Chasing the Wind

17 responses to “Boycotting and Protesting "The Da Vinci Code"”

1. 

   Sean

   May 16, 2006 at 9:58 am

   I don’t think that sitting on the sidelines is any commendable action, but do you think Sony Pictures was hoping to stir up the controversy to promote ticket sales?

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2. 

   Pat Davis

   May 16, 2006 at 7:28 pm

   Let me tell you about my experience with the Da Vinci Code. I bought the hardcover ahead of publishing date, because I had read Dan Brown and found him readable. I am a Christian, and read my first review of the book in World Magazine before receiving the book. I was appalled at the plot of the book so it sits unread on my shelf today. My pastor this Sunday spoke on what he would say to Dan Brown, and I do admit my curiousity is piqued because a couple of my teacher peers have talked about it. I may need to read it just to be able to refute it.
   Thanks,
   Pat

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3. 

   Pat Davis

   May 16, 2006 at 7:30 pm

   ps.
   I also understand that CBS Sixty Minutes two weeks ago had a very good refutation for it. CBS.com/60minutes…etc.

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4. 

   Keith Prossick

   May 16, 2006 at 10:45 pm

   I think it is quite ironic that Chrisitan based groups love to promote the concept of Intelligent Design, and push a text book with questionable science, yet they get upset when a novel takes certain historical liberties in it’s fiction.

   Personally, I think the Left Behind books are more threatening to society then The Da Vinci Code. Yet, I was able to place it where it needed to be placed, in fiction.

   The Da Vinci Code asks some valid questions, ones I felt needed to be asked even before I read the book. If they are wrong, then so be it. They aren’t even new questions. But they need to be asked. If I can be given those answers, maybe I’d give Christianity another look, but it doesn’t seem likely being that people are more interested in the standard mob mentality approach to things.

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5. 

   Michael

   May 17, 2006 at 8:26 am

   Sean, I think you’re right but it’s too late to put that cat back in the bag.

   Pat, if you just want the refutation, there are plenty of books that do that. Spend money on refuting Dan Brown instead, I like that.

   Keep checking back, I’ll have a review up soon on a good resource for debunking The Da Vinci Code.

   Keith – You make it sound like the reason Christians are protesting is because it’s fiction. That’s not it or we’d be protesting Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In both I.D. and Da Vinci, Christians are pushing for tenets of their faith – I.D. to counteract the evolution-only teaching against God, and Da Vinci for the attack on the Church.

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6. 

   Keith Prossick

   May 17, 2006 at 2:34 pm

   Michael – Just curious, when has Evolution teaching ever been against God. Evolution just makes us revisit what we interpret as God and the Universe. Just as with the concept of a Flat Earth. Our vision of God evolves as we learn more about this wondorous creation. We seem to forget that the Bible is Man’s interpretation of what God meant, and then we rely on modern day thinkers to pass on what we think the original writers meant. In respect to the Old Testament, the original Hebrew was written without vowels, so we have to in a way fill in the blanks. A layer of ambiguity exists where we cannot know for sure. The Jews realize this, and embrace it, it is part of the wonder in their journey. God only exists as metaphor, which is why Jesus spoke mainly in Parables.

   Michael, what are you really afraid of? I’m honestly curious. As for speaking of pushing Christian tenets, it is my understanding that at the core of Christian faith is the lessons of forgiveness, non-judgement, love for your enemies, but I rarely see that pushed. Only anger and resentment of valid questions being asked. I experienced that through my youth. Logical questions were fround upon with criticism.

   In The Da Vinci Code, if the theories are wrong, then they are wrong, you faith will become stronger. But I am happy beyond belief that this is finally out there for us to ask the real questions.

   I have yet to see a reasonable discussion on these issues here. Only a mass mob organization to boycot the film. If you don’t see it, how can we debate it. This reminds me so much of when Dogma came out where anyone that was complaining about the movie didn’t see it. If you are worried about giving money to the opposite side, don’t worry about that. Your side got just as much money from them with the Left Behind Books, and The Passion of the Christ, which personally, I felt was a wonderful movie. In my opinion, to call it a War between Good vs Evil misses the point, it should be more of a Dance between the objective and the subjective. Science and Religion. Not this, one side needs to destroy the other. That just expands the anger and hatred, which is exactly what Jesus was saying about loving your enemy. Let’s talk about it. Not fight over it.

