The Awakened Christian
CHALLENGE: I post this article, hoping it will create much discussion on Crossleft---pro or con! We need to air out all the cobwebs and assist Christians in learning to think for themselves ... to seek Truth on their own ... to discern Truth that feels intuitively right to them ... to know that my Truth may not be your Truth ... and that is okay!
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NOTE: For the purposes of this article, I use the term “Source of our being” to refer to the omnipresent energy of Divine Love in which we live and move and have our being—-the Ultimate Source of all creation.
I use the term “Awakened Christian” to mean the one who follows Jesus as A Wayshower on the pathway to individual ascension. Jesus, as a Wayshower, reveals the way; He cannot walk the path for us. The awakened Christian recognizes this fact and strives to tread his/her own pathway to ascension. See the article entitled “Ascension” and the 16 Lessons on the Book of Job on www.pathwaytoascension.com.
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For seventeen hundred years, the Christian religion has abided by a set of doctrines created by men dedicated to standardizing the acceptable beliefs concerning the nature of the Source of our being and of Jesus. The resulting codified religion leaves little or no room for Christians to seek Truth on their own. Reprimands, accusations of heresy, excommunication, and loss of job, family, and/or friends hover in the shadows ready to pounce on anyone daring to explore our magnificent world by going outside the traditional Christian doctrines. Fear stifles our innate curiosity to learn more about the Source of our being and where we, as humans, fit into the divine scheme of cosmic life.
Christians are taught to read the Bible as the Word of God and to interpret it in accordance with the codified church doctrines. A literal interpretation of the Scriptures results in a multitude of horrifying teachings concerning the nature of our Source and of human beings. Little do we realize that our concept of God and ourselves forms the philosophical foundation for our relationship to each other and to our planet. We have created a God in our own misguided image of self and it is not a pretty sight. This God is a warrior who fights on one side or the other, is bloodthirsty and without compassion when it comes to killing the enemy including women and children. We have created a God who is far less than the average human being. This God is unforgiving and plans eternal punishment for those who do not abide by the accepted doctrines of the Christian cult (a cult is defined as a system of beliefs to which its adherents cling out of fear and for a sense of security and assurance about the future life). Human beings created a God separate from self, a God to whom we pray and can only hope He hears. If He does hear, we never know how He will respond. We do not know the meaning of the Apostle Paul’s statement to the Greeks in Athens: “In him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)
The writer of I John reveals our Source of being: “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them…. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.” (I John 4:16, 18-19, 21)
These few verses of Scripture are the building blocks on which the Awakened Christian acquires Truth. We are to know the Truth: We live and move and have our being within the energy of Divine Love—the Source of our being. Neither exceptions nor middle ground are permitted when the Awakened Christian lives in love. Anything contrary to Love is not Truth. Fear is not possible when we live and move and have our being within the energy of Divine Love. Punishment is not of Love. Punishment must be distinguished from discipline in that the art of self-discipline is required in order to evolve spiritually. Discipline is written into the universal law “we reap what we sow.” (Galatians 6:7) A God of Love cannot and will not punish. God as Love allows us to develop the very advanced art of self-discipline by harvesting whatever type seeds we have planted and learning the lessons involved by means of the reaping process.
With Divine Love as the foundation, the awakened Christian is set free of the chains of orthodoxy to explore Universal Truth. Gone is the fear that we might lose our faith if this or that is true; or, if I ask too many questions. Evaporated is the fear that God will sentence us to eternal punishment if we do not hold fast to church doctrines and to the literal interpretation of the Scriptures. The awakened Christian is no longer imprisoned by false teachings. Gone is the necessity to cling to the belief that Jesus’ crucifixion was the blood sacrifice God required in order to forgive humanity for its sins (mistakes). God is not impacted by our behavior, thus has nothing to forgive. The mistakes we make are a part of our own growth process—we reap what we sow. We do so while living and moving and having our being within the love energy of God. There is neither judgment nor sentencing. Our Source of being simply awaits our awakening.
The awakened Christian recognizes that All of Creation lives and moves and has its meaning within the love energy of Source. Humanity is the microcosm of the macrocosm. The ingredients that make up our physical bodies are the same substances contained in all of creation. All is energy. All of creation sings to the sound of mathematics. Music is mathematics. There is no field of study that can be outside of omnipresent Source. Humanity can choose to misuse universal Truth; however, misuse does not mean Truth itself is outside of the loving energy of Source permeating All of Creation.
