Jesus walks the desert, in dialogue with Satan. illustrated by Matthew Lawler. Originally appeared in 'Paradise Deferred', written by Erland Anderson, Published by Matthew Lawler Creative
“And when we were sitting about the board, one of the publicans questioned Jesus, saying, “is it true that you and your disciples break the law, and make fire on the sabbath day?”
And Jesus answered him saying, “We do indeed make fire on the sabbath day. We would inflame the sabbath day, and we would burn with our torch the dry stubble of all the days.”
-Levi, A Disciple. From ‘Jesus, the Son of Man’ by Kahlil Gibran
On this 16th anniversary of the greatest tragedy to strike America, I would like to perform the rebellious act of elevating truth, for it is truth my soul most desires, and that truth I shall bring. And since today is my 33rd birthday, I will gift myself a stride towards the gift I want most: for the people of the world to be armed with truth and knowledge, so that we may successfully resist the forces that would oppress us, and create a world with a fabric of love and freedom.
Fortunately, I don’t need to be the authority on 9/11 truth, but I will certainly be an amplifier. There are a countless number of links I could share for great content on 9/11 truth, but I’ll go with Sean’s latest interview at SGTReport with James Perloff, in which a compelling narrative, far more truthful that the mainstream cover story, is laid bare. Now, I’ve been a ’9/11 truther’ for well over a decade now, but even I learned quite a bit from this interview, including a new perspective on “who done it?”.
I also want to illuminate another truth. A truth that burns bright and loud in my own heart, and now seeks communion with other intuitive souls and seekers. You might even say it’s more controversial that ‘911’ truth, which is exactly why it’s so important.
Instead of diving straight in with my own words on this 2nd, illuminating truth, I would like to let a man much greater than I illuminate you with His words. Here, a short chapter from Kahlil Gibran’s, “Jesus, the Son of Man.”
Saba of Antioch
“This day I heard Saul of Tarsus preaching the Christ unto the Jews of this city.
He calls himself Paul now, the apostle to the Gentiles.
I knew him in my youth, and in those days he persecuted the friends of the Nazarene. Well do I remember his satisfaction when his fellows stoned the radiant youth called Stephen.
This Paul is indeed a strange man. His soul is not the soul of a free man.
At times he seems like an animal in the forest, hunted and wounded, seeking a cave wherein he would hide his pain from the world.
He speaks not of Jesus, nor does he repeat His words. He preaches the Messiah whom the prophets of old had foretold.
And though he himself is a learned Jew he addresses his fellow Jews in Greek; and his Greek is halting, and he ill chooses his words.
But he is a man of hidden powers and his presence is affirmed by those who gather round him. And at times he assures them of what he himself is not assured.
We who knew Jesus and heard His discourses say that He taught man how to break the chains of his bondage that he might be free from his yesterdays.
But Paul is forging chains for the man of tomorrow. He would strike with his own hammer upon the anvil in the name of one whom he does not know.
The Nazarene would have us live the hour in passion and extract.
The man of Tarsus would have us be mindful of laws recorded in the ancient books.
Jesus gave His breath to the breathless dead. And in my lone nights I believe and I understand.
When He sat at the board, He told stories that gave happiness to the feasters, and spiced with His joy the meat and the wine.
But Paul would prescribe our loaf and our cup.
Suffer me now to turn my eyes the other way.”
What do YOU get from this passage?
I get an intuitive sense that Kahlil Gibran is correct in his implications that Paul, the author of much of the New Testament in the Bible, is an enormously flawed man. This is the man the Christian church has based it’s doctrine and dogma upon. Because the Bible is constantly idolized in the church as ‘the Word of God’, what we have been stuck with for nearly two thousand years is largely Paul’s version of Jesus Christ, ringing loud and disgracing the the core message of Christ.
We could certainly detail Paul’s misleading passages, and I do intend to in future writings. But let’s take another step back, and see plainly the harm that is done when religious groups claim to have ‘the Word of God’ bound in their own exclusive book.
1) It encourages ignorance
When you believe you have God’s Word in one book, why bother to seek other information? Some do, but most don’t.
2) It eliminates incentive for critical thinking, and discourages us from relying on our own experience to form ideas
Every person is given a mind, and they are responsible to the beliefs they hold in it. There is no such piece of media on this planet, the Bible, or any other, that should be lodged into our minds as ‘God’s Word’, undigested by the filter of discernment.
3) It removes the possibility of reasonable discussion
When one party claims to have ‘God’s Word’, there really isn’t much to discuss, is there?
4) It reduces our ability to sense the movement of the Spirit, in the NOW.
God didn’t write a book, and even if He did start one (or seek to 'inspire' one), it certainly is not finished. The story is happening NOW, and you have a roll to play in it. The spirit is dynamic. The Bible is a static book (though, with lots to learn from!)
Whether or not you consider yourself a Christ follower ( I DO), we have much work to do in bringing His truth to surface in our own hearts and minds.
Jesus Christ set his sights on Truth, and let no authority obstruct it from his view, or keep it from flowing abundantly from his lips.
The light of truth was his nourishment, as it is mine. I pray you know the truth of what happened on this day, September 11, 16 years ago.
I pray you to know and perceive the truth amongst the lies and deception on the TV and everywhere in the mainstream.
I pray you to know and perceive the truth without any one book that claims to have it, in exclusivity.
Listen to your heart and seek the truth. You will find it.