Holy Communion Or Eucharist Issues And Concerns

 

Holy Communion or Eucharist Issues and Concerns.

The question:

Is the Eucharist rite, as performed today, tailored towards serving the true “bread of life” claimed by Jesus as his body and blood? Or, has much meaning been lost to Church-lead liturgical rhetoric and multigenerational habitual acceptance?

 The rite of Holy Communion is a standard fare of Christian congregations world wide. As a child going to church with my parents it was difficult to understand just how participants believed or related to what was going on.  When attending the Eucharist and listening to the text involved, it seemed the focus revolved around a “sacrifice of blood and body shed for remission of the sins of the world”. The words,” Take, eat; this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And, “Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.“ would be droned forth as an expression of habit with seemingly little meaning or mystery ascribed to them. This was just something you did because your parents performed the act. There was little discussion of why the traditions were the way they were. As a matter of fact, questions of reason exposing faith assumptions were openly discouraged.  “Just having faith” itself was emphasized. Challenging ideas were often responded to as “not showing respect in God’s House”.

 So what was a seeker of truth to do? The outward form of the Eucharist, taken literally as rendered by liturgical verse, seemed, in itself, to symbolize some sort of bloodthirsty rite of cannibalism! Some Christian sects consecrated the wine and bread believing both were thus somehow magically changed or “transubstantiated” into the actual blood and fleshly body of Jesus. Other churches “blessed” the elements and, by their own self appointed authority, assumed they now had a “holy” God given potency to represent the biological body of Jesus.

 It was time to independently investigate Bible passages these rites are based on. It was time to see, in the context of the Gospels themselves, what Jesus might have hinted as to what he really meant when he said,” And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  Matthew 26:26-28

 What then, is the inner meaning of Jesus’ words? Why did Jesus emphasize the “eating of his body” when he knew full well the gut reactions generated in his audience by voicing such stark controversial symbolism?

 Church liturgies often use short simple excerpts from scripture in their services. The often used quote “Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.“ as taken by itself, could easily be literally interpreted as a physical body to be eaten as flesh and blood.  Yet, when taken in full context with other Biblical writers such as John 6:48 quoting Jesus as also saying,” I am that bread of life,”  and in John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”,  it is clear Jesus is revealing a truth easily missed in the standard communion service.

 Sometimes even one word in a phrase can represent a foundation for faith, even though, that same word is missing in other Gospels telling the same story. A good example is seen in scriptures of Matthew, Luke, Mark and Corinthians. In Matthew 26:28 we read,” For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

 Some believers claim that the word” remission” here refers to the “physical washing away of sins by the blood of Jesus”. But the other three versions of the same story use different words to describe the enlightened message or inner meaning alluded to here.  Mark, 14:24 “And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many,” Luke 22:17-19,” And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves… And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me,” and Corinthians 11:24-25,” And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”

  Upon examination the word” remission” (see above) is only found in Matthew’s account.  All renditions are somewhat different. The main consistent phrase is, “this is the blood of/in the new testament”.

 “Blood of the new testament, which is shed for many” may certainly refer to the suffering of Jesus for the sins of the world as he fulfilled the ancient Jewish Law. But if the word “blood” is read as a Hebrew term for “life;  “The life of the soul or the personality, of any being is in its blood.”  it also can be seen as a description of submitting his personal will to the Will of God, sacrificing his life “blood” enabling the giving of the  bread of life to many.  

 Jesus was seen, in his time, as breaking an ancient prohibition against drinking the blood of animals. He was very deliberatly and bluntly providing his Jewish audience with a choice; is your allegiance bound to ancient customs or will you open your heart and follow me?

 Yet through it all, the overriding message meant for the world at large; Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans and Pharisees; is the all important “born again” transformation experience; salvation through “Bread Of Life” awareness of the Word offered through his teaching.

 The word “broken” seen in Corinthians is often used in argument that Jesus suffered broken bones upon his death. Yet, none of the other accounts seem to support this claim. Instead words such as “divide it among yourselves”; “given for you” he broke it” etc. would seem to suggest the act of portioning out bread to guests at a table.

 Indeed, when all complete accounts are read, the evidence of wonderful symbolism invoking the need to adopt, “take in” or “eat” the “body” of the enlightened transforming awareness the Christ bestows into one’s personal life, actions, inner realization and soul is compelling.

 As the scriptures quoted and the studies in this treatise makes clear, it is not enough to pick a “favorite” word, verse or passage and adopt it as proof of some favored orthodox traditional  view or accepted rite practice. The ancient writers were recalling from their own memories the stories Jesus told. Therefore it stands to reason; each rendition will be a little different.  

 Thus the actual words Jesus uttered are lost in the sands of time. Thankfully, we do have many of the same events recorded by different authors. We must be careful however not to slip into the ideology of believing every word written by the many Bible writers are themselves revealed inerrant word by word accounts of what Jesus said.

 The best we can do or hope for, to  come closest to the meanings Jesus possibly had in mind,  is, through an attitude of prayerful open-minded search, to line up and compare similar stories as found in the Gospels and see how they back each other up while looking for their central meanings. (Then, of course, there are various translation and editing issues turning up as modern day scholars do thorough investigations on the subject.)