The awakened Christian is aware that all attempts to categorize facets of creation as off-limits are operating outside of Truth. Example: In the late 15th century, the church condemned the study of astrology. In Truth, God created the stars, planets, and the qualitative influences they have upon human beings and the entire universe. Thus, the church condemned the study of a portion of God’s meaningful creation. As a result, orthodox Christians avoid the science of astrology and deprive themselves of the tremendous personal knowledge and guidance to be found therein. The configuration of stars on any given day of birth broadcasts the soul purpose and lessons to be learned for the souls reincarnating on that day. In truth, birthdays are celebrated as opportunities to re-affirm the soul’s intent for the coming year. (See Sun Signs on www.pathwaytoascension.com as an example of soul-centered astrology.)
Soul-centered astrology is not the only avenue the universe offers in the form of extremely individualized guidance. The awakened Christian is familiar with the reason importance is placed on the names of the biblical characters. Names possess a numerical value that also proclaims our soul’s purpose for this incarnation. Our names depict who we are and were intuitively given to us by our parents. (See Your Destiny Number on www.pathwaytoascension.com to determine the meaning of your name.) The lines on the palm of our hands also reveal our potential personal story. Our handwriting shares the qualities of our personality with those who study it. Within the universe, we are an open, energetic book of life. We are known for who we really are—an indispensable part of the divine plan for the whole of creation.
The planet on which we live is one of untold millions of inhabited planets throughout the cosmos. An awakened Christian is aware that all of creation is living and evolving—including the stars, planets, animals, rocks, and plants. Life never ends and is everywhere. No part of divine creation is non-essential; all of it is woven together to build the meaningful whole. Earth and the other planets are not simply round balls on which intelligent beings live; instead, they too are a form of intelligent being. There is a reason we call our planet Mother Earth, or Gaia. She is a living, intelligent, evolving spiritual being. As such, she has graciously consented to allow Earth humans to evolve along with her. All of creation is evolving into higher and higher planes of existence.
Our Milky Way galaxy is one of many galaxies teeming with intelligent life and possessing technology so advanced as to render earthly technology infantile. A vast variety of beings exist within our galaxy—some appear very similar to Earth humans, others, very different. The awakened Christian is open to accepting our galactic family and working with them to restore Earth to its pristine purity and beauty. The Galactic Federation of Light will appear in visible form in the very near future. Our galactic brothers and sisters come in love to assist us in preparing Earth and ourselves for ascension into the 5th dimension of consciousness.
No negativity may enter the 5th dimension; therefore, the awakened Christian accepts the divine call to purification. We acknowledge the fact that Earth has heretofore been our classroom; that we incarnated to learn lessons in soul growth. For this reason, we are all prone to make mistakes, some of which have been hurtful to others. As we achieve full consciousness of our eternal lifestream, we understand the reasons “why” for all of our difficulties and pain—they are the ways by which we learn. (See the 16 Lessons on the Book of Job noted above.) With that understanding comes the knowledge that there is nothing to forgive, nothing about which to hold resentment. Just as Source has nothing to forgive in relationship to us, we have nothing to forgive concerning others. Once we understand the reasons “why,” we would not dream of punishing for eternity anyone who caused us pain by their mistakes. Instead, the spiritually advanced action is to thank others for assisting in our learning process.
An awakened Christian is aware that eternal life has no beginning and no end. Eternal life for each of us involves a wide variety of experiences, both on planet Earth, on other planets throughout the universe, and within the realms of spirit. Most of us have chosen to incarnate on Earth numerous times because it offers the opportunity to learn—on the plane of duality—how to choose consistently good over evil. (The plane of duality is symbolized by the tree of good and evil in the biblical story of the Garden of Eden. Evil = live spelled backwards; in other words, evil is living with our backs turned away from our loving Source.) Now that the being we call Mother Earth, or Gaia, is preparing for ascension into the 5th dimension, we are given the choice to prepare for our own ascension into the 5th dimension or to go elsewhere within the universe to continue our spiritual evolution. Many of us originate from other planets and will have the opportunity to return to our home planet, which may already be functioning on the 5th dimension. Thus, the awakened Christian thinks in terms of a universe of planets and beings—all belonging to the family of God.
