While any religion claims sole access to God His house will not be in harmony.
For they are excluding all others.
While one religion claims the supreme position of mother God's house will not be in harmony.
For they are dominating all others.
Each religion must be equal for harmony to be achieved.
This will require tolerance, goodwill, and flexibility.
Not the animosity and rigidity that comes from fear.
It will require us to get to the heart of our religion.
Not to remain hung up on the details.
Just as the interpretation of scripture requires us to find the inner meaning of each passage and not get hung up on the words.
Will we remain paddling in the shallows or will we return to the deep?
For it is only at the deeper level, when we have let go of the details of worship, that the world's religions will find harmony.
{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 my Father's house there are many dwelling-places.'" John 14:2a (NRSV)
One will not win out over another.
One will not dominate the others.
This does not only refer to the various denominations of Christianity but to all the world's religions.
How can God's house stand if it is divided against itself?
The various religions are like the colors of the spectrum - they all derive from the white light of God. They do not clash but blend harmoniously one into another.
While any religion claims sole access to God His house will not be in harmony.
For they are excluding all others.
While one religion claims the supreme position of mother God's house will not be in harmony.
For they are dominating all others.
Each religion must be equal for harmony to be achieved.
This will require tolerance, goodwill, and flexibility.
Not the animosity and rigidity that comes from fear.
It will require us to get to the heart of our religion.
Not to remain hung up on the details.
Just as the interpretation of scripture requires us to find the inner meaning of each passage and not get hung up on the words.
Will we remain paddling in the shallows or will we return to the deep?
For it is only at the deeper level, when we have let go of the details of worship, that the world's religions will find harmony.
{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, 19 August 2013
Naive Conversion.
I once spoke to a Pentecostal minister about her faith.
She said that early on she had experienced a naive conversion.
I understood what she meant.
A naive conversion is when you do what you know your superiors want you to do.
Thus you are the golden haired boy, the apple of their eye, the favorite, the proselyte.
Whilst you are merely doing what you intuitively understand your superiors want you to do you have no understanding of your faith.
You are merely a puppet or a robot repeating things by rote.
In most cases you will be obeying your superior's fears.
Their fear of God, their fear of Satan, their fear of socialism, their fear of poverty, their fear of being wrong, their fear of ostracism, their fear of women, their fear of gays and lesbians, their fear of liberalism, their fear of crime, their fear of human nature, their fear of sex, their fear of evil, their fear of hell.....
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whosoever fears has not reached perfection in love." 1 John 4:18 (NRSV)
So seek to understand and overcome your fears, even surpassing the fearful faith of your superiors.
Jesus said, "'For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 5:20 (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.]
She said that early on she had experienced a naive conversion.
I understood what she meant.
A naive conversion is when you do what you know your superiors want you to do.
Thus you are the golden haired boy, the apple of their eye, the favorite, the proselyte.
Whilst you are merely doing what you intuitively understand your superiors want you to do you have no understanding of your faith.
You are merely a puppet or a robot repeating things by rote.
In most cases you will be obeying your superior's fears.
Their fear of God, their fear of Satan, their fear of socialism, their fear of poverty, their fear of being wrong, their fear of ostracism, their fear of women, their fear of gays and lesbians, their fear of liberalism, their fear of crime, their fear of human nature, their fear of sex, their fear of evil, their fear of hell.....
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whosoever fears has not reached perfection in love." 1 John 4:18 (NRSV)
So seek to understand and overcome your fears, even surpassing the fearful faith of your superiors.
Jesus said, "'For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'" Matthew 5:20 (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.]
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Christmas and Easter.
I believe that Jesus had a normal birth.
I don't believe that Mary or Joseph knew he was to be the tutelary spirit of the Age of Pisces.
I don't believe that Jesus himself knew until his ministry began.
There may have been wise men who studied the stars and predicted the birth of such a spirit but it is unlikely that they were present shortly after his birth.
There is Biblical evidence for this belief:
"When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, 'He has gone out of his mind.'" Mark 3:21 (NRSV)
Why would Mary and Jesus' brothers and sisters try to restrain him if they knew he was the Messiah?
They would not believe that he had "'gone out of his mind.'"
They would have encouraged him.
So Mary and Jesus brothers and sisters could not have known that Jesus was the tutelary spirit of the age.
This throws a different light on the whole of Jesus' life.
He was not a perfect human being.
He was not God incarnate.
He was a normal human being who made contact with God.
And as such he became a teacher.
His death was not a ransom for the sins of the world.
It was a tragedy that saw the light leave the world.
For no one after Jesus had the same level of contact with God.
The crucifixion itself was triggered when Jesus became a threat to the established powers - the Pharisees and the occupying Roman forces.
It was not an act of God at all.
[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.]
I don't believe that Mary or Joseph knew he was to be the tutelary spirit of the Age of Pisces.
I don't believe that Jesus himself knew until his ministry began.
There may have been wise men who studied the stars and predicted the birth of such a spirit but it is unlikely that they were present shortly after his birth.
There is Biblical evidence for this belief:
"When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, 'He has gone out of his mind.'" Mark 3:21 (NRSV)
Why would Mary and Jesus' brothers and sisters try to restrain him if they knew he was the Messiah?
They would not believe that he had "'gone out of his mind.'"
They would have encouraged him.
So Mary and Jesus brothers and sisters could not have known that Jesus was the tutelary spirit of the age.
This throws a different light on the whole of Jesus' life.
He was not a perfect human being.
He was not God incarnate.
He was a normal human being who made contact with God.
And as such he became a teacher.
His death was not a ransom for the sins of the world.
It was a tragedy that saw the light leave the world.
For no one after Jesus had the same level of contact with God.
The crucifixion itself was triggered when Jesus became a threat to the established powers - the Pharisees and the occupying Roman forces.
It was not an act of God at all.
[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.]
Saturday, 17 August 2013
Be Reconciled.
Jesus said, "'there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine people who need no repentance.'" Like 15:7 (NRSV)
This is the love of God for his prodigal sons and daughters.
God does not abandon his wayward children.
He understands them.
He does not punish them.
He waits for them to change.
He treats them well.
In the hope that they will change.
So we wait.
Wait until they see.
See the goodness of God.
And be reconciled.
[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.]
This is the love of God for his prodigal sons and daughters.
God does not abandon his wayward children.
He understands them.
He does not punish them.
He waits for them to change.
He treats them well.
In the hope that they will change.
So we wait.
Wait until they see.
See the goodness of God.
And be reconciled.
[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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