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Remembering Jesus

Ministargazer

Ministargazer

Ministargazer
Happy Easter Everyone,

This is a time of year for thinking of Jesus and for some of us, wondering if we had a past life in the Holy Land and followed Him. There are still many unsolved mysteries in the parade of lifetimes that I have had that have left tantalizing clues. Could it be that Stargazer lived in the caves of Qumran in the Essene sect studying the inner mysteries and the stars overhead and why have I always been known as Stargazer - since I was nicknamed this by a reporter who interviewed me for a newspaper article many years ago and didn't choose this name for myself? I still do not know why I have been drawn to astrology for most of my life with a seemingly inborn talent for it. In moments of tearfulness, I sometimes feel that I knew Him and then deep sadness, because I miss Him. These feelings I do not understand, not coming from a particularly religious family but as long as I can remember I've worn a cross and walked in faith. Then there were several poems that I penned talking about the color of his eyes "as if all the mysteries of the Universe were reflected there" and then I speak about following Him in the desert and how He explained the meaning behind many of the parables to me. "Lord, let me never forget my vow, to love You forever and practise it now." And then I remember hiding diaries and written pages in cracks and crevices in rocks in the forest as a child much like the Essenes hid the Dead Sea Scrolls. It seems that there are many lifetimes that we have had but only a few have left a mark that lasts for eternity. Some years ago I wrote a different version of The Lord's Prayer that hints at reincarnation and karma in contrast to the original version. Could this date back to a lifetime as an Essene? Here it is:

Our Father, who art in Heaven
Hallow'ed be Thy name
Let me never forget that We once were One
We shall be One again
Thy kingdom come, Thy will by done
On Earth as it is in Heaven
Show us the Pathway Home
Give us our daily bread
Show us correct healing, diet and care
Of the body temple
Forgive us our mistakes
As we forgive those who have harmed us
Give us the wisdom to understand the karma of our lifetimes
And leave all karma in Thy hands
Protect us from the temptations that we may encounter
On this journey through life
Let us not be attached to anything of this world
As we pass through it
Let us always be devoted to Thee
For once you touch the Higher Worlds
You never forget
Forever and ever
Amen.
 
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Hello Ministargazer, Thank you for your post. So many of your words resonate with me. As a self-proclaimed seeker and a person who spent TOO many years lost in the quagmire of organized religion, the personal relationship that I had with Christianity was beautiful... hopeful... peaceful. But as I expanded my awareness and knowledge of the world and its people, and as I came to know reincarnation, I truly saw the evil, greed, and territorial heresy of these institutions. It seems I've been waking up to the grand scale of Creation and all its inherent complexities. I too feel a strong kinship to Jesus and an even stronger one to Mary Magdelene. These historic people left compelling stories for us that have lasted for centuries. The organized institutions (in my opinion) have worked hard to manipulate and corrupt the real stories to protect and further their power-seeking agendas. Look at what they did to the Magdelene! They created and perpetuated the story that she was a whore... and maintained that lie up to just a few decades ago. Heck, even the principle of reincarnation has been soiled by these so-called holy people. No, I'm pretty bitter in regards to the current traditional churches, but even more so to the modern evangelicals who, in my opinion, are selling their soul for political puke. Currently, I've found refuge away from these churches in Buddhism, but I'll never let go of that connection and love for the teacher Jesus, whom some evidence points to the fact he may have studied Buddhism in the lost thirty years.

I love your rendition of the Our Father, I too still recite it in my own words, always with words that include the Divine Feminine.

Thank you again for sharing, it was nice to read this morning. I have moved the thread to the religion section where it fits better. Blessings!

~Tman
 
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If you would replace "Father" by "Creator", "Source" or "White Light" (once got a vision in that direction) I would like it even better. I get it that in the time of Jesus the father was the head of the family and that "father" also is used to express that God is close to us and that it has nothing to do with God having a gender (personally, I believe THEY are beyond things like gender, nationality or what ever).
Lucky you, having met Jesus in person.
Maybe my younger son met him, I only remember that he went on a search because of certain rumors and that I didn't believe him.
While I wish to be independent of any doctrine (was risen Catholic, and not for the first time), Jesus still has a special meaning for me.
 
Hi Mini,

Thanks for your thoughts and offerings, and Happy Easter!