The awakened Christian knows the Bible to be a book of narratives that reveal Truth through the medium of symbolism. An actual historical framework may or may not be present. The surface story serves as the skeleton housing a far deeper level of teaching. The metaphysical interpretation of the Book of Job, found at www.pathwaytoascension.com, offers a most vivid example of symbolic meaning within a biblical saga. We grew up being taught that Job depicts a righteous human being who suffered extreme loss, yet refused to curse God. Instead, the Book of Job reveals the process of individual ascension into higher levels of consciousness—a journey we must all undertake at some point in time. Likewise, the New Testament can be read as the account of embarking on intentional ascension into higher realms of awareness. Jesus—symbolizing the soul within each of us—shows us the way to achieve ascension through the five major events in his life: birth, baptism, transfiguration, crucifixion, and ascension.
In summary, the awakened Christian thrills to the knowledge that the universe in which we live is alive and constantly evolving into higher manifestations of the Source of our being. There is no end to life, no reason to fear, no eternal punishment, no permanent state of being. There is only omnipresent Love in which we live and move and have our being. The awakened Christian is set free by seeking and knowing that the Holy Spirit within will guide everyone into all Truth.
- NancyDetweiler's blog
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Nancy, what is truth?
Nancy wrote, "CHALLENGE: I post this article, hoping it will create much discussion on Crossleft---pro or con! We need to air out all the cobwebs and assist Christians in learning to think for themselves ... to seek Truth on their own ... to discern Truth that feels intuitively right to them ... to know that my Truth may not be your Truth ... and that is okay!"
Nancy, what you are describing here are subjective ideas which don't necessarily rise to the level of meeting the commonly accepted criteria for what constitutes truth. Mr. Webster defines truth as "honesty; conformity to fact or reality; veracity; constancy; true statement; undisputed fact." You say "my Truth may not be your Truth." Wouldn't it be more accurate to say "my ideology may not be your ideology?" Or even, "my faith may not be your faith?" I believe truth is true for everyone whether they can accept it or not and whether they have discovered it or not. Any thing other than that is either subjective belief, biased opinion or simply imagination.
The Apostle John offers numerous profound quotes from Jesus on the subject of truth. Pontius Pilate, in the brief exchange with Jesus, seemed to reflect the same subjective idea regarding truth I perceive in your statement.
John 18:37-38 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
38"What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.
Here is another quote from Jesus that one can accept by faith or not. Jesus is making the fantastic claim that ultimate truth is found in Himself.
John 14: 6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
This idea helps to shed light on the meaning of another quote attributed to Jesus regarding the liberation of people through revelation of His identity.
John 8: 32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Nancy wrote, "For seventeen hundred years, the Christian religion has abided by a set of doctrines created by men dedicated to standardizing the acceptable beliefs concerning the nature of the Source of our being and of Jesus. The resulting codified religion leaves little or no room for Christians to seek Truth on their own."
I beg to differ with you on this point. The Reformation and the subsequent thousands of Christian varieties currently manifested around planet Earth would seem to fly in the face of your claim here. I am not bound to a traditional lens for viewing the Bible out of fear of being punished by the codified Church. I read the Bible and see that it points us unto a quest into the spiritual dimension and the same Bible exhorts believers to explore this dimension with zeal. It teaches that Jesus has opened a way for humanity to enter into an intimate relationship with His Father...our Father and it is all centered in love. How can anyone find fault with the two greatest commandments Jesus highlighted...love God and love humanity?
Nancy, I encourage you to try extending toleration, acceptance and appreciation for people who faithfully cling to and perpetuate the Christ centered biblical faith of our ancestors. You propose ideas and beliefs that require as much if not more faith to believe than the proven claims of the Bible which countless generations have found solace and guidance through.
Nancy wrote, "Christians are taught to read the Bible as the Word of God and to interpret it in accordance with the codified church doctrines. A literal interpretation of the Scriptures results in a multitude of horrifying teachings concerning the nature of our Source and of human beings."
Nancy, are you perhaps being a tad selective in your choice of which scriptures are literally true and applicable as guides and standards for how we live our lives? You obviously have seized on certain Biblical texts that you have codified to fit with your beliefs that have been arrived at by your own subjective intuition and/or imagination. Is it by intuition only that we can know truth?
I have found the more I dare to believe and test the spiritual claims of the Bible, the more they are borne out in life experience that matches the biblical accounts of first century Christians. This has served to increase my faith in Jesus and the veracity of the Bible. I will spend the rest of my days pushing the envelope of exploration in the Kingdom of Heaven and I know I will not discover all that is contained there. It is a quest that has enriched my life with more love and meaning than any path I walked before.
