I don't follow any particular religion, but I like to move from one to another to take what I can from them all. Right now I have been spending some time studying Christianity. Looking around on the forum here it is obvious that we have a diverse group with many different perspectives and opinions of what it means to be Christian. So if anyone wants to, I would like to discuss the teachings of Jesus and what message you take away from certain passages. I don't really have anything in mind, or any particular passages I would like to discuss. Just whatever happens to come up in the conversation. The Christianity forum seems to stay in a slump of negativity, and if this thread goes anywhere it may turn out the same, but hopefully we can all discuss our own perspectives of the teachings of Jesus without riduculing someone elses opinion. Simply a sharing of different opinions to gain a better understanding of the teachings by looking at them through the eyes of someone else. I would like to try and understand the way you view the teachings, and how you came to that perspective. So if you are interested, please share a passage that you would like to discuss and let's learn a little about one another, our different perspectives, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Hiya! I wasn't ignoring this, I just don't know where to start beyond talking the 'highest' ideals of love for others without judgement and see the equality in all. Jesus said, Love one another and that seems enough to me and I shy away from the Bible but have read it and the Gnostic texts I assume the Gnostic texts where Jesus appears more a buddha would be if complete the actual teachings while the church held on to just the morals and control. Christianity is something that can go so badly and cause such bad effects but not when understood properly Jesus to me is total unconditional love with no ability or want to see and differences in man or women, half God....I think so most of my life and knowledge has been experiences more than churches or books but if u start a conversation on a scripture I'm game If I imitate what I love in Christ and absorb with Him no matter how far short I fall, it's all good. its just love, acceptance for all, beyond dualities and circumstance even forgiveness I don't think is needed often b/c there is never anything to forgive The Jesus I see doesn't judge or discriminate...I find it absurd bless you always peace
Are you studying or thinking about any specific teachings? A substantial portion of what is traditionally accepted as essential Christianity is actually rooted in the teachings of Paul and has no real basis in anything Jesus ever taught. Paul was certainly inspired, and it is arguable whether Christ's gift would have gone unrecognized without Paul's efforts to bring it to the World. But Paul also seems to have had (right or wrong, who knows?) a fantastic idea of Christ that may have ultimately distorted Jesus' vision and purpose. It is, therefore, important to read Christ's teachings on their own terms, to allow yourself to be inspired by their essential, self-evident authority. The best place to start is the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Matthew. It is a wealth of immeasurably deep wisdom. You could spend a lifetime meditating solely on the Beatitudes (Blessed are the poor . . . Blessed are those who mourn . . . etc.) and continue to find ever more transcendent insight. Whatever else one may say about Christ's whole story, it is, at the very least, a meditation on the nature of humanity (in all of its variations, ideal and otherwise), the nature of divinity, and the ways they relate to one another. Please let me know what you think. I am looking forward to this. Peace and Love
This is really what I had in mind. Focusing on the teachings attributed to Jesus himself. Wether they are from the new testament gospels or the apocryphal texts or the gnostic gospels. Any passages that may puzzle you and bring up questions, or that enlightens you and you want to share with us all. I haven't done much reading lately so I don't have anything fresh on my mind. I thought perhaps some of the Christians or non-Christians who spend a lot of time studying these writings might already have something in mind they have been wanting to talk about. I agree, and I'm really hoping that there are some people here who have spent much time contemplating the teachings of Jesus who want to share their insights. When it comes to spiritual writings by wise men and women, they tend to hold many different levels of meaning that can only be seen by digging below the surface. From spending time with other spiritual texts, it amazes me how much wisdom and insight can be contained within a single line, and I see this same characteristic in the sayings attributed to Jesus.
Okay, haven't had much time to read lately and......forgot about this thread. Seems there wasn't too much interest in it anyway:tongue: . But, here's a couple of passages to think over and comment on if your interested. I'll post my own comments later when I don't have a headache and I've had time to think them over. From the Sermon on the Mount 43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. From the Gospel of Thomas Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." Any thoughts?
Mellow...I've said here before that in order to understand the Bible, one first needs to understand Vedic scripture, Bhagavad-gita being the principal one. What you've quoted...Biblical and extra-Biblical...illustrate this point very well.
Aye, I think I know what your saying. I've noticed for some time that Christianity as it's commonly practiced lacks any sort of inward experience. Which to me doesn't make much sense when reading the bible, as it's full of such experiences. Because of that, it does seem much easier to understand the biblical teachings when you have an understanding of other Religions more in touch and open about such things, and the Bhagavad-gita is an excellent source. I did have to look elsewhere, and my understanding has blossomed because of it. The passage from the Gospel of Thomas, for example, could easily have been written by an Hermetist. It immediately brought to my mind the Emerald Tablet. However, the key principles are there in Christianity as well, and I don't think you have to look beyond it to tap into that understanding. You just have to dig deep and keep an open mind.
Hi Mellow Magician. As someone who spent quite some time looking into christian mysticism and esoteric christianty at one time, I'd just like to offer a couple of comments. The biggest problem as I see it with catholic/orthodox/protestant chriatianity is the fact that it all hinges on the idea of 'original sin' and the need for a bloody sacrifice to propitiate the wrath of God, and save us all from going to hell. To me, this whole secenario smacks of a form of paranoid insanity arrived at in an age of ignorance, fear and superstition. This being so, I am nowadays entirely disenchanted with all forms of c/anity on this level. Where the gnostic scritptures are concerned, they contain some interesting statements. However, many of them seem very much to echo things like neo-platonism and other non-christian influences. It is in fact these aspects that make them different from the cannonical gospels. Anyway, the religions of the gnostics were well and truly exerminated by the church back in the Roman Empire. What we have now are fragments, and attemts to create new gnostic 'churches' seem a bit cultish. Also the word 'gnosis' is used also by writers on western occultism. In that sense it just means knowledge - 'spiritual' knowledge, but not necessarily knowledge of Christ.
As I understand it, one the most important facets of J.C.'s teachings is all about recognizing and maintaining (or restoring) the unity of humanity. Whether individually or on a local or even a national level, people who recognize this unity have good relationships with nature, man and reality and live more fulfilling lives. Their creativity and consciousness is not wasted on what are, ultimately, trivial battles, and may be directed toward more fulfilling pursuits than mere survival. Imagine how this world of ours would be transformed if everyone simply stopped seeing their fellow humans as enemies. Imagine the transformation if even one fraction of humanity loved all of humanity. You can spend a lifetime discovering the nature of reality and in the end you will be only one lifetime closer to the ultimate. You could spend a lifetime telling yourself what you are (human, mammal, male, American, etc.) and in the end it will be nothing more than a list of names. One moment you realize your most primal identity (as far as identity goes) is this . . . I AM this Consciousness. The contents of your Consciousness, and what you are, are one. This is the inspiration of the Hindu phrases Tat Tvam Asi (Thou Art That) and SatChitAnanda (Being, Consciousness, Bliss), God's answer to Moses "I Am what I Am" and Christ's answer to his inquisitors "I Am." All of this is what the Mystics of every age and every tradition are talking about. Of course, everyone else is also, so don't let your head get too big. Maybe . . . Peace and Love
