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*************"The lessons of the Christ were profound, yet much of what he taught has been over looked.
**** ** It is not so different from what the Buddha has taught or the Native American’s wisdom."
Linda McCord
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Feb. 18, 2005
In an effort to understand who we are and how the beliefs of Christianity apply to us in this day, we find ourselves seeking answers outside of the Church.
Questions are being asked regarding the validity of the Scriptures Christians have long accepted as fact. People are pondering the validity of the taboos and the demands upon them from their various Christian beliefs partly due to a new awareness in Spirituality and a new vocabulary being spoken regarding the spiritual aspect of human life.
The integration of energy movement and karma play an intricate structure in the awareness of life and the many beliefs carried through one’s life and experiences. Astrology and Numerology are accepted as energy influences in our daily lives since they are a part of the make-up of our world. Karma offers that we not only receive what we give, but that we can choose to undertake choice within karma.
When we compare our thinking process and awareness to the many generations before us, we not only notice marked differences, but marked similarities as well. The similarities are those beliefs carried through eons regarding the stories found in the Scriptures and the taboos offered through the Church. The differences arising is the questioning of those Scriptures, taboos and newly founded ideas that include energy movement, God’s identity, reincarnation, Universal Law and the idea that God exists within each and every life.
The Bible, then, is becoming subject to scrutiny. And, I ask, why not? When we consider when the Bible was put together and the fact that Scriptures were handed down word of mouth years before they were actually written, do we not have the right to question? The fact that most scriptures were written in the ancient and mystical languages of Greek and Hebrew and were numerical and exceedingly difficult to translate, gives us great pause to wonder. Then, too, we must take into consideration the great desire for power over the masses by the Spiritual leaders.
The Old Testament begins with a Creator and then shows us a dual existence that leads into a god of war who demands death and destruction from the people as well as total obedience. It isn’t until we get into the New Testament that we find a benevolent God of Love who offers choice and non-judgment until we reach the pages of Revelations.
Christianity was built on a bloody past that began in the beginning and after the Christ when the Christian movement came into being. All one needs do is read of the crusades and the Witch hunts to realize the desperate need for control over the masses. I am not saying that Christianity is a bad thing nor am I stating that anyone should abandon it. I am simply pointing out the history for those of you who question your right to question. It also does not imply that we discredit all that we believe in and the teachings we have held dear. It means simply opening the mind to explore deeper interpretations of our own beliefs and acknowledging our evolving intellect.
The lessons of the Christ were profound, yet much of what he taught has been over looked. It is not so different from what the Buddha has taught or the Native American’s wisdom. The Eastern philosophies incorporate the actions of Christ within their own practices, acknowledging the so called miracles that Jesus performed as simply a higher state of awareness. But, then, Jesus told us we would do greater works than he. I find it interesting that Christian Churches all over the world find the word, “psychic” to be a word of the devil and disclaim healers who work through energy and hands on.
While many Christians believe that Jesus was God incarnate, the new Spiritual awareness accepts that we are all a part of God and that God dwells within each of us...the Higher part of self and in that belief we have every right to examine the written word without fear of being shot down by lightening. God, the All That Is, in His/Her infinite wisdom gave us the ability to use our minds and the right to choose...to delve into the depths of Spirit and connect with the Higher Self to receive answers. Choice was given to us and there were no exceptions to choice.
The Spiritual Movement understands that individually, we are responsible for the choices we make and have no scapegoat, such as a devil, to blame for our misgivings or what might be perceived as poor choices. We have discovered there are no poor choices, but simply life experiences that eventually lead to a better understanding of who we are.
Spiritual awareness has shown us that we are indeed co-creators in life and that we are just as capable of creating evil manifest as we are love. We have learned that intended thought creates energy and when thought is spoken the energy becomes more powerful, effecting us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It is here, within this belief, that we begin to understand the depth of responsibility we have for who we are, how we act and react toward others and the self. No one can make us feel or do anything we do not give permission for...the devil didn’t make me do it. God will not “make” me a better person because I simply ask for it. I must create that difference and God will support my effort.
While Christianity offers a no nonsense view that Scriptures are accurate and the absolute word of God, Spirituality offers there is room for flaw and that it is time we accept and acknowledge the possibility of human error. Spirituality accepts the flow of energy from the Universe and of the Higher Power that dwells within each life, realizing that through human error, we learn and grow. Spirituality understands that all religions are right for those who find solace and redemption within their doctrines, yet holds that all religions are wrong in their opinions that they are the only way to salvation. Spirituality sees no pagan nor specific path, but understands that each person has the right to a personal relationship with God as they perceive that God. Afterall, if we are to believe that God is Everything and All That Is, we must then accept that God can present his/herself to us in any chosen form and structure. The open mind gives way to growth.
L.McCord