This is something I have wanted to address, for some time, but just haven't gotten to it, yet. A derailment of another thread, at BTS, Science vs
Christianity, has brought me to finally laying these ideas out (once more, perhaps, in a slightly new perspective than previously) for discussion.
The conspiracy is at the heart of the world's conflicting ideas, about God (true or fable?) and about 'salvation' (necessary or ludicrous) and by
extension Christ (Jesus, real or myth, Christ or something else) as well as the bible (absolute source of human legislation as delegated by God and
ruled over by christianity or just a bunch of stories).
It is assumed that one determination, in any direction, of those things, necessitates the like assignment to all the other things. By that, I mean
that if the Bible is not true, then Jesus didn't exist, and God is just a way of escaping the harsh reality of death. Because of the uncoordinated
theology of christianity, further fragmented through the denominational varieties, discredited by its proponents' lack of ability to thoroughly and
logically explain why it is 'truth', and finally rejected as nonsense by those who are not indoctrinated in the dogmatic nonsense of the so-called
'church', no consideration seems to be given to the idea of perhaps this is a problem that lies in the human realm of action and idea rather than
the divine.
I think it is largely attributable to the idea that 'salvation' and 'going to heaven' is something only available to those who forfeit their
brains for 'eternal life' by 'accepting Christ as their Savior.' This idea also requires a condemnation of any other possibility--even the
consideration of such a possibility--and the main one seems to be the possibility that God has provided 'salvation' to the entire world. Already
promised, given, and provided in full for--not 'eternal life in heaven' so much as 'liberation from death.' The bible is misused and abused in
order to 'prove' this fallacy (of selective salvation as determined by way of religious loyalties) and in so doing, much is discredited and
defamed.
I was asked, by Fromabove, the following:
I just wanted to know your thoughts on how a person becomes a Christian saved in Christ. What must a person do to be saved. That's why I
wasn't sure that we were so far off from each other or not. I appreciate your comments.
And I'm giving my answer now, because it relates to this possible 'conspiracy.'
I do not subscribe to the idea of 'becoming a Christian saved in Christ.' To become a 'christian' (in the truest sense of the word) is to become
molded in the ideal that Christ demonstrated. This is an ideal that prohibits judgment, division, exclusion of any seeker, outward shows of anything
suggesting 'piety,' religious rituals and observances, selfishness, self-orientation, and an attitude of superiority. There is a difference between
justification and salvation. The world is saved, but not all are justified.
To be justified is to do with the Holy Spirit, and baptism, and spreading the gospel--which is also related to 'life everlasting' (literally
'perpetual existence').
Salvation is to be saved from death--physical death's prison in the cycle of mortal existence. It is to be liberated from mortality and restored to
a higher plane of existence. But it is not the same as 'life everlasting'--perpetual existence.
Salvation, however, is something that enables every one of us to experience the next age--but it requires being born into that world, as a newborn
(not knowing anything.) The next age is 'the New Jerusalem.'
Everyone will know they are 'saved,' though--the moment they die in this age. If you cannot believe me, that's perfectly okay. You will see
when it is time. And the rest will suddenly become clear to you and it will all make sense. Maybe I'll even get the chance to say 'I told you so!
' If not, well, it doesn't matter in the least. All that matters is that you will know that God is not a fairy-tale or a figment of (some of)
humanity's imagination. And it will also become clear that God does not favor christians for the mere sake of the name of Christ. And the knowledge
of what love really is will be the clearest of all--to all of us.
If one doesn't remember life, then life is not 'perpetual.' To not have perpetual existence is to be 'hurt by the second death,' but only taking
part in the 'first resurrection' guarantees this. And that is the new life given by God in this current age--to those who are justified--and God
has already predetermined a certain number of those who will be justified--these are mentioned in Revelation 7:3. But the 'bounty of the harvest'
is those that we find mentioned in Revelation 7:14. To 'believe on the name of Christ' is to believe in the resurrection--and to place trust in
God. To believe and to obey the commandment given by Christ (to repent and be baptized) is to seek justification. Through that the Holy Spirit is
given, but not immediately --although justification is immediate, just as salvation is retro-active.
But life will be given to all of us in the next age, because we are all beneficiaries of 'salvation'--we are all redeemed by Christ--just we also
were included in the 'curse' earned by Adam. Physical mortality. Which is limited by the memory of the soul--our personal 'works.' One might
'die in their sins' but that doesn't mean they are going to never again exist. Only that they will start again from scratch.
Those saved but not justified are provided for as written in Revelation 22:2.
As far as the idea of 'christians saved in Christ', I see it as basically the same way of thinking that Christ continually criticized the Pharisees
for---because they were not living up to their 'appointment' from God, in the interest of the 'nations', which was to eventually show God to the
world, through their lives and through their hearts. Israel is not so much chosen for favor, but rather chosen to serve--ambassadors to the creation
on behalf of the Creator of all.
To show favoritism or any other kind of exclusive proprietory hold on God and God's favor is simply unrighteousness. In a more complex fashion, it
is hypocrisy. It is hypocrisy when it is known to those being unrighteous. I don't think that christianity today is of that nature--but the
Pharisees had no excuse for unrighteousness--being schooled in the 'law' of Moses.
What must a person do to be saved.
I guess the best answer I can give is: be in the position of needing to be saved. Which is more of an 'accident' that something done on
purpose.
No one swims out past the bouys and gets a stomach cramp intentionally so that the lifeguard can add one more hero notch to his whistle-cord.
Finding one's self in a fix beyond their ability to help themselves out of is not something anyone ever does in a conscious manner--it is limited
perspective/understanding/awareness that lands us in situations of jeopardy.
Perhaps we might holler 'help' in order to be saved--but in the case of God's saving grace, help has already been called out for--and the help has
already been provided and accomplished. 'It is finished.'
We are not in need of rescue--only of recognition of being rescued already. And to see that, we must be able to see the danger we were in, and
totally unaware of. All we really need is to realize that we need to holler 'help.' As soon as we see such, and voice same, we come to the
awareness that we are already rescued. And we then see that there are two states of existence: 'awareness' and 'having no idea'.
And that unawareness, as well as the danger, is something that we all share equally, in the human race--in a way that is common to absolutely every
last one of us. It is the mere circumstance of just being born as a mortal human being in this world--and once born, dying is inevitable.
We do not understand that, in general, and neither is it grasped or explained by the standard christian theology. It is a conspiracy that is inherent
to human existence, but compounded by human pride.
Christianity's role in the conspiracy is that of presenting a false idea of 'knowing' which is really just another shade of 'having no idea.'
But it is exacerbated by the idea that one already 'knows' and therefore is much more
of a danger because it takes away the possibility of 'having no idea.' It is the 'having no idea' which allows for the 'knowing.' The false
'knowing' also hinders others who 'have no idea' and know they 'have no idea' because they cannot seem to wrap their mind around the 'knowing'
that is presented as 'knowing' -- instead of just another form of 'having no idea.'
And we are all involved as both conspirator as well as being conspired against.
Not a problem, except for the fact life is much harder and taken even more hard, as a result of our attachment to the conspiracy created by our blind
faith and complacent acceptance in our various religious and non-religious understandings--and this is evidenced by the unrest, anxiety, and discord
in the world. Our egos are satisfied, but our souls are being oppressed--by our egos.