Views

A gentleman was on TV tonight saying that the Pope's statement that evolution is not inconsistent with the notion of creation is a case of the Pope trying to have his cake and eat it too. He said it was dualism (matter plus spirit, the Pope's view) versus materialism (only matter exists, his view -- which he regards as absolute truth). He neglected to mention my (and a few others' ) view, which he may not know exists, that all is spirit (the life force) and that matter is simply condensed life-force or spirit. All three views accept that everything came from NoThing. As for me, I certainly don't mind calling that God.

the seen and the unseen

The Seen and the Unseen. The Seen is what is seen through the physical senses. The Unseen is all else. The Seen is a very small world compared to the Unseen. To build one's life around the Seen and ignore the Unseen is like an eagle trying to live in a hummingbird's nest. Or, perhaps more appropriate size wise, like trying to fit the boundless Cosmos into a thimble. And here is the Mystery. It can be done. This is who we are.

Yayyyy Jesus!!!

Many seem to have made Jesus into a sanctified marshmallow for their salvational s'mores, but he was a wild paradoxical parable speaking dude who hung out with the lowlife, spurning the societal, religious, and political establishments! Yayyyy Jesus!!!

capaciousness

"Capaciousness. It's all about capaciousness. Capacity. Room." The folk around me have heard that more than a few times. Here's a Jesus story that points to the truth of that. I read it a few minutes ago. It's in Mark.

"6 1-2 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”

3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.

4-6 Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching."

There you go. They thought about him this way, then thought about him that way. Then decided to shut down. No capacity to receive. No capaciousness. Then, no matter what, Jesus "couldn't get over their stubbornness." My point? It seems to be a law of the universe. If I don't make any room in the In, nothing will get in. Capaciousness. I'm the only one that can open and allow greater and greater understanding and the happiness of a large and gracious spirit.

Zen Baptist Book Intro

Long years ago I packed my metaphysical bags and left Troup and Fulton counties and the Baptists behind to go see what the Buddhists were up to. I could not have stated it clearly at the time but I had a definite sense of mission and purpose. Little did I know that I would learn the rudiments of Zen through the martial arts at Tatsuo Shimabuku's dojo behind his house in Agena, Okinawa. Now I am reporting back to the Baptists as some kind of rebound missionary with my gained perspective. But they may not trust me. Am I still a Baptist? 

I am a Zen Baptist -- a peculiar sort of Baptist to be sure. Buddhists of old were horrified by the Zen Buddhists chopping up wooden likenesses of the Buddha for firewood because they were way too cold. This Zen Baptist has no problem with chopping up the icons that we Baptists get too comfy with, too attached. But then neither did Jesus in his day. The rigid ones gave themselves holy hell over his words and ways.

Marcus Borg writes eloquently and well of the pre-Easter Jesus (the human historical Jesus) and the post-Easter Jesus (the experiential Jesus of Christianity). I write of the post-Christian Jesus, who has escaped the mindset, dogma, and doctrines of Christianity, who has gone beyond human consciousness structures, who cannot be captured by a net of moral values and triumphant righteousness. I know and love all three. 

I was looking at a book my Mom gave me a few years ago: George MacDonald’s “The Highlander’s Last Song.” On the title page, she wrote in her fine penmanship, “Just wanted to share with you such deep-thinking and good words. So much like you. Love always, Mama.” She then inscribed “p. 53, 54 bottom paragraph.” The paragraph, marked by her with a line in the margin, says: 

“Ian was one of those blessed few who doubt many things by virtue of a larger faith—causing consternation among those of smaller faith who wrongly see such doubts as signs of unbelief. But while his roots were seeking a deeper soil, his faith could not show so fast a growth above ground. He doubted most about the things he loved best, while he devoted the energies of a mind whose keenness almost masked its power, to discover possible ways of believing them. To the wise his doubts would have been his best credentials; they were worth ten times the faith of most. It was truth, and higher truth, he was always seeking. The sadness which colored his deepest individuality could be removed only by the conscious presence of the Eternal.”

Thanks, Mom.

Son of Man

As I continue becoming more closely reacquainted with Jesus through reading The Message, a translation of the Bible in contemporary street language (more my style), I am struck by his use of "the Son of Man" in referring to himself. I googled it and found considerable disagreement as to what it means. So I sat quietly and I could see what it means. Jesus is the furtherest birthing of all humanity. He is out there, ahead of all of us. He is the advance opening of consciousness, of wisdom, of understanding. As we continue to open to the consciousness state of Jesus, we move the consciousness state of humanity, of Man (which includes all gender) to higher, wider, deeper realms.

morning thoughts

Morning thoughts: I dearly love Jesus. Am reading anew of his exploits in Eugene Peterson’s “The Message.” He really gave the hypocrites (those who say one thing and do another) and the warmongers of his day a tough time. They couldn’t do a thing with him in direct encounter. So they had him killed of course. Not much has changed. Except for one thing. The spirit and presence of Jesus is still around. Here I am talking about him, loving his example, and laughing about some of the things he said and did. I think Jesus and Buddha and Lao Tzu and Muhammad and Chuang Tzu would get along well. In fact I think they do. It’s we humanoids that set up barriers and sit within our exclusive enclaves hurling out invectives at all who disagree with us. It’s time for people of Heart in all spiritual paths to love, respect each other and to work together in harmony. We are all members of the Navel Tribe, plucked from the same vine, with the belly scar to prove it.