mystictrek

I like that! It goes back to post #39 from last year. This string refuses to die ... and for good reason: Borg is PC at its best. He gives us a clarity about who we are which I have longed for.

I have found Marcus Borg's categories of "earlier paradigm" and "emerging paradigm" in THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY to be a helpful way of getting beyond the fundamentalist-progressive dichotomy or conservative-liberal dichotomy. Most of us have our feet in both paradigms! God is "doing a new thing" and no one knows what the new church for the new age will look like in the future. We all know that it is changing and changing rapidly unless we are totally committed to the earlier paradigm. Borg is as non-judgmental as I've seen in these days of lots of judgment and bitter divisions. I think his appreciation for the strenghts of "earlier paradigm" Christians is commendable. There is a long string on Borg's THOC here which I recommend skimming or digesting fully or, better yet, read the book. Borg is most helpful in pointing out that the earlier paradigm is not the same as the earliest paradigm and that perhaps the emeging paradigm is actually closer to original Christianity. Borg says we must be born again! It's basic!

Great post. Thanks. My understanding of the divinity of Christ has been explained well by Alan Watts in MYTH & RITUAL IN CHRISTIANITY. He believes that Christian myth is an excellent representation of the perennial philosophy with some important errors which are corrected by other excellent representations of the PP such as Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Native American Spirituality. Jesus-olatry is the heresy which says Jesus is God to the exclusion of all other creatures. We all reveal divinity to some extent. God is within us (immanent) as well as beyond us (transcendent). The trinity at its best describes this reality. At its worst it distorts this reality. It's a teaching tool which need not become an idol. Jesus is the new Adam or the first born fruits of the new humanity. He opens the door to divinity becoming human or humanity becoming divine in a spectacular way and is rightly revered for that. It is hard to explain! It is hard to keep Jesus human. But we must try to explain and we must try to keep him human as well as divine. Hard work but holy work and it's holy week so time to try again to explain and invite and transform through dramatic ritual!

Dear Friends, Our nation and our planet are suffering currently from a refusal of people to seek reconciliation and peace at all levels from families and friendships and neighborhoods and schools and businesses and factories to religions and nations. People are becoming so attached to their ideologies or their versions of reality that they will fight tooth and nail for their ideologies and the misguiding idols or "principlaities and powers" which support all of these misguided ideologies. Whether it be Islamic Jihadists or Right Wing or Left Wing Political Fanatics or Hindu Nationalists or Christian Dominionists or Socialist Revoultionaries or Free Market Enthusiasts or Environmental Crusaders or the New Age or New Thought or Progressive Christianity or whatever, we are selling our collective soul to the power of evil which divides us and makes us intolerant or indifferent or apathetic or insensitive or angry or arrogant or ignorant or greedy. We are in big trouble. We have the ability to destroy the planet and we just might. If we don’t do that, we are destroying many lives because we are not putting love ahead of ideology or our versions of reality. I pray that this Holy Week can be a time of spiritual transformation which will bring us to a place of healing and respect and reconciliation. As Sting said: "There is no political solution to our troubled evolution." Our ideologies are making us sick unto death. Be still. Listen to God. Hear what God is saying to our troubled planet. Hear and be healed. It's possible. It really is. Miracles happen. Healing happens. God is at work deep within all of us making all things new.

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}> Thanks, Wayfarer for a wonderful, provocative, clarifying, thoughtful post. My parents weren't fundamentalist so I was nurtured by loving, progressive congregations as a child and adolescent and young adult. But the fundamentalists were always within screeching distance! I have struggled all of my life with doubts and insecurities and the fundamentalists still can mess withy me emotionally and even intellectually and spiritually. Getting liberated from their spell is still a goal I have yet to achieve even though I was not brought up in that milieu and never participated in it in my 6 decade long life.

MT, I'm a perennialist, although I don't often use the term anymore. I'm also a panentheist. I'm not a Process Theist however. I probably fall closer to "Idealism." Here is a great article about Chrisitan Perennialism. Christian Perennial Philosophy <{POST_SNAPBACK}> A really great article. Thanks.

