Missionary Religions

[Guest Game of Chance]

since he's done, i won't direct this at him - just a general observation on my part - christ, the buddha, krishna (not sure about allah) were people whom embodied the spirit of "god". (in my opinion) christ can't be in me, any more than every single human whose ever lived is in me. these spritually enlightened men were connected with "god" (or whatever you call it) but they weren't "god" any more than you or i. yes, "god" is within each and every one of us, but most people are unwilling to accept that and take responsibility for their own lives and spirituality. i've said it before, as long as one believes that "god" is a separate, external being, one will never have true peace in their lives, even if they lie to themselves that they do. "i am god" isn't blasphemous, it's what christ, and many others, were trying to tell you. we all come from the same source, we're all one in "god", and anything that contradicts that notion will eventually cause pain and suffering in the world...

:fear

My one word and one picture response:

Metaphor.

P.S. Why is this, or any other philosphical discussion about me vs. you, especially coming from a mod? Shouldn't it be about idea vs. idea? Its just funny that you decided to publicly take a stance against me personally, and then proceed to reiterate everything I've been talking about since the previous thread. I'm glad to see I've caused such an effect in you Torn

[Steven]

Interesting.

I've never felt that "I am God."

I've always kinda taken the jargon about God being within all of us to be sort of symbolic.

I'm very comfortable with the thought of "God", however you define it/him/her/them being a totally separate being from myself.

I'm willing to accept that there is, somehow, "God" within me. But I don't really worry about it.

I live my life trying to be good to myself, while trying to not be bad to others. I am feeling more comfortable with the Catholicism of my childhood than I ever have in my life, but I'm fully accepting of just about every other religion/spirituality as valid. Which, I guess, prevents me by definition from ever considering myself 100% "Christian".

I'm feeling happy with the atmosphere, but not the dogma. Kinda like I like going to a party at someone's house, but wouldn't necessarily like it if they set-up rules dictating I have to dress a certain way or only talk about certain subjects if I'm going to be in the room.

Poor example in retrospect. But I'm brain-tired today.

I didint reply to Steve cause he he split, so I just said right on. He keeps introducing the lack of a need for morals and dogma to reach my goal, both of which I do argue for. Being Christlike has nothing to do with dogma or morals. It has everythgin to do with self sacrifice and connection. the difference in motivation behind the two platforms is huge.

Critter I'm glad your feeling more comfortable. And I dont worry that you also consider other religions as being valid and therefore your not a 100 percenter.......

I dont think there are any 100 percenters. And neither did Christ who said that all fall short of the Glory of God, and that if yo have violated one commandment you have violated them all. We all struggle in our faiths, or struggle with addicitions, distractions, ourselves, our junk, our programming, all of it gets in the way. Yet he pursues us nonetheless. We often forget that all of this stuff that is biblical - was started by Gods pursuit of an Arabian nomadic, pagan, whore mongering, lieing, practicioner of witchraft named Abram. The Catholic church would NEVER let a man like that sit inv the pews. Yet he is in reality, their father. We should look closer at those things sometimes. Even befroe Christ - God started out doing his thing by seeking out the low lifes. How much dogma and morals are bound up in that approach? none.

IN the end I have to trust that God knows what he's doing, and has the ability to set aside all of the confusion and rhetoric, to get to the person to work in their lives. Especially in this day and age. I beleive that he has the ability to get to you too Camille, however he so chooses, if that is what you want in the end.

And Torn I understand what your saying.....that even Christ was trying to tell us that I am god applies to us all, Ive looked at that approach before, especially in his use of the "I AM" - in the same dialect as that which was used by God to describe hismelf to Moses. He did indeed in many ways claim to be God. By the way I considered that approach because at that time in my life I really wanted to beleive that.

But Christ also constantly called for a mediator and said that he was the only one. I know - those statements can be argued away, but then so can Christs use of the the title I AM. There seems to be a conflict then between what he said, his wilful death, what his 12 original converts taught about him, and the potential idea that christ was trying to teach us that we too are God. At least to me there is a conflcit.

[Steven]

My one word and one picture response:

Metaphor.

P.S. Why is this, or any other philosphical discussion about me vs. you, especially coming from a mod? Shouldn't it be about idea vs. idea? Its just funny that you decided to publicly take a stance against me personally, and then proceed to reiterate everything I've been talking about since the previous thread. I'm glad to see I've caused such an effect in you Torn

well there's a whhhhhhhole bunch of extra stuff read into there.

sounded to me like Torn was just sharing his point of view.

[Guest Game of Chance]

since he's done, i won't direct this at him

:fear

Why was this necessary then?

[Steven]

Why was this necessary then?

replying to your last point - at which you said you were done with it - as did I reply the same way - since you said you were done with it.

(we thougth you were done with it)

[Guest Game of Chance]

replying to your last point - at which you said you were done with it - as did I reply the same way - since you said you were done with it.

(we thougth you were done with it)

I dunno man, it doesn't look that way to me. Whatever.

<there needs to be a "Oh well, who gives a fuck" emoticon>

I'm going back to this

[phee]

To me... I see no harm in looking at Christ on the same level as say Martin Luther King, or Gandi....

I honestly that through the twists and turns of history, and the rewriting of scripture over the years... that Christ has kind of taken the place as perhaps a civil rights leader... no more devine then myself, Steve, GOC, Troy, or even Hitler... We are all people... all flawed and all part of this thing called the universe

[torn asunder]

I dunno man, it doesn't look that way to me. Whatever.

I'm going back to this

lighten up, man - it isn't always about you...

[BrassFusion]

theyre not brainwashing me, Love.

I'm the fly in the ointment.

lol, you are NOT what I meant by a garden-variety christian.