Re: The Mystery of Jesus

i meant SEE what he had to say.  god.  i better quit now, but i wanted to add take a look at the fatima prophecy article there too.  totally alien influenced (very likely--with all the bells and whistles alien style).  i originally thought that when i first read the original prophecies.  i truly have to say (HEY LYRA and all u guys that have been visited) it SURE does change A PERSON--it enlightens immediately.  being visited and wanting to get to the bottom of it at age 10? 12? can't remember exactly, led me to the study of UFO's, to/thru history, religion, always entailed metaphysics, which automatically led to the study of war, politics, exopolitics. money, freemasonry, oh god, on and on.  so many layers upon layers' even layers of lies upon lies.  it's so deceiving but the details are out there, truth being so subjective.  can't wait though for the "END"---will it be revealed then?  but that's another thread.  thx  zenden

GNOTHI SEAUTON "Know Thyself!"

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

i checked out that website and it is Boyd Rice.  i believe his friend/girlfriend is Tracy Twyman--they are Dagobert's Revenge.  really neat stuff there but nuthin new i don't think in the articles section since 2004.  they r prolific researchers on ancient history, grail lore, merovingian flavored everything--hence the name of their magazine/website.  they believe, after researching french mythos, history in the languedoc and other relevant regions of europe, that the british monarchy (see--it's ALL connected, i LOVE it) are not the REAL purveyors of the THRONE but are imposters.  when u read ancient history and study about Pepin The Short, about the priest castes, the ministers of ancient palaces and kingdoms (and this can be traced to Egyptian monarchies, in addition) u see how this and other similar levels of evil/liars/powerbrokers "took over" kingdoms, politically manipulated the throne(s) and took actual bloodline power away from the REAL heirs to kingdoms.  this ends with the british royal family of today and i can easily see how, as u will, how David Icke insists that the queen can shapeshift into reptilian forms, etc.  it IS RELATIVE to history, ancient blood-lines and i think it seques into who was genetically derived from who or what.  it just has to.  i think the whole thing about RULING Classes, KINGs, kingdoms, etc., all came from alien influenced worlds.  the whole IDEA about LOOKING UP for a king? Ruler?  master?  looking UP to the sky came from this as did human sacrifice, blood ritual, etc.  POOR Jesus, what a story, what a responsibility.  there is so much on him.  he is a key definitely to our/this part of the universe.  z

GNOTHI SEAUTON "Know Thyself!"

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Hey Jen!

Why was it that you went through so many different religions?  It was your parents' influence, I presume?  And, does Primitive Christianity have any connection to gnosticism?

Primitive Christianity was a subject that I sort of fell into when I was reading over books about the historical development of Christianity. It was during this study that I decided that a carreer in the ministry was not for me, as I found myself more comfortable on the academic side of religion. At this time, I had begun to doubt the whole idea about religion.

I was born into a family of preachers on my fathers' side of the family. However, my mother was raised Catholic, so us kids of course, went to the catholic school and church. I remember being amazed by the spectacle and smells and the latin spoken by the priests. It was so beautiful to me, and I never doubted that there was this other side of reality going on.

Then my parents divorced and my mother shuttled us kids from church to church. She was trying to find a place, it seemed to me, something to cling to in the midst of her suffering. By the time I got into high school, I began atttending my grandfather's church, where he had been the lead pastor for about 20 years. By the time I got into college, I had pretty much written the whole religion thing off, and then had an encounter with the "Light."

I wont go into it here, but it was the same sort of experience Paul went through on the road to Damascus. It completely spun my head around, and I was determined to find out why. Eventually I ran across a book entitled "Seth Speaks," during with there was an extended commentary about the Gnostics. It was a book that changed my life.

Zenden, you ask:

" what would u make of a planet (and i have upset alot of traditionalists with this) that has/uses a logo of a crucified man/suffering human on a cross, bleeding and IN PAIN, human or superhuman or NOT???? WTF?!  it epitomize4s SUFFERING, SLAVERY, USERY, LOOSH at it's greatest, it's the apex point of the planet.

