10 Things They Don't Want You to Know About the Bible

Original Sin is a Man-Made Idea, and Jesus Actually Denounces the Concept. 
Since we must quote the Bible here to satisfy 

Original Sin is the only doctrine by which modern Christianity has any dominion to exert fear and  control people's faith.  If you are not intrinsically "bad" and stained with sin, then we are all sons and daughters of God, the creator of the universe.

"The founders of Christianity understood that if man, through his devotion and obedience to God, can save himself from eternal damnation, the Church would very little to offer their parishioners." [source]

Still need to wrap your brain around this new paradigm?  Check out 100 Bible verses that show that original sin is false and unbiblical.

"The Almighty did not give us desires that we cannot govern or commandments that we could not keep. The Torah was not delivered to angels or animals. It was given to the children of Israel long after our first ancestors transgressed in the Garden of Eden." [source]

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Jesus repeatedly calls himself God in only one of the Gospels.  He doesn't do this in the three that Gospels are most consistent with one another (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

A Biography Missing Half the Subject's Life is Fundamentally Flawed.  How can the church claim they know the circumstances of Jesus' birth when almost half of Jesus' life is mysteriously missing from the Bible? 

Why would the church omit half of his life?  Could there be conflicting teachings or actions during this time in his life (approx. ages 13-30) that needed to be expunged?

The Gospel Christians Love to Quote May Be the Most Inaccurate.
The Gospel of John is an outlier.  Not only does the Gospel of John consistently conflict thematically with the three other Gospels, it does not draw it's writings from the same source as Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

A Talking Snake in a Garden?  That sounds like something borrowed from Greek or Roman myth.  Jesus spoke in parables and the Bible is filled with figurative speech that was not meant to be taken literally.

"The language of Scripture may be regarded as figurative, if the literal interpretation will cause one passage to contradict another" [concept source]

The Gospels Were Written 20-40 years after Jesus Death.  If one of your best friends wrote some short stories about your life at least 20 years after you died, do you really think they could recount word-for-word the things that you said?  Maybe it they were standing next to you writing down your words, the writings could be reliable.  People were not writing down Jesus' words as he spoke.  They were written years after he died.

Jesus and Krishna share many, many parallels.  Historically, writings about Krishna predate Jesus by centuries and there are merely a few hundred parallels between details in Jesus' life and the story of Krishna.
- Krishna "came onto earth to cleanse the sins of the human beings."
- Both were visited at birth by wise men and shepherds, guided by a star.
- Both were called Savior, and the second person of the Trinity.
- Both were god-men: being considered both human and divine.
- His adoptive human father was a carpenter.
- Both was sent from heaven to earth in the form of a man.
- Both Yeshua and Krishna withdrew to the wilderness as adults, and fasted.
- Both descended into Hell, and were resurrected. Many people witnessed their ascensions into heaven.
- Both were meek, and merciful. Both were criticized for associating with sinners.
- Both referred to themselves having existed before their birth on earth.


Further reading for open minded people:

Did Jesus believe in Original Sin? « Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

The virgin birth of Jesus: Fact or fable?

The Bible in India - by Louis Jacolliot in 1869

Sri Yantra Artwork

Sri Yantra image by Paul Heussenstamm.  Available for purchase as a 11x11 print for only $25.

Beautiful Red, Gold, and Green Sri Yantra art painted on some kind of stone.  Includes two bands of flower petals.  (Full-size image could be printed as a postcard.)

Blue, Red, and Gold colored Sri Yantra pendant.

Red, Yellow, and Pink Sri Yantra design.  Includes chakra-shaped flower petals around the core design.


The following artworks are not the Sri Yantra, but they are beautiful sacred art, nonetheless.

Blue, purple, and gold mandala art by Karla Becker.

Deeper Truth, Not Religious Dogma Awaits in the Early History of Christianity

Table via: Jesus > Canonical Gospels

The Gospel of Mark was probably written c.AD 66–70.  (This is 30-37 years after Jesus' death.)



Most scholars agree that Mark was the first of the gospels to be composed, and that the authors of Matthew and Luke used it plus a second document called the Q source when composing their own gospels. [Gospel of Mark article]

Most scholars believe the Gospel of Matthew was composed between 80 and 90 CE, with a range of possibility between 70 to 110 CE (a pre-70 date remains a minority view).  [Gospel of Matthew]

Important terms to understand the history of Christianity:

Synoptic Gospels - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Q source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Historical Jesus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Did Jesus believe in Original Sin? « Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel
As a Jew reading the Gospel narrative, it seems to me that Jesus explicitly disapproved of any idea that man suffers from an inherited sin. By extension, every human fault we are born with serves a spiritual purpose so that we may glorify the Creator despite our natural shortcomings. Nowhere does Jesus ever speak of anything resembling the idea of a prenatal sin.

