I have something to say to all those who blindly read the scriptures and take them at face value. There is a history in every verse. There are things that are taken out of context and things that are completely off-base. What I'm saying is, is that if you are going to base your life on a book, then make sure what you are reading is accurate and from the authored source. Living your life by the rules of a book is called Literary Authoritarianism. Literary Authoritarianism tries to carve the spirit into stone. The true word is living and breathing and pulses from the Spirit of God within you. Listen to it. Live it. Breathe it. Manifest it. ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
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Ra Divakar To be fair, Dean Banks, in his wisdom, had a photo of the Bible there, however I believe that ACIM and all Sacred texts can be applied to Dean's Wise Words.
Ra Divakar A comment I added to Dean's note above: What you have written can be applied to all "Sacred Texts" including one I studied for many years - A Course in Miracles. It has mostly brilliant theology, however one must be careful to differentiate what it calls "Realism" with "Idealism".
Bunni Vaughan Healy I agree with the sentiment and that it can be applied to any book but the bible makes sense in the picture because it is the book most people will blindly follow. Nobody ever started a war or even a persecution quoting from the Course in Miracles.
Ra Divakar Bunni, Studying the course for 27 years (plus teaching it for a few years) and being with Bill Thetford, the scribe, I have known people who have disowned their body, their ego, the earth, and their own need for forgiveness or forgiving oth...ers - from reading the course. Dr. Bill asked us to tear out those pages when we were studying with them. Those workbook pages of "I am not my body" over and over leave many classes with many less bodies. Also, Helen, the channeler was the one who created the "New Age Satan" our poor beleagured ego. Freud invented the ego to be the CONSCIOUS mediator between the id and the superego!See More
Saturday at 11:46am · UnlikeLike · 3 peopleLoading....Ra Divakar Although ACIM is basically a Sacred Text which is really about "forgiving the world and each other", it turns away from reality and toward idealism with this profound quote:"True Forgiveness = seeing nothing in need of forgiveness, no perso...n, no situation ~ UNconditional (no conditions :-) LOVE Our True and ONLY 'Reality"
And I agree, however, like our body, our ego, our world, we need forgivingness as long as we are in our body!See More
Saturday at 11:53am · UnlikeLike · 4 peopleYou, Jeanne Porter Ashley, Dean A. Banks and Angela PeaceMaker Diggs like this..Ra Divakar Also, there was a harmful cult built up around ACIM. I know of injuries and families torn up by this "teacher". He and his cult was exposed on national tv, and I was there when it was exposed. Fundamentalism of any form is harmful, in my opinion and experience.
Saturday at 12:07pm · UnlikeLike · 4 peopleLoading....Angela PeaceMaker Diggs ♥
Bunni Vaughan Healy I hear your concerns and if I have any difference it's only in minor matters of perspective. Also, there's no doubt that every book is misunderstood by some. I think the True Forgiveness quote is not to idealistic to be true. When I first did ACIM I would have agreed that as long as we are in a body we will need to keep forgiving but these many years later I think that the True Forgiveness quote above can be achieved. I don't think any awakened being (and I have had glimpses of that) will need to forgive because we need to judge (that something wrong has been committed) in order to have anything to forgive. These are pretty moot points however. The agreement point is that if one feels that there is anything that requires forgiving, it be forgiven.See More
Bunni Vaughan Healy (not TOO idealistic to be true I meant)
Ra Divakar I agree, unconditional Love and true Forgiveness knowing that in Truth there is no one to forgive is the Ultimate Truth. I am just saying I don't think it can be realized while we are in the body. However, I am sure there are Awakened Beings out there, who by the Grace of God, do realize this Truth and then the "Reality is not Ideality". Thanks for your reasoned good answer, Bunni!
Ra Divakar Luv this dialogue, Bunni - no dissing and cussing, thanks, ra!
Ra Divakar By the way, I think Bill Thetford died as an Awakened Being, from everything I heard and saw when with him and Jerry Jampolsky in Tiburon, CA in the 80's!
Bunni Vaughan Healy I am sure I have had awakened spurts or moments. I am also sure I'm not entirely there yet but I do hope that no one ever grants me the title of "awakened". Perhaps the awakened can handle it but it's more than I'd want to bear. (I'm also suspect of who makes such pronouncements...regardless of WHO they are.)
Ron Alexander Yes, they call those Holy Instants in ACIM - have had many but only "instants" unfortunately! I prefer to be an awakening being than an Awakened Being (where would the mystery, wonder and adventure be?
Jeanne Porter Ashley Before Enlightenment: chop wood, carry water; After Enlightenment: chop wood, carry water...the mystery, wonder and adventure...IMHO, intricately involved, convoluted, expand upon themselves and engulf the entirety of life...the universe and everything..
Dean A. Banks Absolutely brilliant discussion. I am honored to be in the company of such aware and understanding people. Peace and blessings to all of you.
Ra Divakar I am so grateful for you and your Wisdom, Dean. At first,I almost asked you if I should abort your comments, since I changed the photo from your Bible to ACIM, however, the dialogue just kept getting better and better as you note, dear Dr. Dean!
Dean A. Banks Ra, you were right to include all books. I picked the Bible because it is the most misquoted and misunderstood. Thank you for opening the door to everything written
Jeanne Porter Ashley thanks ron & dean & bunni - brilliant dialgue
Ron Alexander dialogue! no dissing and cussing (as in "discussion), thanks Ra, Dean, & Bunni!
Ra Divakar Dean & Bunni especially were excellent here!
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