without any left behind

[bluegreen17]

i only know the general premise of the 'left behind' series,but the very thought pisses me off. i really dont think it has anything to do with what jesus's message and christianity are all about. it's based on a literal interpretation of part of the book of revelations. it just doesn't make sense to me,that jesus,who hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes,would advocate exclusion.

i'm not a buddhist,but i really love the concept of bodhicitta...

the great vehicle of the Buddha's teaching is distinguished by its emphasis on cultivating bodhicitta, the attitude of loving-kindness and compassion towards all beings. Through such an altruistic attitude one seeks to attain liberation not for oneself alone, but for the benefit of all sentient beings without any exception or any left behind.

p.s. kind of interesting how this last bit makes jesus sound more like a buddhist than the average modern-day christian.

Comments

[cretaceousrick.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, the whole mythology of the Rapture derives not from Revelations or any actual biblical "prophecy" but from one or two offhand comments Paul included in one of his epistles. In my opinion Paul, peace and blessings be upon him, was a thief and a born politician, out for his own interests and power base. From his pen came such infamies as "it is shameful for a woman to speak in church." Evangelists quote him relentlessly, him and the Gospel of John, the only gospel written by a gentile and thus jam-packed with anti-Semetic feeling. Kinda clarifies their position, doesn't it?

I agree entirely with your comparisons with Buddhism. The Buddha had two or three good points, methinks. As did Jesus, but his message has been skewed and perverted so much more over the millenia. Jesus drank and was quite possibly gay and he was definitely a commie. He may have smoked pot for all we know. But you won't hear any evangelist mention that.

Christians, defined as actual followers of Christ's teachings, are hard to come by these days.

[autumnfaerie.livejournal.com]

Jesus? Gay? Where'd that come from?

[cretaceousrick.livejournal.com]

There isn't much if any evidence for a homosexual Jesus in the written record. It's just something I find amusing. :)

jesus

[bluegreen17]

i love your comments! maybe jesus was gay,may he wasn't.ha. but in either case he'd still be hanging around with people who were gay or not,because he hung out with anybody who wanted to hang out with him.

i didn't realize that 'the rapture' was something created from a few comments of paul's.it sounds like you know a bit about the bible. my own knowledge is middlin'. i was raised catholic,and personal bible reading was not emphasized,at least not in the sixties and seventies. i don't really know what the catholic church is like these days. most of the things i learned about the bible were the gospel readings,references in sermons,and my children's bible,which i loved,though some of the stories perplexed me...especially old testament ones like job and abraham almost sacrificing isaac...yikes! and in fact,they still do.

i must say i am not overly fond of paul.

the more i learn of judaism,the more i feel i understand a little why they didn't think jesus was divine. in any event,he was throwing a monkey wrench into some of their conservative systems,even though he himself said that he came to fulfill the law and not break it. but of course it's not so simple. and i think christians should remember the fact that jesus was a jew.

when i think of the beauty of jesus's teachings,and then think of all the mess that christianity in many cases has been and is,i think it's rather horrifying. i wholeheartedly agree that christians who actually follow christ's teachings are all too rare. nevertheless,though they fall short,there are christians whose hearts are in the right place,and to me that's the most important thing.

yeah,jesus was definitely a radical. though i thought he was a peaceful radical,and the story of his losing his temper in the temple with the moneychangers surprises me.well,maybe if he indeed was divine,he also learned in his human incarnation how difficult it can be to be human. that and when he said 'my god,my god,why have you forsaken me?' i find that heartwrenching. though i've never been through anything as horrifying as being crucified,i have so often felt forsaken and abandoned by god,and i have very mixed feelings about the fact that jesus,who was so close to god whether or not he himself WAS/IS god,felt that too.
on the one hand,it makes me feel less alone in feeling that. on the other hand,it is dismaying that jesus,who was so highly evolved,still experienced that kind of doubt.

[autumnfaerie.livejournal.com]

Speaking of which..have you seen this? (http://secure.agoramedia.com/index_leftbehind2.asp?promo=A0C0161F-1B26-4E7D-84E5-AF7AD2C55979&email=) Now, by no means am I a proper Christian...but is this totally jacked up to you?

