God moves us to show empathy, compassion, pity and consideration for all those accused by the prejudice of others, labeled as outcasts, low life's and drunks, at the same time not living a life that endorses hurtful actions, as many of them do. Balance, mercy and love is true discernment, compassion, the showing of honor and value to each individual, "considering others superior to you" and is the highest level of love, universally possible by all humanity. Inclusiveness is the true teaching of God. Unfortunately this cannot be found in the majority of fundamentalists of all religious cultures, yet lives with those who seek God behind the letter in these same cultures. Although being sincere, well wishing, and strongly driven to do what is right, fundamentalism and literal viewpoints on scripture contains seeds of hypocrisy, unbalance, self righteousness and judgementalism, lacking both true perspective and discernment. This is the letter taken literally, the word without the spirit, that is the absence of the living word of God that exerts power and ability to distinguish between one sidedness and prejudice and that of paradox and inclusiveness, with the ability to see the subjectivity of truth that can never be objective when taken from the literal explanation of other men. God is an experience, not an explanation. (Phillipians 2:1-5) The Pharisees Vs. The Tax Collectors It is interesting, the Gospels relate that "while Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?" (Matthew 9:10-12) The Pharisees had a point. They scrupulously followed and obeyed all of God's laws and both knew and studied the scriptures intensively. On the other hand, the tax collectors did not walk the Jewish subculture. The did not walk and talk the talk. Not only did they not obey the law with the Pharisees perception of God's commands, but in addition, extorted money out of people, and for this, utterly despised. And here was Jesus talking to them, sitting down with them, socializing and even and eating with them. Eating with folks back then was a big deal, an act of hospitality, friendship and approval of the guests lifestyle. Unlike the Pharisees, who would not even think of doing such a thing, Jesus was neither self righteous, tightly wound, caught up in religious service and life style, nor did he judge or condemn these labeled outcasts. Jesus instead practiced an all inclusiveness with mercy and compassion. As the Pharisees asked, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?," Jesus, on hearing this, said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Here he was saying that all the sacrifices that the Pharisees worked so hard at, were not the reason Jesus came to teach, nor were they the message of what he taught, but mercy, kindness, understanding and forgiveness, total inclusiveness and acceptance of all others, were the core of his teaching, something that the Pharisees lacked, something that fundamentalists Christians lack today, as they prohibit women to teach, condemn homosexuals and consider those without literal interpretation of scripture to be unsaved, separated from God. Thankfully they no longer use their literal interpretation to support slavery and segregation of African Americans, as spiritual men, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., have turned the tides on bible literalism. Most people who are scrupulous in obedience to the scriptures, laws, rules and legal requirements of their religious leaders, pastors or slave classes, tend to become confident of their own righteousness and eventually start to judge others and look down on them. This is what happens in an external worship, with legal requirements to obey and sacrifices to perform. This is the result of seeing the surface, studying details and failing to think outside the box of literalism. This way of thinking was no different in Jesus time as he told this parable to some "who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else,: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: `God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get, "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:-10-14) Can not this same parable be told today? One just has to replace the Pharisee with a "pioneer," "minister," "pastor," "missionary," or "reverend" and in turn, replace the tax collector with a mere "publisher," "worldly person" or "sinner," who smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol, listens to loud music, never reads the bible, never goes to church/kingdom hall, never preaches literal doctrine and fails in his treatment of others at times. In turn the so called righteous fundamentalist, the law abiding witness, prays to God and thanks him that he or she is not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers,-or even a mere "worldly" person, as this self righteous person, pioneers, preaches, reads the bible daily, teaches his family the theology of his religion, donates his money and his time. But it is the sinner, the "worldly" person who smokes, drinks, commits adultery and carries on who truly humbles himself and expresses repentance, asking God for the mercy to forgive him. "I tell you that this man, the spiritually weak man, the sinner, rather than the good church goer and pioneer, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." When a person finds Christ within his or her self, deep down inside the interior silence of humble retreat, it is only then, that he or she can see God in all others, can put away judgment, allowing things to be, to exist under the spirit of unconditional love with the freedom of forgiving. Jesus himself, preached over and over, that it is mercy, justice and charity that pertains to God, not religious theology, belief and sacrifice. The Jewish Pharisees, God's chosen religious leaders, had the knowledge of the scriptures, and scrupulously performed all the right sacrifices pertaining to their literalistic view on the scriptures. Yet Jesus condemned them for their failure to see beyond, above and behind, as they failed to show forgiveness and mercy towards their fellow man. The poor man on the street, lepers, so called demonic possessed persons and the poor slobs (Amaharets - people of the dirt) of society were all part of the inclusive society Jesus was trying to convey. Fundamentalism is the putting of black and white rules over the Spirit. It is reaching for security in human weakness, certainty in tangible and external answers. It is idolatry. Anytime we use men, organizations, creeds, traditions and even scripture itself, to lean on for security we put aside the ambiguous mystery of God, in turn practicing idolatry. I vote for the uncertainty, the insecurity, the willingness to enter into the unknown, the areas without clear distinct outlines, the