Classic Christianity admonishes us to repent from our sins, to realize that we came into the world as sin, and that we need to accept the blood sacrifice of an angry God that came by way of the death of Jesus on the cross. The first words that are ascribed to Jesus are, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”.
What does this message of 2,000 years ago say to us TODAY?
Classic Christianity is now carried forward by the fundamentalist Christianity brand. Are we to go with only that which was known and spoken 2,000 years ago or do we build on what was, with what now is? Therein is the question. Fundmentalists want to stay frozen in 2,000 year old doctrinal thinking while admitting that the world is NOT what it was, nor how they saw things twenty some centuries ago.
Repentance is much more about going beyond the mind than it is about not dancing nor drinking!
The world of 2009 is nothing like the world of 1009, nor 39CE. 
The changing landscape of the earth, solar system, and universe, and what we now know about it is revealing much more about what interpretations we should use and come to regarding the sacred book that Christians embrace. Ancient civilizations lived in their pockets of community distinct and different from one another, seldom crossing paths. Christians could live in Antioch and never ever meet a Taoist, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Hindu, or half dozen other religions.
Not so today!
So, how does one live in such a diversity today when not only those religions that I mentioned above but more than twice that many live within our communities, across the street, and next door? Did God create ALL of these other religions and their adherents with the purpose of having them burn in some physical eternal hell? Why would God create a world where only Christians had a chance at the proverbial heaven with streets of gold, and then only IF they said the right words, embraced the correct creeds and confessions, and belong to the right denomination?
Might it just be that a modern day repentance is about going beyond the MIND (which is the original definition of repentance) and embrace the spirit of God regardless of path one took in so doing? Could it be that there are many roads that lead back to the Source and that no one religion was given a patent or copyright? Could you, no matter what religion you embrace, accept that?
I can. I AM!
I can. I have. I AM.
Why are we afraid to venture outside the box? What are we afraid we might find? And then what? As one who has swallowed the “red pill” and is awakening it’s almost comical, in an ironic sense, what I used to believe. I was one of those fundamentalist who believed in an eternal hell and that I would escape that fate by simply repeating a few chosen words. Being on this side of perspective now it sounds like the workings of ancient or lower consciousness thinking. Going beyond my own mind has brought such liberation and repentance as I am truly walking a new path. Thank you Ernie for taking the road less traveled. I know it couldn’t have been easy but it sure has made a difference in the lives of so many. I’m with you…I want to see how deep this rabbit-hole goes. In that, I can hear you say the words of Morpheus…”Remember, all I’m offering is the truth, nothing more.”
Lois- That’s all I’m “attempting to offer”. No one has it all or really not much at all. But, first one must understand what RELIGION has done to us. Or as Morpheus also said, “The Matrix (religious bias) is everywhere…it is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth”, when ironically it’s religion that’s proclaiming it IS and has the truth.
What’s with all the Matrix quoting the past few days? I love it! Can you say “movie night” at LRC again (remember those at the other building?) I’d love to watch it again now that we’re on this path of the journey. Rather, I’d like to watch it with all of those who’ve had the courage to swallow the red pill. Bunch of crazies! Wouldn’t that be a blast?
I love the name Morpheus, It means Lord(God) of dreams. I have a gift of interpreting dreams and now I am beginning to trust what we do not see more than what we perceive as reality. I am allowing the unknown or Spirit to lead me more and more. No more sin management for me! Yes! I have taken the red pill
I gotta go back and watch that movie again. I’m sure it would have a different message now.
I think the hardest part of making the metanoia move is realizing that I don’t have the exclusive set of answers to all the questions. Exclusivity was the dominating feature of the Christianity of which I was a part for 59 years. I’m not sure I ever fully believed it.
Coming Attraction- June 5th- The Matrix (Showtime at 8:30) FREE POPCORN!
“Repent for the Kingdom of God is at handâ€. One’s kingdom (the objective reality) is ever the creation of the the King (the Subjective Principle). Perhaps I AM that King and the kingdom I have created is always at hand. Is it the kingdom in which I wish to dwell? If not, I can change it through repentance–by moving beyond the belief that I am a limited human being.
The time has come to know who God is. His name forever and forever is I AM. “By Him all things were made and without him was not anything made that was made.” Do we not know that we are God’s temple and that God is forever in that temple? And may I venture to say that the temple and its Inhabitant are really one and the same?