I think you answered your own question. Jesus, according to the image of the crucified god, came down to earth to SUFFER WITH US. This surely explains why Christianity is popular in the Third World. People can identify with a suffering god. And after your suffering on earth is done, you get "Pie in the Sky." The Ressurection" would have been a more positive symbol, but I guess the Cross has better memes.

There will be two Ages. The first: The Age of Power. The next: The Age of Equality.

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

in response to kid mongo--the suffering quotient.  it's ridiculous, ludicrous.  even buddha and buddhists detest suffering.  suffering is not the way to sainthood.  martyrism--again not necessary for increased learning and enlightenment BUT it does lead u there, ppl that have suffered do gain enlightenment, eventually.  i also as akid went to different churches, was attempted to be raised caholic, saw the rituals at an early age, got kicked out of catechism classes after the nuns tried to put me there when i criticized the concepts of naming all the sins of man and the necessity they had for categorizing them.  they knew they had a trouble-maker with me.  it's all about ritual. it hypnotizes, that's the plan, the purpose.  as far as a planetary logo goes--it's about BLOOD and power, domination, CONTROL/KONTROL.  i saw thru it all as a kid, still do.  organized religion, the opiate of the masses.  i don't think he died for anybody, that's a political forced notion.  the message there is go against the power-brokers and YOU DIE--we kill you.  that's why it's an improper, mystical planetary logo.  who in the -uck would wanna visit a planet that projects that if ur peaceful, enlightened, advanced?  that's my point, that's why the visitors are here, in part--they instigated that, they are OF it.  that is why we have to rebel, always.  we have to lift the veil by imagining a different world, where that logo no longer represents.  "they" want ppl to identify.  it's all scare tactics.   i am sick of it and look forward to 4d-5d where that crap is unnecessary.  can't wait.  wait everyday.  wait and wait and wait.  i am here to see this facade destroyed.  oh well.  z

GNOTHI SEAUTON "Know Thyself!"

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zenden wrote:

they knew they had a trouble-maker with me.

I've heard others say this sort of sentiment before, but I doubt it's that they worried that you'd blow the whole scheme and wake other sheeple up.  It's more like going to a wedding, making fun of it because you don't believe in it, and, finally, an usher asks you to leave because others are genuinely interested in the ceremony.  It's up to yourself to create what something means to you personally, you have to meet other people halfway.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

nah.  they knew they needed to shut me up as they thought i needed INDOCTRINATION.  i couldn't be indoctrinated, brainwashed.  little kids there were already deep in it.  i agree, beautiful cermeonies, gorgeous surroundings, beautiful RITUALS.  beware of rituals, weddings included, i will even throw in funerals, and frickin holidays, for that matter.  they had their rituals, ceremonies to complete that day, i was just in the way,  they had no time for me, they shoved me off.  i loved it.  there was no way i was gonna "change" or enlighten anybody then.  i was merely a snag and had to be removed.  WRONGO though, it made me continue to SEE, KNOW, EVOLVE.  i didn't make fun of anything, i mertely requested explanation and logic, they didn't have time or energy for that.  obviously--i needed to get my mind "right"  as in that line from the movie Cool-Hand Luke..."the boy/girl has to get his MIND right , what we have here is a failure to communicate..."  hahaha, yeah, right.

GNOTHI SEAUTON "Know Thyself!"

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zenden wrote:

nah.  they knew they needed to shut me up as they thought i needed INDOCTRINATION.  i couldn't be indoctrinated, brainwashed.  little kids there were already deep in it.  i agree, beautiful cermeonies, gorgeous surroundings, beautiful RITUALS.  beware of rituals, weddings included, i will even throw in funerals, and frickin holidays, for that matter.  they had their rituals, ceremonies to complete that day, i was just in the way,  they had no time for me, they shoved me off.  i loved it.  there was no way i was gonna "change" or enlighten anybody then.  i was merely a snag and had to be removed.  WRONGO though, it made me continue to SEE, KNOW, EVOLVE.  i didn't make fun of anything, i mertely requested explanation and logic, they didn't have time or energy for that.  obviously--i needed to get my mind "right"  as in that line from the movie Cool-Hand Luke..."the boy/girl has to get his MIND right , what we have here is a failure to communicate..."  hahaha, yeah, right.

