Carl Smuda

All I remember are the good times. I have to think to pick out the bad. Unto the pure all things are pure and to them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure. Ann Frank spoke of the good in us all. In the face of all the facts that poor little Jew Girl went to the showers & the ovens. So we love her diary for its blind faith. And yet it was this distortion of reality that allows evil to triumph. Why do we do this? I can spell out the bad hurts and boo-boos. And yet what my mind wants to remember is that under TWI I worshipped in spirit for the first time. I fellowshiped and helped build up the body with those guys. I learned to study the scriptures and I learned to walk by the spirit. And yet there was bad. After TWI I know I lead at least three different people into worshipping in the spirit. but wait. maybe that's not real. I'm hindu now but I can still speak-in-tongues. My Wife wants to find a church for the sake of the children. She lets our kids watch the Siimpson's, SpongeBod, and Ren&Stimpy but is afraid of what they might learn in any given church. :blink:

Yes this is it. There is a wonderful congregation in Fallon Nevada. They're Presbyterians. And I thought they were wonderful. In fact, before I realized I'd be moving to Gardnerville I asked to share their covenant. Of course, I'm hindu now so what the hey. A doctor of Christian Church history, who played a great role in my own evolution, thought very little of Theonomy. He said to put Law at one end of the Universe and Grace at the other end of the Universe and then they can start talking. I karma explains a lot even though we won't know for sure until we die. With karma comes dharma. That means duty or Natural Law. A Christians dharma is to walk-by-the-Spirit.

There was a time when the Sabbath-Keepers really had me going on Law. They almost had me too because without studying it for myself their arguments are truly compelling. Did you know that the Seventh-Day-Adventists are waiting for enough people to keep the Sabbath so that Lord Jesus can return? He won't return until enough people keep the fourth commandment. Then there are the Reconstructionists who want the world to be really Christian and decent. Some return to Law. They are postmillennialists. The world gets better and better as the Kingdom-of-God continues to spread and prevail and then Christ returns. I think there is a Natural Law. And the closer we follow it the closer we are to fine.

Beautiful words of encouragment. May I take the time to do this.

It won't be wrong to state that God did not make man in His own image as the OT says, but instead man made God in his own image. God is indeed a timeless and formless entity. Just like Allah of Islam, the Tao of Taoism, and Ayin of the Kabbalah have no definition, the God of Hinduism has no definition. In the Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism, Ayin means "nothing." Ayin is beyond existence. Ayin has not attributes. When Moses asked God, "Who are You?" the answer came from the burning bushes, "I am what I am." That clearly proves that Jehovah ("i am") is not a being with human attributes. If one can understand the forces within, then one will be able to understand all the forces in nature. In the Jewish Kabbalah, man is viewed as being a mircrocosm, a minute picture of the universe. The Kabbalah has a belief similar to Hinduism's that man's actions can affect the universe, and the that the universe in turn can affect the well being of man. Abigail, the above two statements come from Am I a Hindu? by Ed. Viswanathan. I'm pretty sure there are several other mentionings of Kabbalah in this Hindu Primer but without an index I'm skimming pages to find them. When you read those to quotes from Ed. Viswanathan, what are your thoughts on what he wrote?

Best of times was twig three times a week. almost daily fellowship and Word, singing, praying, and manifestations. Doing lots of fun stuff together with an occassional PFAL along the way. The best was on the Island of Guam. that fellowship I realized walking by the spirit and the love and fun.

Tom, It was lame and arrogant. They had lots of company. I didn't have a clue of the Angel side of things until I began to study Albert Schweitzer. There is so much to the whole theology of Judaism and Christianity. Anyone who practised the fanatical Bible-only mentality was/is being seriously ripped off. In fact I had to finally conclude that as powerful as the Christian fellowship can & should be, they cut themselves off from the rest of the world. At best there is Universal realities that exist in Christianity that they share with Judaism, Islam, Gnosticism, Hinduism, Budhism, and the like. It finally locked for me with SriVyuha and Perennial Philosophy. As for "the challenging counterfeit." that is incomplete methinks. There is good and bad spiritual beings and the like. Typical western Christianity is not capable of looking at it fully due to their own tunnel vision. Carl

Thank you Dancing. Now. As to the author of this thread, Free2Love. Mr. Free2Love. Greetings and God Bless you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! What it be, how it be, where it be, who it be, how did it get there and what's taking so long? Thank you for inviting me to Grease Spot Cafe. I think I need the change. I don't know why I keep going back to Theologyonline. I lost the fire-in-my-belly for those guys but...I...keep...going...back. So thanks for shaking my cage. God Bless.

