Jesus

=====================================================

Remember that there are exoteric and esoteric faces to all religions. [...]

Yes, I worship the historical Jesus as the divine Son of God. Why not? Jesus was totally identified with God.

It so happens that you and I, when we have had the same perfect identification with God that Jesus had, will be every bit as much the subject of the above quote from John as was Jesus. Still...Jesus was first. Glory, hallelujah! So worship him if you like. Respect and emulate him as the Christ if you prefer.

Either way, keep in mind that he is the Great Example, not the Great Exception.

C.B.

=====

Date: Tue, 21 Jan 97 14:46:03 EST

To all those who kindly responded to my email about Jesus' Teachings and John 14:6, I thank you.

To me, the historic Jesus as taught by exoteric orthodox religion is symbolized by Tarot Key 15 (The Devil). Why? Orthodox Religion holds the erroneous view that Spirit and Matter are two completely separate (and opposing) things. They also teach that the personality known as Jesus was both God and Man (a combination of opposing Sprit and Matter) and that he (historical Jesus of Nazareth) alone, as the Great Exception, is our only link to salvation.

In other words, orthodox religion has turned Jesus into an Idol.

I no longer accept the orthodox explanation of Jesus, yet I am sad about it as I feel like I'm losing a parent or guide (Like Virgil was to Dante).

Maybe I should look at as: "I'm not losing a God; I'm gaining an elder brother" ?

Where does the exoteric orthodox religious dogmatic philosophy lead?

>From the Ayn Rand Lexicon:
"Christ is the human ideal, and personifies that which men and women should strive to emulate. Yet according to the Orthodox Christian teachings, he died on the cross not for his own sins, but for the sins of the non-ideal people. In other words, a man of perfect virtue was sacrificed for men who are vicious and who are expected or supposed to accept the sacrifice. It is the notion of sacrificing the ideal to the non-ideal, or virtue to vice. And it is in the name of that symbol that men are asked to sacrifice themselves for their inferiors. That is how the symbolism is used."

In other words, BONDAGE.

Since Mirth (& ridicule) is the method for chasing the Devil away, allow me to immolate myself with some irreverent, iconoclastic satire:

Beer vs Jesus

Top 10 Reasons why Beer Is Better Than Jesus
----------------------------------------------
10. No one will kill you for not drinking Beer.
9. Beer doesn't tell you how to have sex.
8. Beer has never caused a major war.
7. They don't force Beer on minors who can't think for themselves.
6. When you have a Beer, you don't knock on people's doors trying to give it away.
5. Nobody's ever been burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured over his brand of Beer.
4. You don't have to wait 2000+ years for a second Beer.
3. There are laws saying Beer labels can't lie to you.
2. You can prove you have a Beer.
1. If you've devoted your life to Beer, there are groups to help you stop.

Perhaps the destruction of childhood idols (The Orthodox Jesus of my childhood) gets replaced with more adult models (Master Jesus, perfected vehicle for the Christ) in the same manner as the progression of the Seven Paths (Tarot Keys) 15-16-17-18-19-20-21 ?

K15: Birth: The binding of spirit into form. Bondage to a ridiculous view of reality and dependence on it. Like depending on Jesus to save me as my own personal savior. Like when a Christian fundamentalist asks you: "Are you Saved?"

K16: The uncomfortable destruction of our old ideas.

K17: A period of meditation. Where we go within to find the TRUTH revealed to us.

K18: The building of a more capable body. Capable of handling the truth and the energy it brings.

K19: Regeneration.

K20: Rebirth/Resurrection.

K21: Dominion.

I no longer believe the fairy tales, but my grasp of the truth is still as yet incomplete. I guess it's time to go fishing!

Iconoclastically yours,