Cordially,
S&S

PS--I also wonder about these things, but so far, nothing . . . in terms of memories. However, I do have a continuing love and devotion that started with an encounter in the woods at age 5. It's had its ups and downs. Sometimes I have definitely walked further away than others, sometimes for years at a time, but I keep coming back. What does that type of thing mean in a life? I grew up in a standard 50s-60s "go to church on Sundays and say a prayer at suppertime" type of household, but religion--in the overt sense--was not a strong part of our daily life. I'm sure I had the type of exposure that other kids get, but when that presence came to me at 5, it was not like anything I recall from the usual context I lived in. I think that it is like what you say about your astrology. There are some things that go way back, but that are "discovered" anew in each lifetime. I think that kind of thing--that starts early and lasts through a lifetime--is almost invariably the result of many lifetimes along a certain path--whether of faith or war or music or . . . . Anyhow, I am glad of it and for it. Blessings, S&S
 
Tman I really like your post because it echoes my own thoughts. It also seems as though that this thread fis well with your memories.

S&S, I'm aware of your conflicts as you are of mine. Bertrand Russell stated something that would fit for you, something about a Protestant and a Catholic each becoming atheist nd sill retaining much of their differences. Read his book a long time ago.
 
Hi Tman,

God makes it good, humans mess it up, God makes it better. E.g., Jesus came, Jesus got crucified, God raised him from the dead, etc. It's kinda what we celebrate this week. God makes something good out of what we (or others) screw up. I know your experiences may have been bad in those churches, but God will raise flowers from that barren ground sooner or later.

Cordially,
S&S

PS--Happy Easter!
 
Thank you all for your comments - just seeing them now after Easter. So many unanswered questions. Sometimes I get the thought that Jesus was the only one who could answer all of my questions!! and that's why I miss Him. There's no one here on earth now who has all of the answers but He made it a life's work to explain the mysteries to us, for those of us who really wanted to know. Looking forward to more long talks with Him in future. Now I'm wondering if the reason why I started the Time Capsule thread here to store written works on the internet was an old Essene habit to try to preserve information for the future. God Bless!
 
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And for the first week after Easter, here is a poem that I wrote at least two decades ago - I Remember You. This poem leads me to believe that I did in fact live during the time of Jesus but judge for yourself. This I do feel, that He was a friend, and didn't want to be worshipped but wanted to be someone you would come to with all of your cares and questions. He wanted us to have a close relationship with Him and talk with Him often. He was willing to come down to our level and be straight with us as He had lived many lifetimes Himself and knew where we were coming from. I dedicate this poem to the people of Sri Lanka who died in church attending Easter services last weekend. They paid the ultimate price for their faith.

I Remember You

Jesus, I remember You but how can this be so?
Much time has passed but there is no time
You are the only reality I know
You were a wonder, a shining light
I followed in the desert heat and rendezvous with by night
You revealed many mysteries to me I still cherish in my heart
And You reminded me long ago that We would never part
I told You that I loved You
That I would miss You in the tide
I knew it would be difficult for me to live
Without You by my side
You told me there were many who wanted to understand
But were distracted by the world and attracted to the land
And there were few who would remember You
Many thousand years since then
But those who would remember You
Would walk with You again
And these few would be tested
Tempted, tortured and tried
But these trials would only make us stronger
Our faith would not be denied
The world still waits to receive this Truth
That Truth shall set us free
And then we shall walk together once more
For all Eternity.
 

An Edgar Cayce video on the origins of mankind and the part that Jesus played in it - take some time to listen to this fascinating material. Lots of info about reincarnation.
 
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Happy Easter!! :):):):):)

I believe Jesus was a revelation for humanity and a sign of evolution in developing souls. The gift is the realization of the divine relationship with a living god. The gift, the Spirit of Truth- The Living Spirit.

I celebrate today in recognition of this Divine Partnership! Amen and Happy Easter 🥰
 
I will share some quotes from the Urantia Book - something I've decided to read this Easter holiday. =)

Efforts of Jesus teaching the Spirit of Truth, The Living Spirit-
The gift for humanity:

"In instituting this remembrance supper, the Master, as was always his habit, resorted to parables and symbols. He employed symbols because he wanted to teach certain great spiritual truths in such a manner as to make it difficult for his successors to attach precise interpretations and definite meanings to his words. In this way he sought to prevent successive generations from crystallizing his teaching and binding down his spiritual meanings by the dead chains of tradition and dogma. In the establishment of the only ceremony or sacrament associated with his whole life mission, Jesus took great pains to suggest his meanings rather than to commit himself to precise definitions. He did not wish to destroy the individual's concept of divine communion by establishing a precise form; neither did he desire to limit the believer's spiritual imagination by formally cramping it. He rather sought to set man's reborn soul free upon the joyous wings of a new and living spiritual liberty."

