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jerryb

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About jerryb

  • Birthday 11/04/1936

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    jerry browning
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    http://uplift7@aol.com
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    comparative religion....biblical criticisim...<br /><br />especially interested in your personal struggle with your faith.

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  1. Hi October I love your quote "It is Jesus life that matters". That is my feeling EXACTLY! Why can't we see that it is OUR life that matters also...not our politics...our dogma..or our "spiritual pedigree". Max Lucado writes about some hungry people coming to a bakery to buy bread.But the baker says to them..."before I give you the bread,,,let me show you our bakery...WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR BAKERY". So he shows them the new oven,explaining all the latest tecnology,and they answer,"but WE JUST WANT BREAD". But he continues to show them several more pieces of machinery,again they say, "we just want bread". Finally, as he is showing them the last feature of the bakery, he notices that they are starting to leave,and says to them, "wait,don't you want some bread?" They answer,"NO, WE HAVE LOST OUR APPETITE." So it realy is our life ALONE that matters! Blessings my friend, Jerry
  2. Well Demas...you asked,so here goes. I think Jesus was executed by the Roman goverment for sedition....the mode of death was by crucifixion.....He was buried in an UNMARKED common grave( as was the Roman custom),and His bones gradualy returned to dust like everyone else. I believe that He was forgotten by most if not all of His twelve disciples...who the bible says "returned to their former occupations. HOWEVER....I am much more impressed by how He lived than by how He died. And I do believe that millions of people ,including me, have experienced SPIRITUAL RESSURECTION by following His example. Blessings to you my friend, Jerry
  3. Hi Demas, I believe that Jesus died as an enemy of the state. If that is true, then he was probably buried in an unmarked "common" grave with other "trouble-makers" of the Roman Empire. And if you believe the gospel record, it says that "They all forsook Him and fled". So it is sadly possible that JESUS DIED ALONE! And there may have been no witnesses to the ressurection. A different take I realize,but....is it possible that is how it happened? Blessings, Jerry
  4. Most definately, Jerry! One of the things that fundamentalism ingrained into my psyche was the notion that if ANY of it falls, then ALL of it falls. In other words, if I rejected fundamentalism, it was *exactly* the same as rejecting God, the Bible, faith, Jesus Christ, heaven, etc. Fundamentalism says that we have no right to look at our belief system critically and to accept (or reject) only the parts that makes sense to us. It insists that the baby must be thrown out with the bathwater. It is so successful at this lie, that most of the stuff you find on the internet (or in literature) that has to do with leaving fundamentalism entails that you leave Christianity altogether. And many have. Maybe that is a good thing. In my own experience, I walked away from Christianity when I left fundamentalism. I threw out all of my Bibles and Christian music. I felt I could no longer be a Christian if I wasn't a fundamentalist. It took a while but I am not searching through my soul and my life for what can be salvaged. I am not so sure that I am looking for the "truth" (as it seems to be very subjective) but I am looking for what is meaningful, what is transforming. And I'm learning that it is beneficial (and probably necessary) to be critical of what I hear and read that claims to speak for God. This turn in my path requires discernment like nothing else I've ever known. It also requires letting go of the anger and bitterness, but that is itself a process. But it is also leading me into a freedom that I never thought possible. I don't have to be right. And I don't have to convince others that they are wrong. And I certainly am not going to give the welfare or salvaging of my soul to *anyone* else except myself and God. wayfarer <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good post Wayfarer, I really relate to what you said..("It's leading me into a freedom that I never thought possible") I too have found such a freedom. Just tonight as my wife and I were having dinner, I suddenly felt compelled to say," It's so wondeful to not be afraid of God anymore". Having been in a fundamental church for over twenty years....I now cherish this wonderful freedom of grace. Thanks for reminding me. Blessings to you, Jerry
