The veil that separates us.

[peter...@gmail.com]

Why my argument against reason is important. There is something
fundamentally wrong with making faith a heresy. Jesus was crucified
for heresy. So I've made my peace with this and gone on.

Having said that, the current daily Mass readings which include the
book of Hebrews have opened my eyes a bit. It sets Jesus up as our
high priest. Our intermediary with the Holy of Holies. I can see why
Christians were booted out of the Jewish canon in 92 ad. This is even
after the Romans tore the temple down.

The book of Hebrews, though, can also be seen as an inditement of
established religion in general. We are down here on earth with our
set patterns while our own high priest is up in heaven. I can seen
now why so many resisted printing the bible in different languages.
Or why the Mass was in latin for so many years. The elite always want
control, but Jesus came to save us all. Even them.

Organized religion as a pattern. I could argue that the Catholic
church was taken from the rib of the Roman empire. We still have our
Peter's pence. A mirror of the taxes that went back to Rome. Or the
fact that they spoke latin so long. The council of Bishops may have
come later - but they may resemble the early Roman senate - haven't
really gone that far into my history.

So is it so unusual that the Mormons, who originated here in the US,
call their leader a President. Or that many protestants vote to
select their pastors.

They all say, or used to say, that their's was the only way to
heaven. In reality, this is just defensive position or pattern taken
to protect the self. When it comes to the self, we can learn a lot
from the Buddhist.

The reality is that change happens. Jesus compensates for this with
the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit goes where it wills.

God, please bring us a day when religion doesn't have to defend
itself. We'll all be better off.

God Bless you,

Pete

[Art as Servant]

Thank you Peter for your note...
A few comments. Interspersed below...

On Jan 22, 8:06 am, "petervan...@gmail.com" <petervan...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Why my argument against reason is important.

I see "reason" as a strong element in the life of Americans today. In
fact maybe THE strongest sentiment amongst those folks not so very
conservative in their religion, or life.
I was listening to then Senator Obama, in a 2004 recorded Q&A session
in a bookstore, in which he stated quite a reasonable sounding, reason
based argument for what he was asked about. He was the voice of
"reason" there. Unfortunately, he was using the voice of reason to
say that conservative Christians have hijacked the country, and
exerted too much control over the USA. 'And "WE" have to take the
country back.'

>

> So is it so unusual that the Mormons, who originated here in the US,
> call their leader a President. Or that many protestants vote to
> select their pastors.

Please be careful, I'm not sure that you are doing so, but just don't
lump Mormons and Protestants together in very much.

Mormons fall under Satan's spell of becoming Like God, and becoming
"a" god. I hope that no protestant falls for that line, ever.

> They all say, or used to say, that their's was the only way to
> heaven.

"They all say" as in an "Us and Them"?, or they: all organized
religions?

I say this, as a Protestant, that lived in a Catholic Monastery for a
month, and was denied communion, because I wasn't following the "way"
of Catholicism, and therefore wasn't a Christian, and was forbidden
the cup and bread.

And I also lived with a protestant roommate pentecostal, who said that
his church was the only church in Orange County California, that knew
what God was about, and was following God, and that every other church
in Orange county was lost.

> God, please bring us a day when religion doesn't have to defend
> itself. We'll all be better off.

I'm not sure that thus will ever happen short of glorification. I
think that the testing from this brings strength. AND, I'm not sure
that I want to characterize this as "religion". What I really want to
call it, is "relationship", or *maybe*, Faith, but certainly not
"religion". For me, "religion, is really a worth-less word, not a
word that I'm interested in bandying about.

I want to be about relationship, not religion.

I want to be a pedestrian, known as one who walks with God, like
Enoch, and not known as a Reformed Methodist Protestant Christian.

:-)

Only by His Marvelous Grace,
Paul Kiler

[Peter VanGee]

Hi Paul:

 

Thanks for writing.  You're making my point.  Let me explain.  In the book of Hebrews ch. 6&7, Jesus is set up as the high priest...we are promised a second covenant...a time when the law will be in their minds and on their hearts.  So much so that they will not have to teach.  The will just say, " 'Know the Lord,'  for all shall know me from the least to the greatest." Clearly, these conditions have not been met.  Sure, there may be a few people of good will out there.  However, the Christian religions make the mistake of thinking they are a part of the new covenant when they are merely continuation of the old.   Mormon, Catholic, Protestant, we're all under satan's spell.   We all "worship in copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary." 

 

If this is so, why go to church?  Why be good?  Did not Jesus submit to baptism.  He also followed the Mosaic Law.  With Jesus as our high priest, we have to strive toward the fullness of faith...which is the new covenant.

 

I also spent a month in a Benedictine monastery.  I have many stories to tell, perhaps another day.

 

Pete