   Each side believes what they believe because of one thing, and that is because they cannot beyond question deny their perspective of how they see the world. It’s not because one side wants to do the other in, though it may appear like that from one to the other.

   I ask these questions:

   Why are you afraid that this book/movie will make people doubt the Church, when all people are really interested in is the Truth?

   Why is it unreasonable to question Faith?

   Why can we not have an open discussion over these issues, generally speaking?

   What about the things in the Book that are true, such as the concept of Sacred Geometry, which if you want a real science to discuss God in, you will need to know that language. It has been spoken since Puthagoras, and before, through Da Vinci, up till today?

   What about how the Church twisted the symbolism and meaning behind the Pentacle, even after the Church themselves used it as a sybol of the Stigmata?

   How about how the Popes of the Medieval era, and Renaissance made artists use the God images of other religions to represent Satan?

   Could not the modern day image of Satan in Christianity be considered idolatry? Placing an human made image onto a religous concept.

   Why is it difficult for CHristian to sit down and just listen to the passion in the minds of those that found God outside of Christianity? Are you not even interested in know Why? What their reasons are?

   For me, I’ve tried to find one single Christian where I could have a decent discussion about God where I am not trying to be converted. Why is that?

   Just some thoughts. I’m not trying to stir up resentment, just honest discussion.

   Keith

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7. 

   Michael

   May 17, 2006 at 8:20 pm

   It’s not that evolution is incompatible with God. Even if evolution were true, what a wonderfully intricate way of creating life.

   It’s just that leftist thinkers present evolution as an alternative to God, demonstrating evolution instead of God, and disallowing any role God has.

   I’m not much of a fan of I.D. either. I’d rather just talk about God.

   I disagree with 2 of your suppositions. I do not believe “the Bible is Man’s interpretation of what God meant.” I believe it is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). And I don’t know what you mean by “God only exists as metaphor,” but it sounds like I’d probably disagree with that. 😛

   I’m not afraid for me, Keith, my faith is solid. But while I actively try to share my faith to let others know the joy of Christ and support ministries that do the same, I see The Da Vinci Code as working against God and the ministries I feel we are called to do.

   Your questions:
   – The book is presented as a mix of fiction and fact. The survey I recently posted shows people familir with the book doubt the bible more. I consider the bible to be the Word of God, the Truth. Ergo, the movie drives people from the truth.
   – It’s not unreasonable to question faith. The movie is not the proper medium; searching the bible for truths is.
   – We are having a discussion. 😛
   – Pass, I’m not familiar with Sacred Geometry.
   – I’m not concerned about a symbol like a Pentacle. A Catholic may be better suited for that one.
   – Again, I’m not Catholic, but even if they did, Jesus says the only way to Heaven is through Him. That being the case, what do other gods do except the work of Satan?
   – Idolatry is something that you follow that interferes with your relationship with God. Images are not idolatry unless you’re worshiping them, I suppose. I don’t think an image of Satan would be idolatry in that sense.
   – Finding God outside of Christianity? All creation speaks of God, but no one gets to the Father except through Jesus.
   – Do you feel I am trying to convert you?

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8. 

   Keith Prossick

   May 17, 2006 at 10:22 pm

   Evolution has never been thrown at me as a substitution of God, nor do mainstream scientistific minded people.

   “The inspired word of God” is highly subjective. Even today, the written language, especially English, is void of words to fully articulate what one experiences through spiritual rapture. I struggle with it every day and the only way to even come close to illustrating my relationship with God is not in words, but in my artwork. The other thing is that The Bible as the Word of God, is self-referencing. It is the equivilant of governement saying we no longer need a certain freedom, why? Because I said so.

