I know what I am about to write will be taken as condescending by fundamentalists; however, that’s not my intent. In fact, I am addressing this primarily to those that might think they are “better” than fundamentalists. Additionally, I feel I can have “standing” with which to make the descriptions that I will because I once WAS a fundamentalist. Finally, while many get their START in the fundamentalist paradigm, it’s just that, a STARTING point and not an ENDING point.
Ken Wilber and others do a far better job of tracing levels of consciousness of humanity from earlier civilizations (caveman era) to today, but this is my limited and minimal attempt to only look at one slice of the pie- the time when Jesus lived.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus was speaking to people with what’s variously called a “mythic level” of consciousness, or what I would describe as a child between the ages of 6-9. Without being offended, surely everyone sees that we’re much more aware of our universe, our bodies, and the psychology of human hood than people were 2,000 years ago. If anything tells us that it was the Copernican revolution.
You do know the earth revolves around the sun don’t you, and not vice-versa? 
Thus Jesus spoke their language while hiding a much deeper and profound message in the parables and stories he told. It’s much akin to TV that generically caters to an audience with a 5th grade education with “target audiences” that range all over the spectrum. In essence, the fundamentalist approach carries with it the psychology and mindset of a 6-9 year old who has left behind the “magical” (ages 3-6) world and has entered this new mythical world (in their relationship with their parents and thus God) in the following seven ways.
1-They think their parents (God) can do anything and solve all their problems.
2-They know their dad (our God is the real deal) can whip all other (false and weak) dads.
3-They believe that when they conform to the rules of mom and dad (God), they are GOOD and when they disobey the house rules, they are BAD!
4-They have not yet mastered “abstract thinking” so a story is literal and a chair is a chair. There’s no need to think differently or go beyond.
5-They are unsure of the world “out there,” so they embrace authority figures (priests) and attack anyone who threatens or speaks ill of their heroes.
6-They see any threat to their current world view as a crisis, not yet being mature enough to comprehend the diversities that exist within the world, and that there might be additional options.
7-The world is basically a black and white, dualistic world which makes understanding things so much easier for the young mind, seeing that people are either good, or they are bad.
Knowing that I was once there, I can have empathy for those there currently. “When I was a child I thought as a child, but now……”
There’s no need to be angry at people for being where they are. Even if a person is totally wrong, arguing hardly ever accomplishes anything. Instead of arguing back (which only empowers), simply ignore. Even asking questions of a fundamentalist doesn’t work. You know their answers, so why ask? Furthermore, ultimately it’s best to have diversity, differing viewpoints, and varied opinions as long as character assassination does’t ensue. So, let people BE.
The teacher arrives when the student is ready. If the student isn’t ready no learning will take place. A student asks questions! Those without a teachable spirit make absolute declarations.
Remember, the world only progresses through constructive antithesis. If everyone thinks alike, we’ll never discover new territory. I am where I am today because others challenged me, but mostly because others loved me! Who are you challenging by your love, not by your “arguments”?
Beautifully said, Ernie!
Growing up Black in America one is not unfamiliar with ignoring. I am grateful however for those who died to help me find my voice. It does not have to be in a violent way, but often people are violent with words and it is done in the name of God. When God does not have a thing to do with it and is not an entity which require your help to achieve anything.
Political agendas, the pro-life movement, religious wars; we can name many such movements where violence was wrought on innocent victims in the name of a good cause. People who stood for civil rights were thrown in jail or killed unjustly. But all was necessary to allow America to come to the place of living up to Democracy.
I do not want to be slandered for the sake of my non-fundamentalist views, but have been often. You get it consistently. I would love move into a new era of peace. When it is only me involved I find it easy to ignore. There are four people who I would die to protect.(My children) And I do not have a problem standing up and saying I would appreciate people not slandering my community and it’s leaders. My grandmother use to say, “If you can’t say anything good, just don’t say anything”.
There also is an old saying, “Don’t poison the water upstream, because you may have to drink downstream.”
“Spring is here” It is time for us to enjoy the fruit of enduring the long hard Winter. Time to plant and to continue to build. I love you all. Namaste!
The educator in me has to be constantly reminded of what you said in this post. Thanks Ernie
Ghandi said: “We must BE the change we wish to see in the world.” How true that is! Thanks, Ernie!
linda and I are friends and we speak when we see each other. Linda loves God and I see her light. There is mutual admiration between us in person.
On the blog these are opinions that only tell a tenth of what a person truly is so in that, we disagree.
I am a conduit of emotions and empathically deliver the messages I get collectively. I speak it, you see what you feel, and when you see it you don’t like to see what you have been feeling all along. No this was not a cat fight it was exposing your hearts. Yours! yes yours! for you are male and in fear of looking abusive you let it live in me. you are female in fear of looking catty you let it speak through me. I only exposed your hearts!
I am free because I let it flow good bad or indifferent. This was never personal, but you felt it to be true because it was personal for you. It was humorous because it was humorous for you, it was exposing because it exposed you.
linda and I am here to let you see you as well as we see we.
Cynthia, you’re right; I do love you! Don’t know all your children really well, but Christian has a special place in my heart because she and Lissa are such good friends. She’s got a lot to offer!
