 Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2007 10:36 PM
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MBE teaches that "There is no matter." Does anybody understand this phrase? Has it helped you in any way.
She also says that Spirit is not in matter, nor does the mind reside in matter.
I am grappling with this. I always thought that spirit or soul was in this physical body and leaves when death occurs.
The only way I can understand her statement is if she means that only Spirit is real and materiality is an illusion, is actually Spirit but seems material, is an illusion that it is anything but Spirit. Thanks, Steve.
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Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2007 10:44 PM
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Steve,
The only way I can understand her statement is if she means that only Spirit is real and materiality is an illusion, is actually Spirit but seems material, is an illusion that it is anything but Spirit.
She does mean that only Spirit (note the capitalization) is real and that matter is an illusion. It is latter day gnosticism.
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2007 10:54 PM
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Hi Do Go Be Man,
So you think it is latter day Gnosticism. It sounds like it can be, along with other spiritual belief systems. You did not say, but I am assuming, and correct me if I am wrong, that you and most of the members on this forum, that that concept is incorrect, right?
Do Traditional Christians accept this idea, that there is no matter, and that all is Spirit? It does say in the bible that "God is Spirit." And that we are created in his image and likeness.
And the whole Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 thingy. At first creation was perfect and spiritual, and then in chapter 2 some error or mist took over and we believed in materiality.
Is there anything helpful in this concept, or is it all harmful in your opinion to believe this. Thanks for clarifying further or anybody else. Steve
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Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2007 11:05 PM
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Steve,
We are created in the image and likeness of God. The Bible says that. We are not illusions, some "Adam dream". The CS presentation of the mist is useful for explaining the material illusion. Problem is that's not quite what the original text says. The word translated as mist has more of a sense of spring than fog.
God is spirit, not some sort of flesh and blood Olympian god or a stone idol. When studying the Bible, it is very important to consider the full context of the text including the geography, history, culture, language, etc.
Having been raised a Jew, what do you believe of Messiah?
Do Go Be Man
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Posted Wednesday, March 07, 2007 11:33 PM
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Hi Do Go Be Man,
You asked what Jewish people believe about the Messiah. I do not want to offend anybody, so please do not read on if you are offended by those who do not believe Jesus was the Messiah.
Jewish people believe the Messiah has not come yet. And they prove it by saying that the Scriptures say the Messiah will bring peace on earth. And that hasn't happened yet. Jesus came and went, and look at the world, it is still in turmoil and constant war and conflict.
They quote scripture where it says the Messiah will bring peace, the lion will lay down with the lamb, weapons of war will be no more, etc.
They also say the Messiah is fully human, born of flesh and blood, from a human father and mother, not a virgin birth like Jesus.
It has been awhile since I studied what Judaism thinks, I am a secular Jew and actually resonate more with Christianity than Judaism, except fundamentalistism. I am an open-minded, alternative kind of person who loves Jesus in his own unique way.
When I was going to hebrew school, I questioned my teacher about Jesus, and I was told never to mention his name again there. They do not teach about him in Hebrew School. To them, Moses was the highest representative of God.
Now, Jesus might be the Messiah, I am still open to that, but I personally do not accept him like that. I am more with MBE, and believing he was a way shower, the ideal man, but that he was just a man, and we can do the same that he did. MBE did some miracles similar to Jesus, and proved that.
By the way, there are some Jews who accept Jesus as the Messiah and are still Jewish, they call themselves Messianic Jews. I actually have a cousin who is a Pastor of a church/temple of Messianic Judaism. Steve
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