10-17-2010, 02:39 PM
norral, how could architecture have lost so much in however many centuries? Your link shows a building made of stones without mortar, still watertight. Yet today's tract homes and even million dollar luxury condos have lawsuits about rain leaks and other construction defects.
I have mixed opinions personally about whether or not Jesus was a historical individual. Sometimes I feel there could have been a particular prophet, teacher, and healer. And that this person is somewhat accurately reported in the Gospels. Sometimes I feel that the Gospels are just a compilation of already-existing spiritual myths. Compilations of all the points of view about divine incarnation, which were known to the editors and inspired them. Obviously the Bible we have now has come to us through a very complicated political process.
Regardless of all that, I believe that "Christ consciousness" is a real and powerful spiritual force of love, compassion, acceptance, and divine unity. The ritual of Communion is also one I find comforting as an adult.
I was completely ignorant of this ritual as a child.
My parents had met in a Methodist church. They might have married there. (Typical of my parents: I have almost no idea of the circumstances of their wedding, except that there was one detail Mom didn't like and felt resentful about for her whole life. It apparently never occurred to my parents that they could tell their kids about their life experiences. But that's another story.)
When my parents left the cult, Mom still wanted to participate in some kind of spiritual experience. She started watching a LOT of Trinity Broadcasting Network televangelists. One late night they had something about communion. She found some grape juice and crackers on hand, and had the kids and our dad join us for this ritual.
I had no comprehension at all of anything about the ritual or what it was supposed to represent. Having to get out of bed for some TV preacher that Mom was excited about was not that great, but it was kind of nice to have a snack. I realized I was still a bit hungry and asked, "Can I have seconds?" but didn't get any response from my parents.
Obviously I later learned what communion represents. Don't have much use for the Catholic "transubstantiation" business (which would be a weird form of miraculous cannibalism - no thanks). But the metaphor inspires me.
After the church that hosted Alpha, my partner and I next attended a low-dogma , better organized Christian church with communion. I liked it very much. The minister's pre-Communion prayer usually included something like, "We ask that God's love will turn these symbols into a real experience of our union with Jesus in His infinite love for us and His compassion for our suffering, according to all that we need and believe."
Communion was open to everyone attending, the minister would announce. "You don't need to be a member of our church, you don't need to be a member of anything, just a person who would like to use this symbol to represent your desire to more closely experience the love of God." The musicians would play quietly, most people would join the line for communion and a brief prayer with one of the ministers, and others would simply sit quietly with their own thoughts.
I think that my very positive experiences with that minister, and his use of that type of phrase, helped me recognize the positivity of the Law of One channelings. When they say to use whatever is spiritual food for your soul, and set aside the rest knowing it was offered by love, I feel a great deal of warmth and remember the deeply Christlike loving concern of that minister's prayer.
If I ever get a spiritual seeker's church, like I described earlier in this thread, I'd definitely want to include communion time. Entirely optional, but there for people who find it meaningful.
I have mixed opinions personally about whether or not Jesus was a historical individual. Sometimes I feel there could have been a particular prophet, teacher, and healer. And that this person is somewhat accurately reported in the Gospels. Sometimes I feel that the Gospels are just a compilation of already-existing spiritual myths. Compilations of all the points of view about divine incarnation, which were known to the editors and inspired them. Obviously the Bible we have now has come to us through a very complicated political process.
Regardless of all that, I believe that "Christ consciousness" is a real and powerful spiritual force of love, compassion, acceptance, and divine unity. The ritual of Communion is also one I find comforting as an adult.
I was completely ignorant of this ritual as a child.
My parents had met in a Methodist church. They might have married there. (Typical of my parents: I have almost no idea of the circumstances of their wedding, except that there was one detail Mom didn't like and felt resentful about for her whole life. It apparently never occurred to my parents that they could tell their kids about their life experiences. But that's another story.)
When my parents left the cult, Mom still wanted to participate in some kind of spiritual experience. She started watching a LOT of Trinity Broadcasting Network televangelists. One late night they had something about communion. She found some grape juice and crackers on hand, and had the kids and our dad join us for this ritual.
I had no comprehension at all of anything about the ritual or what it was supposed to represent. Having to get out of bed for some TV preacher that Mom was excited about was not that great, but it was kind of nice to have a snack. I realized I was still a bit hungry and asked, "Can I have seconds?" but didn't get any response from my parents.
Obviously I later learned what communion represents. Don't have much use for the Catholic "transubstantiation" business (which would be a weird form of miraculous cannibalism - no thanks). But the metaphor inspires me.
After the church that hosted Alpha, my partner and I next attended a low-dogma , better organized Christian church with communion. I liked it very much. The minister's pre-Communion prayer usually included something like, "We ask that God's love will turn these symbols into a real experience of our union with Jesus in His infinite love for us and His compassion for our suffering, according to all that we need and believe."
Communion was open to everyone attending, the minister would announce. "You don't need to be a member of our church, you don't need to be a member of anything, just a person who would like to use this symbol to represent your desire to more closely experience the love of God." The musicians would play quietly, most people would join the line for communion and a brief prayer with one of the ministers, and others would simply sit quietly with their own thoughts.
I think that my very positive experiences with that minister, and his use of that type of phrase, helped me recognize the positivity of the Law of One channelings. When they say to use whatever is spiritual food for your soul, and set aside the rest knowing it was offered by love, I feel a great deal of warmth and remember the deeply Christlike loving concern of that minister's prayer.
If I ever get a spiritual seeker's church, like I described earlier in this thread, I'd definitely want to include communion time. Entirely optional, but there for people who find it meaningful.