12-09-2009, 05:14 AM
Dear Lynette,
I think Questioner has made some very good points, and I will add to them my own experiences:
I so completely feel what you are feeling! After being brought up Catholic and my parents thinking I was going to 'hell' when I left the Catholic church, only to then trade Catholicism for an even stricter dogma (born-again Christian) and then having to deal with well-meaning friends who thought I was going to 'hell' for believing differently, your story hits a nerve with me!
My belief is that beliefs don't matter. LOVE (an open heart) is what matters. The Law of One teaches that the requirement for Harvest is LOVE, not belief.
Your mom has a loving heart. Therefore, I would not be too concerned about what she believes!
At the same time, since you obviously care about her, you don't want her suffering unnecessarily...agonizing over the fate of your soul.
I confess I have sometimes refrained from telling loved ones the extent of my beliefs, so as to not cause them undue pain. Rather, I tried to find common ground. Rather than try to fit their beliefs into my paradigm, which only caused them pain because they couldn't comprehend my paradigm, I tried to fit my beliefs into their paradigm.
I personally see the Bible not as literal truth, nor the 'word of God' but as a divining tool, similar to the Tarot or Astrology. It is a collection of stories depicting characters portraying the Archetypes. Christians often say the Bible is a 'living book' ie. it comes alive for them. They see this as proof that it is the 'word of God' not realizing that the Tarot comes alive for the priestess, and the stars come alive for the astrologer.
Hence, if you understand the archetypes, you can translate the images into Biblical terminology, and meet her on common ground, for the most part anyway.
Even the myth ('myth' as in story, with no regard to whether it's literally true or not) of Jesus can be translated into allegorical terms. The way I reconciled it was to equate the Christian version of Jesus with my own image of my Higher Self. (Carla refers to her Higher Self as 'Holly' and notes that Higher Self has the same initials as Holy Spirit.)
Thus, a Christian 'surrendering' to Jesus (in Christian terms) equates to seeking guidance from our Higher Self. Since we are all One, there needn't be a distinction drawn between Jesus the man vs the Christ Self that is the Higher Self of us all.
The Christian version of being 'saved' equates to being Harvested to 4D STO. The only difference is that they think it's based on what they believe, and we know that it's based not on beliefs but on love. The criteria is different, but the idea is the same!
Since your mom has love anyway, does it really matter what she believes?
Sometimes, when I am around Christians, and they ask me if I am 'saved' I simply say yes, to avoid causing them fear and anxiety about the fate of my soul. Is this being dishonest? I think not (although I might feel differently if it were someone I was really close to, like you are to your mom). It would serve no purpose for them to worry about me going to 'hell' since I am quite certain that would be supreme waste of energy! I would much rather they spend that time and energy praying for some truly lost soul, than fretting about me!
Sometimes, I do take on the discussion, but usually not with loved ones. I might engage in a healthy debate with Christians, in which I point out that getting caught up in the "I'm saved you're not" game is to be deceived...I point out that they have missed the whole point by concluding that the criteria is based on belief...meanwhile 'Satan' is laughing his a$$ off, while they bicker amongst themselves about who is saved and who is not. Instead of fretting about that, they could be spending that time working to right the real wrongs of the world!
I agree with you that the whole 'blood sacrifice' thing is a distraction at best, and a deception at worst. I find the entire premise illogical and downright sick! I emphatically reject its very premise. Why would taking on the outer clothing of a physical body, and enduring a mere few hours of physical suffering, mean anything to an Eternal Being? The Being who created this vast and magnificent UniVerse? The entire idea seems ludicrous to me! I agree with you that the real mission of Jesus was to be an exampe for us. The value was in his life, not his death!
But how to explain that to a Christian who is hung up on the blood sacrifice idea?
I've tried to do that and failed. I concluded that, as Questioner surmised, they cannot let go of the belief because they have too much fear.
If Jesus didn't die for our sins, then that would mean they are responsible for their own karma...and that is a scary thought to a young soul!
I do think that most people who cling to a rigid doctrine are likely young souls. They are just now realizing that they want to learn to love, but aren't quite ready to do it on their own. They prefer to have an authority tell them what to believe. There is nothing wrong with that. That's where they're at! I see no need to shake their world, IF they have love! (Some, who do not have love, are served by having their world shaken up a bit.)
So, I have a suggestion: Investigate Christian Universalism. I have a good friend who is a Christian Universalist and I think he understands and lives the Law of One more profoundly than anyone I've ever met! He has never read the Law of One and probably never will. He doesn't need to! He totally believes in the Bible, yet is able to reconcile his Biblical beliefs with a faith that God has a plan for everyone, not just those who believe a certain way. I can connect you with him if you like. Perhaps he might be able to help you translate your beliefs for your mom in such a way that she feels comfortable enough to let go of her fear, yet stretch her enough to make sense of her dreams and visions. Christian Universalists believe that all souls are eventually redeemed. It might give your mom great comfort to know that her little girl is 'saved.' And if you can meet her halfway, it might strengthen your bond with your mom even more.
blessings to you and your mom!
