An Optical Illusion.

Is our ego an optical illusion?

Because our eyes are in our heads and we are taught to identify with our intellect we think that our ego or our self* is in our minds.

But the divine spark or soul is in the human heart.

God is closer to our hearts than our minds.

So we can cease chasing after states of higher consciousness and settle in the heart.

"For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."  1 Samuel 16:7b (NRSV)

*  This self is at least to some extent created by projections across the collective unconscious.  We are partly a fabrication of other people's projections.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Violence.

The way of the world is the way of violence.

Men use violence to establish their supremacy and fear of violence to maintain it.

The rich western democracies pride themselves on their peaceful societies but these peaceful societies are maintained by huge, sophisticated armies.
The threat of violence keeps the West on top.

Modern entertainment endorses the use of violence to resolve conflict.
Evil is put down with the sword.
The heroes are even more violent than the villains.

But God's way is different.

God does not use violence or force.

God lures us with love.
And teaches us with a gentle light.

Rather than destroying the aggressors we are urged to pray for them.
Pray for them to overcome their fears and have a change of heart.
To show mercy not violence.

And to be forgiven and healed by God.


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I Am Not Infallible.

I am not infallible.

It is quite possible that I might make a mistake.

I do my best to convey the messages that I have heard from God as accurately as I can.

If they are compatible with your experience and your truth then well and good.

If not then you are at liberty to reject them.

It is my hope and prayer that I will never get a big head or expect special privileges because of what the Lord has done for me and through me.

Amen.

The Door Is A Jar.

"'For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven.  For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in you stop them.'"  Matthew 23 :13 (NRSV)

God's representatives on earth have not entered the kingdom of heaven because they do not follow the commandments of Jesus or Moses.

Jesus said, "'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.'"  John 15:12 (NRSV)

Jesus also said, "'The first (commandment*) is, "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength."  The second is this, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."'" Mark 12:29-31 (NRSV)

So it is clear that both Jesus and Moses state that the way of God is the way of the heart.

The door to the sanctuary is the heart.

And it is the same for Aquarius.
The jar which the Water Carrier holds is symbolized by the Egyptian hieroglyph ab which means the heart.

* Commandment of Moses.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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What The.....

What are they doing to you?


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Friends.

"'You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.'"  John 15:14,15 (NRSV)

This is Jesus saying he is equal with his disciples.

This statement contradicts the notion that Jesus is God incarnate.

Jesus is saying he is a human being - like his disciples - who has been given the privilege of transmitting God's message to humanity.

And that message - as can be seen by the context* - is Love.

*John 15:12-17.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]


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The Ideal Candidate.

What is happening in the world is that the media is creating fear of a threat to public safety (real or imagined) and then the right-wing political machine puts forward the strong candidate who is the only one who can defeat the threat and make people feel safe.

This is one way of winning power.

But there is another way.

And that is to win the hearts of the nation.

If a leader can touch the hearts of men and women in the way that Gandhi and Nelson Mandela did then we can achieve what now seems impossible.

Ironically this involves lessening people's fears and challenging our stereotypes and prejudices.

Such leaders would not listen to the minders who tell them they are unelectable.

The world is crying out for such leaders.

Leaders who will bring integrity and idealism back into politics.


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Resurrection.

When God touched the earth through the revelations given to Jesus of Nazareth the reaction of the earthly authorities was to call him Beelzebub (a devil) and to attempt to ensnare him in controversy.

When this failed they sought to kill him.

But God did not require Jesus' death as a sacrifice for our sins.
Rather God said to the Pharisees and the Romans, "Do your worst."
And they did.

They humiliated Jesus and then they crucified him.

When Jesus died they thought they had won.

But God had one last act up His sleeve.

God raised Jesus from the dead to sit at His right hand in heaven.

The Resurrection is God's last blessing on Jesus - a manifestation of God's steadfast love for His prophet.
And a sign to the peoples of the earth.

"And the curtain of the temple was torn in two."  Mark 15:38 (NRSV)


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]


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Prayer.

May the Church

reflect

God's Will,

which is

that we love

one another.


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Diversity.

God created

diversity

not

division.


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Gay.

Since adolescence my sexual orientation has been exclusively towards other males.

Some would say that in that case I cannot be a spiritual person or even good.

But I am.

I have experienced God.
And He does not discriminate.

My sexual orientation is of no consequence to God except as the cause of persecution and hatred (which is fear) for which He has compassion and sympathy.

So do not listen to those who say that homosexuality is sinful.
Homosexual people can be as good or spiritual as anyone.

They can touch God's heart.
And inherit eternal life.


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Assembly.

The Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia is about to discuss same-sex marriage.

May their deliberations be blessed with light and peace.

And may their conclusions be aligned with God's Will for us all, which is Love.


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Something For Everyone.

The covert Satanism and black magic which permeates our popular culture does not only victimize the vulnerable, they have something for everyone:

The famous are made predatory and callous.
The strong are made monsters and fascists.
The rich and powerful are made exploitative and indifferent.
The religious are corrupted and perverted.

So it is not enough to merely resist temptation.
We must create an equal and opposite force for good.

And to do this we must also have something for everyone:

Altruism for the famous.
A heart for the strong.
A conscience for the rich and powerful.
Love for the religious.

But most of all Love.


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Ahimsa.

Many religious texts portray God as violent.

The Vedic principle of ahimsa or non-violence, however, enjoins us not to harm anything.

Ahimsa became the principal virtue of Indian religions.
It is also one of the observances of yoga.

So why would God tell us to be non-violent if He was violent Himself?

The answer is He would not.

Non-violence is a major attribute of the Divine.

So any text that portrays God as violent or inspires us to use violence against others is false.  And those who endorse them are false prophets.

God is non-violent, sublime, transcendent, and beautiful.

He causes harm to no one.


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Left of Center.

Many people in our world equate religion with right-wing politics.

I have always been left-wing.

It is interesting to note that the heart is slightly left of center in the body.

But what of the right hand of God you say?

God has a right hand but it does not do what you think.

When we pray we should place our right hand over our heart.


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Making Heaven.

When we are in church there always seems to be a lot of receiving going on.

"Lord help our friend who is sick."
"Father grant us peace."
"Put your love into our hearts."
"Grant us your blessing."
"Lord hear our prayer."
And so on.....

We seem to expect God to do everything for us.

But true spiritual development involves giving.

It is up to us to open our hearts.

It is up to us to give love.

And when we give love to God and those around us we are making heaven.

For the clouds of heaven are clouds of love.


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Perspective.

Let's get things in perspective:

First of all the powers and authorities of this world do not represent God's will.
They rule by violence and fear.
They have no faith in God.
And their motive is money.

Secondly those in religious authority have perverted the messages of Jesus of Nazareth, Mohammed, the Buddha etc. to suit their worldly ambitions.
The blind lead the blind.

Thirdly rock musicians covertly practice black magic and Satanism which affects all of us in negative ways.
This has been happening since the early 1960s.
And it continues to this day.

Fourthly God wants what you want:
A more just and loving world.
We can call on Him to deliver us.
And we can rely on Him to answer our prayers.

Fifthly the purpose of life is not to accumulate money and possessions.
The purpose of life is Love.
To develop a loving and compassionate heart.

These are the things that God wants for us.

And the reason that the world will not do these things is fear.
 

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