pictures that lack sharp focus. In turn I find God, a knowing presence of love, peace and joy, a quiet whispering softness that resides silently within. It is here we find God, not in the pages of words, written by other men, perhaps men who knew God in their own nothingness, yet subjected their "knowing presence" in human terms the minute they interpreted their experience. Jesus Christ broke the law, he was far from a fundamentalist, far from a bible literalist, He did not walk the walk and talk the talk. According to the fundamentalists of his day, he simply could not be the Messiah. No man who blatantly broke the obvious laws of God, so plainly written could be the messiah. Yet Jesus was God, right in front of them. No different today, fundamentalists, evangelical circles, TV evangelists, cults and groups alike are faced with today with people directly in front who they consider outcasts. people with God within them, as all of humanity have, but they reject them and prefer laws, rules, church organizations, men and popular theology ahead of the Spirit. Our walk with Christ is so very internal, It is only then we can manifest this externally. The Bible is filled with ordinary people. What we know of the greatest known prophets, were that of people just like us. Most at times, were confused and lacked trust. Many felt inadequate and attempted to forsake their God-given assignments. Moses complained that he was not eloquent enough and that people wouldn't believe him. Isaiah claimed himself unworthy, "a man of unclean lips." Samuel was just a little boy. Ezekiel was sent out to preach to dead bones. Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, and yet God took these people and turned them into something for his purpose. These people, along with countless scores of other people that God used, did not consider themselves superior, above others, elevated in their assessment of themselves and their treatment of others. Those that slanted towards that way of thinking were always rebuked, including Jesus' Apostles, confused men, who sought prominence many times, Jesus patiently correcting them, slowly bringing them change, growing in maturity, as their letters written in years later confirm. Think of Nicodemus, that wise doctor of Israel, in John's gospel, who comes to Jesus by night to learn of life. His a very much confused and uncertain, this Nicodemus, when he hears Jesus say, "You must be born again." As a fundamental bible literalist, he had no idea of what Jesus said, thinking "how can a man enter his mothers womb again?" So, too, are so many modern-day people confused when they hear that phrase, "born again." To so many it sounds like a statement of spiritual achievement, a destination at which one has already arrived and when it is uttered with the spiritual pride with which so many American Christians utter it, as a badge of spiritual and moral superiority, we can understand why people are confused and mightily put off. What "born again" in the gospel means, however, is literally to begin all over again, to be given a second birth, a second chance. The one who is born again doesn't all of a sudden get turned into a super Christian. To be born again is to enter afresh into the process of spiritual growth. It is to wipe the slate clean. It is to cancel your old mortgage and start again. In other words, you don't have to be always what you have now become. Such an offer is too good to be true for many, confusing for most, but for those who seek to be other than what they are now, who want to be more that the mere accumulation and sum total of their experiences, the invitation, "You must be born again," is an offer you cannot afford to refuse. The Bible is an account of that great company of people who have both sought and found a way. We should take them seriously, for they have much to tell us. (3) God's Grace Perhaps the most repeated and emphasized message of the letters written by Apostle Paul is the message of God's grace. Repeatedly, Paul instructs and teaches to the various congregations and individuals that mankind is now under God's grace or undeserved kindness. Paul has an unusual self loathing of himself, even accusing himself of being a "wretched man." unable to be rescued. Yet even he, found solace, forgiveness and acceptance under the umbrella of Christ's reconciliation of men with God. This is a kindness of God or a grace that is claimed by Paul as undeserved by mankind, apparently from his own self perception and literal interpretation of the mythological figure Adam, and the tale of inherited sin. But through the blood of God's son, the Christ, mankind is now reconciled with God and his sins are now forgiven, under God's grace or undeserved kindness. This grace would be the interpretive meaning for Paul as both the very meaning and teaching of Christ, man's role model, whose steps, Peter tells us, are to be followed closely. Here's the point: it is only by imitating God's grace to our fellow man, by extending our own individual grace with the showing of kindness, mercy and forgiveness, even though its not deserved, can we be exercising true faith in the Christ. This no doubt requires us to become part of an inclusive community. We can no longer condemn those not embracing our theology, women, blacks and homosexuals. Sadly, most have no conception that they are under the obligation to put others under their own grace, living life in imitation, exercising, undeserved kindness and inclusiveness to their fellow man, that is all of humanity. We are all under the law of the Christ to put our neighbor under our grace. By "loving our neighbor as ourselves" we in turn are doing this directly to the Christ, who said: The majority of Christian religious groups enforce the condition of doctrine, dogmas, creeds and traditions in order to be in "one" with God and receive His outpouring of Spirit, enforcing requirements and conditions on God's unconditional love and Spirit. "No one can come to the Father, except through me." John 14:6 Yet how can this be if God's love is unconditional? Paradoxically, going through Christ to get to the Father cannot be doctrine in itself, but in both His and our unconditional love and allowance of free will towards all others. To be unconditional love, there cannot be restrictive judgments and requirements placed outside of our own unconditional love, with our total use of free wills to choose unconditional love, bringing us joy and inner peace. This is precisely why Jesus stated that anyone who sins against Him, by failing to put faith in the doctrine of Him, is forgiven. Christ is about the opening of doors, Inclusiveness is the only answer to unconditional love. No one is exempt from God. This is why St. Paul tells us, not doctrine but "love is the laws fulfillment."