Yeah, but, you see, a lot of things discussed here don't bare under scrutiny.  It takes subtlety, intuition, thinking, a lot of things to arrive at the truth.  Metaphors, archetypes, these things are important, and don't hold up to what you would consider logic... unless you take the psychological reality into account.  In that case, perhaps religion has something to say.  And don't neglect the social implications, such as forming a community, the necessity to form common bonds and provide cohesion of people that have no reason to care for one another.  There's a lot more going on then mere logic in the sense that you're approaching it.  It does have a logic... and you might perhaps you may ask yourself if you haven't been indoctrinated to ignore the full picture, instead to only look at what's in front of you, approaching things with the mind that school and the media, organized society in general, has given you.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.

143 (edited by Jen 2005-11-23 01:18:35)

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Hi kid mongo, thanks for sharing your story of how you got into all those different religions.  Like you, I appreciated many aspects of the Catholic faith.  In some ways it is a very mystical religion--although I was never subjected to much dogma, which made it easier for me to appreciate those aspects. ( I can understand why zenden rebelled in Catholic school, but at the same time, I am really very grateful for my own experience there. )  And like you, by the time I was in college, I had dismissed religion as a fairy tale or "opium for the masses."  But, poetry was my religion, of sorts.  It seems that I was always drawn to the mystical side of ife, in one way or another.

Thanks too for sharing your spiritual awakening and discovery of Seth Speaks.  That book was life-changing for me as well.  At times while I was first  reading it I felt like I was tripping, or that the top of my head was coming off, it was so consciousness-expanding!

Re the crucifixion--I used to think the same as you, zenden, that this symbol was a control mechanism, spreading suffering by a kind of osmosis.  But now I don't think it's that cut and dried. As kid mongo says, Jesus came to earth to suffer with us--to fully experience the
trials of the material realm.  And this is what made the teaching of redemption all the more powerful.  From The Challenge of Fate by Thorwald Dethlefsen:  "Jesus was born into poverty in a stable, he associated with tax gatherers and prostitutes, endured injustice, torture and death, and descended into hell. Not until man has descended fully into darkness is he ready to begin the upward ascent...The crown of a tree can only spread and develop to the degree that the roots are extended. If it neglects its root growth in favor of the crown it will be toppled by the first gust of wind.  The upward thrust must always be anchored in the opposite pole. You cannot transmute darkness by not looking at it; you have to transmute it into light if you do not want to drag it behind as your shadow."  Dethlefsen goes on to speak of the "life-affirming nature of the original Christianity (primitive Christianity,
kid mongo?), "however much the Church later distorted this into its opposite. Herein lies the secret and strength of Christianity: to recognise the world and mankind as sinful and yet to affirm them in their sinfulness...The fall is the descent from unity into polarity. Man per se is sinful only when he exists as a polarized being. This is what is meant by the concept of original sin."

Another interesting take on the crucifixion is found in the Bartholomew channeling by Mary-Margaret Moore, where the words Jesus uttered on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" is interpreted not as Jesus instructing God on the importance of forgiveness (which is ridiculous on the face of it) but as a plea to us all who came to the earth plane after that moment:  "In your most extreme moments, your major obligation to yourself and to the whole mess of Life is to continue to manifest the love, beauty, power, and acceptance of your destiny as it is given to you...the path of the warrior
is to know every event comes to remind you of why you are here: To love to the best of your ability, to be as accepting of all parts of your life as you possibly can, and to remember there is a Power that exists, without question, and It runs your life.  If you depend on it as He did, you also will be carried Home."

Those are both positive and constructive ways of interpreting the crucifixion, I think.