Dancing, I search for all things perennial. as in perennial philosophy. And I know that "unto the pure all things are pure, and unto them that are defiled and unbelieving nothing pure." But we should not use these reminders as a hiding place from our brains. I've enjoyed reading a lot of the old stuff (that didn't get into the A.D.389 New Testament) because it is a window into the minds of Christians of a different era and culture. It makes this history living and real to me. that doesn't mean I do not recognize the living realities today. The dividing line is what have we realized verses when are we only making-a-mood?

Abi, I appreciate your efforts. Thank you. I just recently discovered how very watchable "House" is. My eight-year-old son actually likes to watch it. What you said about having the right attitude hit home. I spent years meditating regularly ™ and experienced all the benefits. Especially the growing real love in my heart for the golden silence AND simply the great love for life and all things. But (I think it be karma) I've spent years not meditating. I think my attitude is a big problem. Because I'm not on a program I don't feel righteous. And so my several false-starts lately have felt puffed-up with self-righteousness. And yet I know I'm wrong to have this attitude. Maharishe has made it crystal clear over the decades that our attitude about our program should be the same as taking a shower. Who spends their whole day thinking they are "all that" because they took a shower? How can I hold the right attitude? Meditate and forget it? I'm interested in Hinduism and Christianity. How far back is Kabbalah? There are dates and then there are dates. For instance, there are important things that claim to go back thousands of years of hinduism yet some important things only go back to the first millenium A.D. And then Christianity has roots in Judaism as we know. Wiccan claims to go back a long time but some contest that it really is only put-together in the early twentieth century. Kabbalah. How far do we really know it goes back? Other than that does the workd "ayin" mean anything to your Kabalah?

Todd, that's not too shabby observation of the situation. I finally disgarded all my Way stuff, so I don't have any of the "discerning of spirits" stuff any more. TWI whole attempt to deal with the Adversary was doomed from the start. First they wanted everything fanatically chained to chapter-and-verse in the King James and second, they went on and on about the devil and devilish experiences, alleged and maybe true. But they didn't give equal attention to all the other spiritual beings that were good. Under fanatical Biblism they admit to Angels. But in that constricted mindset no one was capable of exploring the good side of spiritual beings. It was only the Saint against spiritual wickedness from on High. Christianity seems to have removed half the equation.

I believe you Tom. I did a lot of pot and Bible. smoked a lot of weed, read a lot of Bible. There are any number of spiritual beings swirling around us. good, bad, indifferent. not to mention nature-spirits (elementals). I have only two lame ones. But two true events. First, as a pothead at Ball State I couldn't wake for class. I uttered (half asleep) "Please wake me in time for class in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." then I went back to sleep. in my dream an Angel stood by me and pulled on my lower lip. I woke and my lower lip WAS being pulled. To this day I suspect the Angel (although being nice enough to do this -thankyou Deva) was a little repulsed to have to wake me. Second was years later. A college drop out. working part time in the meat department of a local supermarket, I was totally stoned. I was looking at an open Bible looking at the book of Job. I was totally fried. I was in a dormant trance from the drug. And I was drooling onto the pages of the open Bible on the book of Job. I felt a finger pushing on my head. The side of my head. the invisible finger pushed hard enough to move my head up straight. these are inane and lame, I know. But there it is. those are low points. High points can wait for other posts.

Been busy guys & gals. I'm kind of responding to Tom & George. But I've read the posts I missed, thanks to my email working. Tom, I acknowledge that you think the siddhis are devilish. George, I've not seen the yogic-flying. I've been in the next room and I could hear a couple of ladies hopping and giggling. my understanding of Hinduism is that the attitude, for the most part, is to think very little about hindu-occultism (siddhis). Why? because these powers puff-up an ego that the hindu is trying to eliminate. there is a full house of spirit beings in the hindu theology. Good, Bad, and Neutral. Angels & Demons.