 When entering a church and listening to the dialogue perpetuated as the actual words of Jesus containing the complete meaning of the “Last Supper”; I ask” How can this be? It seems much of the rendition has been edited out to conform to the convenience and necessities of a ritualized Rite within the confines of a standardized structured church service.

I give you a sample of clergy advising clergy on matters of meaning within the Bible and majority thinking within a typical church congregation. The source is the Rev. Ken Collins’ Web Site at  http://www.kencollins.com/pray-32.htm

 “  Do not misquote Jesus.

Jesus said, “This is my body,” not “This represents my body,” or “This symbolizes my body.” You can lose credibility or even parishioners if they perceive you as creatively misquoting Jesus—even if they agree with your interpretive intent. For the purposes of a church rite, it doesn’t really matter what the meaning of “is” is. Save that discussion for Sunday School or the sermon.

  Do not say “this is my body, broken for you.”

That is a poorly attested variant reading of 1 Corinthians 11:24. The gospel writers go to a lot of trouble to assure us that Jesus’ bones were not broken. The Passover lamb, and thus also the Lamb of God, would be disqualified by any broken bones. I know a pastor who got a tongue-lashing from a biblically literate parishioner over this.

The word “broken” appears in the King James Version because it is in the Majority Text, which was compiled without proper textual-critical methods. The current speculation is that “broken” was inserted by a scribe who was thinking of the Eucharist. “This” could refer to the bread, not the body. Nevertheless, it’s best to avoid that wording, because most people interpret it as meaning that Jesus’ body was broken, which is not true.”

Question: Are not churches doing a real disservice to their congregations by fostering beliefs based, not on what Jesus meant and often made clear in his complete dissertations, but rather, on what the church itself has edited and placed in a different context within their own contrived methodologies and traditions? Perhaps we should leave the rites and rituals of a traditionalized worship service and focus on study, praise and worship of God. Let us honor the Word of God by perusing and comparing the complete texts, and with open mind and heart, be accepting of the possibility of greater perspective, wider insight and deeper appreciation, wisdom and love. Let us stop picking “favorite fragments” as a basis of faith.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus clearly and logically explains the allegorical relationship between the nourishment of God’s Word, which will never leave you in hunger or thirst, partaking of the bread and wine and the eating of his body. Although this Gospel does not contain the actual “Last Supper” story, it may well be prudent to examine what Jesus is recorded as saying for in his words lie greater understandings and meanings of what Jesus true intent may have been as he addressed those in the temple.

 John includes a very lucid explanation given by Jesus regarding the true inner spiritual meaning of the symbols of his body and the bread of life.

 The reasoning goes something like this:

 1. I (Jesus) decree I bring to you everlasting life. (article of faith assumption)

2. I (Jesus) decree I am that bread of life. (article of faith assumption)

3. Former generations ate grain based bread but are now dead.

4. But those who eat the bread I offer gain everlasting life, they will not die.

5. Therefore, since the results are different, the bread in each case is different.  One comes down from heaven and is “living”; the other is baked in an oven and is dead.

6. I myself am the living bread from heaven. (Another name for the bread of life.)

7. Thus the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

8. As this bread gives eternal life; to receive it, you must partake of my flesh and blood.

9. For he who eats and drinks of my body will have eternal life.

10. The Living Father sent me, and I live by the Father; so he who eats me lives by me.

 Both the logic and the required faith to accept the assumptions of truthfulness in this claim are unmistakable. No wonder many who heard this highly unusual teaching, offering mystic everlasting union through what they were deliberately led to perceive was a heinous act of cannibalism, left the premises in disgust. It seems Jesus was testing the understanding and faith of many. Jesus even said as they were leaving,” That no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father”.

 The Christ, the Word of God that has been from the beginning as dwelling in Jesus, is of eternal spirit. As it is spirit of enlightenment it stands to reason its gifts bestowed to mankind are also of the enlightened spirit.  The body referred to here is also of the non-corporal spirit. Thus, if you receive the Word into your heart; eat and ingest into your soul,  you are obtaining inner radiance and light; not blood and flesh. 

 It seems clear then that the rather misleading ancient rituals of Holy Communion requiring some form of transubstantiation or other means of identifying food items, as representing the physical body of Jesus of Nazareth, are not correct. The entire point is missed. The casual churchgoer, who takes  Holy Communion activities as representing the fleshly body of Jesus, are, in a sense, in nearly the same league as those who left the synagogue so long ago.

 Here are the complete unabridged words of Jesus as seen in John 6: 47-66 Read for yourself the full explanation and follow the logic inherent in this lesson by the Master. (The verses where Jesus presents this and the lesson involved are separated for easier study.)

 6:47- Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

 6:48 I am that bread of life.

 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

 6:52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

 6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

 6:59-66 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 

(King James Bible, John 6:47-66)

 

Here are three famous renditions of the “Last Supper” as told by Matthew, Mark and Luke.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

 (King James Bible, Matthew 26: 26-29)

 

And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

  (King James Bible, Mark 14: 18-26)

 

 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

            (King James Bible, Luke 22:14-20)

Corinthians is full of lessons and insight regarding the “Last Supper”.

 11:20-22: Mentions the eating of food when one is hungry which is not praiseworthy.

 11:24-27: is the “Last Supper” story.

 11:28-30: One must examine oneself to discern the Lord’s body. “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” In other words. The eyes of many are not open to discern the true meaning of the Lord’s body. They perform rites in blind acceptance without thought. True transformation and meaning has eluded them.

