Evolution Of Consciousness

[soma]

Greetings, I read a book titled "Evolution of Consciousness" By John

Kuykendall. This book is a step by step excursion into the unfolding of

consciousness. It merges science and spirituality in simple Christian

terms to attune the reader to body, mind, and spirit. The book begins

with the knowledge of our oneness with a God that is everywhere in pure

consciousness and then it leads one to the ultimate Christian goal. The

book attunes the reader to science and spirituality because they are not

divorced, but compliment each other. Scientist and prophets through out

all the ages of civilization have recognized the immense power that

governs and controls the universe. It is controversial because it explains

the Trinity and other Crhtistian mysteries in a logical and rational way so

they can't be used to manipulate Christians to think they are the only ones

who beleve in God.

This book presents Christian wisdom with philosophy and psychology to go

beyond the limitations of conceptual thought in religion today to calm

and ground the mind and initiate deep internal healing. With the ability

to change our lives for the better "Evolution of Consciousness" is a

journey towards unity and a new way of living. Its uniqueness lies in a

psycho-spiritual development where religion and science strengthen each

other's belief because they are both concerned with what is true.

 

The web site is http://geocities.com/trinitypublishing2004/

http://www.geocities.com/trinitypublishing...4/artpage1.html

[PantaRhea]

Soma,

 

I'm not sure you are aware of it or not but the teachings of that book seem to be nothing more than a modern form of Gnosticism - popular with the New Age movement and with historical roots in Christianity. Before you swallow it hook, line, and sinker though, I think you would be wise to do some further research.

[soma]

Yes, this book is timely, for it responds to the “knowledge of the heart” which one can say is also Gnosis. Yet today,at the end of the second millennium we see radical deterioration of many Christian ideologies because they have evaded the great questions and answers addressed by science and psychology. The clarity, frankness, and authenticity of this Christian book to answer these questions for the human mind cannot fail to impress and (in time) to convince Christians that they have a divine spark resident within them.

The book talks about Christ consciousness an invisible force of unity where a person can feel the oneness and see that responsibility, decision-making and optimism all flow together in one universal consciousness, where God is an obvious reality (God the Father). One benefits tremendously physically, mentally and spiritually, when a deep awareness of unity is established because the habit of being positive is acquired, and God is no longer a closed concept, but an infinite vast always present consciousness. I believe in one God, but his book explained how one God is beyond the myriad forms so we are not tricked into thinking that there are more than one God. My God is better than your god insinuates that there is more than one God. This statement I feel is false and a misuse of belief. I feel this book flows with intelligence, inspiring, guiding and helping people to take and put more back into life by becomming better Christians internally and externally.

[amarado]

I know nothing about this book in particular, although it sounds like one I might add to my extensive "waiting to be read" list. However, I want to comment on the "Gnostic" mentioned by P.R.

 

Modern scholarship, as evidenced by the writings of Elaine Pagels and others about recently discovered archeological texts, show that Gnosticism was branded a heresy and eradicated primarily because it evades being manipulated by political power, both inside and outside the church.

 

I suspect that the same is true for "New Age" philosophy.

 

I will admit there is a danger to the admission of modern revelation as a source of religious knowledge. After all, there is a grain of truth to the idea of a sinful human nature (ie. a rampant ego). I believe that modern revelation needs to be closely linked with religious tradition and especially with a sizable faith community to withstand those temptations. With such safeguards in place the mystic path is a treasure!

[soma]

I feel the theories of God and His revelation can be explained in modern terms and with rational, scientific explanations to satisfy the intellect. Once the inttect is satisfied we can go beyond it and feel Christ consciousness as we are lead through intuition and inspiration to a higher consciousness that is closer to God the Father or Pure consciousness. If I am becomming a better person and closer to God I have no fear and will not be intimidated by people who are afraid to shift their position to higher ground. Many people who are not haveing a spiritual experience condemn the practise because they are grounded in materialism. I think that is why Jesus was orinigally condemned and cruxcified.

[soma]

The book "Evolution of Consciousness" is not only inspirational, but it answers many questions intellectually about the Trinity, Evolution and other Christian mysteries.

 

Here is the website for it:

 

http://thinkunity.com/

Edited August 6, 2005 by soma

[Cynthia]

Soma - I checked out that website when you posted it recently... is it a Unity book? Looks interesting!

 

I, for Aletheia and myself (if I may impose), recommend Brian McLaren's "A Generous Orthodoxy". It's beautiful and hopeful.

 

CS Lewis's "The Great Divorce" is interesting and hilarious - relates to the salvations thoughts on the other thread.

