Moderator Joshpantera Posted June 18, 2018 Moderator Share Posted June 18, 2018 Hi all, and welcome to an introductory thread based on comparing christianity to some of the other popular world religions and spiritual practices. The purpose of this thread is to try and explore, in a simple and easy to understand way, how christianity looks in comparison to the competition out there. If we're questioning christianity then this is a logical place to begin. I'll start off with an informative video to get started: What we're diving into here is the notion that the story of Jesus Christ, though possibly true in part (which we can lead into with time) is a very obvious Heroes Journey tale structured in like fashion to many, many similar tales world wide. Having more to do with the living of a model human life according to a time and place in history, more so than to do with one fixed actual historical person as rendered in the story line. A lot of people have heard of this, some people have not. If you have not, then this is a place where the exploration can begin. Many of the regular members here have studied this issue for years and have made large advancements in discovering many of the mysteries involved with researching the Jesus tale, and also the foggy origins of Christianity itself. I'd like to ask those members to wade in slowly, however, as the focus here is a "101" examination of this issue. I hope that many new members joining the discussion will read through and ask as many questions as they'd like. If you still believe in Jesus at this point, but want to know more about what believing in Jesus (which the churches do not generally tell you) can entail, then this is a good place to start looking for those kind of answers. And it involves an exploration into "non christian" spirituality and the sort of outside of the box thinking that comes with the videos below. Watch, consider and see if any of this begins to resonate with you...... 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Joshpantera Posted June 19, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted June 19, 2018 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Joshpantera Posted June 19, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted June 19, 2018 I played this video for my girlfriend last summer while we were in Philly for a week. It was all new to her. And I got so jazzed up about it that I continued talking about the 'other gospel' through the streets of downtown and all through dinner at the bar section of The Cheese Cake Factory. People around us kept listening in on what I was saying. Because it was probably unusual to hear a couple having this mystical discussion about possible alternative roots to christianity in public like that, at the bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 "The spirit is in us, therefore no need for a bible. (Watts paraphrased)." That makes sense to me. If I have the essence of God in me, or more precisely, if I and everything else is God, then I certainly would not need to read up on how to be more like myself. That would be a nice smackdown for a scripture quoter. I think a couple Christians here have mentioned that the spirit is in us yet they still want to conceptualize God as separate from us. "God is in you! Now get down on your knees and worship him as a separate entity...." No need to worship myself, thank you though. Years ago, I talked with my pastor about this idea of John 17:21 , God and Jesus and every person being one and the same thing. He wasn't receptive to it. A better religion ought to be the one where each individual is God and recognizes himself residing in or being the same essence as everyone else. It can be a spiritual experience but doesnt need to be supernatural. "In Whom reside all beings, and Who resides in all beings by virtue of His being the giver of grace to all - I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme Being, I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme Being." - Amritabindu Upanishad. No bible, no pastor, no church, no guilt, no shame, no fear would be required. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted June 27, 2018 Super Moderator Share Posted June 27, 2018 Cute concept, but it's no way to turn a profit. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TABA Posted June 27, 2018 Moderator Share Posted June 27, 2018 2 minutes ago, florduh said: Cute concept, but it's no way to turn a profit. Also no fear to motivate people. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 2 minutes ago, florduh said: Cute concept, but it's no way to turn a profit. Yes, very true. Start telling people they are god and a pastor will find himself unemployed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin webmdave Posted June 27, 2018 Admin Share Posted June 27, 2018 12 minutes ago, midniterider said: "The spirit is in us, therefore no need for a bible. (Watts paraphrased)." That makes sense to me. If I have the essence of God in me, or more precisely, if I and everything else is God, then I certainly would not need to read up on how to be more like myself. That would be a nice smackdown for a scripture quoter. I think a couple Christians here have mentioned that the spirit is in us yet they still want to conceptualize God as separate from us. "God is in you! Now get down on your knees and worship him as a separate entity...." No need to worship myself, thank you though Quote John 10:34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” ’ Quote Psalm 82.6“I said, ‘You are “gods”; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Joshpantera Posted June 28, 2018 Author Moderator Share Posted June 28, 2018 On 6/27/2018 at 1:33 PM, ThereAndBackAgain said: Also no fear to motivate people. For new members looking into the mystical aspect of religion, these are very good points to raise and consider. The idea here is that god represents the totality of existence, that which is boundless, eternal, infinite, etc. The big question is how are you NOT that? Is it possible to exist as a living being within a potentially eternal realm - which itself couldn't have began nor could it really end - without being an interconnect part of that realm? The finite and the infinite, in this specific sense, are understood to be united and one. This is the sense of mystical religion. And what's happened with christianity is that the mystical aspects of the religion are clouded over and concealed from public recognition and understanding. Because, as stated above, when you realize that you yourself are part of the eternal - you and the god are one - all of the people herding religious/political tactics of the churches basically fail. If you realize that you are it, there is no fear motivated manipulation that can be used on you. Nor can there be any "carrot-on-a-stick" held out in front of you to lead you in a desired direction. Because you're not looking for the god out there, far away from yourself, rather you've found it within yourself - as well as all around you. And in knowing the truth of mystical religion, you are then set free from the manipulation of the church and it's politics. One whose eyes are opened. Enlightenment, in fact, is enemy #1 of the churches. That's why it's often likened to, "of the devil." On 6/27/2018 at 1:30 PM, florduh said: Cute concept, but it's no way to turn a profit. This is what it boils down to. The profit losses would be crippling if everyone up and realized that their churches "middle man" positioning between the congregations and the god are a complete farce by several perspectives. 'Oh that satan, wanting everyone to think that THEY are god.' But it stands to question the entire claim. It seems more satanic to believe in a separate isolated god way out there who you are not worthy of, and must grovel before, more so than the loving sense of realizing that it's just one big unified interconnection. When they say "god is love," it stands to question what is more love oriented? An eternal interconnection of intimate closeness, or a big black void of distance where there isn't any closeness to speak of between you down here on the earth and some god so far away you can't see it? Some thoughts to consider.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts