Free Gift.

Salvation is a gift from God.

Obligation free!

It is not possible for us to be worthy or otherwise.

But we are free to do as we please.

It does not consist of a set of moral principles.

It does not require good works.

It does not involve special knowledge.

It is Love.

And it inspires love.

So if love is our motivation.

We are free!

Photo Credit: omirou56 Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Happiness.

We all want happiness.

But no one knows how to achieve it.

We pursue pleasures.

Thinking that pleasure is happiness.

But it's not.

Pleasure can lead to burn-out, emptiness, and misery.

The happiest people are those who are doing something to help others.

So is unselfishness happiness?

Not if it is not voluntary.

Helping others out of fear of punishment or a misplaced sense of obligation can lead to resentment and bitterness.

So from where does happiness come?

I believe it comes from our heart.

We are only truly happy when we are in love.

Something within us - our soul - needs love.

But it is when we learn to give love that we finally find happiness.

And then we will help and sacrifice and serve with joy!

Because our actions come from the heart.


Photo Credit: gabrielizalo.com Flickr via Compfight cc

Joy!

The scriptures tell us to love God.

And if we do this we reconnect with our souls - which are in our hearts.

If we love God He will requite our love.

And we experience great Joy!

And gratitude.

And we discover that God wants all the things that we want:

Peace, Hope, Happiness, Consideration, Justice, Mercy, Compassion, Equality, and Love.

And we realize, as Jesus taught us, that the world does not know God.

This world thinks of God as: angry, violent, vengeful, judging, and punitive.

But God is none of these things.

God is Love.


Photo Credit: gyanlopez Flickr via Compfight cc

Crucifix.

By concentrating on the suffering of Christ the Catholic Church has traditionally created suffering where there was none.

Because they impose a negative doctrine the results are mostly negative.

People have been told that they should be suffering and if they are not then they are sinners.

This creates the mentality that all pleasure and indeed happiness itself is sinful.

This is pointless.

The reality is that Jesus leads us to God.

And the experience of God creates Joy!


Photo Credit: Darren and Brad Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

A Human Heart.

1.  Sympathy.

2.  Compassion.

3.  Understanding.

4.  Forgiveness.

5.  Tolerance.

6.  Mercy.

7.  Generosity.

8.  Goodness.

9.  Truthfulness.

10. Honesty.

11. Unconditional Love.


All of equal importance.


Photo Credit: Daniel Kulinski Flickr via Compfight cc

Age of Aquarius.

1.  Feed the World.

2.  Make Peace.

3.  A Living Wage.

4.  Heal the Planet.

5.  Gun Control.

6.  Corporate Tax.

7.  Gay Rights.

8.  Equality for Women.

9.  Religious Tolerance.

10. Health Care.

11. Clean Water.


All of equal importance.


Photo Credit: Dougtone Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Vision.

"For there is still a vision for the appointed time."  Habakkuk 2:4 (NRSV)

God is the author of the Light which is coming into the world.

His Light is opening our eyes.

And opening the scriptures to us.

And His Light is manifesting in all religions and in no religion.

Progressive Christianity, the Catholic Church, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Yoga, ethics, science, activism.....

All these things are converging into a unified vision.

A vision that will save us from the darkness which has engulfed us.

Follow your heart.

And move towards the Light.


[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.]

Photo Credit: Images George Rex Flickr via Compfight cc

The United Nations.

It is time to give our support to the United Nations.

Rather than obstructing their work and withholding funds we should return the United Nations to its rightful place in the world.

The Sustainable Development Goals are realistic targets for the year 2030.

We should support these targets and do all we can to assist their realization.

There are many agencies attached to the United Nations that can realistically help solve the world's problems.

We should all support this work. 


Photo Credit: poroshenko.petro Flickr via Compfight cc

Saving the World.

In the 1960s the Baby-Boomer Generation set out to save the world.

Peace and love and the redistribution of wealth were our objectives.

But we were betrayed by our rock stars into lives of drugs and degradation.

And we were blamed and shamed by the next generation.

The upshot of this is that there is little left of 1960s idealism.

But there is spark of light on the Internet.

Younger people are becoming politically and socially active and it is our responsibility to support them.

Quite recently I saw an advertisement on the television which featured a woman who said: "I'm a typical 1960s Hippie and I'm not trying to save the world I'm just saving for a trampoline for my kids."

This was deliberate corporate propaganda and it was not received well.

In fact it may have inspired some to reignite their ideals.

It was an insult.

And it was taken as such.

So don't be discouraged by pressure and propaganda.

The ideals of the 1960s are still relevant today.

In fact now they are needed more than ever.


Photo Credit: dsgetch Flickr via Compfight cc

Making A Difference.

We're MAD.

We're Making A Difference.

We seek to make people's lives better.

We seek to bring Light into the darkness.

We seek to bring Love into the emptiness.

We seek to bring Goodness and Hope.

May God, who is MAD Himself, show us His Light and guide us with His Grace.

Then we may truly Make A Difference.


Photo Credit: Loredana Lavino Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Love.

God has only one characteristic and that is Love.*

Any suggestions - Biblical. Traditional, Fundamentalist, or Evangelical - that God is angry, violent, vengeful, punitive, or hateful are wrong.

God is Love.

And as His children we must give love in His name.

Then the world will be transformed.

And we will be happy and peaceful at last.


(*Attributed to Julian of Norwich.)

Photo Credit: wdsimages.

Victory.

The Australian federal election which has just been decided is another victory for the power of hate.

The right-wing Liberal Party ran on an agenda of punishing asylum seekers and the poor.

Their only policies were negative and the whole of their campaign was based on fear.

And the people in my church were smiling and saying how wonderful it was that they'd won.

What's the use of saying you support asylum seekers and the poor if you're going to vote for the people who oppress them.

It's blatant hypocrisy.

And it cannot be tolerated.


Photo Credit: Onasill ~ Bill Badzo - - 64 Million Views - Thank Flickr via Compfight cc

Hate 4.

The ultimate example of hate is Satanism.

Those who turn to Satan blame God for their suffering.

Which is perhaps understandable.

They may have been abused by priests or religious people.

And they blame God for the suffering they experience.

So they hate God.

Satan seems reasonable by comparison.

He offers a contract to get what you want in return for your eternal soul.

God is such a bastard that you wouldn't want to go to Heaven anyway.

But the God that they are rejecting is not the real God.

The traditional God of the Church who judges and punishes us, who bullies women and castrates men is not the true God.

God loves us.

And He wants us to be happy.

And so they will be exonerated.

And included in the Love of God.


Photo Credit: Femme.von.Steel Flickr via Compfight cc

Hate 3.

When two generations have passed the power reverts to the other side.

And the older generation combines with the young to take revenge on their children for the hurt that their hate has caused them.

This may also be unconscious.

"Why can't they be like we were - perfect in every way."

"What's the matter with kids today."

So we are all guilty of the same thing and that is resorting to hate.

Every group designates an enemy.

And this enemy is the focus of their hatred.

We think that they are responsible for what is wrong with the world.

So if we defeat and destroy them all will be well.

But this is not what happens.

We are resorting to hate.

And hate begets hate.

It will not resolve the suffering we experience.

In fact it makes it worse.

Only Love can free us from our suffering.


Photo Credit: Andersannipal Flickr via Compfight cc

Hate 2.

When we are children we may suffer abuse.

And when we are teenagers we suffer.

The prospect of entering an adult world without love is unbearable.

So we blame our parents.

Each successive generation hates their parents' generation.

Because they blame them for what is wrong with the world.

And this world makes us suffer.

All of this, of course, takes place on an unconscious level.

So we may be unaware of what we are doing.

But the results are plain.

A world full of hate.


Photo Credit: aimeedars Flickr via Compfight cc

Hate 1.

Why do so many teenagers hate their parents?

I know that I hated my father for along time.

Although I didn't know why.

The reason, I later discovered, was because I felt he didn't love me as I thought he should.

He was cold and distant.

And I felt unloved.

And the prospect of entering a world without love was unbearable.

So I hated him.

But eventually I came to realize that this was not entirely his fault.

His father had died when he was three years old and his stepfather was a strict disciplinarian.

His mother had nearly died in childbirth and she would chase his stepfather around the house with a knife if he tried to make love to her.

This instilled a lot of fear in my father.

And he never developed the capacity to show love to others.

Therefore he couldn't love us.

So I forgave him.

After that I saw my father as a fellow human being, scarred like the rest of us, who had done the best he could.

He provided for our family and at least he didn't abuse us.

And my hate was gone.   


Photo Credit: Abaraphobia Flickr via Compfight cc

Flow.

Aquarius is the Water Carrier.

And water flows.

If we can learn how to give then the love from our hearts will flow to the places of need.

We must overcome the fear that hardens our hearts and give love.

Then the Waters of Aquarius will flow freely.


Photo Credit: Jim Nix / Nomadic Pursuits Flickr via Compfight cc

We Fall in Love.

When I was reading a summary of the New York Times article on gay priests in the Catholic Church I was struck by the statement of one priest: "I fell in love several times - with men."

And I thought : So did I.

So how are we different from heterosexual men or women?

We fall in love.

And love is the nature of God.

It is love that makes us grow spiritually.

Our hearts blossom and expand.

We include more and more people in our love.

Until, like God, we love everyone.


Photo Credit: YouTube.

Arbitration.

Arbitration is Biblical.

"In a lawsuit, you should not side with the majority so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to the poor in a lawsuit."  Exodus 23:2 (NRSV)

"Look, you serve your own interests on your fast-day, and oppress all your workers."  Isaiah 58:3 (NRSV)

So we are not to be partial to the poor but we are not to oppress our workers either.

The class war between the workers and their employers is fed by fear.

Fear of going broke.

Fear of exploitation.

But when both sides have equal rights fear is overcome.

We should return to a system of Independent Arbitration.


[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.]

Photo Credit: Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel Flickr via Compfight cc

Rights.

We can forget in our passion for justice that employers have rights as well.

All are equal before God.

And that includes the rich and the powerful.

But this is not to justify oppression and exploitation.

Workers have the right to a living wage.

But in asserting the rights of workers we should take into account the problems of employers.

Then their fear will abate.

And we will have peace in the workplace.


Photo Credit: DeGust Flickr via Compfight cc

Satanism.

Satanism will tell you that there is no God so you may as well lie, cheat, and steal to win.

But this is selling your soul.

And the result they desire is hell.

So do not listen to rock musicians and reality T.V..

Their intention is to corrupt you.

And they want your soul in hell.


Photo Credit: ElizabethAOwens Flickr via Compfight cc

Evil.

Since 1984 we have been in the grip of evil.

Our corporate masters turned to Generation X to intimidate and bash anyone who opposed their brutal rule.

And Generation X turned to Satan to power their campaign.

We are the victims of this evil conspiracy.

But there is a God.

And He is patient.

He waits for the appointed time.

And that is when the older generation has passed away.

And a new generation of activists has arisen.

Evil will lose.

And the Age of Aquarius will begin.


Photo Credit: billsdead Flickr via Compfight cc

China.

The hardline policies that China employs are fed by fear.

Fear of exploitation by Western Capitalists.

Fear of religion which in the past has favored the aristocracy.

Fear of dissent.

Fear of invasion.

But the West must relinquish its domination policy which itself is driven by fear.

Fear of losing our privileges.

Fear of challenge.

Fear of invasion.

So that we might have peace in our world.


Photo Credit: marko8904 Flickr via Compfight cc

Alternatives.

In our world we are presented with many alternative ways to respond to the realities of life.

We can capitulate and compromise our principles.

We can become pragmatic and cynical.

We can battle against the evil we see around us.

We can become selfish and defend ourselves.

We can retaliate and seek revenge.

We can seek power and dominance.

We can become mercenary and accumulate money and possessions.

We can follow celebrities and sports stars.

None of these works.

It is when we follow the way of love that things begin to work.

Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor.

He even taught us to love our enemies.

If we turn the other cheek and forgive those who abuse us we will find a way that is in tune with the universe.

If we return good for evil we will emulate the creator of the universe.

And if we open our hearts and give love to others we will be Home at last.

For God is Love.

And love is the way Home.


Photo Credit: jaime.silva Flickr via Compfight cc

Sex is Love.

In the 1980s we were inundated with sex.

Amid talk of raging hormones and "What's love got to do with it?" we were told that love was sex.

But they got it wrong.

Because in fact sex is love.

Without love sex leads to burn-out and emptiness.

It results in misery.

Whereas when sex is practised as an adjunct of love we experience a kind of earthly bliss.

So don't listen to their blasphemous lies.

Sex is Love.

And as such it engenders intimacy and tenderness in our relationships.


Photo Credit: Pinterest.

Darkness.

The overwhelming problem in our modern world is the control and manipulation of our multi-media networks.

These networks are owned and controlled by rich media barons and corporations.

And as such they are outlets for their propaganda.

Everything is slanted by spin.

And anything they don't want you to know just doesn't appear.

So many of the urgent problems in our world are simply not reported.

Even the Internet is flooded with articles diverting people's good intentions.

And this doesn't just apply to news media.

Our entertainment is saturated with evil.

Rock music is Satanism.

And our movies and T.V. push violence and war.

And there is no alternative.

We are brainwashed.

Living in a nightmare.

But no one knows why.

Rock stars have sold their souls.

And Corporate Plutocrats are corrupt.

We have no say.

And we have no power.

Governments kowtow to the Corporations.

And hackers control elections.

We live in an era of fascism and lies.

A dark time of evil.

And relative truth.

Look for the Light.

And follow your heart.

Then you might see a glimmer of hope.


Photo Credit: amanky Flickr via Compfight cc

Love Purifies.

Love purifies our hearts.

Love purifies our relationships.

Love purifies our motives.

Love purifies our minds.

Love purifies our bodies.

Love purifies our spirits.

Love purifies our prayers.


Photo Credit: JMacPherson Flickr via Compfight cc

Triumph!

You will triumph over your enemies.

Not by defeating them.

But by helping them to win.

God can take away their weapons.

By showing them that they don't need them anymore.

They too can triumph.

Triumph over jealousy and fear.

We are all equal.

And we all feel jealousy and fear.

But God can take these demons from us.

And He will.

If we pray for our enemies.

Pray that they overcome their fear.

And share in the embrace of God's Love.

Then their fear will become love.

And they will be Home.


Photo Credit: USEmbassyPhnomPenh Flickr via Compfight cc

Equal Rights.

Aquarius is about equality.

It is co-ruled by Saturn and Uranus.

And so each side has equal rights:

The Right and the Left.

Employers and Employees.

Rich and Poor.

Perpetrators and Victims.

Colonial and Indigenous.

Men and Women.

Straight and Gay.

Christian and Muslim.

Buddhist and Hindu.

Israel and Palestine.

Both sides have an equal claim.

At present we have an imbalance of power.

One side has all the power while the other is powerless.

This oppression results in violence.

And oppression is caused by fear.

Once the power imbalance is addressed and both sides feel that their case is being heard then the fear will be gone and the violence will stop.


Photo Credit: alémdoquesevê_ Flickr via Compfight cc

Vision.

Because I say that our popular culture is saturated with Satanism and we need to return to God.

Does not mean that I advocate a return to the Christianity of the 1950s.

The traditional orthodox Christianity taught in that era was more akin to the religion of the Pharisees than the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth.

What I am proposing in Progressive Christianity is a return to the teachings of Jesus himself.

The religion of the 1950s was about belief in Creeds which contain nothing that Jesus taught.

These Creeds are about the figure of Christ as God and his Virgin Mother, his death and Resurrection, and his return in Judgement.

Jesus taught none of these things.

And although his Resurrection is significant it is not the physical resuscitation indicated by an empty tomb.

The empty tomb is more symbolic than historical.

And the myth of Mary's virginity is based on a mistranslation of the original text.

Jesus refused to judge people in life so why would he return to judge the whole human race?

What Jesus did teach, however, was the forgiveness and unconditional love of God.

He was an agent of God's mercy.

And his death was a tragedy for the human race.

His disciples and followers never really regained the fullness of Jesus' revelation.

Only now are we beginning to glimpse the vision that Jesus attained.

So do not look to the past for the vision.

Look to the future and guard it against the corruptions of history.


Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk Flickr via Compfight cc

Counter.

God is our Father.

We are all brothers and sisters.

The world produces enough food for everyone.

Foreign aid is good.

The United Nations is ideal.

Rich Corporations should pay tax.

War must cease.

Dialogue must commence.

Tolerance will prevail.

Truth will out.

Good will emerge.

Love wins.


Photo Credit: Elvert Barnes Flickr via Compfight cc