Yes. This is so cool. Movie night and popcorn with a bunch of crazies. My new definition of CRAZIES; People who have been set free from various prisons and now believe that they can do anything, have everything, operate in love and peace without limitations or judgment. Caution, they are not LAW abiding citizens. (old law, sin management etc.)
First time I’ve wanted to spend time with crazies in the crazy house on crazy night at the crazy movie!!!
It’s not the “first time” just recognizing it as such for the first time!!! Makes me think we have a lot of “firsts” in store
for us!!!
Man, if I didn’t live in Colorado, I would SOOO be there for Matrix movie night will all you “red pill swallowers”! That movie illustrates my life (metaphorically) so much over the last couple years. I have loved peeping in on your commentaries, responses and archives over the past 2 weeks. Thank you Ernie for holding this forum. And thanks to Don R. for sending me here. Wow, I have so much in common with you guys!
Jared- Welcome dude… I and several compadres will be visiting your city 29-31 of this month to hear Villoldo, Braden, and Lipton. Since you are a Matrix Man let me add another quote, “There is only one constant, one universal, and the only truth. Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without it”. Merovingian (The Frenchman). That’s the papal BULL that the church has taught, but we know differently, and we’re CHOOSING to go WITHIN and BE!
Ernie is a great idea, I will be that day to see this movie again
Hey Ernie, you know I can quote that movie! Can’t be there on movie night, Michigan’s a long way from Texas but I’ll definitely be thinking about all you “crazies” and I might even make some popcorn as a toast!
Paul- Give me your addreess (via email) and I’ll see that you get CAN of it…the popcorn! Blessing in Michigan, Colorado and all you CRAZIES out there.
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
Feeling like Alice lost in a Wonderland -
Developing a strategy, formulating a plan.
Standing at a fork in the road pending a decision -
Take the road less traveled or the one paved to precision?
Hmmm…what is one to do?
Steady the course of the parameters defined?
The railings in place to keep one confined.
For me the conclusion is becoming quite clear -
The road less traveled confronting my fears.
So into the darkness I tread by courage indeed -
The inner voice guides me by faith I take heed.
The journey ahead is promising to be sure -
Strengthening my inner being with lessons that cure.
Every step revealing a layer of the Divine -
“Search for me within for you shall surely find…
Know ye not, we are forever intertwined?”
Ahh!! What a beautiful day. And by the direction of the site today I would say it is a beautiful day in all of your neighborhoods. May the love over flow into all of your tomorrows.
YES, I absolutely agree!
If you haven’t already read the “Impatient Letter from God” written over 10 years ago and read on NPR, I think you will enjoy it:
http://www.intent.com/drdeb/blog/impatient-letter-god
Thanks,
Dr. Deb
DrDeb- Thanks and how I love these lines… “But now I want to talk to you about religious rivalries. Enough already! Let’s get one thing straight. These are your religions, not Mine. Holy books and religious rites are sacred and powerful, but not more so than the least of you….never trust a written word more than your own living heart.” AMEN, Woo-Hoo, Yee-Haw, and all that jazz.
I’ll drive in from Odessa if I can get away that weekend. It would be nice to meet some of you people. Will Henrietta be there?
I think God has many paths you can take. I don’t feel we have a right or wrong path. It all about the path you decide to take. God gives you a free will to pick your path. One path will take you there and then you can take a totally different path and it will still get you there. Listen to other and you will see that each one will tell you a story about a different path to get to God.
Here a story that happen today. This person I didn’t even know very well started telling me there path to God. He started telling me that he hear this little voice inside telling him to take his money and buy three homes. He didn’t listen…like we have done so many times in our life. I ask him what did he think that little voice was from? He told me it was the Holy Spirit or you could call it what you want…God…Buddhist….Hindu… He was telling me you can call on it to help you with anything in your life. He also went into talking about how we need to see thing to believe in them. But he soon found out that you don’t need to see it to believe in it. He caught his self fighting this little voice inside. He thought that he needed to see it to make it real but he soon found out that he didn’t need to see it to believe. Just to believe in this little voice inside. Now he is listening to that little voice inside. So as you can see listening to other people will show you different paths to GOD! We just need to take the path we want to go on………
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and HE will direct your path.” Ask GOD to show you HIS truth and you are off and running!!!! I want more of HIM – to hear HIM more, to see HIM more, to feel HIS presence more, to love HIM more, to know HIM more, to know more of HIS truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1