That Which We Don't Know or Haven't Read

"All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, for the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone. He, who has ears, let him hear."

I wrote this post in August of 2013 and just realized, somehow, it reverted to draft and has been offline to my readers for about five years. I have reread it for content and to ensure I was in a proper state of mind, and I've checked for grammar and spelling, again to ensure my mental faculties were not under the influence of bourbon or other media in the pantheon of sensoria interruptus. I also rediscovered all quotes used in this post are from the Gospel of Mary unless otherwise noted. The Gospel of Mary is one of those little-referenced texts which religious scholars seem to give little credence, and for good reason; it depicts Peter as a misogynistic egotist.  That's right, the future leader of the Christian church, this "rock" upon which Crist would entrust the salvation of humanity, was probably a sexist pig.  Is there any wonder women were shunned from roles as clergy?  With all the controversy concerning scriptural contradictions, interpretations, missing or discarded gospels, and who actually authored the books in the New Testament, is there any wonder Christianity is at odds with itself?  

With this in mind, please consider, "That Which We Don't Know or Haven't Read":

Eastern philosophy is evident in most sayings of Jesus Christ, especially in those not accepted for inclusion in the New Testament. And, why would the exclusion of truth seem out of place for this period in history? The philosophy that was true then still holds true today: When the government controls the money, education, and religion, it also controls the people. Socialism, communism, and totalitarianism would all fall into this category. The United States is heading down this road as we, the people, are manipulated into becoming more dependent on a more socialist form of  government, and the courts deem it prudent to remove references to God from our lives under the guise of atheist complaints when the truth lies with the Marxist belief, "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."  When the "totalitarian" church is in charge of the state, however, everything falls before it at a much more rapid pace, perhaps expressly because of this very Marxist belief.

Peace, be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves. Beware that no one lead you astray saying, “Lo here,” or, “Lo there!” For the son of man is within you. Follow after Him! Those who seek Him will find Him. Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.

So what is it the church and state don’t want us to hear? Let’s look at the above quote. “Beware that no one leads you astray,” would indicate to me Jesus was very aware of the gullibility of man to fall for any fast-talking con job, especially from religious clerics.  Consider the following verses:

There is no sin [of the world], but you make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature, in order to restore it to its root. That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you. He, who has a mind to understand, let him understand.

Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body. That is why I said to you, “Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature.” He, who has ears to hear, let him hear.

“For the son of man is within you,” not in a church and you don’t have to pay money for clues. “Follow after Him! Those that seek him shall find him,” and your heart will guide on your path as you seek God’s love within you.

If we take this last verse as truth, the spirit of Jesus Christ is within us, not in a church, and we don't have to tithe, pay money, to buy information, those clues to salvation, which we already know because the truth is within all of us. We are all on our own path, foolishly seeking that which we already have within us - God's love.

And, as a final quote, I'll repeat my one of my favorites:

"Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it." 

Gee, any church law, edict, rule, etc., would seem to go against this statement. Is it any wonder church and state would like to keep us ignorant of the simple gospel handed to us by Christ? The simple truth personally handed down to Mary by Jesus was left out of the Bible while, instead, chapters of conflicting confusion were handed to us by a "church" and a ruling class of clergy which Jesus never intended.  It’s all a matter of faith our faith. Yes, our faith, not the faith spoonfed to us by clergy hell-bent on control.  Only we can save ourselves, no one else has that power save the omnipotence of creation.

But then, I have to ask myself if its a matter of faith or, perhaps, more a matter of love?  Faith is, after all, a belief in something for which there is little or no proof, whereas love is a tangible emotion we can immediately feel.

God has given us the tools for our salvation. Jesus was simply another messenger sent to reinforce the simplicity of it. He gave everything he could give and, once again, it was up to each of us to listen and to find our own way. Ask yourself, would you give your hard earned money to a stock broker to invest for you? No?  Then, why would you hand over your soul to some clergy, in expectation of a salvation which you haven't, yourself, earned? 

When Jesus was finished imparting wisdom here on this plane of existence, he made the same type of declaration as Buddha declared 500 years earlier:  

"It may be, Ananda, that some of you will say, 'without the Buddha, the Sublime Teacher, there is no teacher for us'. No, Ananda, you should not think in this way. Whatever doctrine and discipline taught and made known by me will be your teacher when I am gone... Behold, O monks, this is my advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation."  

Jesus made a similar statement, albeit shorter, to Mary Magdalene: 

"From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence."

Both teachers gave us all of what was to be given, and we were not to look to them for more than this, nor were we to expect an answer if we did.  We have all the knowledge we need to move forward, clergy can only mentor their own interpretation of teachings for our consideration.  Our prayers and our worship are ours alone to give freely and with love to our creator.  Our fate is ours alone to relinquish freely to the omnipotent power from which it was given. 

We are, truly, only in the hands of God.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.