Have you investigated Gnostic Christianity?

[darkbeaver]

To those who favor other myths, nothing wrong with sun worship. To Gnostics, it is the internalizing of the myth that brings enlightenment. Not the particular myth.


Regards
DL

​

Life is the Sun internalized.

 

[Cliffy]

This reminds me of the old toilet paper debate: which is the right side to mount the roll so it unravels on the inside or the outside?
Answer: there is no right or wrong way, it is a matter of preference.

It is the same with religion or spiritual path (or no path at all). It is all a matter of preference. A person can just as easily reach enlightenment watching Star Trek movies. Personally, I prefer the Matrix. It doesn't matter which vehicle you drive to your destination, just as long as you arrive there safely.

 

[darkbeaver]

Cliffy, is truth really a matter of personal preference?

 

[Cliffy]

Cliffy, is truth really a matter of personal preference?

Truth is only relevant to the beholder. Your truth may not be relevant to say an Aborigine living on grubs in the deserts of Australia. In the end, I think simplicity and a sense of humour will get you closer to the truth than all the books in the world.

One of the most enlightening epiphanies I have had was when I read the line "Lighten up, eh!" in Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. One cannot reach enlightenment by being serious about it. Enlightenment means a lightness of spirit.

 

[darkbeaver]

"Lo, I come from the Lake of Flame, from the Lake of Fire, and from the field of flame, and I live." And again, from an old Book of Adam and Eve we quote a great passage in which the Lord says: "I made thee of the light, and I wished to bring out children of the light from thee." If only we had been taught by our religious teachers that our spiritual natures are woven and fabricated of solar light, we should have had a clearer apprehension of our potentialities for divine education.http://pc93.tripod.com/sungods.htmhttp://

 

[Motar]

Thank God for opposing principles.

Agree, DB. The universe is replete with opposing principles, although I would be more inclined to regard them as balancing principles. Syncretic attempts to homogenize them however are futile.

"Paul, in Colossians 2:4 speaks of the Colossians being deluded by "plausible arguments," meaning seemingly logical answers to questions about the human condition but answers that are contrary to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. In 2:8 Paul writes: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8, ESV).

Paul mentions philosophy, deceit according to human tradition and the elemental spirits of the world. All of these were being offered to the Colossians along with their Christianity. The greatest assault then and today is syncretism. Syncretism is the mixing of true faith with idolatry and false ideas - mixing in the old gospel truth of Christ with the new multicultural, multi-faith mixture that helps us to look fashionable with one crowd and faithful with another."

(Michael Milton, President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina) 93.9 KPDQ - Portland, OR - Life Changing Christian Radio broadcasts, Programs, Ministries and stations - Listen Online to Christian Teaching and Talk

 

[darkbeaver]

Truth is only relevant to the beholder. Your truth may not be relevant to say an Aborigine living on grubs in the deserts of Australia. In the end, I think simplicity and a sense of humour will get you closer to the truth than all the books in the world.

One of the most enlightening epiphanies I have had was when I read the line "Lighten up, eh!" in Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. One cannot reach enlightenment by being serious about it. Enlightenment means a lightness of spirit.

Can there be anything anywhere that does not behold the truth of solar light? Light and mind are one and the same and there is no thing or mind in any corner of the universe that is not sustained and suspended in the suns radiant emanations. Are you serious about lightening up?

 

[Cliffy]

Are you serious about lightening up?

I used to be, until I read that line. Now I try not to take anything seriously. I even had to quell the knee jerk reaction to respond to the nonsense that Motar just posted.

Are you serious about lighting up, sparky?

 

[darkbeaver]

Agree, DB. The universe is replete with opposing principles, although I would be more inclined to regard them as balancing principles. Syncretic attempts to homogenize them however are futile.

First comes the opposition of female mater and it's elemental spirits to the fathers spiritual light. Balance and harmony, products of opposition.

"Paul, in Colossians 2:4 speaks of the Colossians being deluded by "plausible arguments," meaning seemingly logical answers to questions about the human condition but answers that are contrary to God’s grace in Jesus Christ. In 2:8 Paul writes: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8, ESV).

Paul is simply warning about the traps of materialism.

Paul mentions philosophy, deceit according to human tradition and the elemental spirits of the world. All of these were being offered to the Colossians along with their Christianity. The greatest assault then and today is syncretism. Syncretism is the mixing of true faith with idolatry and false ideas - mixing in the old gospel truth of Christ with the new multicultural, multi-faith mixture that helps us to look fashionable with one crowd and faithful with another."

Again he warns about materialism. Light is the opposite of matter.