I think Questioner has made some very good points, and I will add to them my own experiences:
I so completely feel what you are feeling! After being brought up Catholic and my parents thinking I was going to 'hell' when I left the Catholic church, only to then trade Catholicism for an even stricter dogma (born-again Christian) and then having to deal with well-meaning friends who thought I was going to 'hell' for believing differently, your story hits a nerve with me!
My belief is that beliefs don't matter. LOVE (an open heart) is what matters. The Law of One teaches that the requirement for Harvest is LOVE, not belief.
Your mom has a loving heart. Therefore, I would not be too concerned about what she believes!
At the same time, since you obviously care about her, you don't want her suffering unnecessarily...agonizing over the fate of your soul.
I confess I have sometimes refrained from telling loved ones the extent of my beliefs, so as to not cause them undue pain. Rather, I tried to find common ground. Rather than try to fit their beliefs into my paradigm, which only caused them pain because they couldn't comprehend my paradigm, I tried to fit my beliefs into their paradigm.
I personally see the Bible not as literal truth, nor the 'word of God' but as a divining tool, similar to the Tarot or Astrology. It is a collection of stories depicting characters portraying the Archetypes. Christians often say the Bible is a 'living book' ie. it comes alive for them. They see this as proof that it is the 'word of God' not realizing that the Tarot comes alive for the priestess, and the stars come alive for the astrologer.
Hence, if you understand the archetypes, you can translate the images into Biblical terminology, and meet her on common ground, for the most part anyway.
Even the myth ('myth' as in story, with no regard to whether it's literally true or not) of Jesus can be translated into allegorical terms. The way I reconciled it was to equate the Christian version of Jesus with my own image of my Higher Self. (Carla refers to her Higher Self as 'Holly' and notes that Higher Self has the same initials as Holy Spirit.)
Thus, a Christian 'surrendering' to Jesus (in Christian terms) equates to seeking guidance from our Higher Self. Since we are all One, there needn't be a distinction drawn between Jesus the man vs the Christ Self that is the Higher Self of us all.
The Christian version of being 'saved' equates to being Harvested to 4D STO. The only difference is that they think it's based on what they believe, and we know that it's based not on beliefs but on love. The criteria is different, but the idea is the same!
Since your mom has love anyway, does it really matter what she believes?
Sometimes, when I am around Christians, and they ask me if I am 'saved' I simply say yes, to avoid causing them fear and anxiety about the fate of my soul. Is this being dishonest? I think not (although I might feel differently if it were someone I was really close to, like you are to your mom). It would serve no purpose for them to worry about me going to 'hell' since I am quite certain that would be supreme waste of energy! I would much rather they spend that time and energy praying for some truly lost soul, than fretting about me!
Sometimes, I do take on the discussion, but usually not with loved ones. I might engage in a healthy debate with Christians, in which I point out that getting caught up in the "I'm saved you're not" game is to be deceived...I point out that they have missed the whole point by concluding that the criteria is based on belief...meanwhile 'Satan' is laughing his a$$ off, while they bicker amongst themselves about who is saved and who is not. Instead of fretting about that, they could be spending that time working to right the real wrongs of the world!
I agree with you that the whole 'blood sacrifice' thing is a distraction at best, and a deception at worst. I find the entire premise illogical and downright sick! I emphatically reject its very premise. Why would taking on the outer clothing of a physical body, and enduring a mere few hours of physical suffering, mean anything to an Eternal Being? The Being who created this vast and magnificent UniVerse? The entire idea seems ludicrous to me! I agree with you that the real mission of Jesus was to be an exampe for us. The value was in his life, not his death!
But how to explain that to a Christian who is hung up on the blood sacrifice idea?
I've tried to do that and failed. I concluded that, as Questioner surmised, they cannot let go of the belief because they have too much fear.
If Jesus didn't die for our sins, then that would mean they are responsible for their own karma...and that is a scary thought to a young soul!
I do think that most people who cling to a rigid doctrine are likely young souls. They are just now realizing that they want to learn to love, but aren't quite ready to do it on their own. They prefer to have an authority tell them what to believe. There is nothing wrong with that. That's where they're at! I see no need to shake their world, IF they have love! (Some, who do not have love, are served by having their world shaken up a bit.)
So, I have a suggestion: Investigate Christian Universalism. I have a good friend who is a Christian Universalist and I think he understands and lives the Law of One more profoundly than anyone I've ever met! He has never read the Law of One and probably never will. He doesn't need to! He totally believes in the Bible, yet is able to reconcile his Biblical beliefs with a faith that God has a plan for everyone, not just those who believe a certain way. I can connect you with him if you like. Perhaps he might be able to help you translate your beliefs for your mom in such a way that she feels comfortable enough to let go of her fear, yet stretch her enough to make sense of her dreams and visions. Christian Universalists believe that all souls are eventually redeemed. It might give your mom great comfort to know that her little girl is 'saved.' And if you can meet her halfway, it might strengthen your bond with your mom even more.
blessings to you and your mom!