I wrote an article on my Leaves of the Tree Substack "The Bible Claims to NOT be the 'Word of God'" where I talk about how Ezekiel says the "Word of God" came to him. It's clear that he wasn't given scriptures (not even the book of Ezekiel was written yet) and he wasn't given a bible. The "Word of God" is the Holy Spirit. We had no need of a book to hear the word of God.
Thanks, hope you enjoy it. I've been transferring my website (lothealing.com) articles over to Substack and I plan to get rid of the website this summer. So sometimes I'll have very old articles pop up. Though I'm writing something recent now. If you're ever curious about my current thoughts, just ask in a comment. i just didn't want to delete the website and lose all the stuff I had previously written, even if I would disagree or say things differently now.
As a believer in God I don't see a way forward to wholeness for me, in believing this. If God is all powerful and the Word is with Him and from Him, how is it man triumphed in this misrepresentation, or in anything? Either God is all powerful or He is not. One of the first thoughts that came to my mind
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."
And that I am the house being referred to
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own"
Offered in a sincere desire just to participate (not to fight / argue)
Thank you for your substack, very thought-provoking
Hi Elle and thanks for the comment! Please always provide your thoughts :). There's no fighting/arguing on this substack but rather a place for us to share ideas, refine them, so forth and so on :)
One thing I wanted to discuss is that for a lot of people, our only concept of God is true Christianity. So we see "God" and "Christian" as one and the same. What I attempt to paint is that God existed prior to our Christian way of understanding.
In my article, "The Black Man's Guide To Reality" I make this analysis as there are African's who talk about God and describe God, prior to the written word of the Bible. I'd love to get your thoughts on it and to see if it helps to expand the awareness of God, outside of the Christian perspective that we know off.
If you're referring to John 1, the pronoun "he" is not in the original text. It could just as easily be translated as 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by it; and without it was not any thing made that was made. 4 In it was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
God (His Holy Spirit that lives inside of us) is the word. Jesus spoke the words of God to us.
What are your initial thoughts and reactions to the article? I have battled with this regarding the 'word' of a book, and the Truth. As you stated "That’s why we must follow the Holy Spirit over the Bible and listen to his voice in our hearts and minds." Why would people choose to remove themselves from society to sit in a cave? To Listen. Words are like the static you hear and sometimes can even see, on a TV. Very distracting and stressful for our Being and nervous system. Words hold a vibratory element....why they call it 'Spell-ing" This statement you made as well, "Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17)" I've not read the words of the book called the Bible, but when I read these words what arises within me is a very expansive feeling that radiates out from my Heart, and this feeling rises upwards into my throat, to my eyes and comes in the form of tears. This feeling as I sit in Silence and Listen, for me, feels like the Truth.
Things that always bothered me, why is there so much focus on Jesus on the cross as opposed to Jesus rising from the dead or rising into heaven. Even as a child this focus on the cross seemed defeatist.
The Bible never interested me, I am not saying that proudly. Until recently I saw it as a shortcoming. I have family members who are Bible thumpers and if they knew my questions about its validity as the Word of God they would likely write me off as destined for hell.
Everything with Christians seems so Jesus focused. I mean I get the word itself comes from Jesus Christ, but it’s like Jesus is paramount, not God.
I believe in God. I’m just unsure about Jesus as documented in the Bible. It can make for a fairly lonely life, as it almost seems easier to say I’m an atheist than to say I’m not sure I believe in Jesus or the Bible.
I’m not articulating this well but mainly I want to thank you for the thought provoking iconoclastic nature of your writing.
Cynthia, thanks for this comment and you're 100% spot on. Totally understand those questions and that's one of the problems I've had w/ Christianity: it's dogmatic approach that people don't want to question. I look to approach this topic of Christianity from a lot of angles, so I think you may appreciate this article here: https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/why-gnosticism-is-the-christianity#details
I wrote an article on my Leaves of the Tree Substack "The Bible Claims to NOT be the 'Word of God'" where I talk about how Ezekiel says the "Word of God" came to him. It's clear that he wasn't given scriptures (not even the book of Ezekiel was written yet) and he wasn't given a bible. The "Word of God" is the Holy Spirit. We had no need of a book to hear the word of God.
