John 3:16 "for God so love the world...."
Submitted by tks on May 08 1999 at 21:09:33
In reply to Re: I'm Impressed....and more than just curious, Ben ... Submitted by Ben on May 08 1999 at 07:40:09
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Dear Ben, ...further to your post above: John 3:16 is a verse that I recall being taught in Bible class, when I was about 9 years old. I have such a deep impression of that experience, so many years ago.... that I can still re-experience it in "present time" and I can "see" the environment... where it took place, in the church basement :) I don't know how many times that passage has come back to me over the years, but I even recall the "story" our teacher related to us at that time. Talk about being an "impressionable" kid ... heh I also recall singing "Onward Christian Soldiers" which I didn't find as inspiring, in teaching me about the Love of God ;) I have long since had time to "reprogram" my juvenile mind to a more logical explaination of those, and many more similar experiences. Regarding the following verse: Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. I wonder what Jesus, really meant here (assuming that the translation is exactly, what he said). My take on that is that either he was talking in the first person, as God.... or possibly to say that his "way" (Jesus' example) was the only way to God. If I was in a very intense metaphysical discussion regarding "the way" I may well have said something very similar... :) In the "presence" of God, one sometimes looses "self identity" and speaks in the first person. A form of channeling you might say ;) (please note, *tongue in cheek*) An example of being struck by "the spirit" is where a Christian enters a state of "bliss" and something takes control of their total being. This is not an uncommon occurance in Christianity nor under other circumstances where one is influenced by a spiritual or "cosmic" experience. Are YOU still with me? (you did ask about metaphysics :) I'm refering to events that happen to everyday people under "religious" and non-religious circumstances. Two thousand years, is a very short period of time .... in the history of man and metaphysics. Christianity is a rather "new' arrival in this sense. Many spiritual "phenonema" was already well established and God may well have sent other "messengers" over the millenium well before the appearance of Jesus. I believe that Jesus was "right on" though and one doesn't need any other "way" than his way. The pity of it all is that "The Church" has managed to form thousands of split factions, within itself and one hardly knows where the "truth" begins and ends. I wonder if Jesus would be happy, with how his church is progressing these days. I wonder if God is pleased with our overall progress on this earth. I pause.... to wonder about what I just said :) For the Love of God tks |