 11:31-32: For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” We must stand in unworthiness before God and God, in His mercy, will grant what will enable us to overcome the anxieties and tribulations of this world.

11:20-22: When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

 11:24-27: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

11:28-30: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

 11:31-32: For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

11:33-34 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

(King James Bible, 1 Corinthians 11:20-34)

 

Yet, in spite of the strong evidence presented in the Bible itself of the symbolic meaning of the body and blood of Jesus representing the “Bread of Life”; the various liturgical texts continually dwell on the “sacrifice of his body given for you”,  and “This is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.´ There is no mention of the “Bread of Life” in any form, nor are passages such as,” This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.” And “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,” rarely, if ever, heard in a Communion Service.

 To make this point, two examples of Eucharist Liturgy are given. The first is a Methodist Church service, the second is excerpted from a Catholic Mass.

Methodist Communion Liturgy

 On the night in which he gave himself up for us,
Our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread
gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, when the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
“Drink from this, all of you,
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

The original Catholic liturgy read as a central premise from which the Holy Eucharist is designed seems to vaguely acknowledge the reality, the symbolism of the body of Jesus as a metaphor for the Word of God but the central emphasis is on “our unworthiness in manifold sin” and Jesus’ blood and body given as a sacrifice to cleanse the sins of the world. Three Eucharist Masses are excerpted here.

Holy Eucharist I

“ disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given 
for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had
given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink ye all of this;
for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for
you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as oft as
ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me.”

…And we most humbly beseech thee, O merciful Father, to
hear us; and, of thy almighty goodness, vouchsafe to bless
and sanctify, with thy Word and Holy Spirit, these thy gifts
and creatures of bread and wine; that we, receiving them
according to thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ’s holy institution,
in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers
of his most blessed Body and Blood.

And we earnestly desire thy fatherly goodness mercifully to
accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; most
humbly beseeching thee to grant that, by the merits and
death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood,
we, and all thy whole Church, may obtain remission of our
sins, and all other benefits of his passion.

 Holy Eucharist I     335

And here we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be reasonable, holy, and living
sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee that we, and all
others who shall be partakers of this Holy Communion, may
worthily receive the most precious Body and Blood of thy Son
Jesus Christ, be filled with thy grace and heavenly benediction,
and made one body with him, that he may dwell in us, and
we in him.

And although we are unworthy, through our manifold sins,
to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee to accept 
this our bounden duty and service, not weighing our merits, 
but pardoning our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord;

By whom, and with whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
all honor and glory be unto thee, O Father Almighty, world
without end. AMEN.

336    Holy Eucharist

…. Grant us therefore,
gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ,
and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him,
and he in us. Amen.

The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee,
preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat
this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on
him in thy heart by faith, with thanksgiving.

The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee,
preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in
remembrance that Christ’s Blood was shed for thee, and be
thankful.

or with these words

The Body (Blood) of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in
everlasting life. [Amen.]

or with these words

The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]
The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]

Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily thank thee
for that thou dost feed us, in these holy mysteries, with the
spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of thy
Son our Savior Jesus Christ; and dost assure us thereby of
thy favor and goodness towards us; and that we are very
members incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, the
blessed company of all faithful people; and are also heirs,
through hope, of thy everlasting kingdom. And we humbly
beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist us with thy
grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowship, and do
all such good works as thou hast prepared for us to walk in;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with thee and the
Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end.
Amen.

The Bishop when present, or the Priest, gives the blessing

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep
your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of
God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be
amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

The Deacon, or the Celebrant, may dismiss the people with these words

                 Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
People         Thanks be to God.”

See the mother site at  http://onenessbecomesus.com 

 

 

 

 

Church Authority Judged By Its Fruits

Criteria Of Fruits: “By their fruits ye shall know them”.

A Response when asked if I have “accepted Jesus as my personal savior”?

 I am sure you are a most gracious loving soul; that indeed you have been transformed (reborn) by the love of God in your life through what you truly believe is a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” whom you proclaim as your “Lord and Savior”. I am happy for you to have found; through active prayer, study and meditation; your indwelling personal relationship with the Father ,  of doing that which we were all created for,” to recognize, know and to worship God”.

Certainly, many have found a “personal relationship with God” within the fabric of Christian pastoral guidance counsel, Baptism or Holy Communion. The issue “of fruits” is not whether it is possible for someone to be transformed within the context of a church fostered Christian belief and experience a true life changing event. To make that claim would be, in itself, putting a limit upon how God operates, of placing parameters upon the inscrutable Wisdom of the Almighty! Rather, the question of ” by its fruits” refers to the organized Church, how the institution of men is truly serving humanity as a whole, how its actions and history compare with the teachings of love and acceptance extolled by Jesus as applied in the world wide arena.

 Again, individuals may come to God within the confines of liturgical based awareness and thinking; rather, should I say: God, in his Mercy and Grace, may enlighten, through the living waters of the Holy Spirit, the soul of the seeker; allowing the chosen to partake of the elixir of astonishment; the soul enraptured beyond what mere words can convey; seeing true meaning far beyond that expressed within a mere church service!

