It has been suggested that true spirituality and Gnosticism is far too complex -- and that the path must be simple. Being a simple person myself, all the answers to life are all very simple -- but in the same way that it has taken eons of lifetimes to possess the depth of perception and understanding to perceive and comprehend the simplicity of all that I see, your statement could be very misleading to many who lack that understanding which belongs only to the True Gnostic and Spiritual person. Therefore, let me enumerate and explain why I would question what you state so everyone can contemplate what you have set before the forum. My job title before retiring, was a software engineer -- in addition to the position of corporate manager which was a royal pain in the you know what. And let me state that I agree with your premiss -- i.e., that once you understand, then writing software that initiates intricate computer operations and functions is very simple. But without knowledge, understanding and experiential wisdom, what is simple, is impossible for the vast majority of people. And what is simple to an experienced software engineer, is not so simple to a graduate student because of a lack of experiential understanding -- and even far more complex to someone who is only of the user community. And the purpose of this forum is Gnostic -- i.e., to possess the Knowledge of Self and the Kingdom of God -- and the objective of true Gnosticism is to evolve the mind to the degree where all of life becomes very simple and obvious. So with respect to what you suggest: (1) First off, the soul is not manifest in the body -- i.e., an embryonic image of the soul is manifest in the body. (2) Second, while everyday people make difficult decisions, few possess the necessary consciousness to understand that decision with any depth -- (3) fewer yet understand the pre-existing cause of that interaction and corresponding decision -- (4) and few people possess the necessary vision of higher reality to interact with the Laws on a positive phase, and come out on top of the experience and interaction.
Now add to this the fact that the human personality -- or the organic-self, the ego-self, or what Gurdjieff often called the false-self -- is divided and fragmented across the spectrum of up to 144,000 personalities -- all living disconnected and haphazard existences within each person's unconsciousness mind that dwells in an hypnotic stupor controlled by what Paul portrays as the god of this world -- and beneath that level of consciousness, there is the animal nature that often rules over many of the decisions that these 144,000 fragmented personalities make -- and you are left with the equation of the unconscious and meaningless interaction with the Laws and events of life, will little to no awareness of what is transpiring. And it is this condition that is portrayed in the analogy of Plato's Cave (
http://DivineStrategery.com#Plato ). And while it is true that there is growth -- the growth is through the process of blindly hitting your head against the walls, and over the course of eons of being bruised, brutalized and victimized, the prodigal son begins to seek a better and more meaningful way.
Paul stated that it was necessary to "…take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Cor 10:5 NIV). That means that every thought must not only be conscious and in accord with the concepts of the Sermon on the Mount -- but that every thought must arise within your mind and being to the highest level of your understanding -- and you must be ever seeking to expand that organic limitation and horizon. Since as of late Paul has lost favor with many of the liberals, and has been portrayed as a sexist homophobe, in confirmation of what Paul stated, Yeshua stated: "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matt 12:36 KJV) -- which means that if every thought -- every interaction with others -- both verbal, physical and mental -- and every aspect of one's life is idle, and fails to connect and evolve through the stages of the alpha and omega within you, then you have failed to make any gains whatsoever by virtue of that thought or experience. And since impressions are as food for the mind that stimulates growth and development, then it can be said that the vast majority of people eat nothing but junk food that deprives them of the opportunity of Real Life. And the analogy of the day of judgment is when you must harvest the sheep of your life that connects the alpha and omega within you, with respect to the goats that remain earth-bound and of no higher spiritual value in bringing about soul-birth, it can be understood why most people are portrayed as walking the broad-way of self-destruction. Paul stated that daily he "…beat my body and make it my slave..." (1 Cor 9:27 NIV). Why? Because man has an animal nature that lives and thinks in the manner of the beasts of the earth -- as well as corresponding fragmented organic personalities who are all too happy to live in accord with the law of the jungle and the ways of this world. And in recognition of this fact, Jacob/James wrote of the need to: "…bridle the whole body" (James 3:2 KJV). To the degree that Paul warned to: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature" (Col 3:5 NIV). And stated: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom 8:13 KJV).
