taijasi
Gnōthi seauton
Inhumility,
I am familiar, somewhat, with the account you've shared. I've come across websites that detail the possibilities of Jesus surviving the crucifixion, and I also have scans of a book called `Adept of Galilee' that I'm reading ... which may address this point.
There is a very good essay by Swami Abhedenanda, a Hindu, entitled `Was Christ a Yogi,' which is reprinted in the 1920s book `Adept of Galilee.' The essay is online, here, and is I recommend taking a look.
Also, Swami Abhedenanda wrote an essay entitled, `Jesus versus Churchianity,' and I am very much in sympathy with the points he makes, overall ... as highlighted in his opening paragraph:
Indeed, if God has killed his only son, so that we might be spiritually redeemed, then how is THIS any different than the blood sacrifice of ANIMALS that so tainted the earlier religions, which Christ Himself most certainly came to REFORM?
All manner of objection will be raised, and all sorts of efforts made to distort or reinterpret this very basic - and obvious - problem. Yet so long as there is clinging to vicarious atonement, no real answer will be forthcoming. And it is an offense, not only to good common sense and our human reason, but also to the Spirit and the innate Dignity of all people to insist that this susperstitious nonsense be regarded somehow "sacred."
Shall we, like some, cross ourselves immediatley upon swearing? Or perhaps if we kill a small rodent, it will be propitiation enough? A fatted cow? A passover lamb?
No, I think the symbolism of the "Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World" is already lost. So long as Christ Jesus remains - in the eyes of churchianity - God's Sacrifice ... we can expect little from the churches, certainly by way of further penetration into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but probably also in terms of comparative religion.
It remains for the individual Members, of Christ's Church (both esoteric and exoteric), to break away from the pack, and - like the Goat of Capricorn (the symbol of the Initiate, now thoroughly confused, in most Christians' eyes, with PAN, or "the devil") - assert their Divine Individuality. This must ever precede the coming together in a conscious, Spiritual Group, which is the opposite, even the antithesis, of the animal, herd instinct.
The contemplation of the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, imho, will yield us more spiritual profit - in understanding the meaning, necessity and purpose for the death of Christ Jesus - than a whole book of Sundays, spent in the pews, nodding and poking each other to keep from falling asleep. It's that last line, especially, where I think St. Francis really reminds us - who it is (and what it is), that must die.
As St. Paul said, "I die daily." And yes, this man was a High Initiate. He now serves the Christ with Master Jesus, side by side, and has His own Ashram, as Master H. (Ray 5, Science).
Namaskar,
taijasa
I am familiar, somewhat, with the account you've shared. I've come across websites that detail the possibilities of Jesus surviving the crucifixion, and I also have scans of a book called `Adept of Galilee' that I'm reading ... which may address this point.
There is a very good essay by Swami Abhedenanda, a Hindu, entitled `Was Christ a Yogi,' which is reprinted in the 1920s book `Adept of Galilee.' The essay is online, here, and is I recommend taking a look.
Also, Swami Abhedenanda wrote an essay entitled, `Jesus versus Churchianity,' and I am very much in sympathy with the points he makes, overall ... as highlighted in his opening paragraph:
A Hindu distinguishes the religion of the churches from the religion of Jesus Christ. Speaking from the Hindu standpoint, the religion that the churches uphold and preach today, that has been built around the personality of Jesus the Christ, and which is popularly known as Christianity, should be called ‘Churchianity’, in contradistinction to that pure religion of the heart that was taught by Jesus the Christ and practised by his disciples. The religion of Christ or true Christianity had no dogma, no creed, no system, and no theology. It was a religion of the heart, a religion without any ceremonial, without ritual, without priest-craft. It was not based upon any book, but upon the feelings of the heart, upon direct communion of the individual soul with the heavenly Father. On the contrary, the religion of the church is based upon a book, believes in dogmas, professes a creed, has an organized system for preaching it, is backed up by theologies, performs rituals, practises ceremonials, and obeys the commands of a host of priests.
Another excellent point, which is one of my own chief objections to the exclusivity we often see occuring in churchianity, is stated later in the essay:
Although many of the Hindus believe in the doctrine of the incarnation of God in a human form, still they strongly object to the dogmatic method by which the churches preach it among the heathens. Their first objection is that if God could incarnate in one place for a certain purpose, why should He not incarnate whenever and wherever such an incarnation was needed? The church dogmas make the love of God for humanity limited by time, place and nationality. The love of God for humanity must be unlimited by such narrow considerations. God loves all humanity; His love shines equally upon all living creatures like the light of the sun. The Hindu conception of the incarnation of God is beautifully expressed in the Bhagavad Gita. In that Lord Krishna says: "Wherever irreligion prevails and true religion declines, I manifest Myself in a human form to establish righteousness and to destroy evil"
But worst of all, it is this notion of tying one man's death to a supposed vicarious atonement and trouble-free, effortless salvation for the masses ... which makes of personal responsibility a mockery ... that stains the entire Teaching, Purpose and Mission of Christ Jesus with falsity and superstition. It carries us backward, rather than moves us forward - let alone opening a door to the future.
Indeed, if God has killed his only son, so that we might be spiritually redeemed, then how is THIS any different than the blood sacrifice of ANIMALS that so tainted the earlier religions, which Christ Himself most certainly came to REFORM?
All manner of objection will be raised, and all sorts of efforts made to distort or reinterpret this very basic - and obvious - problem. Yet so long as there is clinging to vicarious atonement, no real answer will be forthcoming. And it is an offense, not only to good common sense and our human reason, but also to the Spirit and the innate Dignity of all people to insist that this susperstitious nonsense be regarded somehow "sacred."
Shall we, like some, cross ourselves immediatley upon swearing? Or perhaps if we kill a small rodent, it will be propitiation enough? A fatted cow? A passover lamb?
No, I think the symbolism of the "Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World" is already lost. So long as Christ Jesus remains - in the eyes of churchianity - God's Sacrifice ... we can expect little from the churches, certainly by way of further penetration into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but probably also in terms of comparative religion.
It remains for the individual Members, of Christ's Church (both esoteric and exoteric), to break away from the pack, and - like the Goat of Capricorn (the symbol of the Initiate, now thoroughly confused, in most Christians' eyes, with PAN, or "the devil") - assert their Divine Individuality. This must ever precede the coming together in a conscious, Spiritual Group, which is the opposite, even the antithesis, of the animal, herd instinct.
The contemplation of the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, imho, will yield us more spiritual profit - in understanding the meaning, necessity and purpose for the death of Christ Jesus - than a whole book of Sundays, spent in the pews, nodding and poking each other to keep from falling asleep. It's that last line, especially, where I think St. Francis really reminds us - who it is (and what it is), that must die.
As St. Paul said, "I die daily." And yes, this man was a High Initiate. He now serves the Christ with Master Jesus, side by side, and has His own Ashram, as Master H. (Ray 5, Science).
Namaskar,
taijasa
