8/6/24
Concrete steps for God's Will on earth.
https://youtu.be/AsnGTWNjpDc?si=PvjJtpfHHMvMUan3
Warning: Everything but what moves you to discipleship of Jesus is destructive of your health. jesianity.info/search/label/Jesus
Lightly edited transcript:
James, what concrete steps to increase joy and decrease suffering in the world? My compatriot Dave asked in a dialogue today, our most promising ever.
We drive each other crazy, not meaning to. And I know our exchanges are frustrating to me, and they always drive me deeper.
What concrete steps to increase joy in the world and decrease suffering, James, as opposed to your usual... generalities?
Well, upon reflection, I hope my answer would please Jesus. That is, that Jesus would say, well, James has been listening to me, and not dismissing what I say as platitudes or vague generalities, is crazy enough to see them as concrete steps.
In no particular order,
* sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. Which I take to mean, give your whole life to the cause of increasing joy and decreasing suffering in the world. Which he indicated, elsewhere, see that woman, she put in two coins. She gave more than all the rest, because she put in her whole life.
* Do unto the least of these all things whatsoever you would have them do unto you.
* Repent, and then repent again, and never stop repenting. Which I take to mean, be desperately greedy to root out every shortcoming, so that you become more and more capable of increasing joy and reducing suffering in the world.
* Be fearful. Fearful of coming up short. Fearful of displeasing. he was constantly on guard to be attuned to the will of the Creator every breath, the Father every breath. Not to the will of his head, not to the will of his flesh.
* To take up Jesus' yoke and learn from him, which I take to mean, as he also said, if you love me, you will keep my words. If you do not love me, you will not keep my words. And I take that to mean, with every breath, for every nuance, what was he thinking? What was he intending? What was he saying? What was he experiencing? What was he feeling? And if I have another 20 or 30 or 40 years, I do not know. I do not expect to have reached the end of that exploration.
* To be waged, to be lived, to be used by my Holy Spirit, which I think is the fullest understanding of both of my humanity, my god-given capacity for humanity, which I take to understand to be the best understanding of Holy Spirit and Creator. The will of the Father. The Father never leaves me, because I always do what pleases him.
Two thousand years we've dismissed these as generalities, as vague platitudes and generalities. I don't think they are. I know they are not to me. To me these and the rest of the thousand and ten instructions, they are concrete steps, and by far the best concrete steps that I've seen spoken and demonstrated in human history by the man Jesus. And they are sufficient, they are more than enough, if we put on our whole life, every breath.
I certainly don't dismiss those as platitudes and generalities, James! I'm glad our dialogue inspired this page. You say to take Jesus at his word, that too many have stood between us and Jesus's teachings, but here you are interpreting his sayings for us. I think he really does mean give up everything you have and give it to the poor. Now we can "interpret" that in many ways -- don't love money, live modestly, etc. OR give it all up and give it to the poor. Renounce ALL, not just most of it. Until then, you are not a true disciple of Jesus (if you want to be so exacting, which I think you do). Those who enter monasteries, for example, give up everything, or the few souls living on their own. Be fearful? James, where does he tell us to be fearful? Be attuned with God, yes, to always do the Father's will, yes, but fearful? I think faith demands you to not be fearful and be courageous. You know I love you and love this site! I enjoy challenging you because you end up producing some pretty good stuff. Love you, James!
ReplyDeleteInterpreting his sayings for us? Dave, that's b*******. Sharing my view is interpreting for someone else? There's something in my writing saying I want to impose my view? Did I not humbly State his words first and then my understanding? Holding myself and others to his standard, not mine? Really dave, that's b*******. And if that's what you think I'm doing then do not waste another second with me and vice versa.
DeleteAre you speaking from hundreds or thousands of hours of immersing yourself exclusively in his thousand and ten teachings? By everything I know of you you are not. You have not chosen to do that. You view him as one of many of your coaches. Though he did speak negatively about an adulterous generation , as though he thought it was a good idea that people marry him and not multiple. That is your right. And it may be an excellent choice! But it does not give you the benefit of a deep profound possible understanding of his thousand and ten teachings, where he begins explaining himself, there's no one else can. How incredibly rude and presumptuous to think that anyone else can better than he himself.
He absolutely encourages fear. Watch, he says. Take heed how he hear, to those that have understanding more will be given, to those who have not, what they have will be taken away. His admonition to the people, be like those that have extra oil for their lamp so that when the bridegroom comes they are not left out looking for more oil. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Watch. When the time comes Run for the hills. Be gone from me I do not know you, Into the Fire prepared for the devil and his angels, you doers of iniquity, I do not know you. You seem to be ignorant of all this dave.
You are hung up on this comparison thing dave. You seem to be fearful of not being the one in the lead, and what I'm fearful of is the masses that are suffering and I'm not yet capable enough to help them, and I see other promising Souls looking to make excuses for themselves, and to shave corners, and to make Jesus teachings comfortable for themselves, so they don't have to step up. You're the one that keeps reaching out by my understanding. Stop it if you don't want to. I'm totally okay with that.
Hello
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