The Church or group mindset is to simply dismiss these words -- make light of them -- rhetoricalize them like the concept of second birth in the churches, or perfection in the New Age -- and either assign them a lesser place of importance -- or simply ignore them altogether. In dealing with the every-day lives of people, religious leaders must often must bring comfort to the people in their daily lives. If you visit with those who are imprisoned, you can't suggest a solution to their daily struggles that would require a freedom that they simply do not have access to. And from the perspective of the simple faith, this requires a great deal of excuse making. After all, it is difficult to constantly embrace one's highest moral and spiritual standard -- maintaining a constant vigil over every word and action -- and standing constant sentinel over one's thoughts and mind. So, organic man is perpetually looking for a get out of jail (Far Country) free card, where he ascribes to a doctrine of belief -- or proclaims some rhetoric -- and this equates to fulfilling the requirements of life. And by their manner of reasoning: Since God loves everyone, it's OK to do as the Romans do when in Rome, so long as you hold the proper philosophical belief, or proclaim the proper rhetoric.
Yeshua/Jesus was a man who bridled the body, beat the lower nature of his body to make it his slave, and crucified his earthly nature. He did not speak idle words -- to the degree that his brother Jacob/James warned that
"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell" (James 3:6 NKJ). Since the substance of most people's words is either words of no meaning, utter nonsense, or empty rhetoric, we can begin to get a sense of the reality that is being presented. Yeshua was a man who did not live in accord with the ways of the flesh. He did not do as the Romans did. And while he said to those who wanted to fulfill the law and stone the woman caught in adultery, let him who has never committed a sin in any lifetime be the one who casts the first stone -- to the man who was healed, he commanded him to go, and sin no more lest a worst thing come upon thee. And while the liberal and complacent mind will attempt to dismiss these words as right wing and lacking in compassion, the command to sin no more parallels that of the ending in Mark that was deleted by the Church:
"This Age of lawlessness and unbelieving lies under the sway of Satan, who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God; therefore, they said to Christ, reveal your righteousness now. Christ answered them, The term of years for Satan's power has now expired, but other terrors are at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners, that they might return to the truth and sin no more, that they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven" (see
http://ebionite.com/#sin ).
In this alternate ending we can see the Key to the dilemma that the simple solution attempts to make note of -- i.e., those who fail to maintain the highest standards of morality -- those who fail to live by their highest ideal -- those who fail to seek the Knowledge and the Kingdom -- those who live in accord with our culture -- dwell under the power of the Left Hand "...who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God". And because they lack an understanding of the higher reality of the soul and the Mysteries of God and the Inner Kingdom -- and they dwell in what is biblically portrayed as the "outer darkness" of mind and being -- they look upon people such as myself as right wing extremists who place too much emphasis on esoteric principles and realities that are beyond the comprehension of the organic people of this world. And their leaders condemn me, and those who understand the importance of the above biblical concepts, as Gnostic heretics who fail to understand the simplicity of the Gospel message.
What we have here parallels the Fox News Channel slogan: We report, you decide. Unlike CNN (Communist News Network) that provides a liberal perception of whatever comes across the screen, Fox usually presents a fair and balanced presentation. And in this, I have never, ever, attempted to dismiss the elementary teachings and requirements set forth in the Sermon on the Mount -- never, ever attempted to lessen the need for faith and belief -- but that there are many requirements after the entry-level elementary concepts, is a reality that is just as important to address in every aspect of one's life. The cultural mindset that promotes the life of when in Rome, you do as the Romans do, is biblically portrayed as being imprisoned (see
http://ebionite.com/reincarnation.htm#blindness ) -- and the words of warning that with respect to that imprisonment that
“Thou shalt by no means come out from there, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing” (see Matt 5:26) -- is seen as being too right wing and uncompassionate. Yet, these very words are also in the Sermon on the Mount!!! And part of the elementary teachings which prepare the seeker to become a disciple.