In Luke, he writes his story of Jesus in chapter 9:24 as stating, "Whoever wants to save his soul will lose it; but whoever loses his soul for my sake is the one that will save it." History shows many persons were willing to suffer, die and "lose their soul" for loyally following Christ. But what many considered following him, were instead following literal interpretations, church dogmas and loyalty to group conformity which in the end, cost them their lives. The "love of Christ surpasses knowledge" and "is above all human understanding." Sacrifice is worthless compared to mercy. For God takes delight in loving kindness and not in whole burnt offerings," this love coming from experience of God, not explanation. No human words can capture, nor doctrine, dogmas and creeds contain the spiritual language of God that far surpasses bible literalism. (1 John 4:8; Hebrews 1:3; Hosea 6:6; Eph 3:19) If a person is unknowingly following a law or code because his moral "conscience" tells him to do so, is he not still a follower? Apparently Apostle Paul implied so, as he stated "For whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people although not having law, are a law to themselves. The are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts , while their conscience is bearing witness with them and , between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused." So the "people of the nations" were "both accused and excused" by the Mosaic law for what was "written in their hearts" even though they did not specifically follow or have doctrinal knowledge of the Mosaic law code. This same principle can also be applied to "the law of Christ" that is "written on hearts," and those that do not externally know the law of Christ and neither have "faith in Christ" or the doctrinal knowledge of Christ and the bible, but internally "do by nature the things of the law of Christ ... they demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts ... and are being accused or even excused." (1 John 4:2-3; 5:11; James 1:20; Jer 31:31-33: Romans 2:14-15, 28-29; Romans 8; 1 Cor 9:21) When a Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto and others, both do not have or even reject the doctrinal knowledge of the Bible, but "do by nature the things of the law of Christ," they are unknowingly " following the law of Christ" and are therefore having their own consciences "accusing or excusing," them, which in turn will be judged by God. They are not fundamental followers of Christ, bible literalists who put law and sacrifice above the law of love, the letter above the spirit, it is the life of justice, honor, love and above all mercy that determines our outcome and recognition of Christ, never our obedience to theology and religious teachings. Ii is our seeing Christ in both in ourselves and others, that aligns us in agreement with the law of Christ, differentiating between ignorance and evil. God dwells within all men, Jew, Christian, Hindu and Muslim alike, our fruitage there of determines our willingness to see the Christ in both ourselves and others. Living a life of love, is the law of Christ putting human consciences in agreement with God's will, which although being our own that is doing "excusing," God will be the judge, as we "have the law of Christ written on our hearts." This is reflecting God. The human conscience that is united with the Holy Spirit can be described as Thomas Merton explains, "The whole function of the life of prayer is, then, to enlighten and strengthen our conscience so that we not only know and perceive the outward, written, precepts of the moral and divine laws, but above all lives God's law in concrete reality by perfect and continual union with His will. The conscience that is united to the Holy Spirit by faith, hope, and selfless charity becomes a mirror of God's own interior law which is His charity. It becomes perfectly free. It becomes its own law because it is completely subject to the will of God and to His Spirit. In the perfection of its obedience it "tastes and sees that the Lord is sweet," and knows the meaning of St. Paul's statement that the "law is not made for just one man." (1 Timothy 1:9)(6) But the conscience that does academically know of God's Spirit to be guiding it tends to seek its instinctiveness of right and wrong, and search for spiritual meaning of the inward sense of morality. Merton further comments on our natural human conscience we are born with, "We do not have to create a conscience for