--- On Sat, 15/1/11, SteveW <[email protected]> wrote:
From: SteveW <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Christendom, Zen, and all things good and wonderful(to Chris/list) To: [email protected] Received: Saturday, 15 January, 2011, 5:51 AM --- In [email protected], Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: > > On Friday, January 14, 2011, Mel <gunnar19632000@...> wrote: > > > --- On Fri, 14/1/11, Chris Austin-Lane <chris@...> wrote: > > There is a modern school of interpretation that ancient Jewish > religion existed in a very non-dualistic worldview, seeing creation as > being encompassed within God, and attributing the split between spirit > and body as coming from the Greek philosophers, and the split being > done to popularize the new religion in the Hellenistic world. > Personally I bet there have been jerks and kind people in all > cultures. MEL: So the Greeks are responsible for this 'trinity' issue..hmmm...I can't help but smile at the flying arguments about this topic in a bible forum I'm in. I haven't been posting there lately...I think it might be dishonest of me. Irrespective of beliefs, I had never stopped being fascinated with the bible's contents, especially after watching some great Hollywood epic be it EL CID, KING OF KINGS, or some of the others. I have the same problem as ED but in the reverse(concerning the Christian scriptures...as Kristy said indirectly, I might also still learn something from it) > I personally find the teachings of Jesus to be very much steering more > towards open non-judgmental awareness and loving others, and away from > moralistic condemnatio and finding great value in letting go of your > own worries and taking up the chance to work for other people. "love > one another as I have loved you.". "as you judge others, you will be > judged." "if some one steals your coat give them your cloak." "let > them without sin cast the first stone." MEL: When I was heavily involved with the path, I was often at odds with many because I was going through the whole bible from the very beginning, and was not really trusted because I didn't put enough importance in Jesus and his words. My thinking back then(and still is now) was that to know the New(Testament), one must first know the Old(Testament) Here's another one that got me into serious trouble: I was constantly preaching about the need to bring God and his teachings into daily life > But whatever, the Church PR right now is in the hands of fearful extemists. Some of whom I originally followed such as popular American pastor Bayless Conley would probably be regarded in this category by some. His services are so loaded with emotion that I had to eventually let go of this programs. It was doing in my high blood pressure condition and I've been tryin' to get away from medication of all sorts for quite a few years now(that may change next month). I briefly found rest and peace of mind with the Quakers, but I left that also because I felt that I wasn't being honourable being there as I came across some OT passages that shocked me > My Maryland sangha was majority people also in a church, so i am used > to it. MEL: The Quaker meeting I attended had Buddhists and gay couples in it, including one former RC priest. I would have stayed but I felt I shouldn't really be there even for peaceful purposes But there have always been contemplatives in Christianity. > Teresa of Avila? Etc. There is some verse in the bible "be still and > know God." my smiley was to indicate i would only offer such advice if > it seemed the person in question was looking for some such answer MEL: I didn't know that. If that be so, then how about Joan of Arc? Also, I find it interesting that a devout RC(Roman Catholic) would applaud my contemplative practices whilst with the Quakers STEVE: Hi Mel and Chris. I happen to have a background in early Christian historical studies. The general consensus of historical scholars is that there was no one definitive form of Christianity even in the first and second centuries C.E. One strand that developed in Syria is represented by a document entitled The Gospel of Thomas, which may be as old or even older than the New Testament Gospels, and which has a decidedly non-dualistic slant. It is comprised of 114 sayings attributed to "The Living Jesus", as told to Judas Thomas (Judas The Twin). It asserts that whoever comes to understand the inner meaning of these sayings "will not taste death". Many of them read like Zen Koans. Anyone interested can find good translations on-line. Steve "Jesus said, I am he who exists from the Undivided, I was given some of the things of my Father. Therefore I say that one who is whole will be filled with light, but one who is fragmented will be filled with darkness." > MEL: I had seen copies of the Gospel of Thomas in our bookstores here DownUnder but I haven't paid much attention...'cause there was me thinking then that the KJV was more than enough...*sighs/laughter*.... That's great Steve. I've got big studies with Zen and Tao for the moment, but I'll look that particular book up. I guess my interest with the Near East will never cease be well Mel