Just subscribed to your LOT substack and man, looks like you have a lot of great work there!
You're totally right. We have the Spirit, no need for the word.
Thanks, hope you enjoy it. I've been transferring my website (lothealing.com) articles over to Substack and I plan to get rid of the website this summer. So sometimes I'll have very old articles pop up. Though I'm writing something recent now. If you're ever curious about my current thoughts, just ask in a comment. i just didn't want to delete the website and lose all the stuff I had previously written, even if I would disagree or say things differently now.
As a believer in God I don't see a way forward to wholeness for me, in believing this. If God is all powerful and the Word is with Him and from Him, how is it man triumphed in this misrepresentation, or in anything? Either God is all powerful or He is not. One of the first thoughts that came to my mind
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand."
And that I am the house being referred to
"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own"
Offered in a sincere desire just to participate (not to fight / argue)
Thank you for your substack, very thought-provoking
Hi Elle and thanks for the comment! Please always provide your thoughts :). There's no fighting/arguing on this substack but rather a place for us to share ideas, refine them, so forth and so on :)
One thing I wanted to discuss is that for a lot of people, our only concept of God is true Christianity. So we see "God" and "Christian" as one and the same. What I attempt to paint is that God existed prior to our Christian way of understanding.
In my article, "The Black Man's Guide To Reality" I make this analysis as there are African's who talk about God and describe God, prior to the written word of the Bible. I'd love to get your thoughts on it and to see if it helps to expand the awareness of God, outside of the Christian perspective that we know off.
https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/the-black-mans-guide-to-reality
Let me know your thoughts! :)
But, John refers to Jesus as the Word...twists and turns with a corrupted history of inclusions and exclusions.
If you're referring to John 1, the pronoun "he" is not in the original text. It could just as easily be translated as 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by it; and without it was not any thing made that was made. 4 In it was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
God (His Holy Spirit that lives inside of us) is the word. Jesus spoke the words of God to us.
What are your initial thoughts and reactions to the article? I have battled with this regarding the 'word' of a book, and the Truth. As you stated "That’s why we must follow the Holy Spirit over the Bible and listen to his voice in our hearts and minds." Why would people choose to remove themselves from society to sit in a cave? To Listen. Words are like the static you hear and sometimes can even see, on a TV. Very distracting and stressful for our Being and nervous system. Words hold a vibratory element....why they call it 'Spell-ing" This statement you made as well, "Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17)" I've not read the words of the book called the Bible, but when I read these words what arises within me is a very expansive feeling that radiates out from my Heart, and this feeling rises upwards into my throat, to my eyes and comes in the form of tears. This feeling as I sit in Silence and Listen, for me, feels like the Truth.
Thanks for this comment Lisa! I've once heard, "Truth is the only religion"
Things that always bothered me, why is there so much focus on Jesus on the cross as opposed to Jesus rising from the dead or rising into heaven. Even as a child this focus on the cross seemed defeatist.
The Bible never interested me, I am not saying that proudly. Until recently I saw it as a shortcoming. I have family members who are Bible thumpers and if they knew my questions about its validity as the Word of God they would likely write me off as destined for hell.
Everything with Christians seems so Jesus focused. I mean I get the word itself comes from Jesus Christ, but it’s like Jesus is paramount, not God.
I believe in God. I’m just unsure about Jesus as documented in the Bible. It can make for a fairly lonely life, as it almost seems easier to say I’m an atheist than to say I’m not sure I believe in Jesus or the Bible.
I’m not articulating this well but mainly I want to thank you for the thought provoking iconoclastic nature of your writing.
Cynthia, thanks for this comment and you're 100% spot on. Totally understand those questions and that's one of the problems I've had w/ Christianity: it's dogmatic approach that people don't want to question. I look to approach this topic of Christianity from a lot of angles, so I think you may appreciate this article here: https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/why-gnosticism-is-the-christianity#details
. What do you mean by original text?