144 (edited by Haven 2005-11-23 13:33:21)

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Take Adam and Eve, for example, to give us the feeling that we are all brothers and sisters.  Or the Fall, supposed to teach us to work towards God because we are in an ignorant state.  It is not logic, so much, that is being used, to teach these things.  Traditional logic gets in the way of wisdom.

Maybe the question to be asking is "why" instead of "how".  Why did God want the Israelites killing all their enemies?  Because it got rid of tainted influences.  Well, that's wrong of God, some say.  It depends on how it's looked at.  If the enemy really is doing the wrong thing, well, then it's only one generation of evil if we kill them, as opposed to generations of evil if we don't, as well as the risk that their evil will totally nullify the truth of the Israelites.  This isn't a question of God letting choice exists, because He does.  It's about consequences for your choices.  The enemy was living in evil, therefore this is how God punishes evil.  It's not that I condone this sort of thing, but the logic is there if you take the time.

Perhaps an even better question would be why is this evil, while another thing is good?  Why is it that enlightenment must be attained, or attained through only certain methods?  Why can't it be good, then, to be evil, and vice versa?  Couldn't we get the same results if God merely desired it so?  Couldn't God snap His fingers and we have all the wisdom we would need to fully appreciate good?  But perhaps that negates true choice, in that how can we make the choice without the question being posed as it currently is?  But, again, couldn't God merely desire it so, again, to make us fully aware?

These are the type of questions that I would expect to hear from somebody truly questioning and searching for enlightenment, instead of focusing on another's beliefs.  What is being accomplished by tearing another person down, of telling them that they are wrong, making them feel like they're inferior, questioning their logic instead of finding your own, etc?  I have a hard time believing it is enlightenment that has such anger and hatred, and even joy of the woes of an organized religion or of your own enlightenment compared to their ignorance.  When I see pride stemming from another's perceived ignorance, it always make me question the motives.  Who is to say you haven't gotten it wrong?  You believe in your truth, as much as they believe in theirs.  Logic doesn't make something true or not, because it's a lot deeper than that.

A big part of the Jesus story was that, yes, humanity is an ignorant bunch, but that doesn't make God love you any less, or not provide the means to get to Heaven.  You can be as wrong as you are, but, if your heart is in the right and good place, then there's a shot.  Hey, it may not be the truth, per se, but the message is still intact.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.

145 (edited by Jen 2005-11-24 13:20:10)

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Haven wrote:

Take Adam and Eve, for example, to give us the feeling that we are all brothers and sisters.  Or the Fall, supposed to teach us to work towards God because we are in an ignorant state.  It is not logic, so much, that is being used, to teach these things.  Traditional logic gets in the way of wisdom.

Yes...the Bible stories are myths, but they have their own reality, in fact Seth says that myths are vast psychic dramas, more truthful than facts.

Maybe the question to be asking is "why" instead of "how".  Why did God want the Israelites killing all their enemies?  Because it got rid of tainted influences.  Well, that's wrong of God, some say.  It depends on how it's looked at.  If the enemy really is doing the wrong thing, well, then it's only one generation of evil if we kill them, as opposed to generations of evil if we don't, as well as the risk that their evil will totally nullify the truth of the Israelites.  This isn't a question of God letting choice exists, because He does.  It's about consequences for your choices.  The enemy was living in evil, therefore this is how God punishes evil.  It's not that I condone this sort of thing, but the logic is there if you take the time.

I don't believe that God "wants" us to do this or that, or that there is any judgment at all involved.  If anything, we judge ourselves and decide, on a soul level, what needs balancing (as opposed to punishment).

Perhaps an even better question would be why is this evil, while another thing is good?  Why is it that enlightenment must be attained, or attained through only certain methods?  Why can't it be good, then, to be evil, and vice versa?  Couldn't we get the same results if God merely desired it so?  Couldn't God snap His fingers and we have all the wisdom we would need to fully appreciate good?  But perhaps that negates true choice, in that how can we make the choice without the question being posed as it currently is?  But, again, couldn't God merely desire it so, again, to make us fully aware?