Pelagius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pelagius (c. 360-418) was a British-born ascetic moralist, who became well known throughout ancient Rome. He opposed the idea of predestination and asserted a strong version of the doctrine of free will.[2] He was accused by Augustine of Hippo and others of denying the need for divine aid in performing good works. They understood him to have said that the only grace necessary was the declaration of the law; humans were not wounded by Adam's sin and were perfectly able to fulfill the law without divine aid. Pelagius denied Augustine's theory of original sin. His adherents cited Deuteronomy 24:16 in support of their position. Pelagius was declared a heretic by the Council of Carthage. His interpretation of a doctrine of free will became known as Pelagianism. 

Unity's Opening Invocation/affirmation and a mystic view of Jesus

A Mystic View of Jesus (Unity.org)
We believe that Jesus expressed his divine potential and sought to show humankind how to express ours as well. We see Jesus as a master teacher of universal truths and as our Way Shower. In Unity, we use the term Christ to mean the divinity in humankind. Jesus is the great example of the Christ in expression.

Unity's approach to practical spirituality
A positive alternative to negative religion, Unity seeks to apply the teachings of Jesus as well as other spiritual masters. Unity affirms the power of prayer and helps people experience a stronger connection with God every day. (via Our Philosophy- Unity.org)

Unity's opening invocation (for Sunday services)
 I am now in the presence of pure being and immersed in the Holy Spirit of life, love, and wisdom. I acknowledge Thy presence and power, O blessed Spirit. In Thy divine wisdom now erase my mortal limitations, and from Thy pure substance of love bring into manifestation my world, according to Thy perfect law.

Unity Church's spiritual philosophy

Five Basic Principles of Unity

1. God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere.
2. We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good.
3. We create our life experiences through our way of thinking.
4. There is power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our awareness of God.
5. Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.

God

God is Spirit, the loving source of all that is. God is the one power, all good, everywhere present, all wisdom. God is divine energy, continually creating, expressing and sustaining all creation. In God, we live and move and have our being. In Unity, some other ways we speak of God are Life, Light, Love, Substance, Principle, Law and Universal Mind.

The Nature of Humankind

We are each individual, eternal expressions of God. Our essential nature is divine and therefore inherently good. Our purpose is to express our divine potential as realized and demonstrated by Jesus and other master teachers. The more we awaken to our divine nature, the more fully God expresses in and through our lives.

Our Teachings

• Heaven is not a place, but a state of consciousness; we create our own heaven and hell here and now.
• We all have an innate capacity to know God through direct experience.
• The “Christ” is that part of God that is in every person. There is a spark of divinity within all people, just as there was in Jesus.
• Prayer works.
• We are here to set a positive example and be a role model for others.
• We are here to make the world a better place.

Jesus

We believe that Jesus expressed his divine potential and sought to show humankind how to express ours as well. We see Jesus as a master teacher of universal truths and as our Way Shower. In Unity, we use the term Christ to mean the divinity in humankind. Jesus is the great example of the Christ in expression.

Prayer and Meditation

Affirmative prayer is the highest form of creative thought. It includes the release of counterproductive, negative thoughts, as well as holding in mind statements of spiritual truth. Through meditation, we experience the presence of God. Prayer and meditation heighten our awareness and thereby transform our lives.

Favorite Bible Verses

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
- John 8:7

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:12

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
John 9:1-3

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Romans 13:12

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Mark 6:3

But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
Galatians 1:19

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Matthew 12:46-47

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Matthew 13:55

All passages are from the King James version, unless otherwise noted.

The Cosmic Clock - God Qualities and Age Lines

God qualities for the Cosmic Clock

1. God-love
2. God-Mastery
3. God-Control
4. God-Obedience
5. God-Wisdom
6. God-Harmony
7. God-Gratitude
8. God-Justice
9. God-Reality
10. God-Vision
11. God-Victory
12. God-Power

Some interesting ages....

Age 18 (6 O'Clock line)
God Harmony
Finding harmony in life and not going off the deep end with new found freedom, independence, and adult responsibility.

Age 21 (9 O'Clock line)
God Reality
Not becoming involved in false realities of drugs, hedonistic lifestyles, and patterns of self-destruction. Embracing what is real.

Age 22-23 (9-10 O'Clock line)
This is the age when most people complete college and the God-vision and God-Victory fits this perfectly. With the right vision, a person can reach for goals and make the right choices. By embracing self victory, someone can put their new found opportunities to good use and hopefully achieve everything they are meant to achieve.







Perversions of the twelve God-Qualities:

Eating Kosher: mystical and healthy

Judaism 101: Kashrut: Jewish Dietary Laws

The Torah prohibits consumption of blood. Lev. 7:26-27; Lev. 17:10-14. This is the only dietary law that has a reason specified in Torah: we do not eat blood because the life of the animal (literally, the soul of the animal) is contained in the blood. This applies only to the blood of birds and mammals, not to fish blood. Thus, it is necessary to remove all blood from the flesh of kosher animals.