"...his same philosophy of the living flexibility and cosmic adaptability of divine truth to the individual requirements and capacity of every son of God, must be perceived before you can hope adequately to understand the Master's teaching and practice of nonresistance to evil. The Master's teaching is basically a spiritual pronouncement. Even the material implications of his philosophy cannot be helpfully considered apart from their spiritual correlations. The spirit of the Master's injunction consists in the nonresistance of all selfish reaction to the universe, coupled with the aggressive and progressive attainment of righteous levels of true spirit values: divine beauty, infinite goodness, and eternal truth—to know God and to become increasingly like him."

"The revelation I have made to you is a living revelation, and I desire that it shall bear appropriate fruits in each individual and in each generation in accordance with the laws of spiritual growth, increase, and adaptative development. From generation to generation this gospel must show increasing vitality and exhibit greater depth of spiritual power."

"Truth is living; the Spirit of Truth is ever leading the children of light into new realms of spiritual reality and divine service. You are not given truth to crystallize into settled, safe, and honored forms. Your revelation of truth must be so enhanced by passing through your personal experience that new beauty and actual spiritual gains will be disclosed to all who behold your spiritual fruits and in consequence thereof are led to glorify the Father who is in heaven."

And... A quote from the UB as relayed by an angel...

"Mankind is slow to perceive that, in all that is personal, matter is the skeleton of morontia, and that both are the reflected shadow of enduring spirit reality. How long before you will regard time as the moving image of eternity and space as the fleeting shadow of Paradise realities?"
 
cloud potato said:
Happy Easter!! :):):):):)

I believe Jesus was a revelation for humanity and a sign of evolution in developing souls. The gift is the realization of the divine relationship with a living god. The gift, the Spirit of Truth- The Living Spirit.

I celebrate today in recognition of this Divine Partnership! Amen and Happy Easter 🥰
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Happy Easter! He is risen!

Cordially,
S&S
 
I am not a Christian in my present life but believe that I was one in past lives due to its impact in my youth.

I had read the bible when I was sixteen, but could not make any heads and tails out of it as it was incoherent. It was the study of the teachings of Advaita of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Sufism and nondual philosophy that enabled me to make better sense and understanding of it later on.

The bible reminds me of a jigsaw puzzle that needs more data to create a holistic, coherent picture. Kardec of the Spiritist movement that came up in France, states that the doctrine of reincarnation would make the bible more intelligible and the lack of it could be a reason for the many conflicting interpretations of it.

That earlier Christian sects like Catharism and Bogomilism had reincarnation as part of their teachings indicates that it is highly possible that reincarnation was part of the teachings of Christ and original christianity as well.

Unfortunately the Catholic sect that emerged dominant amongst all the christian sects with roman patronage took an intolerant attitude towards other christian sects with differing doctrines, and the consequence of such persecution was that reincarnation as a Christian theme or belief became increasingly rare to the point of universal rejection or disbelief in the Christian world.

Hopefully with time, the Christian world will realize that reincarnation was part of the teaching of its older sects as well as present ones like Spiritism, 'The Order of The Cross' and the Christian Community.
 
Hi Ajay,

Thank you for this thoughtful post. As one who believes in Christ, and not submission to the bible, I believe in reincarnation. I also believe it is rather rare to be reincarnated on Earth, but not impossible. In my limited and perhaps erroneous belief system- life goes on after the human body is returned to the Host planet, a temporary experience with particular Universe materials. Perhaps it goes on to other worlds, I do not think of Heaven as some place in the clouds- but I think the opportunity to evolve closer towards God realization is ever present. Maybe that means being born in another world, with different rules than the ones found in this region of space-time. And I believe it goes on even from there, where we may exist as awareness unbound by linear experience with greater Omnipresence.

In my mind, this is no simple task but beautifully coined in the Urantia Book as the "Eternal Career" and even after God realization is attained- life goes on. How can we speculate what that might look like, when all of what we think we know is formed through the Earth-human kaleidoscope?
I think it's possible we have people here who have come from other systems.

And that is only the tip of the iceberg, I won't get into the ideas of coming from a future time. ...?

Unfortunately, what you've described in your post about dominant religion sharing intolerant attitude towards other belief systems- is a very true reflection of our state of evolution as a species in this region of space-time. Despite having the blessings of the many Masters who have walked this unique planet, it seems human nature to think one school of thought is superior to another. It means we have failed to recognize that supreme sovereignty belongs to God. Jesus taught us the brotherhood of man(sisterhood of woman)- the uniting principle of our race, is that we are all Gods children. Too often we lose sight of that. I was just reading more of the Urantia Book today thinking I was going to study with a group of friends... And this was the very topic being addressed...