God (or All That Is, which is one with our soul) is not particularly results-oriented.  It's all about the journey, not the destination. Or more precisely, it's about being fully present in our here and now experience.

These are the type of questions that I would expect to hear from somebody truly questioning and searching for enlightenment, instead of focusing on another's beliefs.  What is being accomplished by tearing another person down, of telling them that they are wrong, making them feel like they're inferior, questioning their logic instead of finding your own, etc?  I have a hard time believing it is enlightenment that has such anger and hatred, and even joy of the woes of an organized religion or of your own enlightenment compared to their ignorance.  When I see pride stemming from another's perceived ignorance, it always make me question the motives.  Who is to say you haven't gotten it wrong?  You believe in your truth, as much as they believe in theirs.  Logic doesn't make something true or not, because it's a lot deeper than that.

A big part of the Jesus story was that, yes, humanity is an ignorant bunch, but that doesn't make God love you any less, or not provide the means to get to Heaven.  You can be as wrong as you are, but, if your heart is in the right and good place, then there's a shot.  Hey, it may not be the truth, per se, but the message is still intact.

I'm all for everyone following the path that is right for them, and I agree that those who have turned away from religion can be every bit as
intolerant and  dogmatic as any religious fanatic.  I think orthodox religion serves a purpose, although I confess I see it as being pretty limited as far as encouraging genuine spiritual growth.  Jung said the problem with religion is that it keeps us from the true religious experience, or direct apprehension of the Divine:

Jung wrote:

That religious experiences exist no longer needs proof. But it will always remain doubtful whether what metaphysics and theology call God and the gods is the real ground of these experiences. The question is idle, actually, and answers itself by reason of the subjectively overwhelming numinosity of the experience. Anyone who has had it is seized by it and therefore not in a position to indulge in fruitless metaphysical or epistemological speculations. Absolute certainty brings its own evidence and has no need of anthropomorphic proofs.

-- (Carl Jung, The Undiscovered Self)

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Jen, I'm offering those things up not so much as that they are the TRUTH, but to ponder them as the truth they are presented as.  Why is it true in this context is the questions I'd ask.

I honestly don't think we can say what God wants or doesn't want, especially when a lot of people think differently.  We may say that is because they don't know any better, but we don't know that.  I have my biases, but that doesn't change the truth of the matter, unless solipsism is the truth.  Regardless, live as your heart tells you, but not against what others' hearts tell them.  Christianity advocates as much.  As Paul says, honor their customs so as not to make them stumble in their beliefs.  I think the unspoken thing is to do this if their heart is true in their dedication to their beliefs.  Do all things for the Lord, as he says, no matter what it is that you do.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.

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Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Well, as I said before, I have no beef with people following the path that they feel is right for them.  Many religions say or imply that their approach is the only right one, and I do have a problem with that.
In the last year, a childhood friend came back into my life, and I was delighted.  We had a couple of visits in which we went pretty deep into our thoughts and feelings about the past we'd shared, and I thought our friendship was going in a very positive direction.  The last time she was here, she spent the night in the guest room,  and the next morning,
she wanted us to read from the Book of Mormon together.  Since I'd never read that book before, I was up for it, and I quite enjoyed that sharing.  When she left, her last words were to give me the church's website location, and to ask if I'd like a copy of the Book of Mormon.  I said sure (perhaps a mistake on my part).  I never did check out the Mormon website, and I've only glanced through the Book of Mormon since it arrived.  I realized that she probably wanted to convert me; she'd stated firmly that she believed Mormonism was "the one true Church."  I wrote to her thusly:

Yes, I did get the Book of Mormon,  thank you so much.
I've been very distracted with my work, and
believe it or not, have not been reading books in general aside from material that in one way or
another deals with that.  So, when I got the book, I put it aside, intending to read it later.
I'm ashamed to say I just opened it now and found your lovely inscription.  My face is red.
I also read the part you noted,  Alma 32: 21-43.  A great exposition on faith.  I feel it can be applied
to many things other than religious faith. 

