Theology Panel: Interests
While my reply to Kety on the Theology Panel was a bit folksy, the areas of greatest interest to me are:
Science and religion
Living energy universe: intelligent process, not intelligent design.
Stewardship: Caring for our world, countering global warming impacts
Near Death Experience
Synchronicity and related works of Carl Jung
Early Christian church fathers
Origen: Preexistence of the Soul and Metempsychosis
Pelagius vs Augustine: Loving God & Mans Depravity
The Gospel According to Jesus
What did Jesus actually say?
Jesus as Messenger, the Wayshower
Progresssive Christian Theology for the Modern World
Social Justice programs
I encourage others to share their theological interests. It is from this sharing that the panel will take its direction. It truly is your candy shop.
Rich
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Chrisitians and Meditation
Meditation is of interest to many people and Christians often think there only options are Eastern techniques or secular clinical style meditations. I think it would be a good subject.
My Interests
Thanks for asking. I am primarily interested in exploring what a "faithful Christian" might/should look like within the the postmodern context.
How has our context changed?
How is it the same?
How has the Christian message evolved over time?
How can we understand (in)fidelity in context given the developmental process of human becoming?
What is the place of scripture in Christianity now?
What is the place of experience in Christianity now?
How important is "theology"?
What can be considered an authentic spirituality?
What is the relationship between faith, truth, and delusion?
What is the relationship between religion and science?
What is the relationship between various religions?
What does justice look like if it isn't an abstract measure, but a relative human reality?
What is the significance of the various (and sometimes opposing) Christian traditions, if any?
How should a Christian community organize structurally given the emerging postmodern "family romance"?
What should a faithful Christian response to perceived injustice look like?
There are other questions I could add to that mix, and I might edit the post in the future if I think they're worth adding. But for now, I think that offers a bit of insight into my angle.
(Just noticed something: Is my sig gone? Is it coming back?)
Lord, you are a deep thinker!
Xiananarhist,
Excellent questions. I hear the "anarchist" in your questions, your astute observations.
So pick one of your fine questions, just one and illucidate. Do, and don't, be a "wise guy"!
And keep trying to join the Theological Panel discussions. I'd love to get to know you better.
For example, where does the Xian in your moniker come from?
Rich
Aw, Shucks
Thank you for the kind words.
Just one, huh? Easier said than done. I'll see what I can do. However, my time is quite limited at the moment, so I can't say when I'll be able to put something up.
"Xian" is considered by some a pomo shorthand for "Christian." Which leads to "Christian Anarchist," or as I was known on the old XianGoth.Net boards, X-A.
And I will indeed keep trying. :)
The Oneness of All That Is
Rich,
I can relate to all of your list of interests. My major interest/concern is the recognition that we are One with All That Is ... that we live in a glorious cosmos populated with loving beings ... that all is energy, therefore, we and All that Is impact each other continuously.
I am interested in all the books housed in the 25 miles of Secret Archives in the Vatican compound. I know that the largest astrological library in the world is there. Esoteric Astrology is one of the most profoundly spiritual sciences known to humankind. I know that many researchers have found much that has been hidden from the people, such as the "The Essene Gospel of Peace" discovered and translated from Aramaic during the early 20th century by Edmond Bordeaux Szekely--years before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran.
I intuitively know that Jesus was an Essene, or at the very least educated within the Essene Community. According to some researchers,the "lost years" of Jesus were spent in Egyptian Temples undergoing the ancient initiatory process and in the Orient studying and teaching.
There is a reason why the Vatican and the Church Fathers chose to hide from public access the thousands upon thousands of books and scrolls housed in the Secret Archives. "The truth shall set you free."
The Vatican has confirmed the presence of very spiritually advanced beings from other planets (see www.drboylan.com - a former Catholic priest)... the Vatican proclaims sainthood, while metaphysicians recognize "Ascended Masters"--those individuals who lived numerous lifetimes on Earth (and other planets) and achieved ascension into 5th dimensional consciousness (Earth is presently 3rd dimension). To become an Ascended Master is the next step for those of us presently incarnated on Earth. Our Galactic Family and the Ascended Masters have much to teach us.
