I am a Christian. I take great pride in being a follower, as best as I am, of the historical Jesus, who became the Christos. I have made the study of the Bible a life-time adventure, and one amazing adventure it has been. I am not proud though of the historical record of violence, prejudice, and killing that’s been done in the name of the “Christian God“.
Arrogance, sectarianism, imperialism, and exclusivity aren’t limited to just Christianity, but I am herein speaking of MY FAITH, not that of others.
I believe that JESUS is “the” WAY and “a” way back to the Source from whence we originated. If one is a Christian, then Jesus is “the” way, but it’s an internal path, and inner way, not an outer form of speaking a NAME or confessing some BELIEFS. If one is not a Christian, then there are “other ways” as Romans 1:20 speaks.
And yet Christians get into heated debates in defending “their beliefs” that they’ll go to no end to uphold. Be it some insane illogical defense of a verse in the Bible, breaking fellowship with the reprobates who disagree with “their truth”, or violence, THEIR WAY must be the ONLY WAY!
The hatred and words we speak only do everyone harm!
What is Christian or loving when the head of the Southern Baptist Convention (Jerry Vines) says that Mohammed is a “demon possessed pedophile“? How does it help the cause of the Christos when Franklin Graham calls Islam a “very evil and wicked religion“, or when missionary Jon Hannah, in Iraq of all places, says that “The Muslim religion is an antichrist religion.”
The self-serving words and rhetoric that, we have the Truth, with a capital “T“, is a stench in the nostrils of all, including God, for those that put too much of an anthropomorphic emphasis on God who is SPIRIT- not HUMAN! God is NOT HUMAN. God doesn’t think like we do: and is that ever a good thing! 
But, we are divine as well as human, so why don’t we start BEING like it.
I am truly becoming so exasperated with Christian “exclusivity”. It is the impetus which led me out of the traditional Southern Baptist fellowship. I was made aware on a regular basis, by leadership and fellow members just how exclusive we were. After beginning a journey of discovery on my own, I simply could never buy into the supposed fact that we had the only way to God (salvation). Since my departure, I have verified what I believed even then; that there are other ways to see, acknowledge, and “know” God, our Source in spite of a plethora of verses, which were written and interpreted as supporting “exclusivity”, by men who were just as “into” group exclusivity as my denomination. For clarity, I am not just finding fault with Baptists. Unfortunately, the exclusivity pervades all of Christianity. No group who claims even some association with the principles of Christianity is 100% free of a member or members who find exclusivity comforting to their egos.
God doesn’t think like we do, because many people think knowing that Jesus is the way to God sounds arrogant. In reality, it’s truth which God has given to everyone because of such verses as Romans 1:20 which tell us each person on earth has enough of Jesus to be without excuse in realizing their need for Him.
Thinking that God can’t get through to every man, woman and child enough information to come into agreement with Him regarding believing in His Son makes for a very small, impotent god. Jesus stated emphatically that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life (John 3:15). The Lord broke through in understanding to people like Rahab, a lost prostitute, Ruth, a shunned Moabitess, and Saul, a violent Pharisee. His arm is not too short to save (Isaiah 59:1). “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.” (Is. 45:22)
God, our Source DOES “get through” to us, just not only the way you believe he/she/it does. Ask the Native American about the “Great Spirit”. Having never heard the name Jesus, he knows more spiritually about our Source than most Christians. Ask any of the other native/naturalist peoples of the world, almost without exception, the concept of a higher being or spirit is there without, for generation after generation, never having heard of Jesus, they understand the basic idea that there is a higher spirit. Please don’t try to exclude those who NEVER had the opportunity to know the “exclusivity” about which you sermonize daily. God created ALL and loves ALL. ALL will return to that from which they came. For that you can be thankful.
A stench indeed! I grew up in that “Club Med” all my life. I even harbored that kind of exclusive thinking. I remembered looking at the “lost” and if they didn’t turn I’d think well at least I have my fire insurance so to speak! Wow! Can you see the ego in just that statement? It’s not till I packed my backpack and decided to take a hike from that stinking thinking that I could finally see the forest & the trees and realize I too was “lost”. I entered that wilderness…I went on an journey inward and my life has never been the same. It’s the journey of 1,000 miles that begins with just one step (to borrow the old Chinese proverb). One that I will never finish in this lifetime and no doubt carry on to the next (I finally understand that proverb – it’s the inward journey). When one removes the belief of an eternal fiery inferno then the scales of judgment fall off. One is then left partially clothed so to speak and scrambles for the metaphorical leaves for coverage. Once I got over that shock I could see anew and the Light began to shine through. The alabaster box of beliefs was smashed to pieces and I was no longer captive to my illusions. I realized the person held captive in the box was me and it was myself who put me there. Now I’m free to be, free to explore, to ask questions & ponder, free to love…simply free to LET GO and LET GOD.
