Easter 2014

With the Easter weekend approaching, I’ve noticed many people posting their views and testimonies about Jesus. Most of what I’ve read is aligned with the teachings of traditional Christianity. I thought, perhaps, some folks may find interesting an alternate perspective on this topic. I feel guided to write a post about some of my beliefs.

Most of my friends and family are aware that I was raised in the LDS faith and that I left that religion many years ago. Some of you who knew me back then will (hopefully) remember that I took very seriously my faith, my religious studies, and practices. Few of you, however, have any notion of my present belief system and theology.

After leaving organized religion, I went through a period of agnosticism. I was attracted to the empowering views and methods of cognitive psychology. I studied self-esteem and worked on rediscovering my value as a human being. Then, in the mid-90s, a series of ‘mystical’ events hinted that my mindset was incomplete, and perhaps I had thrown the spiritual ‘baby’ out with the religious ‘bathwater.’ So, during a summer break, I used most of my free time to focus on  (what I called at that time) my “Spiritual Quest.”

As a result of this Quest, I found a path-- a theology, and a thought system that is called by several names. My label for it is Non-dualism. This path is perfect for me. It answers every question I have been able to formulate. It guides my thoughts, words, and actions. It respects my intellect while gently showing me that intellect is not my salvation. It explicitly explains why every path is equally valid, which eliminates almost all judgment. It helps me to see a more-effective way to forgive others and myself. Most-importantly, it has allowed me to see more clearly my relationship with Jesus and the meaning of the Atonement.

At this time of year, when the Christian World is observing Easter and thinking of Jesus, his life, his teachings, his calling, his function, his death, and his resurrection, I would like to share (for those who are interested) the non-dualistic take on some of these.

Maybe it will give you something to laugh at and feel superior about! Or, perhaps you will merely find it interesting to read and to think about. But there may be some who are searching for another view, or path, that will help them to progress and find Peace. Though this path is definitely NOT for everyone, some may find it compelling. I’m not preaching or proselytizing —just sharing.

So, take a look at this blog entry, if you feel inclined. (Or even if you’re sitting up straight.) 

Questions and comments are welcome.

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Understanding a non-dualistic thought system requires some imagination, lateral thinking, and some clarification of terminology. There are many words and symbols that are shared by both traditional Christianity and Non-Dualism—but the terms have quite different meaning:

GOD

God is Reality—or Absolute Truth. This Truth is One, unifying, all-encompassing, all-inclusive. It is eternal, innocent, creative, and non-coercive. It is the only True Power that exists. Notice that to our human perspective, this view of God puts Him into the ‘idea’ category, which allows Him to be easily dismissed. To humans, ideas are wispy and flaky.

As it turns out, however, we have this 180 degrees wrong. God is Reality -- while the universe of duality is merely an idea, and an insane one at that. There are not different ‘versions’ of Truth, and a perfect Creator can only create perfectly. A perfect creation does not need to be tested or taught—there is nothing lacking in perfection.

CHRIST

This perfect creation of God is called The Christ. The Christ shares all the attributes of God, save one: God (Truth) has always existed, while Christ (the extension of Truth) began with God and extends forever and always.

PHYSICAL UNIVERSE

So where do earth life and the human race figure in this scenario? The answer is, they don’t. This universe is clearly everything the God of non-dualism is not. God is one, while this universe is diverse. God is eternal, but everything here is temporary. So the startling claim of this thought system is that we are not living in Reality, but rather are believing an insane idea—the idea that Christ can separate from God. We are observing a mad dream, a dream that seems real—but just cannot be. Most of the time, we just accept it and at times, even enjoy it. But times of extreme happiness or misery can cause us to question. “Unreal.” “I can’t believe this is happening.” “Dream come true.” “Nightmare.” “Surreal.” The list of expressions goes on and on. We all have suspicions that this place is not our home.

THE ADVERSARY

This insane idea of ‘particles of Christ’ fleeing God and taking refuge in the physical universe has been imagined and personified in many myths. Personifying this concept as a ‘devil’ is especially potent in many of the Christian traditions. Again, though, we see the tendency to reverse orders of reality. God is Real—and in the presence of God, separation (devil, evil, Satan, etc) is just a crazy idea. But, once we start taking seriously the mad idea of separation, the oneness of Reality seems like craziness, and evil can seem convincingly real.

SIN/GUILT/FEAR

We humans believe that this life is Reality, though in the deepest recesses of our eternal mind, we know that this is all impossible. But we want it. Why? Because it seems to offer what God could not: the ability to self-author. Even though we don’t get to choose our body, we do seem to choose the direction of our individual lives. We get to choose how to ‘create’ a self. But this individual existence is fraught with guilt and fear. Guilt, because we think we have separated from God, and fear of the consequences for having done so. Our tendency, most of the time, is to take those bad feelings and project them onto other people or situations (sin).

This is all part of the time/space illusion. But, in Reality, separation from God is not a sin—it’s impossible.

HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is our memory of Reality and our Guide for return. It may seem very vague, and each person may handle it in different ways. But it’s there. We can choose to see oneness reflected here on earth in so many ways, but human relationships are some of the most powerful reminders. We also are reminded of God by peaceful situations, innocent children, happy laughter, the beauty of nature, and the pleasant contrasts offered by duality.

JESUS THE CHRIST

One of the first humans to fully realize this was a man named Jesus. When he fully listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit, he accepted his Reality as a creation of God, and his mind ‘resurrected.’ He awakened from the dream of death. He was now able to clearly see the unreality of this life and began to act in accordance with his true identity: The Christ. In his Christ-Mind, all limitations ceased to hold sway because there are no limitations in God. Jesus’s teachings were esoteric and directed to ‘those who have ears to hear,’ people who were also getting ready to willingly relinquish belief in this hallucination. Jesus realized that all power in Heaven and on earth was given him—not because he was special individually, but because the Christ is like the Father in every sense. “When you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Social barriers and religious traditions are meaningless in this knowledge, and Jesus tried to teach this. He also strove to demonstrate the unreality of physical existence by doing things that were physically impossible. Most people were (and still are) terribly afraid of our True Identity. One very effective way of avoiding responsibility is to make Jesus into a ‘special case.’ Making him into the literal Son of God, Perfect, Sinless, God Incarnate, etc. allows humans to cut themselves some slack. This is fine for a while — but it won’t work forever.

THE ATONEMENT

We all must eventually accept Eternal Truth (God) as well as the creation that extends from God and includes us (Christ). This will happen, not because God is forcing us, but because that’s all there is: Truth. We can delay, but eventually we will tire of everything that is not Real. This event will be experienced by most of us as a process, rather than an event. This process of letting go of separation and accepting Oneness is called The Atonement.

FORGIVENESS

Our function as humans is to forgive. Forgiveness in traditional Christianity is seen as the ability to let go of condemnation of sin or trespass; in non-dualism, forgiveness is the recognition that if separation isn’t real, neither is sin. As we practice this more and more, our mind calms down and relinquishes conflict. And with no conflict, the dream story is over. We awaken, as Jesus did, from the dream of death, and return to Reality and our True Identity.

“Nothing Real can be threatened.

Nothing unreal exists.

Herein lies the Peace of God.”