tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post3287875233470110771..comments2024-03-26T16:24:34.218+00:00Comments on Meeting The Masters: Belief in GodWilliam Wildbloodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-77464535016938765742013-11-08T12:20:40.007+00:002013-11-08T12:20:40.007+00:00I'd be less hard on organised Christianity as,...I'd be less hard on organised Christianity as, for all its failings, it's achieved some wonderful things. Produced great saints and mystical teachings, comforted millions in distress, built extraordinary cathedrals and also inspired Handel's Messiah and the Passions of Bach! As for St Paul being the Antichrist, that makes no sense. I can see why your friend might think he interpreted Jesus' teachings according to his own lights but his role was different. He was a great spreader of the word and early Christianity needed someone like that to get it off the ground.<br /><br />Whenever a new spiritual current arises in the world the forces of darkness, both terrestrial and spiritual, seek to co-opt it and bend it to their will. They are often very successful. This certainly happened with Christianity and it is still happening. Unfortunately the more spiritual members of a particular group are usually the least interested in power and vice versa, but I think there were still enough good men and women throughout the past centuries to counterbalance the seekers after prestige and influence who undoubtedly corrupted Christ’s teachings for their own ends. <br /><br />I think Steiner had many insights on what you might call an occult level but that he lacked a mystical sense. Also his writings are pretty indigestible! I agree with you about the Sufis who seem to have had a perfect balance between the devotional and metaphysical aspects of spirituality, something which is rarely found elsewhere.<br />William Wildbloodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231219533755925897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513199068907090344.post-53439286110831887712013-11-07T13:14:08.576+00:002013-11-07T13:14:08.576+00:00I agree with you completely about the Buddha and J...I agree with you completely about the Buddha and Jesus, William. Organised Cristianity has done so much to apparently obscure and distort the facts (and the words) that the truth is almost impossible to imagine, let alone acquire any certainty thereof.<br /> The Gospel of John rings true to me when it echoes The Creation from Genesis in the first words of its text, showing , for me, God becoming involved in his Creation in a new and powerful way.<br />I have a friend who makes a good case for Paul's being the Antichrist of Revelation. I can see what he means but do not accept his argument although it is based on good sources and scholarship. There has even been a recent attempt to prove that Jesus never existed and was an invention of the Roman Hierarchy to control its subjects! Needless to say Paul is seen as playing a part in this.<br /><br />We can never know or prove beyond any doubt the truth of this matter and can only rely on our own truth and intuition, I feel. Steiner who rejected all forms of organised religion, stated, clearly and firmlty , that The Crucifixion was an event of Cosmic relevance and proportions but never espoused the veneration which Catholics applied to its symbolism of Jesus tortured on the cross.<br /><br />I suppose we must all find our own truth in the matter, if it is important to us , and for me it certainly is, and we only have our intuition to tell us what we need to know.I agree wholeheartedly with your view of the nature of our relationship to God, which is shared by Rumi and Sufi traditions, said to have cross fertilized the more mystical and esoteric Christian streams.Paul Hillmannoreply@blogger.com