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Is Good Evil and Evil Good? (Read 21648 times)
heisenberg69
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #45 - Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:18pm
 
From wiki again (sorry !) in connection to Mother Theresa at the end of her life:

'The Archbishop of Calcutta, Henry Sebastian D'Souza, said he ordered a priest to perform an exorcism on Mother Teresa with her permission when she was first hospitalized with cardiac problems because he thought she may be under attack by the devil.[51]'
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recoverer
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #46 - Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:34pm
 
I go by my own experience with divine guidance, and without conceit intended, I don't see myself becoming corrupted. Our spiritual growth can reach a point where corruption is highly unlikely. Inward changes take place that aren't about to be undone.

When it comes to Mother Theresa, I don't know what happened with her.

Nevertheless, I believe you are really grasping at straws when you try to compare the life of Mother Theresa with what Helen Schuchman did. Mother Theresa tried to serve Christ, while Helen Schuchman acted as if she channeled Christ without taking the time to find out what precisely she was channeling.

Why would an unfriendly spirit try to mislead people through a vehicle such as ACIM? Because it is so easy to do so. People will do backflips to defend something when they don't want to question it.


heisenberg69 wrote on Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:18pm:
From wiki again (sorry !) in connection to Mother Theresa at the end of her life:

'The Archbishop of Calcutta, Henry Sebastian D'Souza, said he ordered a priest to perform an exorcism on Mother Teresa with her permission when she was first hospitalized with cardiac problems because he thought she may be under attack by the devil.[51]'

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heisenberg69
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #47 - Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:46pm
 
Recoverer-

I don't know about clutching at straws  Smiley but I used the Mother Theresa example because you said :

'If Helen was truly touched by the spirit of Christ, she wouldn't become prey to an agressive spirit. Her inner changes would supersede her physical condition.'

Many people would regard Mother Theresa as someone touched by the spirit of Christ.

Dave

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Berserk2
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #48 - Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:47pm
 
Mother Teresa initially had visions of Jesus that inspired her to take on the umimaginably heroic task of feeding and caring for the poorest of the poor in Calcutta and then in many other places.  When her work was soon blessed, Jesus denied her the luxury of new visions and the absence of this ongoing guidance depressed her.  Jesus expected her to deepen her own faith walk in the dark night of the soul and bear her own cross of suffering just like every other Christian.  Just imagine how depressing it would be to encounter daily the slow starvation and death by disease of so many innocent children.  Teresa's depression was always paradoxically seasoned with a profound joy.  To compare a psychotic like Helen Schucman with one of the greatest humanitarians of the past two centuries is ludicrous.  Unlike Helen, Teresa never blasphemed against her work in the foulest of language!  The suggestion that Teresa's occasional bouts with depression made her possessed is disgraceful. 

Besides, Teresa confessed her battle with depression in a confidential confessional.  It am outraged that the privacy of this confession was violated! 

Don
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heisenberg69
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #49 - Nov 4th, 2009 at 3:02pm
 
The only way that I am comparing Mother Theresa with Helen Schucman is by stating that they were both alleged to be under spiritual attack at the end of their lives when physically ill. I remember it being quite widely reported at the time.

Dave
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Alan McDougall
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #50 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 3:11am
 
The truth remains the truth no matter what we believe, only one person claimed to be the embodiment of truth

"I am the truth the live and the way"

Jesus
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Blessings and Light

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b2
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #51 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 8:59am
 
How do we know what Jesus wanted for Mother Teresa. I find it incredible that anyone would even begin to approach such a subject. You talk about Jesus' 'expectation' of her to do certain things like walk through the 'dark night of the soul' in some equally heroic fashion as her initial entry into the world of trying to save 'everyone' from suffering.

How on earth does anyone on this planet think they know what 'Jesus' or 'God' or any other being or deity might want for another human being? I just find it mind-boggling that anyone really wants to speak for other people in that way.

I'm sure, from your perspective, that it seems natural. I would never fault someone for trying to understand another, but to speak for what God or Jesus 'wants' from someone else.

Hmmmn.

Of course, we must teach our children something. But what are we teaching them when we believe we can speak about other people's souls in such a way?


Berserk2 wrote on Nov 4th, 2009 at 2:47pm:
Mother Teresa initially had visions of Jesus that inspired her to take on the umimaginably heroic task of feeding and caring for the poorest of the poor in Calcutta and then in many other places.  When her work was soon blessed, Jesus denied her the luxury of new visions and the absence of this ongoing guidance depressed her.  Jesus expected her to deepen her own faith walk in the dark night of the soul and bear her own cross of suffering just like every other Christian.  Just imagine how depressing it would be to encounter daily the slow starvation and death by disease of so many innocent children.  Teresa's depression was always paradoxically seasoned with a profound joy.  To compare a psychotic like Helen Schucman with one of the greatest humanitarians of the past two centuries is ludicrous.  Unlike Helen, Teresa never blasphemed against her work in the foulest of language!  The suggestion that Teresa's occasional bouts with depression made her possessed is disgraceful. 

Besides, Teresa confessed her battle with depression in a confidential confessional.  It am outraged that the privacy of this confession was violated! 

Don

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Beau
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #52 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 9:24am
 
I think there is a comma missing from what Jesus said. And how would we know different since there was no punctuation back then.