   As for God only exists as metaphor, it means that one never can look directly into the face of God, it is like looking into the sun. It is the equivilant of the Uncertainty Principle where the Absolute approaches infinity. Even giving a name, or face, or dogma to God is dangerous because you create limits on God. Rapture feels like your body is completely electrified, and you are floating in a differnt space, it is like, that but not quite, but that’s the best I can do. That’s what I mean. Our spiritual experiences can only articulated by relating it to something we ourselves have experienced that is similar to the experience, or reference something we have heard.

   And if you feel the need to voice concern for your flock reading The Da Vinci Code, then you have every right to do so. But you have to be very careful of your words, and not let Ego slip in there. Like I said, that is Lucifer’s back door. But in the end, they must make the choice for themselves, and not you. If you love them, let them go, if their faith is strong, they will come back. If they don’t face and challenge Lucifer on their own will, they will never understand him, no matter what someone else is saying. It’s like the story, you will know it better then me, where the sheperd’s son leaves his fmaily, and the father is upset, fretting too much over him, nearly neglecting his other sons, and when that son returns, he rejoices.

   Now, more questions to the answers of my questions:

   The Bible as Truth: Does that mean you believe the Earth is only 6,000 years old? You say this book drives people from the Truth, but that is Truth as you interpret it with the Bible, which is fine, but limiting. If that Truth is indeed the Truth, then you need not worry if people stray from it, they will return if it is. Not everyone is at the same location along their spiritual journey, some are further than others. You and I may have had are faith grounding experience, but others need to have theirs, without them, there will be no understanding of that Truth, and they will continue, again, and again, to fall from it.

   Questioning Faith? The Bible is your foundation, what you come back to. The written form was important in the day of the apostles, but today, it is film and internet that memes touch peoples lives, and do so much faster then 2,000 years ago. To use only the Bible leave now frame of reference, you need something outside of the source to weigh that faith, ask yourself the questions, then come back. See things a little clearer, then work on the next aspect of your spiritual evolution. Again, if the Bible is the Truth, there is nothing to worry about. Sometimes people have to believe the opposite for a while, to really see God. Such is the case with most drug users, or prostitutes. It takes that neglect in the Word, to actually see it. The easiest place to see the light is in the darkest corners, that is to trully see it.

   Having a discussion: yes we are, but as in all discussion, we need to know the boundaries. 🙂

   Sacred Geometry: It is the math of God, and all of Nature, including DNA, and ourselves, follows these sacred proportions and ratios. It trully is quite amazing, you want proof of God’s hand in creation, look there. The ID pushers should look at it, Sacred Geometers and Quantum physicists are coming close to the face of the waters. 🙂

   Pentacle or pentagram: I use it as a way of the Church’s manipulation of facts simply to sway people from a specific thought process. You may think it is for the good, but it is still lying, and laced with Lucifer.

   Satan as idolatry: In a way it is, but in the way reverse psycology works. The image instills fear into Christians, so the Church has created an idol to push people towards them. So the are effecting how people worship, though fear.

   Finding God outside of CHristianity: “No one gets to the Father except through Jesus.” Now, you hit the nail on the head. This is my issue. This is the red flag. This speaks of Lucifer’s deviousness, and it might come down to the effects of the Tower of Babel, and semantics. Are you and I defining in our minds the meaning of Jesus Christ in different ways. And it also speaks of the idolatry I mentioned above. Is it the image of the person, or what the person represents? How can I resolve this when Jesus said, “All that I do, you will do, and more.” Now, how I define what this means, “only through Jesus”. I interpret that as bowing down to a conscious being, that being God, which I believe is called a jealous God. My Libertarian ways prevent me from buying into this. That if you do not except Jesus as his son, no matter what you do, it isn’t good enough, and you are damned. Yeah, I’m going to have to have a talk with this God character, cause that ain’t goin to fly with me. 🙂 But again, this is all standing on the idol that over 2,000 years has taken the place of Jesus. Now, if we are talking about the Christ consciousness, then that is a different story. I see Jesus, and the Christ as two separate things. Jesus, the human, and the Christ consciousness, or the mind of God, that merged into one. And when he did this, he was God. And him speaking as God would be correct, and connecting with God in that way, as being “The Way” I agree with. So, saying he is the way, and through him you can only get to the father, that is correct. But again it comes down to language. I don’t see Jesus as THE WAY, but showed us THE WAY. And that way is no differnt, again, language, then The Tao, or translated, The Way. One of these days I will have to share my theory of the Tower of Babel. 🙂 Now in this light, I view the second coming, not of Jesus himself coming back into this plane, but rather, when the Christ Consciousness reveals itsel within myself, and I am Jesus’s twin Brother (metaphor 🙂 ) That is, I look upon the face of the waters, and see myself shining back, as Jesus / God, or that which is God’s essence within my own soul. And looking back from that vantage point, of singular multiplicity, I see that ever being on the Earth is the same being. The light of God falls through the prism that is the face of the waters into a rainbow of human form. Now, there is a difference between the two definition here I define what you refer to as no one gets to the Father excetp through Jesus. WHich is the correct one? I don’t want to do it through Faith, I want to do it because I figured it out. Not to show off to God, but so that I understand God in all of his glory. See what I’m saying?