Howdy Dancing. I was interested in the context of primitive Christians. As I left TWI I ended up wanting greater context. (context is king, right?). Eventually I started reading other things besides just the Bible. The early writers are different in that they lived with that generation, not our generation.

This thread is the most refreshing thing I've found to read in a long time. It actually rekindles my love for Christ. Abi, I like your last post. Now I need some fellow-reasoning together: I thought of this part of Paul's letter when you spoke of Hagar. What do we make of this? It also gives me a chance to ask a question I've had for awhile. What of the OT quote in here? Why should the barren rejoice in light of casting out Hagar?

Mark, that's why I was searching for my "Early Church Writers" book this morning. I've read chunks of that. Was it Ignatius's letters that talk about his route to being put-to-death in Rome? Was Clement one of the early sermons? I cannot remember. I hope the book surfaces in my messy house. Married-with-Children. what's a man to do? I had fun taking Dispensationalism apart. After that I went Premillennialism. so much fun. "chilism." heard the word? I was so much in love with all things concerning the Kingdom of God. A literal millennial kingdom. so much fun reading about this Original context of original Christian endtime beliefs. Ahhh the Messianic Kingdom. For years it meant everything to me. then I switched to Postmillennialism. Now I don't even believe that Lord Jesus is coming back. So this Exwaybe ends up waltzing with hinduism. Sorry. the only thing left of Christianity that interests me is the mysticism of Paul the Apostle. do you think Free2Love is gonna come back and get this thread back on track?

Abigail, I'll make the effor to look at the Eve and the Interfaith threads. So this thread can get on with its own topic. I apologize for posting off-topic. Mea Culpa. Dancing, separating Christ from God is as easy as separating the Tao from Taoism, the Brahman from Hinduism, the Ayin from Kabbalah, or the Jehovah ("I am") from the Old Testament.

In your studies Abigail, please be on the look out for any parallels to the following: Dying-and-Rising with Christ. Christ-In mysticism --NOT God-In. Walking by the spirit manifestations of the spirit fruit of the spirit. Being translated with Christ into His kingdom. If you can see observable parallels to any of these it would be great fun to look upon it.

Albert Schweitzer thought that Paul's mysticism was unique. Why do you think it is Jewish? Well, now that I think about it. Paul's whole eschatology was fully in the context of Jewish eschatology. But Schweitzer went to great lengths to articulate how Paul's was different from the mysticism of his day. by the way, are we derailing this thread?

Yes, of course. If it is literal then the only womb was Eve's. And the offspring could only find a womb on their Mother and Sisters. Maybe that's why some greater minds do not accept a literal reading?

Mark, I tried to find my own copy of the Diadeche but could not. Bummer. So I read your text in your link. It is nice to see it again. Great value and beautiful. The book I cannot find was a little paperback of Early Church Writers. Lots of fun there. Letters from church leaders after the first generation of leaders. Early sermons and other things. Not the least of which is your Didache. Why don't we ever see anyone else from the primitive Christians write about the things that Paul wrote about? The closest is probably John's Gospel and letters. But no where in the Didache do we find anything about the manifestations or walking-by-the-spirit. This ancient holy writ speaks of behaviour. Ethics. A laundry list of "O Behave" so to speak. Do you know what I mean? The Church Epistles speak of Fruit-of-the-Spirit. Manifestation-of-the-Spirit. Christ-In mysticism. The Great Dying-and-Rising with Christ. Why are these things we only find in Paul's letters?

In 1979 my High School yearbook shows that my life's ambition was to learn the art of levitation, invisibility, and manifestation of physical objects. Ah youth. I never got to do any of that stuff, but there is still time. I've always been a fan of the yogic-flying and the like. But as a fanatical Christian I had to call it all "devilish." Well, now I call it human potential.

Tom, I wonder if the star of Mindfreak is using real powers (sidhis) or he's a magician? E.W., Thanks for the welcome. Hope to find some good talks here. v/r Carl

I'll be 66 years old in 2027. If the Lord wills, perhaps I'll still be here.

Abigail, this part of Romans Five: If you skip the parantheses you see. By one man, the offense of one, by the righteousness of one, one man's disobedience, the obedience of one. You see? So I could never follow the reasoning of some others who do not want a literal Adam in their Christian theology.Carl Thank you Bliss.