However, notice a principle reiterated here of an “indwelling personal relationship with the Father” as “found through active prayer, study and meditation”.  Stated within the “Hidden Words” of the Baha’i Faith we read,” Love Me [God] that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.” This is an important consideration. The love of God can not enter and transform unless the heart is open to receive the blessing and the heart can not be opened unless it be cleansed from worldly afflictions. The big question is how much worldly affliction is brought about by social order, State…and the Church itself? In the Bible, Matthew in Chapter 7 warns, “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day,’ Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly,’ I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers”!”

  Clearly, without open minded searching one can never find the truth, be it of worldly matters or transforming rebirth in one’s inner self. Without independent investigation, one is left with creeds and dictates requiring assumptions of blind faith in ancestral beliefs and ancient practices preached as the only allowable symbolic representation or embodiment of a covenantal relationship between God and mankind. Of course accepting ordained authority figures, as truly “called by God” into service and thus gifted with divinely inspired Biblical understanding, is part of the scenario of this doctrine centered, creed based relationship with God.

Faith based on such assumptions provides, in itself, questionable nourishment for widening horizons, of fostering an ever deepening scope of continual development. No foundation is laid for extending the hand of true love and appreciation, recognizing validity in those worshipping God in different ways with different names. There is little inner wisdom or real “spiritual growth” involvement Not much “Bread of Life” has been ingested; Just habitual acceptance without question, direction borne of status quo rather than true fulfilling rebirth. The inner eye is not open to receive the light of truth from whatever source it may be found. It remains closed in slumber lulled in the sleep of tradition and satisfaction.

 How much of our perceptual belief is framed by “conditioned response” and “formulated anticipation”? Are we limited by “blinders”, not allowing us to freely see, hear or be aware of discoveries, observations or philosophies deemed outside authoritarian imposed proscribed criteria; not looking beyond the road ahead as set forth by organized salvation/membership strategies? Do we not end up confining the Almighty within a “box” walled in by human design and expectation; possibly confusing the very love of God we seek with doctrinally determined experiences; a planned entertaining good time to be had by all; a congregational euphoria; becoming obsessed with vain imaginings of our own dreams and desires; caught up in the veils, trapped within our own walls, residing in a phantom of fantasy; categorically denying all but what we are conditioned to accept as valid and true?

 In the Bible, in Matthew 7:7, we are encouraged to,” search and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened”. In Matthew 7:16 we read,” By their fruits ye shall know them, A good tree cannot bear bad fruit nor a bad tree bring forth good fruit”. Using these guidelines I have searched for the “good fruit” i.e.: bearing greater knowledge, understanding, appreciation, acceptance and unity; uniting hearts and souls in laying the foundation of an ever-advancing world civilization; battling the demons of ignorance and superstition while promoting the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in heaven.

Many Church-Christians cautioned me not to search, look or even question what was taught by authoritarian orthodox Christian teaching, that to do so was “tempting deception by Satan”; “you will be led astray”…etc. Well, I followed the advice of Matthew and looked, studied, prayed and searched. I attempted to cleanse myself of all forms of life-long social and doctrinal man-made “accepted” fashions and truths. I looked to science, astronomy, archeology, philosophy, anthropology, biology, art, music and, last but not least, read and meditated on the writings of other cultural faith traditions. In so doing, my inner appreciation and awareness of “the Beyond” was greatly enhanced.

 When looked at through the criteria of universal humanitarian needs of fellowship, understanding, love, inner and outer peace, unity, spirituality and Communion with God; while cutting through the decadent mire of man-made traditions, dogmas, interpretations, literal thinking and more; it became apparent the pearls of knowledge, as taught by all the great teachers of the past, have become clouded, altered or very misunderstood by authority figures; have been rearranged to suit short-term social goals; have been edited and re-prioritized by popularity and fashion.

 Friendships can be threatened, misunderstandings nurtured and understanding itself limited due to a misdirected misapplied church-fed fear of “being lead astray”. People often “parrot” back common clichés so often preached as street corner ministries proclaim,” Only in the name of Jesus can you be saved”. Only by the blood of Jesus…Jesus was a ransom sacrifice…your sins are paid for by His blood…only God knows what Hell is…you will be caste into the eternal lake of Fire!”. And so it goes on; the fear, narrow-minded thinking; shrinking back into a well of superstition, denying all but the Bible (itself Canonized by the church) as a resource of Truth and turning away from all that is preached as “Satanic delusion”…which is most everything outside of the Bible-only, Jesus-only paradigm.

 Thus when I look at their fruits, I see little in the church that attracts me. A short study will reveal organized church history is not a pleasant one. Great atrocities and torture have been done in the name of Jesus.

Yes, it is true. Many fine individuals can be found within the church gathered in fellowship and love nurtured within a common spiritually uplifting circle of faith. It is also true much wisdom can be learned from what may be presented in the sermons and studies of certain teachers and preachers. But overall; when viewed from the outside through the eye of world wide multicultural appreciation of art, science, literature, learning and historical perspective; I see Church orthodoxy as bearing the fruits of divisiveness, animosity, racism, misunderstanding, conquest of “soulless savages” as a divine right and even war.