   Converting me: No, I do not feel that you are converting me. I just want to make sure that you talk to me without that intent, cause, let me let you in on a little clue, that is not a way to convert people. 🙂 And I am actually enjoying this.

   Now, please excuse me if my Biblicalese is rusty, but what do you think Jesus meant when he said, “Only through the mind of a child can you enter the kingdom of heaven.” I know what it means to me, just curious about your definition.

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9. 

   Michael

   May 18, 2006 at 9:30 am

   The bible may be self-referencing, but the Old Testament prophecies (Isaiah in particular) are external references to events proven true hundreds of years later.

   I don’t have a flock, by the way. Engineers rarely do. I’m just a Christian sharing my faith.

   – I believe the bible is the inerrant Word of God. I don’t necessarily believe every word is literal. I can’t claim to know how old the earth was, it doesn’t affect either my worldy existence or my salvation. Maybe it’s 6000, maybe it’s 6 billion. I’ll ask God when I get there, but since He invented time the answer may not mean much then.
   – I agree people fall and God uses a broken man. Wish there was an easier way.

   Much of the rest of your statements I either agree with or accept as a possibility until we get to your perception of Jesus. I start with the bible as inerrant, the Word of God. The entire Old Testament shows God’s love and purpose and prophecy, the New Testament is a fulfillment of that prophecy and instructions on love and the freedom within Christ. I start with John 14:6, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you accept the bible as truth, then you accept Jesus as truth, then you accept His word as truth. If you don’t want to accept that then you unravel Christianity, His word is false, then Jesus isn’t truth and the bible is false. You can argue with me over what “except through me” means, but I didn’t say it. 🙂 However, I don’t find support for your position in the book of John.

   You’ll have to clarify your “mind of a child” reference. Matthew 19:14, perhaps? “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Or Matthew 18:3, “And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

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10. 

    Keith Prossick

    May 18, 2006 at 3:31 pm

    I agree that the Old Testement prophesizes the New, but they were both put together as the Bible houndreds of years after Jesus, and who is not to say that at the Nicean Council they put the Gosples of the New Testiment in that reflect the prophecies of the Old, and reject the gospels that don’t. IS it true, maybe, maybe not, but the probability exists. The Orthodoxy professes that the Gnostics were the heretics, but how do we know that except through the Orthodoxy account, and not the Gnostic, at least until recently. The winner writes the History in their own image. The History of the Religion and the Book are filled with these paradoxes that I cannot in good Faith trust them.
    You may say that Lucifer is causing these paradoxes, but then I can say, if Lucifer really wanted to be devious, he would have immediately after the Crucifixion gone to work. Even within 100 years, there was a split of the followers, even amongst the Apostles, much less the Disciples. Lucifer could have caused the rift, and the one that triumphed was the one Lucifer desired.

