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I have made a hard decision to move this blog to wordpress. You can visit the continued posts @

http://jesusweddingthebook.wordpress.com/

I look forward to seeing your comments there.

Thanks!

What causes spiritual warfare?

Why were the Jewish priests so upset by the teachings of Jesus?

Why did the Catholic Church institute the Inquisition?

Why are these same unfortunate events still happening in different parts of the world today? 

Why is my God or belief system so much better than your God or belief system that I feel the need to kill you?

It is important to understand that there are 2 very different ways to reach the attainment of enlightenment. Both are based on the fundamental belief system of the person or society.

1.    The Apprentice, animus or ego-based system. This system assumes that everyone has ego. The belief is that everyone is born in sin and must kill the ego that is the culprit of all that is bad in the world.

a.    The fundamental belief is that God is separate from the self.

                                              i.     Spiritual attainment is about returning to, working toward union, or re-union with God.

b.    Anyone who claims to be God, One with God, Son of God or King of any religion is a total egomaniac or megalomaniac that needs to be destroyed to protect the society. (a Hitler or Napoleon type that will bring war. Or even worse a David Koresh cult type.)

c.    This is a path of death. Killing ego, and sacrifice. Killing those who exhibit an overabundance of ego.

                                              i.     Once all ego is dead, then great abundance will be given.

d.    In this scenario God is the respected leader or commander whose system of justice works by karma - just, fair, righteous. You follow because you know it is the right thing to do, otherwise punishment is a foregone conclusion.

2.    The Virgin, anima, or egoless-based system. This system assumes that everyone is egoless. The belief is that everyone is a unique and beautiful expression of God or child of God. The Father gives Grace to strengthen an otherwise weak or childlike personality.

a.    The fundamental belief is that self is not and cannot be separate from God and His creation. 

                                              i.     Spiritual attainment is all about being a beneficial presence in the world, a piece in the puzzle of God’s plan, or doing God’s Will.

b.    The point of the practice is to find the “I AM.” This is the point where you know what is your purpose or place in the scheme of life.

c.    This path is a path of life. Growing into your purpose. Encouraging others to grow into their purpose.

                                              i.     Once you know and accept your destiny, God will see his that you complete the mission. There is nothing and no one who can stop it from coming to pass.

d.    In this scenario, God is Daddy. A loving and overindulgent Father. When you follow God’s will, God gives more Grace. You do what is asked because you love Him dearly and want to do as much for Him as He does for you. not because He commands it. (What is asked is always something that will help society as a whole and not necessarily bring personal acclaim or wealth.)

When you mix and match these paths you get a TOTAL MESS! It is like mixing matter and anti-matter. Both Ways explode into totally ridiculous garbage about dogma and the terrible loss of human life.


When you mix and match these belief systems you get the God as Father is a tyrant.


When you mix and match these belief systems you get the idea that religion neglects the Divine Feminine.


When you mix and match these belief systems you get spiritual leaders killing those of  the other belief system.

Choose one Way and follow it to the end. 

Both are valid paths that will lead you to the center, truth, and light.

There is no right or wrong way in the world.

There is a right or wrong way for each person.

Only those who have traveled both roads or completed both Ways 

have the credentials to judge those of either Way accurately.

I have put before you life and death . . .

Choose the path that will give you the best possible outcome 

AND 

allow everyone else to do the same. 

Then and only then will the warfare based on spiritual belief end forever.

What is it that we celebrate at this time of year?

What does the birth of Jesus, over 2000 years ago, have to do with my life in the 21^st century? No one that I know of gives birth in a dirty stable and puts the newborn in a manger. So, I’m thinking that we’re not meant to emulate this behavior.

The nativity story is a parable or myth. Its symbolism reflects the happenings of the inner spirit.  It also gives us insight into the personal qualities, the inner dynamics, and the necessary harmony of the two main characters. Mary and Joseph represent the pure anima and pure animus. When the story begins neither have any of the qualities of the other. Let’s look at the process that Joseph or the animus-based personality  goes through as the story unfolds.

Joseph is described in the Gospels as being a righteous man. When you dig deeper into the meaning of this phrase, you find that it is a complete description by Biblical standards. This tells us that Joseph follows the spiritual law to the letter. He has not only completed all the required rituals and training but also lives by the Law of Moses, a great feat in any age. He sees God and His messengers as those who must be obeyed. Joseph, as a young man, is a respected member of the community and there is great expectation for his future.

The time has come for Joseph to select a wife. This is what the law requires and what society expects. We are told that he betroths himself to Mary, a virgin. Mary is not just any young girl. She is a virgin. She too has been raised under the strictness of the law. Her pureness of heart and body are well known throughout the community. A man of his stature would expect and be expected to accept no less.

Here is where the story takes a strange turn. Traditionally it was the man, who once the engagement was final, left to build a house for his wife and future family.  When the house was built the man would return and call for his betrothed to join him in marriage. Mary is the one who leaves for an undisclosed time to visit her cousin Elizabeth. As far as we know, Joseph is not told why. We are also not told what he thinks (The animus-based personality thinks, the anima-based personality feels.) about this behavior.

When Mary returns, she there is no hiding the fact that she is pregnant.  What is a righteous man to do? A righteous man would have her executed, but Joseph does not plan to do that.  We are told Joseph decides to put Mary aside quietly. This demonstrates he does have some compassion for life, but still lives to the letter of the law and plans to divorce Mary. 

During this time of turmoil, we are told that Joseph has a dream. A dream where an Angel of the Lord tells him that Mary is conceived of the spirit. Her child will be the messiah and will be called Jesus. This dream represents the realization that expands Joseph’s compassion into full flower.

It is God who brings forth all life.

It is arrogant to consider women as property or kill a baby who, through no fault of its own, comes into the world. Killing offspring that are not your own is the behavior of animals, not intelligent men.

While the angel does not command him to marry Mary, Joseph now has a logical construct to accept her as she is, pregnant and all.  He circumvents the law by not accusing Mary of adultery. He quickly and quietly marries her. 

When the proclamation goes out that all Jews must travel to their birthplace to be counted, Joseph, the law-abiding citizen, takes Mary to Bethlehem. Once there, it is Joseph who finds a place for Mary to give birth.  We are told that the only people at the birth of Jesus were Mary and Joseph. This means that Joseph is the one who performs the midwifery duties.  We have to remember that touching blood was strictly taboo for Jewish men. Here again, compassion wins out over law.

The dream telling Joseph to take Mary and the child to Egypt is the final significant element of the story involving Joseph. We have seen that Mary has one vision, while Joseph has multiple dreams. Visions take place in a heart or emotionally based personality when they are awake because the mind is naturally empty. Dreams require the intellectually based personality to be asleep or when the mind is at rest. The killing of the innocence or initiation is a right of passage Joseph would have taken to become a man. Due to the obedience of the command by the Angel of the Lord, he insures that Jesus will not suffer that fate.

The realizations of Joseph are revolutionary for that time and a model we all can celebrate at this time of year.