I heard a portion of Frederick Buechner being interviewed by the best interviewer on radio, Diane Rehm. He has a new book out called "Secrets in the Dark : A Life in Sermons" > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006084248...glance&n=283155 He said something profound about finding our purpose. It happens when our deepest joy meets the world's need. I thought this related to my "play" post above. Did you know there's a sign at heaven's gate which says "Children At Play: No Grownups allowed"? Max Wertheimer, a Gestalt pyschologist, defines an adult as "a deteriorated child." You can listen to the interview with Buechner at > http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/

I am reading a great new book, WRESTLING UNTIL THE DAWN: THE FIGHT FOR BIBLICAL JUSTICE IN A POSTMODERN WORLD by John Preston > http://www.lulu.com/content/220347 John is a longtime friend and a colleague in the Presbytery of Utica. John "argues that reading our civic and scriptural master narratives through the lens of the church's traditional theology has not developed an effective moral witness." He says we need "to tell our character forming stories in a better way. Our current interpretation has led to a loss of community and the common good, and to the rise of an unhealthy individualism." It's his first book and I look forward to more! I was part of a "Jesus Seminar" group which helped him during the writing of the first stages of this book. I particularly like his focus on the need for what I like to call a shared and sustainable abundance. In the group we studied LIFE ABUNDANT by Sallie McFague which calls for us to radically change our understanding of abundance. McFague argues that our North American theology is quite suspect since we have not wrestled sufficiently with the huge gap between the rich and poor on our planet. John supports and develops that argument. The webpage promoting the book includes a PDF file with the Table of Contents and all of chapter 18, "At the Heart of the Anomaly". Also, some more thoughts by the author can be found at http://www.lulu.com/spiritbrookpress +++ This is a post on today's abundancetrek blog > http://www.abundancetrek.com/blog +++

The fact that Borg believes in a very immanent (close) God does not mean that God is not doing anything. God is doing all kinds of things right now, right here, and not from a distance as that stupid song said. God is right here, right now in a very gentle and compassionate and sometimes quite tricky manner. We are transformed by the gentleness, the compassion and definitely the trickiness. God has a fantastic sense of humor and loves to play. The more we laugh and play and dance and sing, the more we are acting like God and indeed being God! When we escape the domination of the ego, we become one with God and we play!

A great book on the making of the New Testament is: WHO WROTE THE NEW TESTAMENT? by Burton L. Mack. Very comprehensive and provocative. He says that we know almost nothing about the historical Jesus. He says the early followers created a Jesus Movement which later became the Christ Cult. Fascinating. The Jesus Movement was based on Sayings (Q) which were quite similar to the wisdom teachings of the Greek School of Cynicism. Not necessarily to be confused with a modern cynic. Has anybody else read this book?

A great book on the making of the New Testament is: WHO WROTE THE NEW TESTAMENT? by Burton L. Mack. Very comprehensive and provocative. He says that we know almost nothing about the historical Jesus. He says the early followers created a Jesus Movement which later became the Christ Cult. Fascinating. The Jesus Movement was based on Sayings (Q) which were quite similar to the wisdom teachings of the Greek School of Cynicism. Not necessarily to be confused with a modern cynic. I am going copy and paste this post in the book section and see if anyone wants to discuss it further.

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.

I know I sound like a broken record to some of you but I must again proclaim my allegiance to mysticism as it is offered by the Perennial Philosophy of people like Aldous Huxley & Alan Watts. Christianity and all the great wisdom traditions are based on the PP. Huxley wrote a great anthology on the PP in the 40s entitled THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY. Here's a link to a summary of PP by Huxley which was an intro to a new translation at the time of the BHAGAVAD GITA > http://members.tripod.com/~parvati/perennial.html Watts, in MYTH & RITUAL IN CHRISTIANITY, claims that most Christian myth and ritual does a good job of presenting PP. He thinks that most Christian theologians don't get it and this has undermined the effectiveness of Christianity over the centuries. PP is clearly closer to Process Theology and its Panentheism than to a supernatural theism. Marcus Borg does a great job of contrasting these two concepts of God in THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY.

Mary & I watched RENT last night and I was impressed with its message and music. REVIEW OF RENT > http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/it...item_10157.html

Welcome to agreat forum with lots of wise people who know how to be fools too!