"I Am, the truth the way and the light." That's what I think. I don't think Jesus was conceited enough to claim he was god, if we were to understand that we weren't god. It's just how I see it. Please don't feel the need to see it this way or to lambast me to hell.
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Berserk2
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #53 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 2:18pm
 
[Beau:] "I think there is a comma missing from what Jesus said. And how would we know different since there was no punctuation back then. "I Am, the truth the way and the light." That's what I think.
__________________________________

Beau, you obviously don't know Greek.  Your punctuation would be universally rejected for two reasons:

(1) First, note that you messed up the order: The Greek reads: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (14:6).  Secondly, Your punctuation leaves the three predicates with no grammatical function; they are predicate nominatives and this fact excludes your punctuation. 

(2) In every one of Jesus' many "I am" sayings, the that ensues always defines what Jesus is claiming to be.  This pattern in itself rules out your punctuation.
Here are just a few of the examples that prove my point:

"I am the bread of life (John 6:48)."
"I am the Light of the world (John 8:12)."
"I am the good Shepherd (John John 10:11, 14)."
"I am the Vine; you are the branches (John 15:5).

[Beau:] "Please don't feel the need to see it this way or to lambast me to hell."
___________________________
No, you won't go to hell for ignorance of grammar and Greek.  But you will go back to the New Age Ghetto, whose denizens don't recognize that the grammatical issue you raise must be determined by linguistic experts outside the Ghetto.

[Beasu:] "I don't think Jesus was conceited enough to claim he was god, if we were to understand that we weren't god."
___________

Jesus emptied Himself of all His divine prerogatives to take on all our human limitations (Philippians 2:6-7) and be tested in every way that we are (Hebrews 4:15). During His earthly ministry, Jesus claimed "I and the Father are one (John 10:30), but added, "The Father is greater than I (14:28)."  He distinguishes between Himself and God in the sense that Jesus is not the heavenly Father: "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but God alone (Mark 10:18)?" But after His resurrection, He is restored to His divine prerogatives as God and gladly accepts doubting Thomas's acclamation, "My Lord and my God (John 20:28)!"

Don
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #54 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 2:39pm
 
I'm with you on that b2.
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Beau
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #55 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 2:47pm
 
I guess the problem for me and you too, is that we weren't there and didn't hear what Jesus spoke nor did the writer. And it has always bothered me that none of the biblical accounts are from contemporaries of Jesus, so logically I must discount the bible as any more reliable than any other book of wisdom. And since I believe all energy evolves toward a higher consciousness I must believe that even Jesus has done so and is not the same diety has was 2000 years ago.

In a side note, I have prayed and meditated on this idea and asked for something I could use to find my way. I have been given many books, but the bible has never been included among them though I read it much as a child in church. I guess it's just not my cup of tea.

It is not yours to name a ghetto for you have never been there. And I speak of mine.
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Berserk2
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #56 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 3:02pm
 
[b2:] "How on earth does anyone on this planet think they know what 'Jesus' or 'God' or any other being or deity might want for another human being?"
_________________________________
Well, at the outset Mother Teresa had visions in which Jesus told her what to do.  And as a Catholic nun, she was familiar with the biblical teaching about the need to take up the cross of self-denial and come, follow Jesus.  Empathy with the suffering of others induces generally induces suffering in the loving helper.  Teresa was familiar with the teaching of the Psalms, reinforced by Catholic mystics like John of the Cross, about"the Dark Night of the Soul."  For most Christians, this is an inevitable stage of the path to true spiritual growth and has a powerful purifying effect on faith that detaches it from enslavement to life's emotional roller coaster.  The "Dark Night" stage create a deeper connection with God that the pilgrim (including Mother Teresa) senses profoundly, a connection that generates spiritual power through total dependence on God's guiding and strengthening hand.

Don




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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #57 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 3:12pm
 
[Beau:] "And it has always bothered me that none of the biblical accounts are from contemporaries of Jesus, so logically I must discount the bible as any more reliable than any other book of wisdom."
_________________________________

Again, you pontificate from the biased ignorance of the New Age Ghetto.  You are not even open to hearing the case outside the Ghetto that connects most of the New Testament with Jesus' contempories and connects the Gospels with eyewitness testimony.  Or are you? 

Don


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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #58 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 3:32pm
 
Don,

Why not ask Beau if he would like to hear the argument for first-hand (contemporary) verification about Jesus without mentioning that he is pontificating from the ghetto?  Some are intimidated by such a remark?  Others are offended.  For myself, I find the term derogatory, ghettos I associate with places of poverty in the US and places of sheer misery in Europe during WWII.  (i.e. the Warsaw ghetto).

I believe your goal has been to wake people up and see from another perspective, but if the query is directed in a somewhat derogatory or mean-spirited manner, the natural response is not to open up to learning (clearly you have much to share), but to bristle and throw something back at you.

You remind me of the professor from that old TV show/movie the Paper Chase, who taught law students, who were for the most part terrified of his class.  In the end, if they could prove themselves to him, they would have to be outstanding lawyers.  But at what cost?


M
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Beau
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Re: Is Good Evil and Evil Good?
Reply #59 - Nov 5th, 2009 at 3:35pm
 
Don,

I know you are not ignorant. But we are very different personas. I am aware of the 'evidence' you speak of. I find it highly suspect. I am not in the business of disproving Jesus, but I don't like to see people bully their beliefs around citing the very suspect evidence that is in question. To fall for such an argument would be ignorant.
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All the world's a stage...whose stage?--that is the question!...or is it the answer...Who is on first.
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