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Split a piece of wood and I am there, Lift a stone and you will find me

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
So is this thread going anywhere or should I just shut it down. Was I wrong or right.
Mark, the thread itself has generated some good exchanges in the context of revealing the pantheistic message of the Gospel of Thomas text, so leave it be and it may continue to do so.

As for the significance of the 'U 4' tree carving near where you live, who knows*, but I would assume it is not to do with the Gospel of Thomas.
I do know from old alpha-numeric tree carvings around my home town in Australia, that some were carved by early surveyors and/or settlers for property demarcation, etc..

* On the mystical side, if you have a strong feeling it has some significance for you, religious or otherwise, by all means keep an open mind, but I do seriously doubt it has to do with the Gospel of St Thomas, except as it turns out that it has been the catalyst for this interesting thread. :D
 

Elihoenai

Well-Known Member
There is no confusion afaik, our materialistic senses are essential for the incarnated state's survival, our spiritual senses for spiritual evolution are within. It's a case of one's priorities, if one is spiritually inclined, and they 'knock', the 'door' will be opened. Nowhere is this more important than in interpretation of religious teachings. Unfortunately, as in the days of Jesus, the interpretation of religious teachings for the masses tend to be at the lower end of the spiritually evolved spectrum, so one needs to knock a lot. Ultimately spirituality can't be conveyed in words, it's an inner development on the part of each soul.
Ecclesiastes 3:19

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.



The Carnal State of the Beast is Inherited from Adam. To Transcend the Beast Man going to Spiritual the Earthly Ministry Must be practiced. The Mind of the Beast Man cannot understand Spiritual things.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Ecclesiastes 3:19

19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.



The Carnal State of the Beast is Inherited from Adam. To Transcend the Beast Man going to Spiritual the Earthly Ministry Must be practiced. The Mind of the Beast Man cannot understand Spiritual things.
Yes, belief alone won't do it, one needs to engage in an efficacious spiritual practice, and that in turn involves some sacrifice of the Beast Man.
 

Elihoenai

Well-Known Member
Yes, belief alone won't do it, one needs to engage in an efficacious spiritual practice, and that in turn involves some sacrifice of the Beast Man.
Philippians 3:3

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.



In Christian Gnosticism Belief is Critical. How do you understand the meaning of Belief in Elohim/God? How do you Interpret "Have no Confidence in the Flesh"?

I Am Celibate, Vegan, Drug Free and Alcohol Free Being a Baby on Milk just Beginning the Spiritual Journey.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Philippians 3:3

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.



In Christian Gnosticism Belief is Critical. How do you understand the meaning of Belief in Elohim/God? How do you Interpret "Have no Confidence in the Flesh"?

I Am Celibate, Vegan, Drug Free and Alcohol Free Being a Baby on Milk just Beginning the Spiritual Journey.
Belief has its place, and that's at the beginning. If a heathen/atheist was not persuaded to believe in God at the beginning, then they would never make the effort to begin the spiritual journey. But as we practice our religious devotion, we get to witness the workings of spirit of God in our lives and thus we no longer just believe, but know. I don't go around believing I can count, I know I can count. I don't just believe God exists, I know God exists.

But yes, belief in God is essential at the beginning, and we all started in the belief stage. A lot of scripture is written for beginners, and thus require belief at that stage.
 

Elihoenai

Well-Known Member
Belief has its place, and that's at the beginning. If a heathen/atheist was not persuaded to believe in God at the beginning, then they would never make the effort to begin the spiritual journey. But as we practice our religious devotion, we get to witness the workings of spirit of God in our lives and thus we no longer just believe, but know. I don't go around believing I can count, I know I can count. I don't just believe God exists, I know God exists.

But yes, belief in God is essential at the beginning, and we all started in the belief stage. A lot of scripture is written for beginners, and thus require belief at that stage.
Important points made.