I am a soul with a body, not
I am a soul with a body, not a body with a soul. http://thinkunity.com
Nancy, I agree with you. When we know the truth that God is omnipresent and that there is nothing else but pure consciousness, we feel at ease and yield to His divine
consciousness. When our souls are enlightened with pure consciousness, we don’t attempt to control others by condemning them or manipulating them with the devil because we understand that it is through love that God governs everybody and all of creation.
Absolute Truth - God Is
Gary,
Thanks for your thought provoking comments. In my view, Absolute Truth is beyond our comprehension at this point in time. Absolute Truth = GOD, as the Source of All That Is, IS. When Moses asked God to tell him his name, God answered, "I AM." Feel with your inner being: God Is ...... I AM ........ When I do so, there is a feeling of omnipresent Spirit that extends far beyond words.
Upon this foundation of the only ABSOLUTE TRUTH I know, I seek the many manifestations of that truth within all of creation. What I have found is that each of us must be ready to find the piece of truth that our soul needs at any particular point in time. It's like discovering a new word ... as soon as I learn its meaning, I tend to see it frequently, yet have no recollection of having seen it before I discovered it. The word had been present all along; I simply had not seen it.
I find that my worldview affects what I am able to perceive. This was illustrated beautifully in my seminary preaching class. The professor had a class of from 20-30 students to write a short sermon on the same portion of Scripture. We spent several class periods listening to each sermon on the same Scripture. It was amazing how different the sermons were ... how many points of view were gleaned from the same Scripture. As we listened to the sermons, we gained a variety of perspectives regarding the truth within those same few verses. That experience---plus many more throughout my life----gave me a sense of awe at the unfathomable depths within the Holy Bible.
A part of my spiritual journey has involved leaving church and putting aside the Bible for several years. During those years, I studied metaphysics in a search for answers that could satisfy my constant questions. For example, as a rehabilitation counselor, I worked with persons born with very restrictive handicaps and with those who were severely injured in accidents. When a beautiful college student, rendered paraplegic by an automobile accident, asked me: "Why did God allow this accident to happen to me?" I had no answer that was congruent with my basic theological concept: GOD IS LOVE. When a very intelligent young man, crippled by cerebral palsy to the point of resembling quadriplegia, asked me, "Why did God create me like this?" I had no answer that held intact my theological concept: GOD IS LOVE.
I found answers to those questions by studying metaphysics, including astrology and reincarnation. Then, I returned to the Bible and, much to my surprise, found everything I had learned in the Bible. I simply had not had the "eyes to see" until I discovered the new concepts outside the Bible. If curious, you can read pages on my website, www.pathwaytoascension.com, on my findings: Reincarnation in the Bible, Astrology in the Bible, and our Galactic Family in the Bible.
There is sooooo much in the Bible that we fail to comprehend until our life experiences open us to discovering a new portion of truth therein. That's why I speak of "my truth" and "your truth." My truth is what fills me at any one point in time ... my truth is what allows me to take a step forward on my spiritual journey. I make that journey enfolded by the Absolute Truth that GOD IS.
The Gospel of John offers another example of how we perceive truth according to our individual "eyes to see and ears to hear." Jesus makes some puzzling statements that I did not understand until studying metaphysics. I'll quote them and allow our readers to discern for themselves what Jesus is teaching.
In JOHN 10, the Jews are rejecting Jesus and preparing to stone him. "Jesus answered, 'Is it not written in your law, I said, you are gods? Jesus is quoting Psalm 82:6-7. In Psalm 82:1, we find "God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment." Then in verses 6-7, we find: "I say, 'You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince."
In JOHN 14:12, Jesus is giving his final teachings to his disciples: "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father."
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus reminds us: "I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak." This statement occurs in: John 5:19, 5:30,7:16, 7:28, 8:26, 8:28-29, 12:44, and 14:10, as well as 14:12 quoted above.
The truth I perceive in Jesus' teachings is that he speaks for the Father within him; therefore, when he says: "I AM the light of the world" he is speaking the words of the Father who is the light of the world. This would be true for all of the I AM statements of Jesus. This is my truth as I perceive it to the best of my ability. Your truth may differ because you perceive it differently.