I used to be, until I read that line. Now I try not to take anything seriously. I even had to quell the knee jerk reaction to respond to the nonsense that Motar just posted.

Are you serious about lighting up, sparky?

Like the limitations of language become like evident in spiritual discussion eh like?

 

[French Patriot]

This reminds me of the old toilet paper debate: which is the right side to mount the roll so it unravels on the inside or the outside?
Answer: there is no right or wrong way, it is a matter of preference.

It is the same with religion or spiritual path (or no path at all). It is all a matter of preference. A person can just as easily reach enlightenment watching Star Trek movies. Personally, I prefer the Matrix. It doesn't matter which vehicle you drive to your destination, just as long as you arrive there safely.

That is pretty well Gnostic Christian thinking. Any myth can produce enlightenment if it is well written. It would be hard for Universalists to think otherwise.


Regards
DL

 

[darkbeaver]

That is pretty well Gnostic Christian thinking.

Any myth can produce enlightenment if it is well written.

It would be hard for Universalists to think otherwise.
Regards
DL

It must contain a kernel of truth and it must be transmitted by natural typology.

 

[French Patriot]

It must contain a kernel of truth and it must be transmitted by natural typology.

That is part of it for sure. Subject to the interpretations we give those terms.


Regards
DL

 

[55Mercury]

and now so enlightened

please enjoy this thread-themed musical interlude

(saw these guys play this at Maple Leaf Gardens back in '74 - I was awestruck and went immediately to Sam the Record Man to pick up this masterpiece by Yes - Tales From Topographic Oceans)

you must have waited all your life for this moment

The Revealing Science of God

Yes - Tales from Topographic Oceans (Full Album) - YouTube

nous sommes de soleil

I must say Steve Howe's classical guitar solo in the number beginning at 55:25 is worth the listen. Still awestruck 40 years later.

 

[darkbeaver]

St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican.

 

[L Gilbert]

Agree, DB. The universe is replete with opposing principles, although I would be more inclined to regard them as balancing principles. Syncretic attempts to homogenize them however are futile.

I agree.

Paul mentions philosophy, deceit according to human tradition and the elemental spirits of the world. All of these were being offered to the Colossians along with their Christianity. The greatest assault then and today is syncretism. Syncretism is the mixing of true faith with idolatry and false ideas - mixing in the old gospel truth of Christ with the new multicultural, multi-faith mixture that helps us to look fashionable with one crowd and faithful with another."

(Michael Milton, President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina) 93.9 KPDQ - Portland, OR - Life Changing Christian Radio broadcasts, Programs, Ministries and stations - Listen Online to Christian Teaching and Talk

Actually, syncretism is the attempted merging of different philosophies or other schools of thought, religions being one of those schools.

 

[Motar]

Actually, syncretism is the attempted merging of different philosophies or other schools of thought, religions being one of those schools.

Agree, LG.

"Syncretism is the union of two or more opposite beliefs, making a new thing out of the synthesis of both. In missiology, it results from a failure of contextualization ... In the OT, syncretism led to God’s judgment. Syncretism included passing children through the fire, consulting fortune tellers, practicing magic, witchcraft, divination and enchantments, also necromancy, hand-reading, astrology, worshiping carved images, etc ... In the NT the apostles confronted Simon the sorcerer, who bewitched people by his magic arts. Turning to other cases, some believers defiled their consciences by eating meat sacrificed to idols. Still others adhered to mystery religions such as Gnosticism, which the Lord Jesus also condemned."
Leadership :: Dealing With Syncretism in the Church - Rev. Noumba Benjamin Mbock ::Full Gospel Mission Cameroon

 

[darkbeaver]

Jesus condemnation of Gnosticism? Could you elaborate, I'm unfamiliar with it?

 

[Motar]

"Still others adhered to mystery religions such as Gnosticism, which the Lord Jesus also condemned."
Leadership :: Dealing With Syncretism in the Church - Rev. Noumba Benjamin Mbock ::Full Gospel Mission Cameroon

DB, these are the words of a pastor/teacher at Full Gospel Mission in Cameroon, Africa.

 

[Cliffy]

DB, these are the words of a pastor/teacher at Full Gospel Mission in Cameroon, Africa.

Considering that the bible is a plagiarized forgery, it really doesn't matter what some pastor, who is obviously twisting language to suit his own agenda, thinks.

 

[Motar]

Considering that the bible is a plagiarized forgery, it really doesn't matter what some pastor, who is obviously twisting language to suit his own agenda, thinks.

It matters to the liberty and fullness of the discussion, Cliffy.