Hermenutic

The Christian religion is different from the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is important to all of us because he stated that people should be mindful of each other and if one had a need, to fulfill it. This was in his mind, as I understand it, the 'kingdom of god'. To me it is a wonderful way of relating to my fellow human beings, and in the expression of the Church today it is not present. The Church today is hate filled and intolerant. It in no way represents Jesus' teaching. Jesus, in my mind,is not a rival god. He is simply one of those who have appeared among us and has showed us a better way. Like it says in the 'Lao Tzu'. There is a 'way' that can be spoken of, and then there is a 'Way' that cannot be spoken of. Jesus is the 'way' that can be spoken of. Beyond all of that there is another 'Way'. I find Krishna to be in that tradition. Leading us, guiding us, and explaining things to us.

That is my gripe with the 'church'. As a life long Christian, not any longer, but as one raised in the faith I was able to see that those who were bearing his name were not bearing his attitudes. I see a lot of goodness in Jesus, and a lot of goodness in the Bhagavad Gita. I like to take what I find makes sense to me and leave the rest aside until I find a place for it inside of me. Or realize that it is not all that important. I know that Henry Thoreau relied on the 'Gita' for his spiritual nourishment. He was able to die without fear. That is important to me.

I think this thread is okay. I do not believe that Jesus is God in the context of the Hebrew faith that he existed in. However I believe that Jesus is a supreme personality and one from whom the world should take advice. Who knows what God is? I don't. I am simply being receptive. I'm crusing through the universe.

The University of Virginia has been studying this for years and has some very interesting and helpful comments to make on this topic. They have concluded that this phenomenon suggests an expanded aspect of what is real beyond the purley materialistic explanation traditionally held by science.

I have just listened to the Bhagavad Gita in audio book form and I am blown away. Overwhelmed ecstatic! Personal history, traditional Christian all my life until 2004. At that time doubt about certain things of the faith lead me to not being an active member. However I never stopped believing in God. Was diagonosed at that same time with terminal disease and gave up the faith entirely for 'something' I did not know what, but it seemed as if the 'Universe' had put it's arms around me. I felt as if the Universe was a friendly place, something that Christianity had not been able to convince me of. Always been 'spiritual' in outlook. Never looked at the world without understanding there was a 'God'. This is what I find now. There is a truth that is seeking me. It is beyond the cultural baggage of the different sects but it is there. I feel as if I have seen this spoken forcefully and clearly in the 'Gita'. I am not interested in the cultural underpinning of any faith, my experience is that culture gets in the way. On the other hand I find the tremendous metaphysical statements about God in the 'Gita to be so pregnant as to give much pause for contemplation and enlightenment. I have found many parallels in the Old Testament and the statements of Jesus that correspond to the descriptions of God in the 'Gita'. This indicates to me that truth is a universal, rather than a cultic thing. I am very glad to have gotten this audio book. I have listened to it at least three times in the past week. I will do so again tonight as I work. I would be interested in any input whatsoever. I am enquiring, but I believe even more importantly that there is 'One' that is calling.