  5. Greetings Mow, I believe I have to agree with October on this one. Maybe the best thing to do when miracles happen,(and I believe they do) is to continue to thank God...even if we can't prove God intervened. I think that as we watch our minds approach our souls,we will stop putting labels on everything that happens to us, and just be grateful for the good times. Chopra says" the more we get to Know God,we will finally realize that when we pray....we are really praying to ourselves" I know that is a bit hard to accept, but lately when I pray,I ask God to help ME answer my own prayer if possible. And you know what...sometimes it is possible. Blessings to you my friend, Jerry
  6. Hi Soma, I like your idea of becoming,(and recognizing) that we ARE the witness. I think that if we could truly learn to be the witness....it would revolutinize our spiritual life. Depak Chopra says,"The soul is comfortable with uncertainty". I'm really working on that one, because I believe that the biggest hindrance to becoming the witness, is our need to always KNOW all the answers. Blessings to you, Jerry
  7. Wayne Dyer is certainly not an orthodox or official Christian but his appearances on PBS from time to time are quite inspiring. His latest is called INSPIRATIONS. It's a book, too and a DVD available only through PBS stations for now (I think). Any Dyer books or tapes are worth purchasing or borrowing IMO. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hi Mystic, Wayne Dyer has absolutely helped revolutionize my spiritual life. I have most of his books and tapes, and just saw the last few minutes of his PBS appearance last night....it was awesome,especially the part with his 90 year old mother. Blessings to you, Jerry B
  8. Good Point Beloved, I like the term'bouncers at the door'. And that is exactly what some churches are. I wish we could see the 'spiritual arrogance' in that,especaially when Jesus said, "I am the door"!
  9. But ... can't any human institution be the sword which keeps us out? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mystic, Good point. It's possible that a human institution can keep us out....but probably not with as much'authority' as the organized church. Peace, Jerry
  10. Good post Soma, I really have come to believe that, the feeling of separation from God is responsible for so much of the pain caused by the organized church. And I also believe that many times the church 'uses' our since of alienation to bring us 'into the fold' so that the chuch can show us the way back to God. I cringe everytime a fundamentalist says," Let me tell you the TRUTH" Strange how they seem to be the only ones that have that TRUTH...all tied up in a neat little package. Sorry...guess I'm ranting a bit...but I've BEEN THERE! DONE THAT! And got the tee shirt! Blessings to you, Jerry
  11. I am a bit burned out and am finding I don't feel I have much to contribute right now. I still read the board everyday though. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> AR Miss You !!! Get unburned and come back when you're ready, not before. Dr. flow.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> AR...I second Flow's post. We do miss you,but I also understand that 'burned-out feeling. Take care. Blessings to you my friend, Jerry
  12. Great post Mystic, Another scripture came to mind as I read what you said about us all being divine. IJohn 4:17..."We are all Christs in this world"....wouldn't it be great if we could all just BELIEVE that! Blessings' Jerry
  13. Hi Flow...as always,you are an encourager. Thank you. I'm really working on the 'silence' part of your equation. I recently began reading 'Peace is every step' by Thich Nhat Hanh and He is helping me stop and breathe,and wait....amazing how that helps. Blessings Friend, Jerry
  14. It's a journey we are on. I have often found myself so enamored with Buddhist insights that I have thought about leaving Christianity behind. But the Bible really has a hold on me! And the progressive Christians I know and love in mainline congregations all over the planet are a network of love and compassion I can count on. I give Alan Watts the credit for letting me know that Christian myth and ritual is a good representation of the perennial philosophy or Mysticism which is the core, the heart, the foundation of all wisdom. Moses met God at the Burning Bush. Jesus met God in the wilderness. Buddha met God at the Bo Tree. Mohammad met God at a little shack or something like that where he communicated directly with God. You can and do. I can and do. Borg in THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY argues that the born again metaphor is too important to give away. Indeed "emerging Paradigm" or Progressive Christians have a great way to be born again or born from above, the way of the journey of humility and openeness. Christianity offers so much wisdom as do other wisdom traditions. Here in the USA there is every reason to stay connected to any congregation where the "emerging paradigm" is either accepted or embraced and there are many. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mystic......Thanks for reminding me of the 'progressive network of love'....I too believe it is there...maybe not always as sharply defind as I wish...but still there. Thanks for your encouragement Blessings, Jerry
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