In John 8:38, Jesus makes another interesting statement to his disciples: "I declare what I have seen in the Father's presence; as for you, you should do what you have heard from the Father." The truth I perceive in this statement is that Jesus is encouraging me to "seek and find" directly from the Father within me. Your truth may differ based on your understanding of this passage.
My truth, as I perceive the Gospel of John, is that Jesus repeatedly encourages his disciples (me and you) to follow his example. Jesus is my Wayshower.
Finally, as more and more discoveries are made, Christians will be faced with reconciling their faith with the evidence presented by researchers, historians, archaeologists, astronomers, on and on. Within the omnipresence of a God of Love, we must be continually open to learning more about the creative works of our omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Source of all being. With every new understanding of creation, we enhance our understanding of the Creator. There is nowhere where God is not; therefore, we will find truth throughout the Cosmos in myriad forms. And, the Bible is vast enough in its presentation of truth that we can all choose the verses most meaningful in our lives. How else would God's Word have meaning for all who choose to read it?
Absolute Truth = GOD IS.
Galactic Federation of Light
Nancy your posts are very well written and presented. Your belief paradigm isn't all that different from many mystics and thinkers in the "New age" school of thought. ( I don't like the term "New Age because people include everything from Tai Chi and Yoga and other ancient wisdom traditions in it, but I called it that for lack of a better term.)Your writings remind me a bit of a 19th century mystic, Madame Blavatsky, who wrote "The Secret Doctrine", a classic work in the genre of estoeric spirituality.
You have one difference though,from most other New Age thinkers and Madame Blavatsky, with your references to beings from other worlds. What is the Galactic Federation of Light? Are they from anoher planet or spirit beings? Are you certain of the existence of beings from other worlds and galaxies? If so, how do you know?
We are not alone in the cosmos.
Jim,
If you have read completely Madame Blavaksky, I salute you. I use her books like I would an encyclopedia, but have never read them page by page.
Now for your Galactic Federation of Light question. This Federation is made up of galactic beings from numerous planets, all spiritually advanced who come in love and peace to assist Earth in ascending to a higher level of consciousness. Mother Earth, or Gaia, is a living being who is now ready to ascend with our Solar System to a higher dimension of life. We, as the inhabitants of Earth, may ascend with her if we so choose. A part of that ascension process will be to implement the characteristics belonging to the New Age of Aquarius listed in the previous Comment on this page. The Galactic Federation of Light is here to help Earth humans in accomplishing this task.
How do I know that the Galactic Federation of Light is composed of real, living beings that we can see and with whom we can work?
1. By intuitive heart knowledge. Each of us possesses the capacity to use our Intuitive Mind, to listen to our heart, and to discern Truth from non-truth. In the words of Jesus in John 16:12-13: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come." Jesus was aware that he could not reveal all Truth to his disciples because they were not ready to hear it. Christians tend to forget this and to claim that all truth resides within the church's teachings. I know that our galactic family exists and has come to assist Earth humans because that is the Truth I feel intuitively in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
2. Researchers have talked with thousands of persons who have experienced the presence of galactic beings and talked with them. [Dr. Richard Boylan calls them star beings and serves on the Star Nations Council.] Some, including Dr. Boylan, have gone on board a space ship. Others, like Sheldan Nidle and his sister, were taken during childhood on board ship at night and taught lessons far in advance of what they were learning in our public schools. You can read Sheldan's reports at: www.paoweb.com.
3. Some researchers--Dr. Boylan for example--serve on a Council of Star Beings as the Councilor representing Earth in planning together how best to assist Earth humans to openly reunite with our galactic family. You can read Dr. Boylan's writings at: www.drboylan.com.
4. Our world governments are all aware of extraterrestrials--some of whom have not been of the Light. For the most part, our major governments are withholding information from the people regarding extraterrestrials. In recent years, the Vatican and Japan have been more open in their home countries. You may read about this on Dr. Boylan's site. This year, 2008, Dr. Michael Salla reported on a secret United Nations meeting regarding how to best tell the people about the extrarrestrials' presence with us. You can read about this meeting on his site: www.exopolitics.org.
5. The problem the average citizen of America confronts is that of the governmental denial and cover-up. Recently documents regarding the Rockefeller Initiative were released from the Clinton Presidential Library. These documents verify that Laurence Rockefeller attempted to convince the Clinton Administration to reveal the information on extraterrestrials and their technology. His efforts were fruitless.
