My Religious Beliefs

My beliefs are in a state of constant flux and revision so if I write something a week from now that is different, it only means that I've changed my mind about something. I don't feel like my beliefs are complete and they really are in a pretty heavy state of flux.

But as I mentioned in a previous post, I would consider myself an unorthodox Christian. Here is why.

I believe God and his creation (us, the entire universe) are not separate either from God in absolute terms, though I do think we build a kind of psychic barrier, or from each other. So in the end, whatever we do to each other we are also doing to ourselves.

I believe that because of our own embarrassment over harm we've done others or to protect ourselves from perceived harm, we build a kind of psychic barrier that cuts us off from each other and God.

I believe the story of Genesis involves the building of this barrier. The fig leaf, the hiding from God, is, like most of the Bible, symbolic, it's not the nakedness in a physical sense. It's being exposed emotionally that we are uncomfortable with.

Now there are some people throughout history who have been able to tear that barrier down. They have only been able to do so by leading absolutely exemplary life, treating everyone and everything with love and respect, and I believe these people were exceedingly rare, and Jesus went farther than any others in being willing to sacrifice his life.

Because of this I think Jesus was more connected, perfectly so, and that that is what is meant by the reference to Jesus as the Son of God. We are all sons of God, but the rest of us are isolated, because of our own sins.

The connectivity, if it existed, we would all communicate with each other perfectly, we'd feel what each other felt, know each others thoughts, and that's why we build this barrier, that is too frightening.

Further, we'd see everything in terms of the whole, and greed, and disrespect for the environment and other life forms, and all sorts of other problems wouldn't exist.

But the reality is that we are isolated, and we can't lower that barrier unless we can feel that when our sins are known we will still be loved. That can't happen without forgiveness, and there I think was the true message of Jesus.

Jesus was not, I'll die for you so you can be a massive screw-up and it's ok, Jesus was, I'm setting an example for you, you must be willing to forgive others even up to including those who would take your very life, and you must be willing to give it for each other.

The thing too is that we can only do our own part, and that's hard. We're all connected, so we all sink or swim together. We can only do the best we can and try to love others and try to forgive.

I believe this was what the message of Jesus was, prior to the Council of Nicea. Prior to the council, exactly what was meant by "Son of God", was not universally agreed to between churches, and that was one of the things the council, by decree, settled. But I don't believe they settled it correctly, I believe they settled for an agreement that would give the church the most power.

That's just my take and it might be different next week. But as we approach Easter, I think it's worth considering. When you think about Christ, nailed to a cross, waiting to die, and having done so willingly, think about what you think was intended. Just accept a gift, or accept a responsibility that goes with it, to forgive others.

Now all that said, it feels like to me that with all the evil that's in my heart, not to say all evil, there is some good there too, but the evil, can it be purged without ending my own existence?

I know the final outcome, when thy kingdom come, there will be no room for evil. And I want that kingdom to come but I do fear it may mean the death of me.

Now this part of my religious beliefs relate to Christianity fairly directly but not in an orthodox manner. Still, more different is that not only do I not believe we are separate from each other at the fundamental level, but we're not separate from God either except for this barrier we put up.

In the beginning there was the word. In the beginning there was no planets, no atmosphere, nothing to write on, so what is meant by "the word"? I think it meant intent. It was God's thought, God's intent, and that's all that was needed for everything to come into existence. But I don't believe God's intent created everything, I believe God's intent >is< everything.

There is a lot I don't understand though, I won't pretend otherwise, and it's all that I don't understand that is the reason I remain flexible and still revise my beliefs.

The whole free-will explanation that mainstream Christians give as the explanation for why suffering must exist, sorry it makes no sense to me. I do believe that most suffering is self-induced, but we seem driven to induce that suffering. I don't understand why that is but I'm certain it's true.

Anyway those are my thoughts on my religious views, not entirely complete but then my beliefs aren't entirely complete.

Now, with Easter coming up, how did symbols of fertility, rabbits known for their proclivity for rapid reproduction, and eggs, come to be associated with the death and resurrection of Christ? And why would a bunny want to steal and hide chicken eggs? Rabbits and chickens occupy such different ecological niches that I wouldn't think there would be much competition between them.