Much of the church unknowingly embraces dualism- Thomas Jefferson certainly did and fundamentalists love to quote him. John A.T. Robinson was instrumental is delivering me from theism and the web site BeyondTheism.com is the witness. But, as with Post modern in relationship to modern, what IS Beyond Theism? Well, let me share a few thoughts with you.
There’s much beyond a theistic view of God!
Theism refers to a particular doctrine concerning the nature of God and his relationship to the universe. Theism conceives of God as personal and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe. When called upon God responds. He’s interactive with his creation. But in the theistic paradigm, God still gets the HITS for all the carp that goes down.
Here’s the real question. How much RESPONSIBILITY do we have in what happens here on earth? 
Saying that we are co-creators with God (the traditional mainline churches aren’t too hip on this viewpoint), and taking RESPONSIBILITY for that role are two different things indeed. What is beyond theism for me is what’s commonly referred to as OPEN THEISM! Do you have your tin foil ready to place on your head?
What’s up with II Kings 20?
God tells Hezekiah to make out his will because it’s over with! Hezekiah says WHOA there papa! I’m not sure how or what he prayed but he hit the lottery big time and was granted another 15 years! Can you get down with that? Here’s the questions.
1-Was God sincere about Hezekiah dying?
2-Then did God change His mind, really?
3-How’s this work with God being omniscient?
Ah, now we surely need another box of tin foil. Open theism asks the questions (and maybe we should too):
1-Is the future exhaustively settled?
2-Is the future partially open?
3-What’s our (my) responsibility about tomorrow (future determinism)?
Don’t you think we need some answers? Do you have them? My 8th enlightenment on June 5th will deal more fully with this topic: predestination and foreknowledge. Your ready?
I think there is a degree of fate in our lives (good or bad), but we all have the ability to correct and change our destiny now. With each day action we change our future, free ourselves from the past and change the life of everything around us.
I have built several realities in my life (military, professional, minister, businessman, etc.), each of these characters were steps to build with God the reality of us all …
together focused on a higher consciousness we construct the reality of God now.
PS: I heard today “It is NOW!!!!”
I currently believe that I have more responsibility for my past, present, and future than I once did. I am grateful to friends, mentors, and family that have unconditionally loved and accepted me as I continue on a journey of greater and more clear awareness. I suspect this type of illumination will continue and will positively impact my life as I “come alive” to my co-creating opportunities!
Let’s build together that which no one who’s in agreement can sever!
I am increasingly seeing the inherent power I possess not only to shape my future, but to re-create and re-present the past in accordance with a set intention.
“Experience has taught me that the moments I have revised and relived [in my imagination] will not recede into my past; they will advance into my future and confront me as I have revised them.” — Neville
It IS…NOW. What was is Now, what’s to come is Now. It’s all NOW baby! So, if it’s all NOW then we’re not limited to time & space. Example: jbf shared of Neville that one can review the end of their day, go back and change that which they didn’t like. Meditate and actually “go there”, imagine it differently, stay there till you “feel”/experience it, then let it go.
I would dare to say when you’ve done that it’s a done deal…you’ve changed the “illusion” of what was and that feeling/experience carries over into the NOW. Likewise, a vision board, if you will…dare to “go into” your future and co-create it the way it’s meant to be and you will “see” and “taste” the fruit of it NOW and in the future. EXPERIENCE IT NOW!
So, today Ernie, I’m sitting in the movie Angels & Demons and I have an “aha” moment. Totally unrelated to the flick, a thought spoke to my inner being. Two of the three dates I received back in Meditation-I were from my childhood past and one for the very near future. I’ve been holding on to them waiting for the purpose to be revealed. I heard “go there” and imagine: To the past, the way it SHOULD have been and to the future, the way it WILL be. (I have yet to hear Friday’s podcast but something tells me I will be blown away when I do).
I leave you all with this awesome thought to ponder from Conversations with the Children of Now by Meg Blackburn Losey:
“We should not fear our destiny; rather, create it. What a concept! That leaves the notion of the 2012 phenomenon wide open to the creative process. Instead of dreading change, instead of being afraid, if we take the creative reins into our hands and ride unafraid into every moment that we are, perhaps before we know it we will have affected the change we meant to create. The only way to know for sure is to do it.”
And on to June 5th when I bring this Biblically into REALITY!
awesome!