FROM LIZA
John, you're stuck in the Past Paradigm (The Medieval Paradigm):
Past Paradigm:
(The Medieval Paradigm)
The Earth is flat
The Sun revolves around the Earth
Elements are Fire, Air, Wood, Water
Disease is a curse
All planets have magnetic fields
Force of earth gravity is constant
Gravity is caused by planetary rotation
It is not possible to escape earth gravity
Speed of sound may not be exceeded
It is not possible to split an atom
Seeing is believing
Kings have a divine right to rule
Ego must be protected at all cost
Priesthood is God’s appointment to rule
God is a vengeful bearded white man
God resides “up there” in the sky
Hell is fire and brimstone
RESPONSE
Huh. I think you're just a tad uninformed about me, lol. Allow me to correct you on what I believe:
The Earth is flat - I believe the earth is an irregular sphere.
The Sun revolves around the Earth - I believe the exact opposite.
Elements are Fire, Air, Wood, Water - I believe none of those are elements in the scientific sense.
Disease is a curse - True. I don't know of anyone who thinks it's a blessing.
All planets have magnetic fields - Place "Not" in front of this statement, and I believe it.
Force of earth gravity is constant - Not according to my education.
Gravity is caused by planetary rotation - Not according to my education.
It is not possible to escape earth gravity - I believe the exact opposite.
Speed of sound may not be exceeded - I believe the exact opposite.
It is not possible to split an atom - I believe the exact opposite.
Seeing is believing - I believe the exact opposite.
Kings have a divine right to rule - I believe kings have a divine mandate to serve.
Ego must be protected at all cost - I believe the exact opposite. We must surrender all of ourselves, especially ego, to God.
Priesthood is God’s appointment to rule - I believe priesthood is God's appointment to serve.
God is a vengeful bearded white man - I've never had this view of God. I think this is more how YOU view the God of the Bible.
God resides “up there” in the sky - God is in heaven. I have no idea of heaven's location.
Hell is fire and brimstone - True, according to Christ, but the real hell of hell is being without hope, eternally ignored by the Source of all love.
RESPONSE FROM LIZA
Problem is, you've surrendered your ego to a false interpretation of God that's in your head and comes 100% from your ego. You actually haven't surrendered diddledysquat but have only made your ego stronger by aligning it with an ego-based mythology. Your medieval beliefs of a judgmental, vindictive God serves to reinforce your ego's lower-frequency beliefs, keeps it in control, and actually separates you from all that God really is. That's what you don't get.
RESPONSE
My concept of God comes not from ego, but from what God says about Himself in the Bible, and He is not a judgmental or vindictive. Those are your medieval beliefs, Liza. My God came to earth and died a horrible death on a cross so I wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of my sin (hell), even though I deserve it richly. That is unfathomable love and grace...no idea how you conjure a judgmental, vindictive God out of those facts, except through your own a priori medieval beliefs. And you cannot worship this God with your ego intact. You must first admit to Him that you are a rotten sinner, that you have absolutely nothing to offer Him, that you're fit for nothing but hell. In short, ego goes out the window. It's when you've reached the end of yourself (your ego), that you're ready for God and to grow in a relationship with Him. That's what you don't get, and most likely, don't want to get. I know I didn't want to acknowledge any of that before I began to follow Christ.
Reincarnation, the belief that says I can improve myself, is ego-based. I am powerful because I am part of the All that is God, and being part of God means that I am God to a certain degree. I will die, but I will live another life, where I can learn to improve myself further. I choose my parents. I choose my body. I choose the time and place of my birth. I am eternal.
That's ego-based. No room for God, only yourself. There is no personal God Who loves, just an impersonal All that absorbs. However, the advantage is that you are accountable to nobody, you can do and believe anything you want, and what's more, there is no evil or good, right or wrong, because it's all a part of your "learning". Go ahead, murder, steal, sleep with whomever. It makes no difference; you'll either pay or learn better in your next life, and you won't remember any of it anyway, so why not?
THAT is ego-based.