Marcus Borg suggests that PCs need to support organizations which are trying to address and transform systemic global injustice. SOJOURNERS comes to mind. BREAD FOR THE WORLD. GREENPEACE. LINK TV. DEMOCRACY NOW! I have a list of peace and justice links on a page at abundancetrek.com > http://www.abundancetrek.com/links.html#pj

READ > http://www.alternet.org/story/33236 < "Why I Am a Christian (Sort Of)" by Robert Jensen. I posted the following comment: Very good article. I suggest the author consider joining The Center for Progressive Christianity > http://www.tcpc.org/ and The Witherspoon Society (Progressive Presbyterians) > http://witherspoonsociety.org/ and my forum which can be found at a link at http://www.abundancetrek.com/blog We are on the same page! I do believe in God but the God I believe in is panentheistic rather than supernatural. Marcus Borg discusses the difference in an incredible book called THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY. Maybe the author senses a mysterious and wonderful and holy inner connectedness??? That's God but you can call it something else and still be a progressive Christian. Or, even if you don't sense this inner connectedness, you can be a Progressive Christian as you already know through your association with some wonderful progressive Presbyterians. Check out the fourth point of the 8 points of Progressive Christianity > https://www.tcpc.org/about/the_8_points_english.html More common ground can possibly be found through the Perennial Philosophy as described by Aldous Huxley in an intro to a Bhagavad Gita translation > http://members.tripod.com/~parvati/perennial.html I sure hope the author and others who are on this same page will contact me and we can support and encourage each other in this important spiritual and political work.

Welcome, Jim. Go to the cafe and find our jokes string! Lots of wisdom here. It has been a little quiet lately but I'm sure it will pick up again soon. Maybe you can llok at some of the topics and get something going. The most recent posts are always at the top of the lists in each section. The 8 points are a must see. Perhaps you could comment on one or more of the points in the new section set up for that purpose. I don't work here. Really!!

READ & WATCH > http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/07/1442243 < Lawless World: Bush Considered Flying US Spy Planes Painted With UN Colors Over Iraq In 2003 to Provoke War

These are really good! READ > http://www.reclaimjesus.net/index.php?q=node/7

Another website with lots of info is > http://www.myss.com I am a great fan of the perennial philosophy which is mysticism. Aldous Huxley wrote THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY in the 40s. It's a classic. I believe that the perennial philosophy is the common ground of all faiths. Huxley wrote a summary in an intro to another book which can be found at > http://members.tripod.com/~parvati/perennial.html A similar approach is offered by Diarmuid O'Murchu in QUANTUM THEOLOGY. This book does not compare religions but does offer a unique and comprehensive approach to a spirituality which can be embraced by people of all faiths. I'm working on a book on this topic and you can find some of my ideas here at the cafe. Also, at my website and blog (below).

READ > http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0219-20.htm < "What It Means to be a Republican" by Larry Beinhart EXCERPT > "Alberto Gonzales helped come up with the program that rejected the Geneva Conventions, that permits torture, that says that the president is above the law and that “I was only following orders” should be a defense against a charge of war crimes. Ah, if only the Nazi war criminals who were hung at Nuremberg had Gonzales there to defend them. The president nominates Gonzales to be his new Attorney General. He is confirmed with little debate and no outrage. That’s what it means to be a Republican."

READ > http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0301-34.htm < "What to Do When the Emperor Has No Clothes" by Garrison Keillor IT BEGINS > "These are troubling times for all of us who love this country, as surely we all do, even the satirists. You may poke fun at your mother, but if she is belittled by others it burns your bacon. A blowhard French journalist writes a book about America that is full of arrogant stupidity, and you want to let the air out of him and mail him home flat. And then you read the paper and realize the country is led by a man who isn't paying attention, and you hope that somebody will poke him. Or put a sign on his desk that says, 'Try much harder.'"

In general I found NBC TV coverage improved with more attention to actual events and less hype. I was really glad to hear a number of athletes say that getting a gold medal isn't what the olympics are all about or even their particular sport. Enjoying the sport is what it's all about.

I still like JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and GODSPELL. ]