Indeed, I do consider myself a Christian. I am a follower of the Christos, the Christ Spirit through which Jesus was anointed and instructed by God the words he was to say. Jesus gave us the Bread of Life; the same eternal truths seen in the Bhagavad-Gita, Quran, Zend-Avesta and other Holy revealed Writings. Jesus indeed gave his life; He submitted his will to the Will of his Father in Heaven. He lived the 1st Commandment which is to” Love the Lord thy God with all your heart and all your soul”. Jesus was a perfect Muslim, a perfect Buddha. The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God”. Buddha means “Enlightened one”.

As such, I find the truths, guidance and wisdom extolled by Jesus is not confined to only the church and to Christian held sources. The very concepts of “believer- non-believer, sinner-saved, Christian, non-Christian; any form of classification, stereotyping, prejudicial assumption, conjecture or judgment must be put aside. Instead let us look at humanity as the flowers of one garden; to appreciate different hues and styles of humanity world wide as one would view the myriad colors and shapes crafted together as designed by a master gardener; to be as waves of one sea, united in the ocean of God’s love.

“We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations — that all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that all bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease and differences of race be annulled — and so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away and the most great peace shall come. Is not this that which Christ foretold? Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind.” (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 10) Baha’i

I leave you with these words from the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita, “The Song Of God”.  “Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all sentient beings, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice and a predominant rise of irreligion–at that time I descend Myself. In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium”. Bhagavad-Gita Chap 4:6-8

And this: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets”. ((Matthew: 22:36-40 KJB.)

And again,”And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, [God] and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. [God] That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!  They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no God save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)! 32 Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse. 33 He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse”. Quran: Sura 9 “Repentence Islam

Study and peruse with an open mind and spirit the many distinguished books and verses of Divine Will and understanding bequeathed to us from the Source of the Word, that very Word John refers to when he says,”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not”. (King James Bible, John 1:1)

David

For more issues and interfaith studies see http://onenessbecomesus.com

 

“Plastic Christmas”

Hi. from David

In mid-September of “97″ a Christmas display in a local mega-store; complete with trees, lights, and toys; led me to rewrite the lyrics on a medley of popular Christmas songs with the thought of illustrating modern day Christmas themes.

The songs are

“JINGLE BELLS”, “DECK THE HALLS”, “WHITE CHRISTMAS”, and “JINGLE BELL ROCK”.

I call this work “Plastic Christmas” in reference to the plastic trees, toys, and; of course; the mighty Credit Card.Hope you enjoy reading it. I had a lot of fun writing it.

” PLASTIC CHRISTMAS “

 

David

Oct, 1997

 

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
how we love to laugh and sing as we play this Christmas day.
Oh, ring the bells, hear the bells, listen to them chime.
For it’s time to do what’s fine with a merry Christmas rhyme.

 

 

 

 

 

Dashing through the snow in our fancy Sunday best.
To the church we go laughing with our guests.
Sharing what we bring so all in joy take part, the spirit of this special time uplifting heavy hearts.

 

 

 

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
How we love to laugh and sing as we play this Christmas day.
Oh, ring the bells, hear the bells, listen to them chime.
For it’s time to do what’s fine with a merry Christmas rhyme.

 

 

 

BUT NOW; (as the Industrial Revolution has taken on a
“Commercial Evolution”) Christmas time has turned to…

 

Jingles here, jingles there, jingles everywhere.
Once again it’s time to get those commercials “on the air”.
Yes! Advertise, merchandise, make that sale tonight.
Get it priced to sell on sight, gotta make the season right.

 

Dashing through the snow with a credit card in hand.
To the stores we go charging all we can.
Watch those totals ring, bringing such delight,
with such a hustle-bustle it’s a merry Christmas sight.
Oh, Jingles here, jingles there, jingles everywhere.
Oh what fun it is to see those commercials “on the air”,
Yes! Advertise, merchandise, hang those Yuletide signs,
tis the time, the sales are fine, gotta make that profit line.

 

…Yet somehow…
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones of long ago
where the starlight glistens and children listen to hear much more than can be told.
I’m dreaming of a warm Christmas, a love and peace for all to see.
Is there something else we might need? something more than what this shopping brings.

 

Deck the halls with season’s greetings, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Don’t forget the scenes appealing, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Don the tree with gay apparel, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Set the mood and play those carols, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Come enjoy the tinseled trappings, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Celebrate with gifts and wrappings, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Watch the football game that’s playing, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Hear successful merchants saying, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.

 

For it’s…
Holiday, holiday, holiday hop, get in the car you’d better go shop.
Wrap Santa’s presents while kids are in school, better go get grandma too.
Pick-it-up, clean-it-up, swing with your mop, dance with the beat, don’t stop.
Need to start cooking for more than a few. Its the holidays, so busy you would say, “join in the Holiday Hop!”

 

…Yet surely…
I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, a yuletide spirit to behold,
where the warmest memories with cozy families delight in stories from the old.
I’m dreaming of a warm Christmas, a love and peace we long to see,
it’s a dream of how we can be, as we gather around the Christmas Tree.

For more the the case for world unity see http://onenessbecomesus.com.

 

 

 

 

Culture Shock: A personal experience

Culture Shock

I was asked to comment on my experiences with the drug culture in Stanton, KY.

This article in no way is meant to promote a negative stereotype of the Appalachian people or the culture of Eastern Kentucky. I am simply reporting my own experience and putting forth a “snap shot” of how the drug culture is destroying the real meaning of what traditional Appalachian is living all about.

