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Jesus is in trouble. When people worship him today — or even speak his name — the object of their devotion is unlikely to be who they think he is. A mythical Jesus has grown up over time. He has served to divide peoples and nations. He has led to destructive wars in the name of religious fantasies. The legacy of love found in the New Testament has been tainted with the worst sort of intolerance and prejudice that would have appalled Jesus in life. Most troubling of all, his teachings have been hijacked by people who hate in the name of love.
"Sometimes I feel this social pressure to return to my faith," a lapsed Catholic told me recently, "but I'm too bitter. Can I love a religion that calls gays sinners but hides pedophiles in its clergy? Yesterday while I was driving to work, I heard a rock song that went, 'Jesus walked on water when he should have surfed,' and you know what? I burst out laughing. I would never have done that when I was younger. Now I feel only the smallest twinge of guilt."
No matter where you look, a cloud of confusion hangs over the message of Jesus. To cut through it we have to be specific about who we mean when we refer to Jesus. One Jesus is historical, and we know next to nothing about him. Another Jesus is the one appropriated by Christianity. He was created by the Church to fulfill its agenda. The third Jesus, the one this book is about, is as yet so unknown that even the most devout Christians don't suspect that he exists. Yet he is the Christ we cannot — and must not — ignore.
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It has been suggested, though it remains unproven, that Jesus studied with the Essenes, a Jewish sect co-existing at the time of the Sadduccees and Pharisees (though their bitter philosophical enemies). Considering both his focus and style, I think that highly likely. He didn't just throw his hammer down one day and start teaching. He trained - and trained well - to accomplish what he did.
It's important to note that the early Gnostics that followed proclaimed some pretty extravagant beliefs themselves, but I think it safe to say that they believed Jesus to be a "being of the light" (enlightened one) and that enlightenment is the substance of the "keys to the kingdom" to which Jesus so often referred. Contrasted sharply with the dogma peddled by the religious leaders of his day (and ours), I agree with Dr. Chopra that Jesus was teaching his followers 'how to reach God-consciousness', which is something that has its parallels in Sufism, Buddhism and Hinduism. They all place an especially strong focus on detachment from notions of duality (including the conception of an individual self), divine unity and Oneness.
I hope it is the teachings of this third Jesus that survives the endless debates occurring now. They are more than worthy of being both redeemed and preserved and I commend Dr. Chopra in his efforts.Edited by: Lori on Mar 16, 2008 9:22:33 PM
Mar 16, 2008 9:19:00 PM
Somewhere, something said in the tone " Jesus Christ number 1,2, or 3 was directly or indirectly responsible for those morons who waged a war'' seems like far too stretched theory. Whether it is a ploy to sell more number of books or a simple FACT that Dr. Chopra hasn't understood the "Gnostic principles for instance--about Christ Consciousness" is quite evident in the excerpt that I read via this community. In the Indian epic of Mahabharata the main point was NEVER the WAR or "How many Deaths occurred" but the "Deliverance of the Message via the Bhagawad Geeta" that " Both the righteous and unrighteous emanate from my Being, Myself" said Krishna to his protege or his second half which wanted to live in denial that " All is Eternal"
Now, I was definitely drawn to Dr. Chopra's other issue about the lady who had mirrored his inner issues by her actions at his meeting. If you consider that, isn't it true Dr. Chopra, that all of us do "Focus on the Negative too quickly and for too long than focusing on the Positive?"
There are several realities that can be co-created by anybody picking up any book, which includes Geeta, Bible, Quran or even Dr. Chopra's latest book on Jesus Christ.
I wasn't raised a Christian nor a Jew so, I wouldn't know how the Old Testament differs from the New Testament unless someone "Translates the Original Scriptures written in several languages that predates English--at least--the languages being Greek, Aramaic, Coptic and Hebrew. If this is a Scholastic research work, then FULL MARKS to Dr. Chopra. But if it is just another "Jibe" by an intellectual--who tries to bring about the Concept of " Trying to Capture the Divine through one's Intellect?" Then it is a very meek attempt.
I have studied Jesus' stories from both points of view-- that is as a Skeptic or non-believer and as a believer or one who has Faith in Jesus Christ the "Pure Consciousness being"--not some Historical figure.
In fact there were several of Pre-Jesus era Saints or Prophets who were addressed as " Son of Man, Son of God, Sun of Man, Light of Mankind" etc. Elijah, Isiah, Ezekiel, Enoch are a few examples. Mithras, Buddha and Krishna would be a few other from the East or Middle east as well.
Ultimate thing is "Has Jesus caused any War?" NO--Did Jesus Advocate anywhere in his teachings " Go and Kill your own Brethren?"
NO.. Did Jesus Advocate "If someone is spoiling your peace, then you have the right to defend yourself, by even killing the other, if you have to" (Like in Quran) ? NO
Has Jesus ever said " Wage wars in my name, after I am dead and gone?" NO
Where are people going? Just to gain Awareness among people nobody really needs to be "Told" Where to look and what for we must look. Even my Eight year old Son says these days "Dad, you don't have to tell me--I already know this" for most of the things.
The Inner Jesus is ever present, maybe it just needs to be triggered by a "Baptizing kind of an event" Unfortunately all don't have the Liberty of River Jordan nor a John the Baptist now a days. We have all Political Stalwarts such as Bush-Cheney-Rums-Powell-Condi-Rice, HillyBilly Clintons, Barrack Obama, and the funny due of Huckabee and McCain.
Pick one of them and compare to anybody else but never with Jesus please.
Namaste, Regards and much love n light
Peacefulspirit_joyfulsoul
Edited by: peacefulspirit_joyfulsoul on Feb 28, 2008 7:11:19 AM
Feb 27, 2008 8:51:04 PM