6. This cover-up means that Americans must research for themselves ... must seek the Holy Spirit's teachings of Truth regarding our galactic family. On my website: www.pathwaytoascension.com, I have a page entitled "Our Galactic Family & the Bible" on which I quote the various biblical references that could possibly be revealing contact with our galactic family and their space ships. I also include an article entitled "The Wheels of Ezekiel" by R. Cedric Leonard, D.D. in Comparative Religion. You may read additional works by Dr. Leonard on his site: http://www.atlantisquest.com/
Taking in consideration all of the above, and much more research to be found on the internet, the preponderance of evidence speaks in support of our galactic family's existence and presence with us during Earth's transition into the New Aquarian Age.
I submit to Crossleft Activists that sharing this information with churches throughout America is of top- most importance. The technology being covered up holds the potential to solve all of the major problems manifesting in this nation and to clean up our planet. At this point in time, millions are suffering needlessly.
I also submit to Crossleft Activists that it is of top priority that Christians begin to think in terms of living within a cosmos of intelligent, highly advanced beings--our galactic family.
Secret Doctrine
I don't know if I deserve to be saluted or not on Madame Blavatsky. I read "The Secret Doctrine" in the firehouse during slow times, back in the late seventies or early eighties when I was a Firefighter. My understanding rate was probably 25% or less. Thanks though.
As for The Galactic Federation of Light, I going to have to chew on that one for a while and read your links.
Open to researching for Truth
Jim,
Anyone who reads Blavaksky during slow times at the fire station deserves a salute!
Now that you mention it, I am surprised that Blavatsky does not mention our galactic family because she was channeling from Earth's Ascended Masters. I do know that contact with the Galactic Federation was renewed fairly recently in response to Gaia's call for assistance.
I celebrate the fact that you are willing to think about the Galactic Federation of Light and to do further reading in search for your own Truth. I hope many Crossleft readers will do the same.
I truly believe that the answers to creating a more loving planet for our children and grandchildren will be found in developing totally new programs, such as the Dept. of Peace. Working side by side with our galactic family will be another tremendously effective way to re-create our world. But, first, we on Earth must invite them to help. Many have done so; I hope many Christians will join in that invitation.
BY THE WAY, please place my e-mail address in your Address Book, so I can get an e-mail through to you. I've tried several times and it comes back. I've placed yours in mine. Thanks!
What is New Age?
Jim,
Thanks for your penetrating questions!
First, let's settle the term "New Age." It has been demonized to the point of frightening people. Why? Because at this point in time, Earth humans are controlled by the use of fear ... if we are afraid of moving outside the limits of acceptability, we will stay put and keep quiet.
As Progressive Christians, we need to be at the forefront of reconciling the term "New Age" with the urge to advance spiritually. The term "progressive" denotes those who "make use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities ... advancing." (Webster's Dictionary) We easily accept the new discoveries of the 21st century and look forward to more of them. What we learn in a particular century appears not to create the fear, the need to demonize, the compulsion to reject as "not Christian." On the other hand, what we are learning in the "New Age" does create fear, the need to demonize, and the compulsion to reject as "not Christian." Why?
Even though our scientists tell us the cosmos is millions, even billions of years old, the Bible appears--with a literal reading--to include only a few thousand years. Therefore, Christians are not in the habit of thinking in terms of linear time extending in segments of greater than the 100 years making up a century. That does not, however, mean that no more lengthy segments of linear time have been designated. Although I make no claim at being an astronomer, I'll try to explain.
It takes approximately 26,000 years for our Solar System to move through our galaxy's zodiac belt. This zodiac belt is divided into 12 segments of roughly 2,000 years each; the segments are termed "Ages." Each segment is referred to by the name of a zodiac sign, such as Taurus, Aries, Pisces, and Aquarius. The segment of the zodiac belt toward which Earth's North Pole points at any stage of our Solar System's 26,000 year journey determines the name of the Age as Earth is experiencing it.
Each zodiac sign is characterized by particular qualities and the star constellations within each zodiac belt segment have been given symbols that depict their unique configuration, such as the bull for Taurus, the ram for Aries, the fish for Pisces, and the Waterbearer for Aquarius.