The year 2000 not only marked the beginning of a new millennium but opened up a chapter in my life I never could have imagined. The saga began when, from the beginning, I was misguided as to where I should set up my new mobile home. I naively ended up in, according to the State Police, “one of the worst pockets of drug abuse in the state”.

Having just left Minnesota, I was totally unaware of the “drug culture”. I tended to assume the innate goodness in neighbors and individuals until proven otherwise. Even as my trailer was set up in the lot the neighbors were open and friendly. Little did I know what the real hidden motives would be behind this apparent “friendship”

As the first months went by it became obvious the culture, education and mind-set of these people was very different. I was not cautioned or prepared; after all, was I not in the middle of the United States? Was this not the beginning of the 21^st century? Had we not sent people to the moon and explored the stars? Did not people believe in the sciences, and good education? Was not ancient medievalist thinking in the past? As experiences began to unfold I began to wonder.

As for education; most of the people, including the youth, were high school drop outs. The parents did not discourage even their own high school aged children from dropping out saying,” you don’t need education, school education is not necessary, it won’t help you get any better job than you can get without it. School teaching could even lead you astray from Jesus,”

As the locals became aware I was not one of them and was brought up in a middle class well educated neighborhood far to the North, there seemed to be an element of suspicion but the open camaraderie continued. They began by asking if I would help the younger elementary children with school assignments. Soon this escalated to needing money to buy clothing and food for the children.

During this time I was invited to a Pentecostal church. The service was very different. There was “calling upon the Holy Spirit” to descend where members would stand, wave their hands while reaching upwards in chant. Later came a remarkable scene where people, coming up to the alter to be healed, would be gripped by the minister, told they were healed by the power of Jesus, and then pushed hard on the forehead causing them to fall backwards seemingly in a catatonic trance. People standing directly in back would catch them and lay the unconscious believer on the floor.

The hallmark of the end of the service was a marked increase in “speaking in tongues”. Although sporadic at first, it reached a crescendo. Soon more members were lying on the floor between the chairs. Shaking and/or speaking in tongues all the while seemingly unaware of the outside world.

Needless to say, my Midwest educated mind was not prepared for this. I truly was confused and uncomfortable with the whole situation. I wanted to leave but since I had driven my neighbors to the church I had to wait for them. At this point I began walking around the perimeter of the sanctuary and, while carefully stepping over people lying on the floor, proceeded to say my own prayers for guidance. Almost immediately the preacher hurriedly came up to me asking in a firm tone,” who are you praying to,” I answered,” God,” Then the minister asked,” are you praying to Jesus,” I replied simply,” I am praying to God,” At this the minister said,” in this church you can only pray in the name of Jesus,”.

It was soon after this surreal experience (where I had also been approached to be saved through “laying on of hands”) I learned that these people are so suspicious of anything new or different because it might be an attempt of a satanic spirit to mislead them. The preacher apparently thought I was conjuring up the devil!

As time went on the neighbors (who were continously asking favors from “Minnesota Man”) approached me to see if I would exorcize a demon from a wooden peace symbol that had a history of being used in Witchcraft Coven Ceremonials. They said,” We have been hearing voices and felt strange powers from this log. Our Pastor told us it was full of demons which had to be driven out. We know you don’t believe in this sort of thing so would you burn it? We are scared but we know you are our friend. Would you help us?” They gave me some kerosene, and, fearfully backing away, placing both arms as a shielding cross across their breasts.

All this time there was an inordinate amount of traffic coming in and out of the trailer park. Once, during a visit one of two friend’s speech began to slur. Within minutes she was unable to communicate and was flaccid and drooling. She had just taken a “Soma” Before she came. Soon a cop came by wondering if I had knowledge of or had seen a young man who had just died of a drug overdose. ,”Yes, I had seen him earlier today. He came to look at some chameleons I was selling,” The officer told me,” this was just a routine investigation. He was found dead in his trailer,” Then the officer stated,” You know, you don’t belong here.”

It was now clear to the drug dealers I knew what was going on. They offered to let me in on a deal if I would drive them to Beattyville, loan them $200 dollars for the Doctor’s fee (which was the cover charge for writing them prescriptions for drugs they would sell on the street). I of course, would have to pay the pharmacy bill as well in order to get a ten percent cut of the street sales profit. I could not believe what they were asking and backed away saying,” I want nothing to do with this”

The grand finale was yet to come.
About a year and a half after moving there I left to visit Minnesota. Upon my return, the homecoming scene was a horror. The trailer home was vandalized to the point of needing major repair, checks from a blank checkbook were embezzled and somehow, they had gotten my credit card number and charged a large total on the account through the internet.

The local Police were of little help. It seems, back in the year 2000; most of the Law Enforcement was corrupted by drugs, favors and nepotism. Threatening phone calls from people impersonating police officers and lawyers we common. So much else was going on I cannot recount them all. This writing could easily become a book! Suffice it to say a car given to me by my parents was rolled down a hill and totaled. My total losses added up to about $60,000 dollars.

One nice young officer came to my door saying,” We can tell you are not from here. We know what is going on with the drug dealings in the neighborhood and are gathering evidence to stop it. I strongly suggest you move out.” Indeed, it was time to leave.

My misadventure caused me major disillusion about humanity. Even as I write this nearly seven years later it is an emotional experience.

