Jonathan H. B. Lobl

"Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself." "There are three kinds of people. The people who understand math, and the people who don't." "Some mean learn by watching. Some men learn by reading. Some men have to pee on the third rail."

Paalm 139 has some interesting thoughts about Light and Darkness from God's perspective. Namely, that they are identical. Its an interesting use of imagry. Thus, someone can be a great shining darkness. Biblical authority is not the issue here for me. It is interesting symbolism. I also find the symbolism in Matt. 6:22 interesting. "The eye is the lamp of the body." From the context, it seems to be talking about the "third" eye.

There are definitions and definitions. My favorite is from Deut. 6:4 Translations vary greatly. "God is One." Is God alive? Is the Universe alive? I think this is perspective. I would say, "Yes." We could equally ask -- "Is Mother Nature alive? Nature certainly is. Of course, death is also part of Nature. A small point in passing. Like the countless other cultures before us, Death also has personifications. We all know who "the Reaper" is. Also the "Angel of Death." Who does not know that, "Death rides a pale horse?" The old gods are still with us. They are hiding in plain sight.

Before I get specific about my beliefs; a few words about the gods. In general, the gods are personifications of the forces that they represent. The gods change over time as cultures change -- but they don't die and they don't go away. They just change. The names change. The form changes. The gods do not change. Lady Luck is a perfect example. We all know who Lady Luck is. When Guys and Dolls came out -- and Sky Masterson sings -- "Luck be a lady" -- the audience does not need an explanation. Lady Luck is the personification of Luck. Luck is real. Lady Luck is an anthropomorphic image. If we trace her lineage back far enough, we find the Greeks and Norse knew "her"/"them" as the Three Fates. She is very old. Mother Nature is an other old goddess. She is the personification of all the forces of nature. She is the earth worms deep in the ground. She is the fruit on the trees. She is the currents in the oceans. She is sun light and wind. All the forces of nature, represented by one poetic image. Her lineage is ancient. There were many great Earth Goddesses whose worship was old, before the current God was even an idea. Mother Nature is the form in which they still exist. God is also a personification. God is the Unity behind existence. God is also the source of all things. God is all things. Somehow, God is supposed to have an external, objective existence in a way other than the other gods. Mother Nature and Lady Luck are understood well enough to be poetic imagry of real forces. Is God real? That is the great debate between the true believers and the Atheists. I think both sides in this debate are falling into the same trap of literalism. I would like to close with a quote I got from a Buddhist monk -- Kedem Morton. "The gods are illusory, but if we call apon them for assistance, they will help us anyway. That is enough for now. If anybody is looking for a friendly discussion, I have much to add.

Then there was the fellow who said -- "If I had known I would live to be this old, I would have taken better care of myself."

Have you considered talking about how your faith has changed your life? What benefits or pleasures you get from it? How it has made you a better person? (I hope, not a worse person.)

I'm not at all sure what I would do with my last month. I do know what I would stop doing. I would stop making long term plans. I would forget about retirement. I would eat more things that are bad for long term health.

You never did say what your "faith" is. That would be a good starting point. When people ask me what I believe; it helps that I know what I believe and how I got there. A small point in passing. I don't have "faith." I have working theory. If you have "faith" -- that is another point that can be discussed. First, you must say what your faith is. Don't think we know. You could be an Atheist. You could be a Druid. You could be a Muslim.

How is a Pseudo Skeptic different from a real skeptic?

I think of Science as a process. Not a thing. The process is always a work in progress.

It is my opinion that politics is religion. At least people put their faith into it without proof or understanding. Generally, people join a political party the way they join a church. They can't stand thinking they made a mistake and they won't change parties -- regardless of the facts. In addition, people tend to join the party that their parents belong too; also without question.

The Source of all things created all things -- including the gods. There is no conflict. Even in Genesis, the Sun is the Greater Light -- to Rule the day -- and the Moon is the Lesser Light -- to Rule the night. That is the language of gods.

The Unity behind existence is the source of all things. As to your question --- How could God be a Christian? Does God need faith?

There is a very good book by Dolores Krieger, cofounder of Therapeutic Touch which is very good. I can't think of the title. I learned the basics of therapeutic touch by following the exercises in the book. Therapeutic Touch derives from the tradition of Theosophy. If you can locate a chapter of the Theosophical Society, you will find the instruction reasonably priced. Reiki is also an excellent system of spiritual healing. For that, you will definetly need a teacher. Some teachers are great. Others, not so much. The price of instruction varies greatly.

While it is not good to meddle; it is very good to help. Have you considered training as a healer? I'm thinking therapeutic touch or reiki. You are doing well on your own. On the other hand, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Congratulations. Your development is unfolding. This is good. Don't use it to invade the privacy of others. Spiritual development needs ethics -- or it becomes the dark path.

Isn't there a Book of the Wheel? Sefer haGigul?

Sometimes.

All matter vibrates. Every vibration has a tone.

I thought the position I had taken might be too extream....... Your logic, at least here, is undefeatable. I agree with you.

I'm not sure of what you are asking. Please rephrase so that I can be sure of the question. In the meantime, I will give it a shot. Let me know if this answeres what you are asking. I regard the Hebrew Scriptures -- even translated into English -- by Jewish publishers, to be radicly different than English translation of the O.T. In very small things, the translation is forced to carry a mountain of theology and invisible assumptions. Consider the opening lines of Genesis from the King James translation. We find the word "Spirit." Spirit takes a capital "S." The Trinity is implied. In the Jewish translation, the same word is translated as "wind." The original word is "ruach." This is something that Christians do. They read the Old Testament, and then insist that Jews explain it. Judaism is not responsible for the O.T. Only it's own scriptures -- which, I repeat -- were hijacked and transformed.

I have never been to Maine. I do like bluberries.

Hello Rabbio. While I'm not at all clear that my views are in harmony with Judaism -- yes, I'm still a Jew. Now to the question. Since the question was blunt, I will be blunt. By what ever name we call them -- Hebrew Scrptures, Tanach, Torah, etc -- they are the Jewish Scriptures. What the Jews do with these scriptures is an internal matter for the Jews alone. Nobody else gets a vote. On the other hand, if we are speaking of the Christian Bible -- in particular, the Old Testament -- This is a Christian problem. The Christians hijacked these scriptures 2,000 years ago. If the Christian world has O.T. questions, they must find their own answers. If Non-Christian gentiles have O.T. questions, they should consult Christian clergy.

That is a very big if -- and I made no such claim. Quite the contrary. Good and Evil are dualities. The Unity behind all things must be beyond all dualities; including good and evil. I conclude that God is not good Or evil.