Within the Old Testament, we have the Age of Taurus, during which time worship of the bull was prevalent. The Old Testament also covers the Age of Aries, during which time Moses lived and the order of worship included the sacrificial lamb. The New Testament depicts the beginning of the Age of Pisces. Jesus incarnated at the beginning of a New Age. It is not by accident that several of his disciples are fishermen by vocation ... that Jesus used the phrase, "follow me and become fishers of men" ... that his miracles included multiplying the fish and walking on water. Christians later adopted the fish as their symbol.
It is significant that Jewish worship has not included the sacrificial lamb since the Romans burned the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E. At that time, Planet Earth had moved out of the Age of Aries (with its symbol of the Ram) and into the Age of Pisces (with its symbol of the Fish).
Now, Earth is moving across the cusp from the Zodiac Belt segment called Pisces into the segment called Aquarius and into the New Age of Aquarius.
Geoffrey Hodson, in his HIDDEN WISDOM IN THE HOLY BIBLE, reminds us that one indicator of hidden wisdom beneath the surface words of a portion of Scripture is the presence of "incongruities." The message of the incongruence is "look for the hidden meaning in this verse."
At the end of Jesus' ministry, he returns to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. His life has initiated the beginning of the Piscean Age. Now, it is time to share his final hours and message with his disciples. In Mark 14:12-16, Jesus sends two of his disciples into Jerusalem, instructing them: "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him...." There's an incongruence here, folks! Men in the Middle East, particularly during biblical times, did not carry a jar of water. Women drew the water from the well and carried the jars to their destination. What is the hidden wisdom message here?
The symbol for the Age of Aquarius is the Waterbearer--a Man (not a woman) emptying a jar of water upon a thirsty Earth.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus has been acutely aware that his disciples did not fully comprehend his teachings. Now, on his last journey to Jerusalem, he had to prepare them to be on their own. Sadly, I think Jesus was aware that it would take humanity the whole of the Age of Pisces--2000+ years--to begin to comprehend his teachings. He could foresee the bloodshed in his name, the misinterpretations of his teachings, the fear deliberately engendered in the people by those in power positions within the Church-at-Large in order to enforce strict obedience and adherence to the doctrines of the church. He could foresee the burning of heretics at the stake, the destruction of books judged to be heretical, the imprisonment and often deaths of those who dared to proclaim a new discovery. The word "heretic" simply means differing from the set doctrines of the church. A search for Truth is not a consideration. In fact, Truth will be denied and the Truth Teller punished. Trials for heresy continue into the 21st century.
Galileo is an excellent example of how the Church would control the information given to the people. Born in 1564, a great inventor, experimental philosoper, and astrologer, Galileo invented the telescope. As a result of the telescope, new scientific discoveries were made. Galileo attempted to reconcile these scientific discoveries with the Christian faith in a series of articles: "Letters of Sunspots," "Letter to Castelli," and "Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina." His work was to no avail. In 1615, a group of eleven theologians pronounced Galileo's belief in heliocentric theories absurd, heretical, and contrary to Scriptures. In 1633, a papal court sentenced Galileo to prison. Galileo recanted belief in the Copernican theory that the Earth moves around the Sun and was placed under house arrest in the custody of a friend.
"Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him."
Jesus knew it would be the New Age of Aquarius (the Age of the Waterbearer) before his followers would understand the "Prince of Peace." The New Age of Aquarius is to be characterized by the achievement of World Peace and the acknowledgement of the "One Family of God." Jesus foresaw that by the emergence of the New Age of Aquarius, Earth inhabitants would be crying out for the Waterbearer to quench their thirst.
Now, as Earth journeys into the New Age of Aquarius, much hidden information is coming to light. We are discovering that no one religion possesses All of Truth ... that we can learn from each other. We are learning a basic law of physics: Everything is energy and moving at varying rates of speed. This means all of creation displays qualities that influence every other part of creation ... i.e. the healing qualities of crystals and gems, of herbs, vegetables, and fruit, and the guiding influences of the stars. Since all of life is energy, systematic energetic movements, like Tai Chi, can reduce stress and heighten our spiritual awareness. Many are having near death experiences and sharing with others their adventures into the world of spirit.
The people of Earth are thirsty for knowledge about life after death, meditative experiences with their spiritual guides, confirmation that life is eternal--meaning their Soul lives on a continuum of alternating physical incarnations and periods in spirit.
The people of Earth are thirsty for knowledge of the cosmos ... to know that we are not alone in God's vast universe ... to know that life unfolds according to a Divine Plan ... to know that their lives have purpose and meaning far beyond the everyday routine ... to know Self, its talents, its Soul purposes.
