The Open Soul - Part 7

Christ Crucified is an invitation into meaninglessness

Can human beings make meaning in the world if they have let go of ideas of good and evil, light and darkness, even God to such a degree?

The apostle Paul spoke of this when he said that Jews were looking for signs and Greeks for wisdom, but he preached only Christ crucified. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25). To Jews, signs were a way of interpreting God’s favor and making meaning through power,[1] and to Greeks knowledge and understanding satisfied the human impulse to make meaning through making sense of things. 

Christ crucified is the breakdown of the use of power to move to a more ideal situation and a breakdown of what makes sense. “It is the absence of divine confirmation of human values.” [2] In this way it not a way to make meaning, but is an invitation into meaninglessness, or as Meister Eckhart might say, into nothingness.

[1] Paul Hessert. Christ and the End of Meaning: The Theology of Passion. (Rockport MA: Element Inc., 1993. Out of Print), 19.

[2] Hessert, 26.

Cosmic Christ: "The Sermon on the Mount"

With less of you, there is more of love

Watch this - you won’t regret it

https://vimeo.com/50192912

All things hold together - Paraphrase

The Christ consciousness resurrects us and shows us that life is created from death

The Christ consciousness was paramount in the beginning and is the creative force. All things are created by this consciousness. All things hold together with this consciousness. All the fullness of creation rests in this consciousness. and is reconciled into oneness through it. The Christ consciousness resurrects us and shows us that life is created from death. All the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe - people and things, animals and atoms - get properly fitted together in peace and vibrant harmonies. Colossians 1:15-20

(Paraphrase is a combination of “The Message” and my own paraphrase)

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The Anti-Christ Gospel - Giving to the Needy

You do want to give God the glory after all don’t you?

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” … Except on Social Media.  Then you should announce your righteous beliefs regularly so that everyone knows how spiritual and Christian you are.   You might want to throw in a little condemnation of those who don’t share your beliefs while you’re at it.  “And when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets and do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” …  Of course this doesn’t apply on your tax returns, you can certainly announce your charitable giving there. And if you can use your giving to inspire others, then by all means you should. You don’t want to hide your light under a bushel. And be sure to proclaim to others that the reason you have prospered in this life is because you have tithed and put your trust in god and that god has rewarded you for your generosity.  You do want to give God the glory after all don’t you? 

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The Anti-Christ Gospel - Love Your Enemies

…you don’t need to send showers of love and blessing to the unrighteous.  That’s God’s job. 

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “…  But I tell you, maybe don’t HATE your enemy, but you should certainly fight against them and try to make them like you are.   Only people who are like you can be your neighbor. Once you’ve converted them to your way of thinking, then you can love them fully.    Now, if they persecute you, you might want to pray for them, but you can certainly consider them your enemy.  If they say things on social media that contradict your viewpoints, or even worse put down your viewpoints, by all means take them to task.  Call them out.  Throw in some name calling and put downs.  After all, it’s your job to change their mind that you may be children of your Father in heaven. I mean, even though He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, you don’t need to send showers of love and blessing to the unrighteous.  That’s God’s job.  Yours is to call them out!   If you love those who don’t love you, how are you going to make a difference in this world?   And if you greet those who are not your own people, you are just watering down the gospel.  You should fight against them with all your might.   Just don’t hate them.   If you can just keep from hating them, then you are doing more than the pagans and are justified.   Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  And do everything you can to make sure everyone else is as perfect as you are. 

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The Anti-Christ Gospel - An Eye for an Eye

Above all, protect your freedom and your rights.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’  And then there are some that will say, ‘Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.   And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.   If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.’  “

But I tell you that you might not want to take an eye for an eye, but turning the other cheek is just not practical.  You must stand up for yourself.  Especially if the one that is asking you to go one mile is the government.  In that case, it’s probably a conspiracy to take away your freedom.  Above all, protect your freedom and your rights.  That’s what makes America great.   Forget about turning the other cheek.  That’s bullshit. 

The Anti-Christ Gospel - Oaths

It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’” …  But I tell you, that’s really old fashioned shit.  You can’t possibly keep up with all your promises.  Sometimes you have to say yes to people just to get them off your back.  It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

The Anti-Christ Gospel - Divorce

You don’t owe her anything.

“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ “… This is really practical advice. You want it all in writing. Be sure you get a good lawyer who can get you the best deal possible. It’s totally OK to divorce your wife and leave her with no resources.  It is not your responsibility to pay for any alimony or child support, above what the law requires, even if she has given up her career to raise your children or has worked to help put you through college.  You don’t owe her anything. 
After all, she should be able to make-due on the court-ordered child support.  How could you possibly pay child support and still pay for the extras like medical bills, braces, glasses, summer camp, or college and still expect to find a new wife and buy her nice things? 

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The Anti-Christ Gospel - Your Right Eye

When I looked for pictures of people with their eyes gouged out, they were almost entirely women.

“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.   And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. “

Don’t be misled into thinking that this is about consumption and never being satisfied.  And just like the lust thing, I’m not talking here about the desire to overpower or possess.   I don’t speak metaphorically.  So, I’m not talking about the inability to see things clearly or the consuming desire to grasp at things.  I’m talking literally about looking at and touching women.  Duh.   You should actually gouge out your eye if you look at a woman and have a sexual thought.  You should actually chop off your hand if you touch a woman.  Women are off limits and will contaminate you spiritually.    Of course, you don’t have to take this kind of extreme measure if the woman tempted you.  In that situation, of course it’s her fault and not yours.  For example: if she was wearing something revealing.  In America, that’s tight pants, or a a tight shirt, short shorts or a short skirt, a low-cut blouse, or god forbid a bikini.  In the Middle East, that’s anything that shows her face or ankle.  In either case, you are not responsible, it’s her fault.    Of course men aren’t responsible for any of this. None of this applies to men, they can wear whatever they want because of course women don’t have sexual thoughts and those who do are clearly depraved and should have their eye gouged out - it would be entirely their fault and not be because of anything men did. I have proof of this. When I looked for pictures of people with their eyes gouged out, they were almost entirely women.

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The Anti-Christ Gospel - Lust

What we are really aiming for here is the suppression of your sexuality

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”…  First of all, I want to emphasize that lust means a sexual thought because of course you know that sexuality is sinful and human beings aren’t supposed to think about sexual things.  And of course you also know that you should and can achieve absolute control over what thoughts run through your mind.  You haven’t mastered that yet?  Get to work!   And whatever you do, don’t let yourself be misled into thinking that lust might mean the desire to possess or overpower another person.   What we are really aiming for here is the suppression of your sexuality, not the subversion of power.