[AletheiaRivers]

LOL! Cynthia. Definitely recommend Generous Orthodoxy.

 

I also whole-heartedly reccomend "The Souls Religion" by Thomas Moore, "A Mystic Heart" by Teasdale, and "God at 2000" by Borg et al.

 

(Should this thread be in the book review section?)

[soma]

"Evolution of Consciousness" is not an institutional Unity book, but each chapter ends in unity in One God. It takes one on a journey through the layers of the mind, the parts of the mind, the Trinity, evolution and creation to rest in the consciousness of an omnipresent God.

[bobve2]

LOL! Cynthia. Definitely recommend Generous Orthodoxy.

 

I also whole-heartedly reccomend "The Souls Religion" by Thomas Moore, "A Mystic Heart" by Teasdale, and "God at 2000" by Borg et al.

 

(Should this thread be in the book review section?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Thanks for the recommendations! I've gotten "God at 2000" and It's great.

[AletheiaRivers]

Bob,

 

I'm so psyched! I've recommended that book for years and you're the first to say they've got it.

 

I loved it and am ready to read it again. Let me know who your favorite contributer was, when you're finished.

[Cynthia]

Ok, ok, Aletheia... just ordered it on Amazon!

[cunninglily]

hey ya'll

 

i didn't want to start a new topic just to ask if any of you have heard that C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia", beginning with "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is being made into a movie? I just saw excerpts from "the making of" on one of the premium channels, which is the first I've heard of it...thought I'd pass it along.

 

lily

[Cynthia]

I've seen trailers and movie posters... it looks like it may be good!! Kids, dh, and I are psyched!

[AletheiaRivers]

LOL Cynthia. You didn't have to do that!

 

I hope you like it. I bought it in hardcover when it first came out and read it immediately, so it's been a while.

 

I remember being deeply touched by the views of some of the contributors. At the time that I read it I wasn't even sure if I believed in God anymore and the writings in "God at 2000", as well as "The Soul's Religion" by Moore (totally unlike his other books, imo) helped me to move past my doubts. I also read "The God We Never Knew" by Borg and "Is There a God" by Swinburne around the same time. Good books all.

[AletheiaRivers]

Lily,

 

I'm so psyched for Narnia! I've been reading the series and I just bought "CS Lewis and Narnia for Dummies" which I've been enjoying very much. It's part biography of Lewis and part Narnia "cheat sheet".

[Cynthia]

dh and I finally sat down and watched Shadowlands recently (old movie that is basically a biography of cs lewis). It was very good! I'm not a Debra Winger fan, but I didn't mind her in the role of Joy. Anybody seen it?

 

Re: God at 2000, I've been looking at it... I haven't been in a non-fiction mood lately - enough to chew on from a couple of years of constant reading. $1.92 (+3.40 s&h) for the hardcover seemed like quite a deal! It must be frustrating for authors - but I guess there have always been garage sales!

Edited August 19, 2005 by Cynthia

[FredP]

dh and I finally sat down and watched Shadowlands recently (old movie that is basically a biography of cs lewis).  It was very good!  I'm not a Debra Winger fan, but I didn't mind her in the role of Joy.  Anybody seen it?

Saw it a long time ago, and really liked it. Naturally there was some Hollywooding of C. S. Lewis going on -- he did struggle a little bit with his understanding of the nature of God through the whole ordeal, but it wasn't so much a crisis of faith as the movie made it seem. It was more of a struggle with the idea of God's love and what it really means.

[AletheiaRivers]

I haven't seen the movie although I plan to.

 

The book I just bought said to take most of it (the movie) with a large grain of salt though. I think the author of the dummies book said that the movie portrayed Lewis way to seriously?

[Cynthia]

As I recall, the movie seemed to portray a serious, geeky, socially impaired man who found earthly love around the same time as divine love and loosened up. It fits his idea about earthly things being a pale reflection of spiritual/divine things, but very Hollywood... It also had the 'even odd people (vs beautiful people who drink the right beer LOL) can find love' sort of theme.

 

The movie really doesn't give a lot of detail about Lewis, so it would be hard to take it too seriously as a biography

Edited August 22, 2005 by Cynthia

[midgecat]

As someone who tends to read a book or see a film, and forget the contents almost instantly, despite often wanting to keep them in mind, I find that I've hung on to rather a lot of Shadowlands since I saw it ........ gosh, it must be 10 years ago or more. It may be rather limited in detail about Lewis' life and theology ...... but for a mainstream film I think it makes some profound observations about loss and the human condition.

One thing that repeats itself over and over to me is his comment to a student "we read to know that we're not alone" ....... how true.