The teachings of the Ascended Masters (or Saints) are filled with love. St. Benedict and St. Francis are two examples. The names may differ: St. Joseph is known as the Ascended Master St. Germain, St. Francis is known as the Ascended Master Kuthumi, St. Mary Magdalene is known as the Ascended Lady Master Nada, on and on.
In Truth, we already know All That Is. We have simply forgotten during our journey through the plane of duality--experiencing and learning from knowledge of good and evil.
There is so much to recall! And as we do so, we will know how to solve our systemic societal problems. All that separates humankind into categories of this and that is based on illusion and is, happily, crumbling. Our task is to create a new world, not try to bandage up the old one based solely on illusion. Soon, the plane of duality will no longer exist on Earth.
We all chose to incarnate at this momentous point in time in order to assist in creating a New Earth and a New Heaven--attuned to the 5th dimensional consciousness of Love, Light, and Peace for all!
I predict that Crossleft's future is far greater than anyone presently suspects!
Maitreya
Nancy, since you seem to be up on so much, do you know who the heck "Maitreya" is? I have seen ads for years that he is a great master of some sort and is coming to make things right.
Along the same lines, why are so many masters, both here on earth and ascended so shy about making their presence known?They are always coming soon, but soon never seems to come.They always seem to be lurking around watching our progress but we just continue on in our delusional ways.
Ascended Masters/Saints
Jim,
The real Maitreya is an Ascended Master. I have my doubts about the "Maitreya" who supposedly resides in Europe. Intuitively, that has never felt right.
The Catholic church uses the term "saints" for those who achieve a very high level of spirituality. I think I am correct in saying that Catholics require a certain number of verifiable healings from the world of spirit before a human being is declared a saint. Sainthood usually follows death. (A Catholic will know more about the process of sainthood. I hope one of Crossleft's Catholic bloggers will help out here.)
One of the cover-ups perpetrated on Christians was the removal of reincarnation from Christian teachings. This left Christians with a world view of one physical life, then heaven or hell for eternity.
Instead, we live in a world that is peopled on many dimensions. Life is a glorious continuous journey into higher and higher dimensions. To become an Ascended Master is the next step for those of us striving to achieve the Christed Consciousness.
This is a journey each of us must make for ourselves. God created us and gifted us with freewill, enabling us to choose for ourselves how we will live our lives. That's why learning to think independently is essential for our continued spiritual growth.
Some Ascended Masters make the choice to remain in dimensions close to our 3rd dimension earth plane. They do so in order to assist us in growing spiritually, just as our guardian angels and spiritual guides assist us. They are the Jims, Richs, Rogers, and Bills of the spiritual plane--those who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving others. Just as we can offer assistance, but cannot take over the lives of others and dictate to them, the Ascended Masters stand by us. An inspired sermon may come from an Ascended Master's prompting ... an inspired intuitive knowing to take a particular action--while not understanding why--can be the same type of prompting or assistance. But, above all, our freewill cannot be usurped.
Ascended Masters have earned the privilege of residing on dimensions where only light and love exists. They assist us from those realms. To return to the plane of duality would, for them, be like being made to sit in 1st grade again and again would be to us.
They will return in visible form as we, still residing on 3rd dimension, learn to live in peace and familial love. These are our lessons, our tasks to fulfill. They are with us; we just cannot see them because our conscious awareness is blind to the higher dimensions.
Your suggestion of talking of meditation is an excellent one. As you know, meditation is the means by which we become aware of other dimensions and other beings in spirit. I've read your posting about the channel of light. As we surround ourselves with the inpenetrable shield of white light protection, then meditate, we become aware of a world of great love and peace ... a world that accepts us as we are and will gladly assist us in moving forward.
The Ascended Masters/Saints are simply those who are now in Graduate School on the spiritual path. While on Earth, we are striving to complete college.
Truly, we are all one
Nancy,
Well now that I am back on line (the Spring storms took a toll on my connection Thursday. It was heartening to have a technician show up a 7:45 Sunday morning!) I can reply and agree with you. The Theosophists believe Jesus spent many years learning from Buddhist masters. I hadn't heard about time spent in Egyptian Temples. Makes good sense tho.
