The Antichrist

[taijasi]

The following excerpt from the teachings of Alice Bailey perhaps states this more clearly than I am capable:

"the present conflict between the personality of humanity (expressing the material values as the dominating factor in life experience) and the soul of humanity (expressing the spiritual values as the dominating factor in human affairs) is identical with the conflict which takes place within a human being's consciousness when he has reached the stage of discipleship and is faced with the problem of the pairs of opposites. This conflict is expressed in many ways according to the point of view and the background of thought. It can be called the conflict between Christ and Antichrist but not as those who usually employ those phrases understand them. No one nation is expressive of the spirit of Antichrist, just as no one nation expresses the spirit of Christ. Christ and Antichrist are the dualities of spirituality and materialism, both in the individual and in humanity as a whole. Or you can speak of God and the Devil with the same basic implications. For what is man himself but an expression of divinity (God) in a material form (the Devil), and what is matter but the medium through which divinity must eventually manifest in all its glory? But when that takes place, matter will no longer be a controlling factor but simply a medium of expression." (Externalization of the Hierarchy, 137) - emphasis added

Actually, this looks a good deal like what I said. The error as I see it, come from the mindset of those who continue to scan the proverbial horizon for the rise of some "evil dictator" or specific presence in the world - which they somehow take as the indicator, perhaps through a misreading of Biblical prophecy - of the future coming of the Christ.

If the latter is what really matters ... then our effort must be to sacrifice all of which we are capable in order to prepare ourselves for this great event. This means to prepare our own hearts & minds, and when we see the opportunity, to seek to be a positive influence on those around us - and to evoke from the environment favorable conditions for Christ's coming.

I wonder ... how well and in what manner do Christian teachings equip the faithful of today for this work of Preparation? Do Christians recognize above all that the Mission of the Christ is one of World Salvation, which operates through Group Consciousness and on the largest scale imaginable - and does not concern itself with primarily with individuals?

taijasi

[Quahom1]

Originally Posted by taijasi

I can tell you what the antichrist is, and quite specifically. So far, no one has stated it accurately on this particular thread, or at least, that I've noticed.

The antichrist is not a specific individual, for this is the same kind of ignorant, superstitious scapegoating that leads some to falsely assume that "the devil" is a force entirely separate from themselves and external. Nothing could be further from the truth. The greatest battle of all fought within the individual is that between his or her own spiritual Presence (identical with `God' for it is the immanent presence of God within every human heart) ... and the lower, "animal" nature, aka the human ego. In this battle, which precipitates fully in some particular lifetime or another, the Angel of the Presence - a definite Individuality - must defeat the sum-total of "evil" that has accumulated throughout the long series of incarnations that each of us has undergone. Most of us are quite a ways yet from that final battle, thus we face lesser conflicts in our present lifetime, though some of these can be substantial battles in & of themselves.

Notice that nowhere in this have I suggested that there is no such thing as external evil, or an external antichrist. Most certainly there are forces which represent both of these (they are not synonymous - the latter is a subset of the former), yet even on a planetary scale, what I said above applies. Collectively, in terms of Humanity, there is also an antichrist, and this is the same force relative to the whole of Humanity as that within each individual which opposes the Christ Presence. Thus, anything that tends toward separativeness as against Unity ... is of the antichrist. Fear, hatred, antipathy and exclusivity - are all examples of this type of force. Cooperation, Forgiveness, Compassion and the Will-to-Good/Goodwill ... are those qualities which are of the Christ and which can & will OVERCOME the antichrist when developed both within the individual, and within the Group - and within collective Humanity.

Perhaps this is not clear. But I fail to see how we could state it any more directly. Not a person, but rather, human attitudes, and the spirit of resistance to the princples of the New Era (of the Aquarian Christ) ... THIS is antichrist.

And as for a quick note about Benjamin Creme and Share International, as pertinent to the OP from Pico ... NEITHER of these represents IN ANY FORM OR FASHION the antichrist. Creme is a disciple or a world server of a certain status, and is most certainly someone guided by and acting according to the spirit of Christ and the Masters. IMHO, he is certainly not "the official spokeperson for" the Christ, or any of that - and in this respect, he is somewhat entangled in the glamours and illusion that affect all world disciples along the Way. We know that Christ needs no spokesperson, so anyone setting him or herself up as such - has already given us the indication we need to be wary. BUT - Creme plays an important and valuable role, inasmuch as he helps to familiarize the intelligent, thinking public with the fact that Christ and the Masters do exist, that their return is imminent, and that They come according to the Divine Plan ... FOR ALL. In this, Creme and Share International (and numerous other groups stemming from the tradition of Alice Bailey) do us all a Service ... and for that, we should be grateful!

Love and Light,

taijasi

Well that is fine. You stick to your secular interpretations, and I suppose Christians will stick with their biblical interpretations. As for me I have my own thoughts.

v/r

Q

[Tao_Equus]

Originally Posted by Quahom1

Well that is fine. You stick to your secular interpretations, and I suppose Christians will stick with their biblical interpretations. As for me I have my own thoughts.

v/r

Q

You always do Q and we all love to read em I'm sure

This is a subject that I associate more with the horror fiction genre of pulp novels and holywood moneymakers.

The problem I find in 'Christian' discussions on this is, and I think I am in agreement with Ruby on this, is the reliance on that incoherant book of fanciful imagery Revelations. The more I have looked into this book the more I feel its time for Cristianity as a whole to dismiss it. It seems to me clear that it was written for that time, 1'st century AD, and as such was written as a political tool, or at best a allegorical commentory on the politcal scene of that time. To find people still using it, dragging it up, regurgitating, interpreting and re-interpreting it today seems to me laughably banal on the one hand and a classic example of how un-Christian some Christians have become, sometime scarily so, on the other.

