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co-pilgrim
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 751
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Re: The resurrection of Jesus Christ
It is not a question of whether the body of Jesus was a physical one, or a spiritual one. This is a false dichotomy. Dondi gets at this in his most recent post.
Rather, the Redeemed body of Jesus of Nazareth, pretty much PRE-Crucifixion, and clearly post-Crucifixion, was one in which the substance had been completely changed. Even the Transfigured man will know that this is true. Yet the ability to bi-locate, and to walk through walls, may not be perfected until the Renunciation experience which Jesus (like others) underwent.
I would disagree that this simply makes him a bit like Caspar the friendly ghost, however. Friendly yes, Caspar-like, yes, but even Initiates of a much lower standing are capable of this. It essentially describes the disciple's training on how to serve God on the astral plane (the emotional world), relative to - or opposed to - the physical. And many, many tens of thousands of disciples ... serve in this manner. Also consider those out of incarnation, as well as those who are now in a (physical) body.
Every world religion teaches the existence of an astral (emotional) body, including the Eastern traditions, which have done so for many thousands of years pre-dating Christianity. I like to believe that in the West, a different manner of presentation may have become popular, but that there is no dividing line ... so that as soon as you hit, say, the borders of China, people do not suddenly have more spiritual bodies than those of us here in the West. And there are Western Masters, other than Jesus, just as there are Eastern. All of them train their disciples in how to transcend the astral worlds, as well as the physical.
But again, while I would agree with the idea which Blazn has just posted, what I believe is that it is the nature of the world we live in, and also of the opportunity that God has provided for each and all of us, to Redeem our `fallen' nature ... that we may be as Christ Jesus. The `fallen' only means that we are in Generation, rather than abiding, eternally, with our Soul Transcendent ... in `Heaven.' And the Fall, having been God's direct Instruction to each of us upon Spiritual levels, is in fact, God's own Plan - for the spiritual development of His Children.
He sends us forth, unexperienced, unknowing, unwise and unloving (non-wise, and non-loving), but only in the sense that we are like a blank slate, waiting to be completed. And it is up to us (with God's help, with each other's help, and by the example and Teaching of the Prophets) ... to learn to write upon the tablet just that which is worthy to be preserved, forever, in Heaven.
Many scrawlings appear upon the tablet for each of us, ere we pass into the astral world following death. Not all of these marks are worthy of being entered into our permanent record (the Temple not made with human hands) ... as some do not help to express the Light and Love, but rather, run counter to the Laws of God. And this is why we are given an opportunity to learn which of those ways are Gods, and which are not conducive to the spiritual development of our Immortal Nature, the Soul.
Upon our return, we may not remember the exact experiences (and thank God for that!) ... but the lessons which have been taught us, in the in-between worlds, just as here upon physical earth, will remain with us forever. It is only up to us to decide, whether or not we will learn from them, choose to advance, and APPLY them during (this) life. It is easier, sometimes, not to, but harder, and more painful, in the long run.
Jesus taught all of this. Read the Bible ... consider this.
Love and Light,
~andrew
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