Science has shown us that we are all intimately interconnected, interactive and interdependent parts of one cosmic whole. I'm gathering my notes from several years of research and will attempt to explain how in coming days.
When you speak about Ascended Masters, it is really far out stuff. I've studied much about them many years ago, however the Scientist, the intelletual in me, says "Well that all very interesting, very entertaining. It would be nice if all this were true, but show me the actual evidence". My mother was a true Christian believer and my father a real skeptic, so I both "hope it's true" but tend to "come from Missouri" on all this.
Having not heard from Ben lately I wonder if this is too much for a Traditonalist such as he and he's become turned off to our discussions. What you present is truly challenging to many, I hope folks can just listen and maybe offer valuable feedback.
Skeptics are very welcome here, play an crucial role in educating us all. This is what motivated me to initiate the Theology Panel. Let us all explore the new, retain the old values that still serve us and move forward together in peace and joyful harmony. Let the skeptic in all of us roam free here.
Rebuttal is healthy!
One reason I am presenting challenging information is because I firmly believe we are living in a time in which discernment of truth is the spiritual skill we are to develop. According to all the research I have done for decades, there have been so many lies to the people that we will be shaken to our roots when they come out ... and they are coming out. Just yesterday, I read an article that blew my socks off ... dealing with how thoroughly the power elite have infiltrated every facet of our society and twisted truth so that truth and non-truth is extremely difficult to discern. I got a taste of what I have intuitively known will happen when people are faced with the truth of one cover-up after another--all at one time.
That what I write is challenging to many is indicative of the lack of teaching people to think independently ... to find a security base that allows them to explore freely while knowing that GOD IS. We have been controlled by fear tactics for thousands of years. We have grown accustomed to fitting into a structure dictated to us by those in power, including the church hierarchy, and asking no questions. Many now need the security of a church, for example, that tells them what to believe. They are lost without such "authority" in their lives. They do not feel "whole" if made to stand alone in the face of the new and different. They are vulnerable. Why?
I have always wondered: "Why would the Creator of All That Is give human beings a mind, then tell them they are not explore?" Sure, we may make mistakes, but that's how we learn on this plane of duality. We are not challenged by new discoveries in science, medicine, or any other field of endeavor. Why, then, are we challenged with new concepts within the field of religion/spirituality?
I would love to see rebuttal to the challenging things I say. Crossleft can assist others to grow by presenting various approaches and allowing people to speak their minds. What is meaningful to one person may hold nothing of meaning to another. But the freedom to explore is a requirement if we are to learn to think independently ... to utilize more than the 10% of our brain capacity that we presently use.
We all need to ask: "Why is that concept challenging to me?" Then, seek the answer. There is no way we can move outside the energy of God's love because God is omnipresent. We live and move and have our being within the energy of God's Love. Why do we fear finding that we may need to re-think our beliefs? I think it is because a culture of fear permeates our lives. As I once heard a Sunday School teacher say: "Don't ask questions or you may lose your faith?" Truth sets us free; it does not fill us with a fear of exploring the new and different.
Rebuttal helps others learn and allows us to think more deeply and to ask: "What is my truth?" "What truly brings joy and peace into my life?"
P.S. There is one rebuttal, "Bogus Gospel" to my quoting the Essene Gospel of Peace. I encourage some of the rest of you to respond to that rebuttal.
P.S.2 - I heartily thank Bill for offering rebuttal to my posting regarding NESARA.
P.S.3 - I invite Ben to offer his rebuttal to my postings. Others can learn from a traditional view and a different point of view being side by side.
Let us learn together in love and peace! Let us be an example to the world of differences co-existing in peace and mutual appreciation!
Thanks you for encouraging healthy debate
Thank you for this post encouraging rebuttals of your opinions. I think healthy debate is always good. I don't have much to say about your posts on reincarnation because I've never really thought much about that subject, but I respect your willingness to have your views challenged. I agree with what you wrote:
"I would love to see rebuttal to the challenging things I say. Crossleft can assist others to grow by presenting various approaches and allowing people to speak their minds. What is meaningful to one person may hold nothing of meaning to another. But the freedom to explore is a requirement if we are to learn to think independently ... to utilize more than the 10% of our brain capacity that we presently use."