posted on Jul, 26 2005 @ 12:25 PM
And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any
finding him should kill him.
(Genesis 4:15)
Most people equate this mark with God somehow protecting Cain, from death. Looking at it from a fleshly perspective it would seem so. But there are
more important spiritual undertones in the beginning of Genesis as well in Revelation, and the two books are incomplete with each other. These are
spiritual lessons, after their initial teaching is absorbed. Adam and Eve died spiritually the day of the first disobedience. And truly, none of us
has any hope at all to ever see God--even with Christ's sacrifice--if we don't die to the flesh (which we must do twice, first in baptism then
literally). It makes sense if we must be born twice we must die twice.
Now, consider the grudge that caused Cain to kill Abel--why did God reject Cain's sacrifice?
Because it was not an offering that God wanted--it was not something with blood in it, it was something grown out of the grown. Without getting too
deep into that concept, suffice it to say that Cain took it upon himself to worship God in the way Cain thought was right--not in the way God
demanded. We must worship God according to His specifications, not our own.
This was the beginning of 'religion'--not true worship but religion. Even in the days of the tabernacle in the wilderness, there was a
differentiation between what the children of Israel thought was okay and what God approved. The best example is in the case of Aaron's nephews (?)
who brought 'strange fire' to the Altar. They were immediately roasted by the 'familar' fire (so to speak) of God. He said no strange fire. But
they took it upon themselves, for whatever reason, to bring some anyway.
God just didn't punish them for disobedience--He was not unmerciful. But just like a father with small children, He has explicit reasons for
instructing as He does--and the fact that this world has been under the rule of the rebellious ones of heaven since the days of the garden, to worship
other than God tells us is to be idolatrous. Even if we don't know we are worshipping something beside God. All pagan religions and demi-gods are
manifestations and representations of those who rebelled. And so to worship them, either intentionally or in ignorance is actually straight up
treason, when you think about it. He's told us what we need to know, and the safeguards against idolatry are built into the ten commandments, as
well.
So take the case of modern catholicism (which is the mother of modern orgainized christianity whether we admit it or not). No matter how many times a
person says that Mary is the 'mother of god', she is still Isis or Ashtarte, and an icon is a graven image regardless of how anyone tries to justify
it.
But all of organized religion (not all who still follow it, but the institutions and dogma they are built upon) has, at it roots, some definition made
by man regarding God's nature. What comes to my mind is the creeds. They define how we should think of God. That's man making god!
When man makes God, he makes him how he thinks he should be not how he is. We cannot define God. And when we try we are creating a god in our image
(a reflection of our own natures). And if you've ever read Ecclesiastes, you know that 'all men are beasts' and beasts, actually, in the archaic
use, meant simply living creature.
Religion is, as a whole, the worship of an image that is not god but is in fact, made in the image of man, who is a beast.
It's bigger and more spread out than just capitalism and greed--and capitalism and greed are not a strong delusion to most who love God--but the true
nature of Him is often hidden even to those who seek Him, at first, and so by following what men say, even 'religious' men, we are not trusting in
God and so are easily misled into confusing that which we make with He who made us.