But, if I am to be honest (always the best policy, huh?) another reason I've been slow to get into
it is that I sense you are hoping to convert me to your religion.  Correct me if I'm wrong.
I know you do believe it's "the one true religion" as you told me, so it is logical that you would want
others, especially your friends, to follow it. 

The actuality is that I feel all religions have something to offer, that there is truth in all of them, including
Mormonism.   I also feel there is much that is NOT true in orthodox Christianity.  I didn't go into this
with you while you were here since our time was limited, and I also didn't want to get into an argument,
as we almost did about the war in Iraq :-)   A couple of the main tenets of Christianity that I don't believe in
are:  (1) that Jesus was above us and wanted us to deify him, and (2) that he died for our sins. 

So, I don't dismiss your religion,  and I can see, from spending time and talking to you, that it's
been a very positive thing in your life.  You are a very spiritually aware person.  However, I can't help wondering
how you would feel about me and our friendship if you discovered how differently we think on a number of subjects,
not just religion.  I guess this is the ultimate test of friendship and of relationships in general--can we accept and
even enjoy and learn from our differences?

That was last month, haven't heard back from her since.  So, as you can see, Haven, I am more than willing to allow others to have their beliefs.  But if mine are different from theirs, and they can't accept that (as is the case with many religious people, not just my friend)
it does not bode well for communication and friendship.   What can you do? sad

148 (edited by Haven 2005-11-25 12:27:29)

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

Hey, Jen.  I have no problem if you express your beliefs.  It's in the attacking of other's that I don't like, no matter the religion, really.  I wasn't implying that you advocate or do attack another's beliefs.   I also tend to express thoughts that I have no real belief in, like in my first post above, just to explore that type of reasoning.  Most people become confused by this, because they only talk about what they believe and assume that I must be doing this, also.  My second post is more about being on even ground.  I feel that it is a waste of time to attack the beliefs of somebody else and isn't really about enlightenment.  If, on the other hand, somebody is offering up alternative reasoning, instead of flat out denial or rude behavior, then that's different, in my eyes.  I, personally, when dealing with people that have no desire for truth or this type of spiritual involvement, or instead only searching for what makes them comfortable, adapt to them and meet them on their terms and seldom feel the need to express mine except in bits and pieces.  I'm not saying this way is the right way, only that there's wisdom in that sort of approach, as well as opening communication instead of closing it, as well as opening yourself to more enlightenment and a wider world view.  All in all, more productive.  After all, these people believe in what they believe in, and have their reasoning, no matter what we believe.  Whether it is the truth they speak of, we tend to miss the truth that this is what they believe, and it does no good to say that we are more enlightened when our wisdom has not gained us any sort of temperence in our attitudes towards others' beliefs.  Otherwise, if I criticize somebody's beliefs, it can make them cling onto it more fervently, or move them to be as critical of their former beliefs when they move on, creating a viscious and pointless cycle.

* When we start identifying wisdom with our ability to comprehend its form, what wisdom is that?
* Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
* People want platitudes, not progress.

149 (edited by Jen 2005-11-25 14:35:32)

Re: The Mystery of Jesus

This whole issue of allowing others to believe what they want, while holding firm to our own beliefs, without feeling the need to defend them, is a biggie.  We certainly see the struggle here at NR as well as between the orthodox religionists and the Gnostics/New Age/Pagans etc. 

Having said that, I think argument and conflict in general can be creative if we don't let our egos take over.  It's a fine line to walk, and we have to know when to stop...

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Just came upon this in my files, something I found at another forum:

Did you know that Jesus' last words on the cross were "Eli, Eli, Lama Asabachthani..."
And most translators have translated that as 'Father, why hast thou forsaken me?",
when the actual words are "Father, why have *I* forsaken you?"

Perhaps the message there is that when we are truly in tune with our
Godselves, we don't have to go through such torment as represented by the crucifixion. ..?

This whole Jesus thing is something of a maze, and an amaze cool