All of the above longings of a thirsty Earth characterize the discoveries of the New Age of Aquarius. Those who would hold us imprisoned in the old interpretations of life, in the no longer relevant doctrines and traditions of the church, in the cemented church structure will attempt to demonize the New Aquarian Age discoveries as "New Age" and therefore, forbidden.
Will we, as Progressive Christians (frankly, I prefer the term Christ-centered people) forego the discoveries of the New Aquarian Age? Or will we choose to embark on the gloriously exciting adventure of exploring all of life, knowing that God is All That Is. Will we deny ourselves an ever-deepening relationship to our Creator by refusing to explore all of creation, knowing that, in fact, we are exploring God?
Rejoice in the New Age of Aquarius!
Thank you Nancy
That was very interesting."Christ-centered" is not a bad term, there is often confusion about terminology in "Progressive Christianity". Some Christians are very orthodox in their beliefs but are politically progressive, so they call themselves, "Progressive Christians". Others are theologically progressive and thus "Progressive Christians'. There has been some debate about the terminology on this site and on other sites.
Depending on what genre I am writing in or whom I am speaking to, I have started prefacing my remarks with"Theologically Progressive Christians" or "Christians who are politically progressive" in order to remove any confusion.
I am both, by the way, so either way the term applies.
People of other faiths
The awakened Christian knows that all of the family of God is One. The family of God includes all beings within all of creation, regardless of which solar system they reside in.
I am forever puzzled at the reasoning of separation from God ... from each other ... from nature ... from other faiths ... from our galactic family. We teach the omnipresence of God, then proceed to make any number of exceptions. Omnipresent = present everywhere ... there is no place where God is not. Thus, we all live and move and have our being within God. Since God is Love ... God is Light, we all live within the energy of Divine Love & Light.
Awakened Christian
Nancy, how does your Awakened Christian view people of other faiths?
I know I will draw some smoke because of this but about 20 years ago I had a complete astrology workup done. I have worked for many different mental health,social service, and counseling services and have taken all sorts of personality and diagnostic tests. NONE of them came anywhere near the accurate diagnostic evaluation I got from the professional astrologer.
I know there is something negative somewhere in the Bible about astrologers. I wasn't even a regular reader of my horoscope. I just got a big income tax return one year, heard a commerical on the radio and had a complete horoscope done by a professional. I found it unbelievably accurate, much more so than all the psych tests I had taken.
Astrology and the Bible
Jim,
I have posted on my website: www.pathwaytoascension.com a chapter from my book, A NEW AGE CHRISTIAN: MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY entitled "Astrology is Sacred; Astrology is Taboo." In it, I list all the biblical references to astrology. I also relate the history of astrology, which will amaze those who know only that the church condemns it. Just for example: the Old Testament Daniel was an outstanding astrologer; the Wise Men were astrologers. The Bible condemns the misuse of astrology, not the science of astrology. Medical astrology enjoyed widespread use: "From the earliest times, doctors of medicine are fascinated by the science of astrology. Hippocrates, born around 460 B.C.E. and known as the "Father of Medicine" used astrology as the most scientific means of diagnosis available to the Greek physicians of his time. The Hippocratic School of Medicine focused on the study of the natal chart to determine the specific make-up of their patients. Galen, born in 30 C.E., is called the "Father of Experimental Physiology." His treatise PROGNOSTICATION OF DISEASE BY ASTROLOGY resulted in widespread knowledge of astrological medicine. A synthesis of medical thought and astrological medical knowledge, Galen's books dominated the field of medicine for 1500 years."
"In the late 15th century, the Roman church condemned astrology, yet astrology continued to influence the greatest of minds. Among these is Nostradamus, a physician and astrologer born in 1503." --the rest of this chapter is posted on my website.
Interestingly, the largest astrological library in the world is in the Vatican.
I used Astrology for 20 years and each time I interpreted a "Soul Map," I was amazed anew at its accuracy. No one who has his/her birth chart interpreted by a good astrologer can deny its accuracy. The science speaks for itself.
As a social worker and rehabilitation counselor, I, too, used numerous psychological, vocational, and personality tests. In my private practice, I used the astrological birth chart (I call it a Soul Map) as a counseling tool. The astrological chart is far superior to any other test---all of which are standardized. The chart is extremely individualized.