Historical Jesus
For years I have been writing about the disconnect between faith and religion. Over the last few weeks I discovered an even deeper divide that I would like to share. Personally I have figured out that I love the historical Jesus and all that he stands for, however I am not as much a fan of modern religion that tends to dilute what he stood for. I use the term historical because I wanted you to understand exactly who I am referring to. The Jesus that gets preached in our churches is not the same person, in my opinion, that we have come to discover through Bible history as well as other historical documents and codex's. The man that history tells us came to earth incarnate to give humanity hope as well as give us the means to reach the heaven of eternity. The man that is preached from many pulpits is someone entirely different. Matter of fact it is as if they are referring to two totally different people. The historical Jesus preached a message of love that he himself walked the talk. He gave us the means to forgive, accept, unite, and love unconditionally. Too many churches these days teach us how to divide our love by accepting only their interpretation of the Gospel. You would almost think that they have some hidden message that we were not privy too so we must depend on the church for proper understanding.
I, like many, spent years searching for a religious home that I could fully believe in as well as share without regret or doubt. Through various stages of life I will admit that I felt as though I found exactly that, yet through self discovery I realized that even though I shared The Word I did not personally buy into the way in which it was taught. I spent too much time being told what to believe and how to teach it rather than allowing the true Jesus to come alive in my heart and soul. You see if the historical Jesus is real then we should be able to bring to life the spirit that dwells in us without the perfunctory teachings of opinionated clergy. Jesus dwells in our heart through the Holy Spirit and it is that divine connection that we can bring to life by allowing the love in our soul to meet our heart and mind exactly where it is. Love provides the means to cleanse all hate, bitterness, envy, jealousy, and bigotry. You see that is what the historical Jesus came to do for us. He provided us that means so that we too could share in the awesome life after death we call heaven.
Let me clarify something before we go too much farther. My goal in my quest over the last few years has been to fully appreciate and bring to life the love of Christ that I felt confident resided in my human capsule. If you have read my writings you know how much I believe that we were born with love for love. The creator did not place in our hearts and soul a reason to hate, that is a learned behavior through the working of humanity. I share that because I also believe that religion over the last several decades has created such a vast divide in our hearts that we are left so confused as to what to believe. That in and of itself places bitterness in our heart that forces out the Christ like love we were born with. Not only that but it has also forced people to leave churches and most likely never to return.
I think love can comfort even the deepest wounds, whether those wounds are spiritual, emotional, physical, or medical. Love is our source of faith that can move people to action. I do not see the genuine agape love taught from the pulpit, yet I do see it in the life and actions of most people. We all have the innate desire to do good. Most people realize that to be lifted up we must lift up others. It doesn't take being preached to, too understand this inherent fact.
Why do I share all this? For three years it has been my heart, soul, passion, and purpose to stir inside people the realization that they are loved beyond their wildest imagination. We are loved because we are human. We do not have to strive to be perfect we just have to strive to spread peace, love, forgiveness, and goodwill. That my friends is the message of the historical Jesus.
Earlier I eluded to people leaving churches, which by the way is a documented fact. They are not leaving in small numbers they are leaving in droves. NO IT IS NOT the work of the Devil that causes people to walk away, consider that it is the work of the true Historical Jesus. When what we are taught creates division instead of unity it is not the work of the Jesus I have come to understand. I love Jesus I just struggle with loving the person many religions have relegated him too.
In closing I would like to share a Latin term called "lectio divina" which means divine reading. Lectio Divina was taught for years as a means of allowing scripture to come alive in your own heart on your own terms. If you are struggling to find the historical Jesus I would urge you to read the new testament, especially the Gospels in small bites. Allow what you read to soak in and slowly but surely something great will manifest itself inside you. The "dones", as the ones that have left the church are called, can find a voice of commonality among those that strive to survive spiritually and faithfully. It doesn't take listening to messages of division that has forced us out it takes being the voice of unity that brings us together. We are that voice. We shall love all people and allow our lives to preach more loudly than our lips.
peace and love
Dale
Why do I share all this? For three years it has been my heart, soul, passion, and purpose to stir inside people the realization that they are loved beyond their wildest imagination. We are loved because we are human. We do not have to strive to be perfect we just have to strive to spread peace, love, forgiveness, and goodwill. That my friends is the message of the historical Jesus.
Earlier I eluded to people leaving churches, which by the way is a documented fact. They are not leaving in small numbers they are leaving in droves. NO IT IS NOT the work of the Devil that causes people to walk away, consider that it is the work of the true Historical Jesus. When what we are taught creates division instead of unity it is not the work of the Jesus I have come to understand. I love Jesus I just struggle with loving the person many religions have relegated him too.
In closing I would like to share a Latin term called "lectio divina" which means divine reading. Lectio Divina was taught for years as a means of allowing scripture to come alive in your own heart on your own terms. If you are struggling to find the historical Jesus I would urge you to read the new testament, especially the Gospels in small bites. Allow what you read to soak in and slowly but surely something great will manifest itself inside you. The "dones", as the ones that have left the church are called, can find a voice of commonality among those that strive to survive spiritually and faithfully. It doesn't take listening to messages of division that has forced us out it takes being the voice of unity that brings us together. We are that voice. We shall love all people and allow our lives to preach more loudly than our lips.
peace and love
Dale
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