It was the Ebionite Nazirene position that the historical Yeshua was the Messiah/Christ, because he fulfilled the Law within himself -- i.e., Yeshua
"was justified by fulfilling the Law. He was the Christ of God, since not one of the rest of mankind had observed the Law completely. Had any one else fulfilled the commandments of the Law, he would have been the Christ." Hence "when Ebionites thus fulfill the law, they are able to become Christs, for they assert that our Lord Himself was a man in like sense with all humanity." (Hippolytus, Refut. Omn. Haer. vii. 34 -- see http://Ebionite.com ). The second part does not say that the rest of the lost prodigal sons are not required to fulfill the Law because One Righteous Brother did -- but rather, it states that every man or woman who fulfills the Law will become the Messiah/Christ -- and dwell simultaneously in the Kingdom while they are still in the body-vessel of this world. And since until the time of Yeshua, not one man or woman had observed and fulfilled the Law completely -- including Enoch or any of the other past incarnations from an historical perspective -- then we must understand that the requirements cannot be accomplished in a casual, philosophical, doctrinal or rhetorical complacent manner. After all, it can be demonstrated that one of the teachings that was removed by the Church warned:
"Though you be gathered together in my bosom, if you keep not my commandments I will cast you forth. For if you keep not the lesser mysteries, who shall give you the greater." (see
http://BibleCorruption.com#bosom ). Which confirms the above statement that you can't simply dismiss the more conservative teachings of the New Testament -- and that those who are complacent, dwell under the power of the Left Hand
"...who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God".
If those, such as Bob, who are of a Church or group mindset, and are doing the good deed of helping others in the outer group setting, were to tell the people that they must separate their lives from the spiritually unclean -- i.e., "Therefore "Come out from among the m and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you" (2 Cor 6:17 NKJ) -- then their group would very quickly become radically diminished in size. Most of the members of Bob's groups are women -- and they have very little control over their lives. And, like the women in the churches, they are in many instances doing the best they can under the less than desirable circumstances of the life they are presently living. They have lived culturalized lives where it would have been very difficult not to have done as the Romans did, because they have been very much a part of the culture of Rome. So, it is Bob's job to console them, and comfort them in their trials and tribulations. And this is good -- and Bob is working on himself by serving the needs of others. But who are these women? What is the cause of the many countless tribulations that besmirch them -- and cause them much pain and distress? These women are living the lives of the imprisoned -- i.e., those who from life to life have ignored the warning: "...sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee" (John 5:14 KJV). And the fact that they neither possess the depth of mind and awareness to understand what is discussed in this forum, is because they have over the course of eons of lifetimes ignored the warning that the god of this world "...will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God". They will not understand the very Laws which imprison them in the "outer darkness" of mind and being, until they begin to live the conscious and very inconvenient life of capturing every thought -- monitoring every word -- overcoming the animal nature -- putting nothing in their body which would defile it -- entertaining no impure thoughts -- being conscious that every aspect of one's life is in accord with the highest ideals of the Sermon on the Mount in word, thought, desire and deed -- and striving to transform the body-vessel into a Consecrated Living Temple set apart from the unclean of this world -- and dedicated to a fit dwelling place for the higher soul and spirit to indwell and inhabit.
In view of the fact that all the people in this forum have spent eons of lifetimes attempting to fulfill the above -- with only a very few achieving any great success that evades those of a church or group mindset -- I would say that the fulfilling of the Law within one's self can never be portrayed as simplistic. And while the number of 30 lifetimes that Cayce gives is allegorical, even if it took the historical Yeshua 29 lives of failure -- or at best, only incremental gains -- then to portray the requirements as simple, is naive at best. Either that, or its an example of where Paul warns that the organic people of this world will look upon the higher reality of the soul and the (requirements to understand the) Mysteries of God and the Kingdom, as
"foolishness" (see
http://Ebionite.com/defeat.htm ). After all, since God loves us, it is much easier to repeat rhetoric or say one's prayer to the Jesus-god. Anything more than this is uncompassionate right wing Gnostic heresy that attempts to portray what is simple, as complex.
While many people have been flocking to see Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth -- what is presented in the above is the bottom line that these people should be embracing. There would be no global warming -- no suffering, violence and conflict -- no abortions and other varieties of murder -- if everyone would begin to live the above principles. While they are singing Kumbaya -- they should also sing that change begins with me. Instead of blaming others -- corporate America -- right wing churches -- red necked homophobes -- and everyone else under the sun -- they should instead seek to remove the beam out of their own eyes, and begin by changing themselves. If every American removes their children from the hedonist Sodom and Gomorrah environment of the public schools -- shuts off the TV -- never has sex with anyone other than their spouse -- embraces the concepts of the Sermon on the Mount in word, thought, desire and deed -- does not sit at the table with Satan by putting death in their mouths -- and does not defile the body by touching the unclean -- then, and only then, can you begin to change the world, by first changing one's self. And this is truly an Inconvenient Truth. And, as can be seen, the path of simplicity is not as simple as most clergy would portray it -- and what is portrayed as simple would be seen as far too conservative and demanding for most people.
Brother of Yeshua