Of the things that are in the waters, you may eat anything that has fins and scales. Lev. 11:9; Deut. 14:9. Thus, shellfish such as lobsters, oysters, shrimp, clams and crabs are all forbidden. Fish like tuna, carp, salmon and herring are all permitted.

Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy.

Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten.
(The restrictions on grape products derive from the laws against using products of idolatry.)

A kosher household will have at least two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy

A very humane and almost painless slaughter
Ritual slaughter is known as shechitah, and the person who performs the slaughter is called a shochet, both from the Hebrew root Shin-Cheit-Tav, meaning to destroy or kill. The method of slaughter is a quick, deep stroke across the throat with a perfectly sharp blade with no nicks or unevenness. This method is painless, causes unconsciousness within two seconds, and is widely recognized as the most humane method of slaughter possible.

A little comical
An egg that contains a blood spot may not be eaten. This isn't very common, but I find them once in a while. It is a good idea to break an egg into a glass and check it before you put it into a heated pan, because if you put a blood-stained egg into a heated pan, the pan becomes non-kosher.

Kosher symbols on food packaging

The most controversial certification is the K, a plain letter K found on products asserted to be kosher. A letter of the alphabet cannot be trademarked, so any manufacturer can put a K on a product, even without any supervision at all. For example, Jell-O brand gelatin puts a K on its product, even though every reliable Orthodox authority agrees that Jell-O is not kosher.

. . .although observant Jews are only a small fragment of the marketplace, kosher certification is also relied upon by many Muslims

Orthodox Christianity

"The majority of Orthodox scholars would accept inclusivism.... This view holds firmly to the centrality of Christ... yet acknowledges that salvation can be found outside Christianity."

Humanity was created in the image and likeness of God. "'Image' is... intellect, emotion, ethical judgment, and self-determination. ... The 'likeness' is the human potential to become like God."

"Man is truly free only when he is in communion with God; otherwise he is only a slave to his body or to the world." (Encyc. Britannica) At the Fall, "man's will became blurred, but did not disappear."

- Icons are emphasized by the Orthodox church.
- Orthodox priests may be married

Culturally, the Greek East has always tended to be more philosophical, abstract and mystical in its thinking, whereas the Latin West tends toward a more pragmatic and legal-minded approach. (According to an old saying, "the Greeks built metaphysical systems; the Romans built roads.")
via Religionfacts.com

For Orthodox theologians, humans were created in the image of God and made to participate fully in the divine life. The full communion with God that Adam and Eve enjoyed meant complete freedom and true humanity, for humans are most human when they are completely united with God.

The teaching of St. Paul about sexuality is analogous to his teaching about eating and drinking and all bodily functions. They are given by God for spiritual reasons to be used for His glory. In themselves they are holy and pure. When misused or adored as an end in themselves, they become the instruments of sin and death. The apostle specifically says that all sexual perversions have as their direct cause man's rebellion against God. via Orthodox Church in America

In the Orthodox tradition the eating of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" is generally interpreted as man's actual taste of evil, his literal experience of evil as such. Sometimes, this eating is also interpreted (as by St. Gregory the Theologian) as man's attempt to go beyond what was possible for him; his attempt to do that which was not yet within his power to realize. via Orthodox Church in America

"Missionary activity is an essential part of the life of the Church." "Orthodox do not... actively seek to cause the disaffection of others from their non-Orthodox Christian faiths."

Found while comparing the beliefs and practices of different denominations.

Rigpa Glimpse: Ego plays on our fear of loosing control

Ego plays brilliantly on our fundamental fear of losing control, and of the unknown. We might say to ourselves: “I should really let go of ego, I’m in such pain; but if I do, what’s going to happen to me?”

Ego will chime in sweetly: “I know I’m sometimes a nuisance, and believe me, I quite understand if you want me to leave. But is that really what you want? Think: If I do go, what’s going to happen to you? Who’ll look after you? Who will protect and care for you like I’ve done all these years?”

Even if we see through the lies of the ego, we are just too scared to abandon it; for without any true knowledge of the nature of our mind, or true identity, we simply have no other alternative. Again and again we cave in to ego’s demands with the same sad self-hatred as the alcoholic feels reaching for the drink that he knows is destroying him, or the drug addict feels groping for the drug that she knows after a brief high will only leave her flat and desperate.

Rigpa Glimpse of the Day, April 21

Religulous: The Best Quotes

Thank you for being Christ-like and not just Christian.
- Bill Maher.

The most spiritually important quote from the movie Religulous, in my opinion.

Why are we here?

Each of us is here to discover our true Self…
that essentially we are spiritual beings
who have taken manifestation in physical form…
that we‘re not human beings that have occasional spiritual experiences…
that we’re spiritual beings that have occasional human experiences.
~ Deepak Chopra ~