The newly discovered tablet may mean something else -- something wonderful.

Source: www.nytimes.com

"JERUSALEM — A three-foot-tall tablet with 87 lines of Hebrew that scholars believe dates from the decades just before the birth of Jesus is causing a quiet stir in biblical and archaeological circles, especially because it may speak of a messiah who will rise from the dead after three days."

I see an interpretation that does not conflict with either Judaism or Christianity. I was wondering if any of you saw it, too.

The Gnostic, apocryphal expression of Christianity does not depict the Resurrection as literal but instead an experience of "Gnosis" that results in a spiritual rebirth. The "person" of Jesus died but not his flesh.

In 2001, I had a profound mystical experience that lasted for about three and a half days. It was rapturous, it opened my eyes to the oneness of us all, and revealed to me that there is a unified consciousness distributed among us all that is both personal and impersonal, that "I" cannot die, and it enhanced my creative and cognitive faculties tremendously. It also gave me quite a headache, but it was worth it. The course of my life changed entirely after this experience. I had "risen", in effect a new man.

I realized that what the Jesus of the Gnostic tradition was teaching is that this experience is possible; that we can all strive for and reach this experience and be like him. For years after this experience, I felt that the Church, which had rejected the Gnostic version of Christ, had suppressed this wonderful news in an effort to control others. What the Church preached was the story of Jesus rather than the teachings of Jesus. I thought this was boneheaded.

But recently my feelings have changed. You see, if Jesus' truth is really our truth, then what he said may not be as important as what happened to him. If we can understand how he reached that experience, then we can find out for ourselves what Jesus knew and his understanding of the ultimate nature of the divine will carry no more weight than our own.

So, there is a path that leads to this experience. Yes, it is found in Jewish mysticism but it is also found elsewhere - in kundalini, for example. No religion owns this "technology" and some religions do not even seem to know of it. This experience is a human birthright, though few seem to know of its existence.

Just as Jesus said he did not come to change the law but to fulfill it, mightn't it be that all of the world's great religions were carrying the same truth but in different clothes? The resurrection of Osiris comes to mind. Giambattista Vico's idea of the four Ages of civilization comes to mind also, and it might imply that this knowledge resurfaces at intervals when the species is ready for regeneration.

Thoughts?

[edit on 6-7-2008 by applebiter]

reply to post by applebiter


hello Gnosis is new age, pagan, satanic, whatever but its not truth Gnosis of one form or another has been going on since the garden of eden.

anyway, re these tablets there are already 2 other threads going.

sorry

david

reply to post by drevill


Thank you for pointing out that there are other threads relating to the tablet. This thread also relates to the tablet, but with a particular point of view that deserves its own focus. I take it that you have a catalog of "bad" ideas that are conveniently indexed under certain names, like gnosticism, paganism, etc. You are free to believe whatever you like. I am curious, however. If Gnosticism equals paganism or any other ~ism, what is it about these ~isms that you find offensive? Surely it can't just be the labels...

Or maybe a better question would be, do you not believe that you can have a direct experience of God? That's pretty much all I am saying.

[edit on 6-7-2008 by applebiter]

hello Apple

it may help if i set out my beliefs

i think everything here on earth is a battle of God and Satan (simplistic i know)

every thing satan does is to detract from the truth of God and ultimately to lead people away from God and towards him. He wants to be like God

Therefore, Gnosis is part of that demonic, satanic plan. All the other ism's are various cogs in this plan against God but all have the same origins.

Gnosticism is about become something by our own selves that we can do yet Gods will is sovereign.

Satan wanted to be like God he said he would ascend, similar to gnosticism, Mormonism, New Age etc etc.

there is a streak running through them that connect them together.

like the Gnostics have/are and will try to do is alter scripture for their own beliefs, as Satan did in the garden and does around the world today.

if we can have a resurrection within ourselves there would have been no need for Christ as God could have put this within all the books of the OT, he hasn't nor would there be need for a the baptism of the holy spirit. nor for Christ to have come the first time

Gnosis only stands up for those that wish it and wish to become of a higher spiritual plane/power IMHO

david

reply to post by drevill


I respectfully disagree. I think God has given us many, many paths in order that we might reach Him. I understand the dualism of Good vs Bad, or Light vs Darkness, but this is an artifact of how the mind works. We tend to divide everything into dualisms - it's human nature.

I'm not going to try to convince you of anything. For the sake of clarity, I will say that in my earnest seeking I reached a point where I felt a presence and it frightened me. I wasn't sure whether this presence was malevolent or intended me harm. I also intuited that this conflict within me was preventing the union that I had been seeking with all my heart, and so I decided that if this presence was going to eat me up, then it would eat me up whether or not I had the courage to face it. My fears were based on the fact that I didn't know what was going to happen next. I made the choice to open my heart completely and receive it. I radiated as much love as I could, and completely surrendered to this presence that I recognized as "God".

My love was returned to me, to a much greater degree than I have ever known before or since.

I do not deny scripture. I am suggesting that the words point to something that is more direct than words on paper.

[edit on 6-7-2008 by applebiter]

i understand what you are saying, i really do.

However, for me, Christ tells us there is ONE way and that is through him

the rest, in my mind, is deception and is payed out on the humans frailties and desires.

As the Bible says Satan can turn himself into an Angel of light. Love is strange, the stockholm syndrome being a good example of how distorted we can become.

all the best

david

reply to post by drevill


All the best to you, too. You make good points, David. Trust is a very hard thing, sometimes. No one wants to be deceived. Faith, hope, and love are the answer. For me, there was faith that there is indeed a real, living God who is right here, right now. For me, there was hope that I could find him - not in my identification with any specific belief system, nor in any recitation of magic words, but directly in the moment. And love? Oh yes. So much so.

[edit on 6-7-2008 by applebiter]

Not intending to seem impious to God I have often pondered about there being many roads to our Lord and Master.

After reading the Koran and studying many other religions it seems we all strive to better ourselves and to honor our fellow man with dignity.

I believe a big problem with our religion, mine is Christianity, is that we misinterpret the scriptures of the Holy Bible. We take it too literal.

In order to understand a religion and how it relates to our Creator we must study daily. It is not an easy task.

So many people put God in a box that fits their expectations. Metaphorically that leaves us with many boxes of ideas about God. Are the different ideas about God false? Will they not achieve the same outcome?

I too believe there are many ways to become one again with our creator.

I believe in the trinity. I do not believe we have a correct translation of the Holy Bible and we are missing some very reveling lost books.

Religion reminds me of a collection of recipes for pound cake. There are hundreds of delicious ways to make a pound cake. The result of each recipe is ultimately the same....a pound cake.

Peace I bring and peace I leave with you.

De Coloris,
Marilyn

I know God is real

I have the experienceof my conversion, i can see in my past where he was calling me.


I have prayer answered within seconds,minutes,days etc

i will see him personally but not before his will has been completed as set out in the Bible.

what greater Love is there than that of forgiveness?

david