Food for thought:
134:4.1 (1486.4)The brotherhood of men is founded on the fatherhood of God. The family of God is derived from the love of God—God is love. God the Father divinely loves his children, all of them.

134:4.2 (1486.5)The kingdom of heaven, the divine government, is founded on the fact of divine sovereignty—God is spirit. Since God is spirit, this kingdom is spiritual. The kingdom of heaven is neither material nor merely intellectual; it is a spiritual relationship between God and man.

134:4.3 (1486.6)If different religions recognize the spirit sovereignty of God the Father, then will all such religions remain at peace. Only when one religion assumes that it is in some way superior to all others, and that it possesses exclusive authority over other religions, will such a religion presume to be intolerant of other religions or dare to persecute other religious believers.

134:4.4 (1487.1)Religious peace—brotherhood—can never exist unless all religions are willing to completely divest themselves of all ecclesiastical authority and fully surrender all concept of spiritual sovereignty. God alone is spirit sovereign.

134:4.5 (1487.2)You cannot have equality among religions (religious liberty) without having religious wars unless all religions consent to the transfer of all religious sovereignty to some superhuman level, to God himself.

134:4.6 (1487.3)The kingdom of heaven in the hearts of men will create religious unity (not necessarily uniformity) because any and all religious groups composed of such religious believers will be free from all notions of ecclesiastical authority—religious sovereignty.

134:4.7 (1487.4)God is spirit, and God gives a fragment of his spirit self to dwell in the heart of man. Spiritually, all men are equal. The kingdom of heaven is free from castes, classes, social levels, and economic groups. You are all brethren.

134:4.8 (1487.5)But the moment you lose sight of the spirit sovereignty of God the Father, some one religion will begin to assert its superiority over other religions; and then, instead of peace on earth and good will among men, there will start dissensions, recriminations, even religious wars, at least wars among religionists.

134:4.9 (1487.6)Freewill beings who regard themselves as equals, unless they mutually acknowledge themselves as subject to some supersovereignty, some authority over and above themselves, sooner or later are tempted to try out their ability to gain power and authority over other persons and groups. The concept of equality never brings peace except in the mutual recognition of some overcontrolling influence of supersovereignty.
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Thanks again for your post- I'm happy to share our thoughts. :)
 
Ajay0 said:
I am not a Christian in my present life but believe that I was one in past lives due to its impact in my youth.

I had read the bible when I was sixteen, but could not make any heads and tails out of it as it was incoherent. It was the study of the teachings of Advaita of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Jainism, Sufism and nondual philosophy that enabled me to make better sense and understanding of it later on.

The bible reminds me of a jigsaw puzzle that needs more data to create a holistic, coherent picture. Kardec of the Spiritist movement that came up in France, states that the doctrine of reincarnation would make the bible more intelligible and the lack of it could be a reason for the many conflicting interpretations of it.

That earlier Christian sects like Catharism and Bogomilism had reincarnation as part of their teachings indicates that it is highly possible that reincarnation was part of the teachings of Christ and original christianity as well.

Unfortunately the Catholic sect that emerged dominant amongst all the christian sects with roman patronage took an intolerant attitude towards other christian sects with differing doctrines, and the consequence of such persecution was that reincarnation as a Christian theme or belief became increasingly rare to the point of universal rejection or disbelief in the Christian world.

Hopefully with time, the Christian world will realize that reincarnation was part of the teaching of its older sects as well as present ones like Spiritism, 'The Order of The Cross' and the Christian Community.
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Hi Ajay,

If you wish to understand Christianity better, I suggest you read "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis and the writings, and at least one good biography, of Sundar Singh (better known as Sadhu Sundar Singh). All of the foregoing are freely available on the internet.

Which one you start with is up to you, but I think it would be better to begin with Sundar Singh. He was raised in a household that was ostensibly Sikh, but also studied and respected Hindu beliefs, memorizing the Gita at an early age. In his youth, he was a hater of the Bible and Christians, but was changed by a mystical encounter with Christ in his teens. Persecuted and cast out by his family (who were later converted by his love and example), his life became one of mystical experiences, divine revelations, privation, love and service as a wandering sadhu and evangelist. He was very well known in his day, but seems to have faded from the memory of most after his disappearance in the Himalayas and assumed death in 1929. This may have been due to the chaos, wars and changes that have swept the world since then. Nonetheless, many still know of him and his work in the quieter and more mystically inclined corners of the Christian world. I find both Lewis and Singh to be great inspirations, Lewis for his scholarly wisdom and writings, and the Sadhu for his mystical wisdom and writings. Both are profound, but in very different ways.