I went bankrupt, yet my overall faith in supreme goodness came to my aid. I see God as far larger than any single creed or doctrine. I am, thankfully, in comfortable housing and have met some true friends helping me to recover. This was a great lesson.

Thanks be to God, the Lord of all the worlds!

Feel free to visit “serving the case for world unity” http://onenessbecomesus.com and you will see where I am coming from.

 

 

 

 

 

A Dialogue With A Christian

A Dialogue With A Christian

An example of thinking from an Orthodox Christian point of view

This article is a compilation from E-mail correspondence between myself and the owner of a website devoted to spreading the news,”Jesus represents the only path to salvation for both individual souls and the world at large”.

Careful study of the Christian Orthodox responses is warranted.

1. Is this the only way to interpret the Bible?
2. Does this interpretation truly serve the cause of Jesus?
3. If so, how does this thinking reconcile itself with what is taught in “The Lord’s Prayer” where Jesus teaches us to pray to,” Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name,” -not to Jesus but to God?
4. Is this thinking symptomatic of a world condition of mistrust, conflict, terrorism, intolerance and inquisition; where Moslems, Christians, Hindus, sects within sects, etc. are professing the only path to true salvation; where God is on their side and not available to others.
5. In contrast, how does this thinking promote true reconciliation and lay the foundation for a much needed world peace with justice and equity between all nations, races and religions?

(The real name of the Christian in this e-mail correspondence has been changed to “Christian”.)

Hello David
Thanks for visiting the site.

Being good stewards of the earth is certainly a good thing, but not if it will lead to a one world religion where those not subscribing to it will be
persecuted and killed.

I am somewhat familiar with the Baha’i faith. I learned a bit of it from a co-worker many years ago and from this website:

http://www.watchman.org/profile/bahaipro.htm

Christian

Hi Christian:

Thanks for the e-mail. I did go to the link on the Baha’i Faith. Although much of it is accurate it seems they have gone to a lot of trouble to attack it. There are many passages where Baha’u'llah says “We were created noble in the image of God, that you will find Me (God) within yourself. The first commandment of Baha’u'llah, as in the Gospels, is to love God and seek a relationship with Him. Yet God is treated as a Being with human qualities. All Baha’u'llah is saying is “we can never truly grasp the divine Reality”.
Baha’i is not a faith that condemns all other faiths, Indeed Baha’u'llah teaches all major world faiths such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, etc. were inspired directly by God.
Christianity itself has a pretty grim history when it comes to domination by Inquisitions, Crusades and the like. Christian friends say to me “I need salvation”, We all need salvation by turning to God…whether God is called Vishnu, Gitchi-Manitou, Jehovah, Ahura-Mazda, Allah etc. we need to turn to, love and worship the personal creator of us all. It is only when any religion claims to be the only one that we have conflict.
David

Hello David,

I think that is the crux of the issue. Jesus in the Gospels says He is the only way to God. No one comes to the Father except by Him, not Him or Vishnu, Gitchi-Manitou, Jehovah, Ahura-Mazda, Allah, or whatever so-called god is in the world. This message brings conflict because many do not really desire the Truth, but prefer instead to follow the dictates of their own hearts and minds.

How can Baha’u'llah say all major faiths of the world were directly inspired by God when faiths such as Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam teach differing and opposing doctrines? It would seem that this statement by Baha’u'llah cannot be true, no matter how good it may sound on the surface.

If the Baha’i faith was able to become the one world religion, or at least become the religion of a particular country, would its adherents not also pressure, persecute and eventually kill those who refuse to convert? Too often in history religions will preach love and tolerance until it gains dominance. Then the message changes to convert or die. Islam and other religions have this history. Certainly the Crusades and the Inquisition were terrible events, but they came as a result of an abandonment of the teachings of Jesus in favor of power over people making use of religion. Jesus never taught His followers to kill or torture people to make converts for His kingdom. Also, it can be argued from history that the Crusades came about initially because Muslim raiders were continually attacking Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land.

If Jesus’ claim about being the only way to God and salvation is true, and there is plausible evidence to support this, then other so-called gods and faiths cannot save anyone who trusts in them. If there is only one bridge over a deep chasm to the other side, then no matter how sincere some may feel about taking an alternate way, it cannot save them. Only the bridge. Some pointing to the bridge as the only way to safety may be deemed divisive or intolerant by those prefering to take another way, but only those taking the bridge will make it to safety, while others taking alternate routes end up losing their lives in the chasm below.

So if anyone is to be saved by God and enter His heaven, it can only be through trusting in His Son Jesus alone. God has the right to establish the way to salvation. We as His creation cannot tell God that we would rather reject His gracious offer and seek our own way to heaven and expect entrance. We would not allow someone into our home unless they accepted our invitation to enter through the front door. Someone trying to sneak in by a back door or window would not be welcome.

Jesus taught in John 10:1-5,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

It seems that Baha’u'llah and founders of other world religions have sought to climb up some other way because they could not enter the sheepfold by the door. Why not follow the Jesus the Messiah? He is not a thief and a robber, but the Savior and True Shepherd who gives eternal life freely to all who trust in Him alone.

Please take a look at www.gospeloutreach.net/gospel.html and www.gospeloutreach.net/saved.html. These pages will provide a good summary of the Good News.