Now to the commentary. I believe Moses was extremely conscious of God. Exodus 33:11 says, “God spoke to Moses face to face.” Nothing like having God in your face to be conscious of Him! Of course, God has revealed more of His character as time goes on, but even the early Bible heroes like Moses and David had a great awareness that this God who required so much gave people mercy when they asked for it. Exodus 15:13 declares, “In thy lovingkindness Thouas hast led the people whom Thou hast redeemed.” (Like me, Moses carried a NAS Bible, which still contains some “Thee’s”, “Thou’s”, and “hast’s”). My point is we do know God better as He’s revealed more grace and mercy through Jesus, but what the patriarch’s saw and heard from the Lord about His nature was accurate.
I was introduced to an interesting concept on Tuesday that I have yet to study but I find incredibly fascinating which relates to this post. The Stages of Faith by James Fowler proposes how spiritual development progresses during our lifetime.
Here’s a link to the descriptions on the various stages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stages_of_faith_development#Fowler.27s_stages
I haven’t read the book yet but it is incredibly similar to what Ernie speaks about man moving from a lower to a higher state of consciousness through history but here within a person’s own lifetime. I apologize if this is old news to some of you but I find this incredibly fascinating especially the very last two stages.
* Stage 5 – “Conjunctive” faith (mid-life crisis) acknowledges paradox and transcendence relating reality behind the symbols of inherited systems
Stage 6 – “Universalizing” faith, or what some might call “enlightenment”.
Eruesso- As an historian, I know of James Fowler’s works. There is little that I know that’s new, just processed and synthetized information from many who have gone before. It’s truly an eye-opener when we study how we got here (theologically speaking) and from where are roots were planted. As the philosopher has said, “We can’t know where we are or where we are going until we know from whence we came.” We’re about to embark on such an exponential jump in consciousness our heads will be (already are) spinning. All creation is awaiting the manifestation of the “Children of God”…..which isn’t limited to any one religion.
Even the English poet William Blake distinguished between the Individual and the states or stages of consciousness through which the Individual passes. The Individual is the Supreme Reality, moving through these various states of consciousness–the climax of the states is Christ. The states themselves reflect vibrations that key from low to high, or “evil” to “good”—that’s why it is so important never to judge the Individual by the state in which he/she operates, because the Individual is not the state.
Thank God for opening are hearts and minds to see His love more and more. Paul prayed that God would open our hearts to a love that is beyond measure. What a blessing to have eyes to see His love and grow to know that love more in the journey of this life.
Love Dan
Here is the quote of the day from Abraham-Hicks. This really resonates in my heart as truth guys. Even if you don’t believe, try it and give me your feedback.
Life is supposed to be fun. You said, “I’ll go forth and choose. I’ll look at the data, and I’ll say, yes to this, and yes to this, and yes to this, and I’ll paint a picture of the things that I want, and I’ll vibrate about them, because that’s what I’m giving my attention to. And the Universe will respond to my vibration. And then I’ll stand in a new place where a whole new batch of yeses are available, and I’ll say yes to this, and yes to this, and yes to this.” You did not say, “I’ll go forth and struggle into joy”, because from your Nonphysical Perspective you know it is vibrationally not possible. You cannot struggle to joy. Struggle and joy are not on the same channel. You joy your way to joy. You laugh your way to success. It is through your joy that good things come.
Excerpted from the workshop in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, August 2nd, 1998
I find it interesting that the writer of Hebrews tells us that maturity is not found by an increasing level of consciousness, but by eating the solid food of the word so Christians can discern between good and evil. (Heb. 5:14)
I think it is just the language of the time of the writing of Hebrew. Often what is being said is not so different. It is the terminology and advancement of the human language that has changed.
Paulette, I’ve understood consciousness to be simply an awareness of who God is, which does not necessarily involve receiving specific doctrine. Is this correct in your opinion?
I would define solid food as the teachings about how to love others which when practiced will bring us to being conformed to the image of Jesus. For example, putting others first, even when our own desires go unmet, would be considered “solid food.”
God and Consciousness are the same. New age language but the same being. Higher Consciousness would be the transition that John speaks of. In the beginning was the word (God). The word was with us(but outside of us in our mind, this is duality). Then the word became flesh. This the beginning of the end of duality. This is why Jesus is so special. He actually made the transition as a human being, so that he could show us when we were ready to see it. It is not something you become, just an awareness of who you already are.
Like waking up and saying I smell lavendar. You run all over the house to see where this wonderful fragrance is coming from. Then all of a sudden you realize the sent is coming from you.
You are ready to eat solid food Linda. The word is so near you. It is in your heart. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you”. You carry it inside of you everywhere you go. Sin is not a challenge to be managed because the relationship is so special, so important, so much a part of you that you cannot be seperated. Neither do you want to be.
And yes no specific doctrine in implied. We do not really know how much of the doctrine we have been taught is truth. But Jesus said that the spirit would lead us to all truth. I trust my intuition so much that following a doctrine is not a concern. When I am operating outside of love I know that I have crossed that line. Thus comes in the commandment that Jesus gave us which supercedes all others. I can simply ask my self “Am I loving God with all my heart, mind, strength at this moment? Am I loving others as myself?” When I can answer those two questions afirmatively, I am folowing the doctrine that is written on my heart.
Thanks for your info. Like you, I believe God wants us to be a sweet smell of His love. The Spirit guides me to the word of God, and specific passages that talk about following sound doctrine, like I Tim. 4:1 and 6. As to the credibility of the Bible being God’s word, I do believe the doctrine we have been taught is the truth and heart of God.
But it is incomplete. However, those things that man chose to leave out. God by the Spirit is leading us to.