It seems to me that if we look at and think about what Christ represents, and what he would have done in any given situation then there is hardly a politician or career faith-leader in the world that is not Anti-Christ. Would Christ approve of Guantanamo Bay? Of the poverty of the many in the face of such wealth we 'collectively' dont share? Of priests and Sisters who terrorise and abuse orphan children?
So there are many many individuals in greater or lesser positions of power, all seek that power though, who call themselves Christian and are all to ready to invoke the label of Anti-Christ on others when it suits their needs. It is used by todays 'witch-hunters' in a modern inquisition, evil people seeking always the evil in others for to make them feel better themselves? To let themselves sleep at night?

In essence I agree with the duality Andrew speaks of. We all have both facets, the Christ and the Antichrist, and our spiritual journey will lead us along one or other of these paths. Often the guilty protest the loudest, in the same way we can often see which path someone has chosen.


David

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Pico

Anyone heard of this guy before? Share International on the Reappearence of Maitreya the World Teacher

Seems like a good candidate for the Antichrist to me.

Heh, 'Pico' The antichrist has allready been shown... It reigns here, it's begining in Europe... And the world is next.....



all hail! The antichrist.......

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

all hail! The antichrist.......

Hey, they have some really good BOGOF's!

s.

[Snoopy]

More seriously, if you take the letters T,E,S,C and O, convert them to binary code, reverse the digits and add them up cumulatively you get the number 666. (In Albanian.)

s.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

More seriously, if you take the letters T,E,S,C and O, convert them to binary code, reverse the digits and add them up cumulatively you get the number 666. (In Albanian.)

s.

I know!! :O I am totally cereal!

[Snoopy]

But who can save us????? Well, if you take the letters A, L, D and I...

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

But who can save us????? Well, if you take the letters A, L, D and I...

ALDI

You know that's a french company ;\

You think their MD is jesus?

[JosephM]

Originally Posted by taijasi

I can tell you what the antichrist is, and quite specifically. So far, no one has stated it accurately on this particular thread, or at least, that I've noticed.

The antichrist is not a specific individual, for this is the same kind of ignorant, superstitious scapegoating that leads some to falsely assume that "the devil" is a force entirely separate from themselves and external. Nothing could be further from the truth. The greatest battle of all fought within the individual is that between his or her own spiritual Presence (identical with `God' for it is the immanent presence of God within every human heart) ... and the lower, "animal" nature, aka the human ego. In this battle, which precipitates fully in some particular lifetime or another, the Angel of the Presence - a definite Individuality - must defeat the sum-total of "evil" that has accumulated throughout the long series of incarnations that each of us has undergone. Most of us are quite a ways yet from that final battle, thus we face lesser conflicts in our present lifetime, though some of these can be substantial battles in & of themselves.

Notice that nowhere in this have I suggested that there is no such thing as external evil, or an external antichrist. Most certainly there are forces which represent both of these (they are not synonymous - the latter is a subset of the former), yet even on a planetary scale, what I said above applies. Collectively, in terms of Humanity, there is also an antichrist, and this is the same force relative to the whole of Humanity as that within each individual which opposes the Christ Presence. Thus, anything that tends toward separativeness as against Unity ... is of the antichrist. Fear, hatred, antipathy and exclusivity - are all examples of this type of force. Cooperation, Forgiveness, Compassion and the Will-to-Good/Goodwill ... are those qualities which are of the Christ and which can & will OVERCOME the antichrist when developed both within the individual, and within the Group - and within collective Humanity.

Perhaps this is not clear. But I fail to see how we could state it any more directly. Not a person, but rather, human attitudes, and the spirit of resistance to the princples of the New Era (of the Aquarian Christ) ... THIS is antichrist.

And as for a quick note about Benjamin Creme and Share International, as pertinent to the OP from Pico ... NEITHER of these represents IN ANY FORM OR FASHION the antichrist. Creme is a disciple or a world server of a certain status, and is most certainly someone guided by and acting according to the spirit of Christ and the Masters. IMHO, he is certainly not "the official spokeperson for" the Christ, or any of that - and in this respect, he is somewhat entangled in the glamours and illusion that affect all world disciples along the Way. We know that Christ needs no spokesperson, so anyone setting him or herself up as such - has already given us the indication we need to be wary. BUT - Creme plays an important and valuable role, inasmuch as he helps to familiarize the intelligent, thinking public with the fact that Christ and the Masters do exist, that their return is imminent, and that They come according to the Divine Plan ... FOR ALL. In this, Creme and Share International (and numerous other groups stemming from the tradition of Alice Bailey) do us all a Service ... and for that, we should be grateful!

Love and Light,

taijasi

Hi taijasi,

After reading your post I'm sure you will enjoy this very well presented biblical exposure that comes to a conclusion similiar to you.

L. Ray Smith - THE LAKE OF FIRE - Part 13

Enjoy,
Love in Christ,
JM

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

ALDI

You know that's a french company ;\

You think their MD is jesus?

No, he'd have to be French wouldn't he?

s.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Snoopy

No, he'd have to be French wouldn't he?

s.

Which brings me to my next theory... Jesus was French!

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Which brings me to my next theory... Jesus was French!

OK at this point I think you would be needing to start a new thread about Jesus de Normandie.

sheesh.

s.