Here is the link where Brother David Steindl-Rast talks about the significance of Buddhist-Christian dialogue in the 20th Century. Christians have always thought that it was an outside authority. Buddhist have always known that it is the inner spirit which is governing the outer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akd7V-0JI6w
The meeting which took place between these two groups, which most christians are not even aware of, really changed the relationship and respect for each other. It is these types of dialogue which will bring about unity and end the exclusivity.
This is an exciting time for all of us. The I Am is in and around above and beneath us all and has drawn everyone based on those perameters that would be best for each culture.
“Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.†(Is. 45:22) — The prophet could not have uttered a greater truth, for this statement is biographical of every man and woman in the world.
As A Course in Miracles states: “My salvation comes from ME”.
The ego will hear these words in a very different manner than our True Being, which is eternal.
Don, my point is that even the Old Testament saints didn’t know the literal name of Jesus, but because they were looking for the Savior, they humbled themselves to receive God’s salvation. Believing in Jesus is not exclusive as God gives that opportunity to all. (You might want to go back and read my first comment.) It’s truth from a Holy God who cannot be approached except through a perfect sacrifice. 2 Cor. 5:21 reminds us “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Sojourner, when one removes the belief of an eternal fiery inferno, one denies Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:41-46; Mark 9:43-48; John 5:29; and Paul’s verification of that truth in 2 Thess. 1:9.
Linda, I will not enter in to that which you so desperately seek which is a duality of some sort to what avail I know not. You & I don’t see eye to eye. I’m not here to change anyone or to uphold my ways, views, beliefs, etc. as higher or right above anyone else. I simply wish to express myself, my journey, etc. as is invited by this forum. If someone can glean from my journey, simply identify with it, or want to light the match that sends it up in flames…so be it. I will say this only once so as to not enter into this dialogue with you again. Your comments, your way of expression, your “boldness” (as you demonstrated with your sign at LRC) is yours and yours alone. I would not wish to take anything away from your experience. It’s YOUR journey and it isn’t in anyway above or beneath my own. As Walter Starcke said “There will always be people at all levels.” It is the yin and the yang to which you and I seem to be. And that’s okay but to be comfortable with that, one will need to enter into the Eastern mindset, of which the good book was birthed. Peace And Love.
Very well spoken. I too would like everyone to have the freedom to BE who they are, without ridicule.
Linda- The Messiah spoken of in the OT was quite different from the humble tekton who appeared some 2000 years ago. You, with your Bible quotes, have so well authenicated Ernie’s well-written post today. Blessings to you.
Don, the Lord has instructed me to speak boldly (SC 3954), so I do my best. You and I will once again have to agree to disagree on who Jesus is, as I do believe the words attributed to Him are valid. I wish you the best in life, Don, today and every day!
Ernie, I consider myself a follower of Jesus as well. I also agree with you completely regarding the duplicity of the human ego so present in organized Christianity today. I think we’ve strayed far from Jesus’s original message. I know I have and work daily on getting back to that source He spoke so highly of. I try not to concern myself so much with the interpretations, belief systems or methods employed by others. I have way too much focusing to do on myself. Still, like your post, I sometimes tend to hammer the “self-serving” Christian community when I blog. I’m working on that too. Your post and the ensuing comments I’ve read here remind me a bit of a paragraph in “A Course in Miracles” which I memorized and have never forgotten:
“Everyone makes an ego or a self for themselves, which is subject to enormous variation because of it’s instability. They also make an ego for everyone else they perceive, which is equally variable. Their inter-action is a process which alters both because they were not made by or with the Unalterable. It is important to realize that this alteration can and does occur as readily when the interaction takes place in the mind as when it involves physical proximity. Thinking about another ego is as effective in changing relative perception as is physical inter-action.
There could be no better example that the ego is only an idea, yours, and not fact.”
To experience God/Love/Source therefore, I find it necessary to get myself and my assumptions out of the way. I don’t always do it but as I find myself, through practice, able to do it more often, a peace I didn’t think possible occassionaly enters my life and I’m a better man for it. Be blessed!
Paul- Thanks for your comments and I loved your “Escaping The Matrix” series. http://paulsspirituality.blogspot.com/
Linda- Which is greater, God’s love and mercy, or His judgement? God’s love and mercy always won out over judgement in the Old and New Testaments.
Ernie- Just saying that condenming others is never going to open a person’s heart to the truth that God loves them. Jesus was always warning the religious leader for using scripture to condemn people.
Love Dan
Dan, God tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment, so we know God offers mercy to whoever will receive it. Unfortunately, some people aren’t interested. I imagine the Lord has many gifts of mercy that no one has ever unwrapped. At times, the Lord makes righteous judgments, as in the case of the people lost in the great flood, and Ananias and Sapphira.
The end of their life isn’t up yet. How does anyone know what they yield to in the end? No one knows another man’s heart except God. God is still Love and mercy. He is still BOTH the Good Shepherd, and the Father of the prodigals.