[bluegreen17]

wow. sheesh. i just don't understand why some of these so-called christians are so excited about armageddon and the idea that they will be one of the 'elect'. i mean,sorry,that's an unchristian attitude. jesus,save us ALL. i don't like a lot of people,but i want us all to be saved in the end.

an evil bit of me,though,wishes that jesus would show up and say,sorry,you folks who thought you were better than others...you're staying here amd you'll have to endure the very things you didn't care if others did. nah,i really don't wish pain on anyone...not even saddam hussein or george w....i just wish for kindness and enlightenment for everyone.though i don't want anyone to go through hell,sometimes i think a few could learn some lessons from a little time in purgatory,so they know what they've done to others,but not to endure it anymore once they've learned.

meanwhile,a lot of good people endure hell that they don't deserve...but it's a mystery to me as to why.

[lothie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, funny thing, that.

[aprilstorme.livejournal.com]

heh :)

I converted to Christianity at 15 from..well..nothing I guess. I went all out radical was even one of those who forced tracks upon unsuspecting souls condeming them to hell.

I hadnt read the bible in its entirty at that point either.

Funny thing about religion is that often times the sheep allow themselves to be led, without question, to spiritual slaughter. I know so many 'christians' who have never read the entire Bible, they just take what is told to them at face value and pick out a few verses that suit their purpose.

Interestingly, many of those will say that the old testament was Law and Jesus came and now we are under grace, meaning we dont have to follow the old ways word for word. Those are the very people who will also say things such as 'you are going to hell because of such and such' and homosexuals are evil, etc etc. They dont follow their own doctrine.

Even Jesus said he came for those who needed him, not for those who already knew, so the whole condemnation is silly.

But you know, people have to feel superior one way or another.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

I've actually read the first book of the Left Behind series. It's more or less "pulp," but what struck me throughout was this smug sense the authors have about what makes one "worthy" of being among the raptured.

"Pre-millenial dispensationalism" is the technical name for the eschatological view the authors depict. This view can be characterized as a cult that has become pre-eminent through much of conservative Christendom. It is based on scanty scriptural evidence (and contradicts scripture in places) and a whole lotta conjecture.

[bluegreen17]

it's the smugness that annoys me the most...that and thinking that the bush administration must be a big fan of these books since they seem to be so hoping they can personally bring about armageddon,so that they can leave the 'rest of us' behind. well,we shall see. not that i feel strongly about that or anything! ha.

on the literary side,there are so many people who love those books,and yet i have heard others say they are poorly written. it's similar to the danielle steel phenomenon. i tried to read one of her books once. not only was the writing bad,but obviously she had lousy editors as well. yes,i'm a snobby reader. i love beautiful prose and of course i have my own criteria for that,which is not necessarily mainstream.

[ranunculus.livejournal.com]

This series sounds like a get ritch scheme to me. What I have never understood, from that long ago day when my school was drug out for a Billy Graham revival, to today, is why people will not only go to those things, but pay good money for them. Shudder. Especially when the speaker arrives in his custom mercedes limo.


Ever tried to read anything written by Marion Zimmer Bradley? She writes brilliantly - sort of. In spurts. Apparently no one edits her work, and consistancy is not one of her virtues, which is kind of important when you are world building in Science Fiction!!! I used to love her stories, now I simply cannot read them without finally heaving the book at the wall in frustration.

[bluegreen17]

so many people raved about 'the mists of avalon' that i tried to read it and never got through it even though i was interested in the subject matter of the story!

[allogenes.livejournal.com]

You should check out Darrell J. Fasching's (somewhat hard to get) book The Coming of The Millennium: Good News for the Whole Human Race. The title is a feint--it sounds like it will be the usual fundamentalist Christian apocalyptic bullshit but in fact it is the oppisite. It attacks almost all of the exclusivist Christian positions.

Not quite technical enough for my tastes but still a good read. It is published by I-universe, I think...

fasching book

[bluegreen17]

amazon lists it and i may be able to get it into the bookstore i work at to look at it. i love nonfiction and i love book recommendations...thank you!