Cordially,
SeaAndSky

PS--The Wikipedia article on Sadhu Sundar Singh is not the best place for accurate information. It seems to be a bit of a hodge-podge, which is not unusual in some Wikipedia articles due to multiple editors with their own special interests and viewpoints to promote. Nonetheless, it does provide some background.
PPS--I have studied Kardec, Bogomilism, and Catharism. I do not think you will find an exposition of Christianity in any of these sources that will equal that set forth by the authors cited above.
 
There is also a succinct biography of Sundar Singh at the Tentmaker site (Tentmaker is a Universalist Christian Website) here: https://tentmaker.org/biographies/singh.htm

I have pasted in some nice quotes by Sundar Singh about Jesus from the aforesaid site below:

Additional Quotes by Sadhu Sundar Singh​

"He was searching for me before I sought Him. Christ whom I had never expected came to me. I was praying, 'If there be a God, reveal Thyself'...I was praying to Hindu gods and incarnations. But when He came there was no anger in His face, even though I had burnt the Bible three days before. None of you have ever destroyed Scripture like me. He is such a wonderful, loving, living Saviour..."

"There is a great difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him... If we only know of Jesus as a good man, a great example, it is no help to us. Those who know Him know Who He is. When we know Him everything is different and we are living in a new world -- a new atmosphere. Heaven begins on earth for us. Those who know Him know that Jesus is everything to them. They can bear witness because they have been living with Him...If we live in Him He will reveal Himself to us and we shall bear witness -- not for a day or a night only..."

"For the first two or three years after my conversion, I used to ask for specific things. Now I ask for God. Supposing there is a tree full of fruits -- you will have to go and buy or beg the fruits from the owner of the tree. Every day you would have to go for one or two fruits. But if you can make the tree your own property, then all the fruits will be your own. In the same way, if God is your own, then all things in Heaven and on earth will be your own, because He is your Father and is everything to you; otherwise you will have to go and ask like a beggar for certain things. When they are used up, you will have to ask again. So ask not for gifts but for the Giver of Gifts: not for life but for the Giver of Life -- then life and the things needed for life will be added unto you."

"Salt, when dissolved in water, may disappear, but it does not cease to exist. We can be sure of its presence by tasting the water. Likewise, the indwelling Christ, though unseen, will be made evident to others from the love which he imparts to us."

"From my many years experience I can unhesitatingly say that the cross bears those who bear the cross."

"While sitting on the bank of a river one day, I picked up a solid round stone from the water and broke it open. It was perfectly dry in spite of the fact that it had been immersed in water for centuries. The same is true of many people in the Western world. For centuries they have been surrounded by Christianity; they live immersed in the waters of its benefits. And yet it has not penetrated their hearts; they do not love it. The fault is not in Christianity, but in men's hearts, which have been hardened by materialism and intellectualism."

"When Jesus entered Jerusalem the people spread their clothes in the way and strewed branches before Him in order to do Him honour. Jesus rode upon an ***, according to the word of the prophet. His feet did not touch the road which was decorated in His honour. It was the *** which trod upon the garments and the branches. But the *** would have been very foolish to have been uplifted on that account; for the road really was not decked in its honour! It would be just as foolish if those who bear Christ to men were to think anything of themselves because of what men do to them for the sake of Jesus."

"A newborn child has to cry, for only in this way will his lungs expand. A doctor once told me of a child who could not breathe when it was born. In order to make it breathe the doctor gave it a slight blow. The mother must have thought the doctor cruel. But he was really doing the kindest thing possible. As with newborn children the lungs are contracted, so are our spiritual lungs. But through suffering God strikes us in love. Then our lungs expand and we can breathe and pray."

"Just as the salt water of the sea is drawn upwards by the hot rays of the sun, and gradually takes on the form of clouds, and, turned thus into sweet and refreshing water, falls in showers on the earth (for the sea water as it rises upwards leaves behind it its salt and bitterness), so when the thoughts and desires of the man of prayer rise aloft like misty emanations of the soul, the rays of the Sun of Righteousness purify them of all sinful taint, and his prayers become a great cloud which descends from heaven in a shower of blessing, bringing refreshment to many on the earth."

S&S
 
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