ourselves. We are born with one, and no matter how much we may ignore it, we cannot silence its insistent demand that we do good and avoid evil. No matter how much we may deny our freedom and our marl responsibility, our intellectual soul cries out for a morality and a spiritual freedom without which it knows it cannot be happy. The first duty of every man is to seek the enlightenment and discipline without which his conscience cannot solve the problems of life. And on of the first duties of society to the men who compose it is to enable them to receive the spiritual formation they need in order to live by the light of a prudent and mature conscience. I say "spiritual" and not merely "religious," for religious formation is sometimes no more than an outward formality, and therefore it is not really religious, nor is it a "formation" of the soul."(6)"Conscience is the indication of hidden things, of imperceptible acts and tendencies that are much more important than itself. It is the mirror of a man's depths. The reality of a person is a deep and hidden thing, buried not only in the invisible recesses of man's own metaphysical secrecy but in the secrecy of God Himself.Conscience is the face of the soul. Its changing expressions manifest more precisely the moral action of the soul than the changes of man's countenance manifest the emotions within him. Even the outward face of man is only a reflection of his conscience. true, only a very little of what is in a man's soul ever shines out in his face: but the little that is there is enough to speak eloquently of the conscience within.' (6a) The Gospels write that those who sin against Christ, will be forgiven. Jesus words in Mark 3:28-29 and Matt 12:31-32: "All things will be forgiven men, no matter what sins and blasphemies they blasphemously commit." "For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him." This can include persons who do not confess faith in Jesus on a doctrinal level, but are showing "love to their fellowman" thus being "forgiven" and "excused" with a second opportunity to put faith in him at a later time, when he is revealed. Jesus then further states: "However, whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness forever, but is guilty of everlasting sin." However, it is with God's Spirit in us that we love those who are united to us in Christ. The more plentifully we have received of the Spirit of Christ, the more perfectly we are able to love them; and the more we love them the more we receive of the Spirit. It is clear, however, that since we love them by the Spirit Who is given to us by Jesus, it is Jesus Himself Who loves them in us. (7) People who do not show love, but show hatred, greediness, wickedness and selfishness on a continual basis, neither have the law of Christ on their hearts and cease to confess Jesus, in accordance with the "will of God," nor "exercise faith" in him, despite their doctrinal confession of Christ and loyal religious service, therefore guilty of Marks interpretation of "blaspheming against the holy spirit and everlasting sin." But those with faith and those ignorant within love show to have the law of Christ written on their hearts are forgiven. (1 John 4:1-3; Mark 3:28-29; Matt 12:31-32; Romans 13:8; Matt 7:21) Paul writes in Romans chapter 2: "Circumcision is of no value if you break the law. So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision ?" Another wards it is what is written inwardly on the heart that determines a man's outcome with God, not the outwardly or external formality of obeying his laws. "For the real Jew is not one who is outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical." Rather "The real Jew is one who is inwardly and real circumcision is a matter of the heart, spiritual and not literal. His praise is from God and not men." (Romans 2:25-29) Paul words on circumcision appear to convey that verbal affirmation of Christ along with his teachings are merely external and outwardly. The real Christian is not one who is outwardly, nor is having detailed knowledge of scripture. Rather, the real Christian is one who both has faith in Christ and inwardly exercises obedience (love of God and neighbor) internally from the heart. What is God asking back from us? Rules, regulations? No, for external rules written down are the "minding of the flesh, which means death," while the internal rules of love, written on hearts are the "minding of the spirit, which means life and peace." Not organizational