And you are wrong.
The Book of Revelation is much about condemning false churches and false teachers.
Paul's epistles are also much about condemning false doctrines.
Jesus himself is much about condemning false beliefs of the Pharisees.
And isn't it ironic that I see these things differently than you do? I see the criticism of the Pharisees being very much the same criticism I would have of your views. Isn't that strange how that works?
John's epistles say to not even politely greet or say goodbye to those who preach false doctrines.
Then why do you participate on the RF site? Are you disobeying John?
So as you can plainly see, you are WRONG.
Just WRONG, in all caps, and not
WRONG!!!!! with all caps, bold text, and five exclamation points? You seem rather wishy-washy in you absolutism.
Why such vehemence? Why the need to be RIGHT?
Not possible to do what? Follow the Law that he explicitly says to follow?
I would contend with you that you will never follow that law, never be able to, unless you do so from a transformed heart of love. To merely conform yourself to externalized standards is what the Pharisees did, and which Jesus called whitewashed tombs. It is not the letter of the law Jesus was concerned about, but the weightier matters of the law, that of the heart. Straining at gnats, following the law explicitly, amounts to nothing. The Christian work is not explicit law following, but inner transformation of the heart. Following the letter of the law is a cheap substitute. Hypocrites do that.
There is nothing in the NT whatsoever that says we are forbidden from calling out false doctrines and those who push them, and if anything it is encouraged. Heads are supposed to butt. If you're teaching something that goes plainly against what Jesus says, I'll dive right in and fight for what the text and context imply.
And isn't it odd, that I see you teaching what goes against what Jesus says?
If you aren't following what Jesus teaches, you aren't following what Jesus teaches.
I believe I am. You believe you are. Isn't that odd?
You claim I don't understand. No YOU don't understand. I wouldn't doubt if you haven't read the Gospels.
I have a degree in theology, have spent countless hours in contemplation of scripture, I meditate every day in communion with God, I live my life with a heart of devotion and surrender to God, my single focus for the last 30 years of my life has been knowing God, and so on.
You absolutism is amusing to me. I too once thought I had the answers because of how I read the Bible. Once the heart opens, the eyes in what they see change. Two people reading the same words see and hear two different things. I understand why you read it the way you do because I've been there. Can you say the same of me? Have you been here?
You claim I want a "Religion over reailziation". No, what you want to do is to COMPLETELY THROW AWAY what Jesus actually teaches in exchange for some vague, "NEW AGE" concept that COMPLETELY THROWS AWAY what he actually taught.
Again, your use of New Age applied to me is just rhetoric. How specifically is it "New Age", and do you actually understand what New Age really is? And no, I think my understand that unfolds daily to me, does not "COMPLETELY THROW AWAY" [all-caps yours] what Jesus. To me, it allows it to blossom, flourish, and radiate like a thousand jewels. It's a living truth, not a static rule-based law chiseled in rock.
Have you? Have you read the gospels all the way through? Yes or no.
I have read the entire Bible through multiple time, and the Gospels are pretty much memorized. Back in the day, they called me a walking concordance. So, yes.
If not, you should take a step back before I go further into detail about who "understands" what Jesus was teaching.
Reading it doesn't mean you see it. Hearing it, doesn't mean you hear it. Jesus said this, "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?"
I think what makes the difference is not just reading it over and over again, but perspective. And how do you gain that
perspective? Please answer this one question I ask.
Jesus said Judge not lest ye be judged. Which means, you will be judged if you judge.
By the same sort of narrow perspective you judge others, is what he was saying. So in other words, don't assume you have the perspective of God in judging me or others. You put yourself in a bad position doing that. Judge with the heart, not with your head which is limited in knowledge and understanding. Just because you have eyes, does not mean you see.
I will take the risk of being judged to judge someone who claims to have incorporated Christ's teachings when they have not.
You judge yourself in doing this. You judge yourself as being naive and prideful in judging as God.
I simply won't tolerate such deviation from those who aren't even familiar with Jesus says or how he lived in the first place. If you were remotely familiar, then you'd know what I was talking about.
Well, clearly, you've judged wrongly. Haven't you? Have I made my point to you?
But you obviously aren't and you are in fact trying to push a revisionist New Ager philosophy that has absolutely nothing to do with what the Gospels, or even the generally-accepted "Q" basis teaches whatsoever. I don't even think you'd be able to adequately describe what you think this "Realiziation" is about in the first place and what it constitutes, and if you did, I'd bet that it completely contradicts many of the things Jesus espoused.
I believe it is exactly what Jesus taught. I say so not merely because of words I read, but because of the Light of the heart that is illumined by a knowledge of God. You can't know that be trying to read your way into it. You have to hear with the heart, not read with your eyes words on a page that cannot be penetrated by your conceptual mind.
I love when people think Jesus wasn't actually teaching Jewish Law. It's amazing just how badly people have historically wanted to rip the historical Jesus away from his cultural context to paint their own agenda one way or another. It just CAN"T POSSIBLY BE that Jesus was a...GASP....JEWISH TEACHER!!! Oh no!!!! We can't have that!!! We can't have Jesus just teaching Jewish Law! No we, need some vague "Christ consciousness" concept. (OF which those people have no idea what "Christ" actually means in the first place or implies in Jewish theology).
And amazingly you have figured this all out! I on the other hand, make no such claim as to know exactly what Jesus meant. As I said, its a dynamic, constant unfolding of that Truth, and I understand its nature as such because of experience. Is Christ Consciousness vague? Yes, to those who have never experienced that. Yet Paul said, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus...".
The difference between religion and realization, is that religion is forms and rules and rites and regulations. Anyone can learn that. Realization is an inner transformation of the heart, mind, and soul. And that is incredibly more challenging to do, and not everyone is willing to do what it takes, which is literally a death to your pride and arrogance, and all that you seek to feel safe and secure in your own identity, such as being a solider of God, and whatnot.
It's really sickening just how badly people want to take Jesus away from his Jewish context. It's just...wrong!
I gather from your vehemence throughout this post, your views are very tightly wound for my views to makes such a twanging sound as they hit them.
Anyway, I hope my response put things into a clearer perspective for you.