Christian

Hi Christian:
I have read the Gospels and find much evidence to support Jesus being a servant of God. He prayed to his Father in Heaven. Jesus also proclaimed “these words are not from me but from the One who sent me”. Many Christians are unaware of the Creed of Nicea composed by a committee of Bishops near 327 AD. At the time of Constantine there was much misunderstanding as to the true nature of Jesus and the Christ which anointed him. It is here that the deity of Jesus was made official. I have a website where different scriptures of different faiths are compared. The same universal truths of “love of God” and “the spiritual nature of man” and the need for the salvation of God are found in all major world faiths.

For a Biblical study of Jesus as deity or savior link to http://onenessbecomesus.com/JesusGod.pdf

For a broader scope on Christianity see http://onenessbecomesus.com/Christianity.pdf

Hi David,

But Jesus said in the Gospels, specifically John 14, that He is the only way to God the Father, not one of many ways. Salvation comes only through Jesus according to His own teachings in the Gospels. Any founder of another religion, whether it is Baha’u'llah or someone else, that says all major religions are inspired by God cannot be telling the truth since they teach differing and contradictory things about God and salvation. Also, the deity of Jesus is taught in the Gospels quite clearly, especially in the Gospel of John and the rest of the New Testament. The Council of Nicea only confirmed this teaching in light of the Arian heresy that had arisen at that time which falsely taught that Jesus was not deity, but a created being.

The only way into God’s heaven is through trusting alone in His Son Jesus according to the teachings of Jesus Himself. Either Jesus was a liar, a lunatic, or He was telling the truth. Other faiths that teach nice things about the love of God yet point to someone or something other than Jesus as the sole means for salvation cannot provide entrance into God’s heaven. We enter the heavenly gates His way or not at all according to Jesus. Neither Baha’u'llah nor faith in his teachings can save anyone. Only Jesus the risen Savior is able to save all who trust alone in Him.

Christian

Hi Christian:

Jesus does speak the Words of God but, at the same time he is not God. He was anointed by the Christos, Greek for Holy Spirit, Baha’is believe this Holy Spirit of Truth is the only way. This “Spirit of Truth” is what John refers to when he says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning,: NIV
The only way we can know God is through the Word through which God makes His Presence known to us. John 7:16 Jesus says,” My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth,”
There are many passages in the Bible where Jesus clearly shows he is not divine but is doing the will of his Father. To me, it is self evident Jesus is one of many lamps giving light to the world through the Word of God. I ask you; would God the Father `choose only one faith and creed as the doorway to salvation. What matters is your relationship to God, not what particular religion you adhere to.
These truths are seen in many different faith traditions. God’s love embraces all. I have felt the love of God many times in my life as have friends of different faiths.
David

Hello David,

Since Jesus does speak the words of God, a careful study of the Gospel of John even from the first chapter shows that He shares the same nature as His Father in heaven. Passages like John 1:1, 10:30-31, 20:28, and many others attest to this.

Since Jesus speaks the words of God, consider His words.

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)

“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)

Note that those refusing to believe or trust in Jesus have no eternal life and are under God’s wrath, walk in darkness rather than light, and lose out on the sole way to God the Father. Notice also that Jesus taught that He is THE light of the world, not one of many lights. He is THE way to God, not one of many ways.

These are the words of Jesus. No one who teaches or believes that there are many ways to God truly takes seriously what Jesus taught their claims notwithstanding. Such people may claim to say Jesus speaks the words of God, yet they negate them when they refuse Jesus’ own words and teachings on His exclusivity.

Why would God choose only one way to salvation? He is God and we are not. It is His sovereign right to establish the way to salvation. No one truly loves God while refusing to adhere to His terms, especially since He is not required to save anyone. So it may feel right to believe in many different ways to God, but it is clearly shown from the teachings of Jesus that such a belief is not only false, but cannot save anyone.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Christian

Hi Christian:
I hope I am not offending you. I would like us to be friends in God, the All-knowing, the All-Wise!
Orthodox Christianity assumes the “Son ” means the flesh and blood Jesus of Nazareth. My Faith teaches the “Son of God” is not of the physical but of the spirit. The spirit has no beginning or end but is eternal. If I read aloud passages from the Bible to an audience are they not hearing words of divine truth? Yet, it is not my words that are spoken. In like manner, when Jesus speaks with the authority of God the words he speaks are not his own but from God.
David

Hi David,

It is not me you should be concerned about offending. It would not be possible for us to be friends in God since you serve a different god form the God of the Bible. Actually, orthodox Christianity holds that “Son of God” attests to Jesus’ deity since He shares the same nature as His Father. This is based on Jesus’ own teaching about Himself that I shared with you before. So your denial of Jesus’ own teaching and the rest of the Bible make it impossible for us to be friends in God. We can be friends in a more general sense, however.

I do not say this to be offensive, but to tell you the truth.

Christian

David

(For me, I see the diversity of humanity as an essential element for the strength of the human ecosystem. All of humanity is nourished under a Universal, All-Knowing, Beneficient God. It is time to rise above the parochial thinking of Orthodox philosophy and come to the realization of the essential unity of Truth God is one, Mankind is one and religions have within their Sacred texts example of the same source of the Spirit of Truth. For more on the philosophy of intrinsic oneness and examples of how religions around the world teach the same eternal lessons go to http://onenessbecomesus.com

MTR coal mining is a serious matter in Appalachia. see http://speakingoutworld.com )