policies, rules and regulations but faith in Christ, who lives within us, "to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God." "For love is the law's fulfillment." As King Solomon put it: "The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man." What are his commandments? It is as Apostle John states: "This is his commandment, that we: (1) have faith in the name of his son Jesus Christ and; (2) be loving one another." And it is by observing this commandment of "love," that we "gain the knowledge that we are in union with him." "For the entire Law stands fulfilled in one saying, namely: You must love your neighbor as yourself." (1 John 3:11,23-24) (Micah 6:8; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8; Romans 8:6-11; 13:10; Ecc 12:13) Summary According to Christian theology, having trust in God and faith in Jesus as the Christ and Lord and Savior, we need not worry. If we truly "seek the kingdom first," with faith in Christ, along with acts of mercy, not sacrifice, putting trust in God, we are promised that he will watch over us. He will not pay our bills, cure us of illness, nor prevent the physical and mental abuse others do to us, nor feed us physical food, but what he will do, is give us the "power beyond what is normal," a "peace that excels all thoughts" and the "strength" of his spirit to deal with the hardships we face, a mental strength to endure, "not letting us be tempted more than we can bear." It is only with faith in Christ that we can please God to receive this strength, however, despite having this, our personal salvation does not rest on our faith in Christ alone without our living in accord with the spirit he supplies us. We are under the obligation to love our fellow man with mercy and forgiveness. Nor do those without faith in Christ who live a life of love according to the law of Christ, despite being works of the flesh, receive death or punishment. Rather, our salvation is obtained on two factors. Our faith and reliance on Christ and his plans for both us and the world and second, our life actions pertaining to the Christ, the agape love we show to our fellow man. It is only these things that will determine our standing with God, for this is the "will of God" and the true meaning of the Christ. (Matt 7:21-23) Life itself is a test. The test of knowing God is about our faith and how we treat our fellow man, not about what doctrines we profess or knowledge we obtain or works of sacrifice that we perform. Rather our test is our perception of God within us and all others, with our mercy, kindness, empathy, compassion and forgiveness towards our fellow man. This is the true meaning of the Christ. Beyond words of men, behind fundamental clear cut answers. We enter in the mystery of the living spirit, alive in agreement to "love one another," extending our own personal grace and forgiveness to our fellow man, fall short, yet always progressive in our forward movement to forgive and grow in agape charity. Many persons do not care, forgive, letting their own selfish pursuits come before everyone and everything else in their lives. While others, under the same selfish inclinations of the ego, recognize this and are constantly adjusting themselves, consciously making a continual effort to put their selfish tendencies away and put the forgiveness and consideration of others in the forefront.

-- (@@@@I love you.com), September 04, 2002

Answers

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-- (@@@I love you.com), September 04, 2002.

It would be a lot easier to "focus on the message" if you divided it up into paragraphs, instead of one big long blob of text.

-- Christine L. (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), September 17, 2002.

The Virago is cutting/pasting, Christine. She thought the html would keep her paragraph breaks intact as she cut and pasted somebody else's tract. It didn't.

Her pet peeve is fundamentalists.

The Virago thinks that belief in a Church is fundamentalism. She is a dropout from Catholic teaching, because she lives in pride. If there were one passage in scripture we could refer to her, it's where Paul states ''Pride goes before a fall.''

The apostle Paul was in fact a fundamentalist; as Saul and before his own conversion. Yet, Joan thinks Paul and the apostles are fundamentalists who teach the catholic faith to us! She was better off denying the New Testament altogether, don't you think?

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), September 17, 2002.