In Christian Gnosticism Belief is the Same as Knowing Elohim/God. Belief is Total Trust in Elohim/God and Unbelief the Absence of that Total Trust. Are you saying that you Know Elohim/God? If yes, what does Knowing Elohim/God mean to you? Are you an Ascetic?


Happy to say that you have promoted Religious Devotion. What is your Religion? You have not asserted your Religion in your profile.


Billions are Claiming to Know/Believe in Elohim/God when Actually they are Ignorant that they are Heathen Atheists. Those that Elohim/God has made Aware of their Heathen Atheism are on the Salvation Spiritual Journey.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Important points made.

In Christian Gnosticism Belief is the Same as Knowing Elohim/God. Belief is Total Trust in Elohim/God and Unbelief the Absence of that Total Trust. Are you saying that you Know Elohim/God? If yes, what does Knowing Elohim/God mean to you? Are you an Ascetic?


Happy to say that you have promoted Religious Devotion. What is your Religion? You have not asserted your Religion in your profile.


Billions are Claiming to Know/Believe in Elohim/God when Actually they are Ignorant that they are Heathen Atheists. Those that Elohim/God has made Aware of their Heathen Atheism are on the Salvation Spiritual Journey.
I believe/accept that God is all there is, seen and unseen, known and unknown, and all religions have the potential for leading their respective devotees to spiritual immortality. Iow, non-denominational.

God is within, so the seeker of God will never realize God until it is realized within. Do I know God? Just like belief comes before knowing, knowing becomes before realization. By realization, I mean union, oneness with God. The disciple can not realize God, for God is one, the disciple must sacrifice their separate ego self to be one with God.

I am not an ascetic, but am retired and meditate most of the day, everyday. God is me (and all else that exists), and my goal is to realize union with God.
 
Not one word of this makes sense to me. I am not a religious person neither do I believe that It would be anything to do with surveying as nothing is built around where this tree is located and nothing ever has been as it is in an open field near where I have lived all my life. So with it being so deeply ingrained in the tree and over a particular name and it is also near a river and hidden which also takes away from the fact that it would be anything to do with surveying land.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Not one word of this makes sense to me. I am not a religious person neither do I believe that It would be anything to do with surveying as nothing is built around where this tree is located and nothing ever has been as it is in an open field near where I have lived all my life. So with it being so deeply ingrained in the tree and over a particular name and it is also near a river and hidden which also takes away from the fact that it would be anything to do with surveying land.
How did you become aware of the Gospel of St Thomas scripture and what made you think that verse is relevant to the U4 carved into a tree near where you live? A tree carving has nothing to do with wood being split!
 
Well, what made me aware was that I saw the movie Stigmata back in 2000 and again not that long from when this thread started in 2015, so i looked into it and I thought the carving of the tree looked awful peculiar and for why someone would carve a particular pattern over said name with it being in block letters quite similar to a U and a 4 which is similar to hebrew or aramaic lettering. If you look further back into this thread from page one onwards you can see what Im putting across here.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
Have you considered the appearance of an apparent U and a 4 shape are not human carvings (I think human carvings would be more clearer formed shapes), but are natural scarring artifacts of an aging tree's bark. In storms twigs, limbs, etc., could have broken off and hit the trunk, birds picking for insects, beetles and insects living in and off the bark, etc..

sandford-tree-097-jpg.8990
 
It seems awful accurate for it to be anything other than a carving and an aging trees bark to be that shape is unlikely along with birds and insects picking off parts of it.
 

Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
It seems awful accurate for it to be anything other than a carving and an aging trees bark to be that shape is unlikely along with birds and insects picking off parts of it.
I presume the U and 4 are the reddish marks, what about the M shape and square shape above it, who or what carved that?
 

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Ben Dhyan

Veteran Member
A member of the forum said it was not literally true at the start of the thread when this link says it is.
The link I provided is a different link to a page with the same content....they seem to be just another esoteric school. Theosophy is another esoteric source.
 
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