    So, you create a Book made of both the Old and New Testements, have the Old prophesize the New based on the messiah. Right there, in those times, was way more than sufficient to validate authority. Now, in the New Testement, Jesus is portray as the son of God, and the books both reference themselves as the inerrant Word of God. No outside source refernces this, and this creates a self circulating mobaic (see Mobius) validation of authority, that is bullet proof. It creates segregation and division within society. Those that are in, and those that are out. Then to top it all of, this self-referenceing established authority protects itself with multiple failsafes. One, that anything that oposes it is evil and of Satan, and leading you away from the Truth. And if it makes sense, then it is Lucifer being devious. Now most of the Bible is stories or commands to worship the one true god, and that is the God of the Bible. And the Bible is authority, and nothing else is. This would be easy for Lucifer to do. Then to top it all off, you command your follows to convert all others over to this religion, and call those that won’t heretics. In time, your followers will begin killing other people in the name of the Messiah that professed love your enemies. Oh the Irony. And, on top of all this, you put in a Book of Revelations as the Cherry on top to seal the deal. All those that do not accept my son as the way, and me as you lord, will perish into that pits of Hell, forever condemned, their only crime, not surrendering your soul to the one True God.

    Now, this plot can go back all the way to Abraham.

    What decent God would make a man sacrifice his son merely to make a point of see Abraham’s Faith. That’s just not right.

    What about Job, now that was completely Egotistical.

    Now Moses and his people were slaves, in dire straights. Lucifer came to them, saved them, cause it is no big deal, it works towards a bigger plan. Moses grew up in the Pharoahs home, new that lifestyle, saw first hand the role of a leader. Now he looks to his people, sees them in strife, itwould be easy for Lucifer to plant seeds of grandeur in Moses mind. Be your people’s saviour. He saves them. Then at Mount Sinai, he give Moses the Commandments, and in the beginning of that very covenant is the Command “You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above ot that is in the Earth beneath or that is in the water under the Earth; You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the offenses of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me.” (Exodus 20:4,5)

    That says it all. I saved you, now worship me. And moses between Lucifer and his people that were beginning to doubt him was in a ripe place to accept the covenant. Look at the words. You shall not make an image of anything in heaven (air) Earth (earth) Water (water), what is left, Fire, and who is fire associated with. Now, the next line, “I the Lord your God is a jealous God.” right there, the word jealous, or in some versions, zealous, is not a characteristic you would associate with an all Loving, Caring Mercyful God.

    Now Jesus is out of this, you can say God sent him to sway the people back, but society crucified him, and immediately after, Lucifer sealed the deal with deifying him, and bending his teachings to Lucifer’s own Will. State that Jesus was God changing heart, and there ya go, preach forgiveness, particularly of a jealous and wrathful God, and all is good, Lucifer has every one where he wantes them. Segregated, and discrimination grows rampant, all in the name of Jesus, the messiah. If Lucifer really was Lucifer, and as devious as we are told, then this would be easy for him.

    But you may say that Lucifer is called devious in the Bible, and that makes this irrelevant. Not at all, because Lucifer doesn’t care what you thing of him. He has the name swapped with Satan, and makes Satan the vicious devious enemy of the Church Lucifer is forming on Earth in the name of the Saviour. Genious.

    But then again, Lucifer could be planting this on me, oh the Paradox. How do you decide? But it makes you think, doesn’t it.

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11. 

    Michael

    May 18, 2006 at 5:23 pm

    You see a whole lot more conspiracies than I do, and a whole lot more faith in Satan. In the first book of Job, Satan wreaks havoc but only with God’s permission. God remains in control. And you miss the point about Abraham’s son who wasn’t sacrificed; the point is that nothing is to get between you and God, not even your family.

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12. 

    Keith Prossick

    May 21, 2006 at 9:46 pm

    I apologize if it was a little over the top, and I do not claim to support any of which I said, but only was attempting to demonstrate that even though I came up with that on the spot, anyone, me, you or the Church can manipulate words and text to bend to whichever needs they so desire. And my faith is not in Satan, but that humans are born to sin, and are easily swayed, even if it sound logical. This goes for both The Da Vinci Code, and though you don’t agree with me, the Bible in the sense of taking the words as literal meanings, ie Abraham’s Sacrifice, and Job. Or even Jonah or the Book of Revelations.

    I understand that nothing gets between you and God. And because of that very reason, I cannot be Christian. Jesus came to free us from the dogmatic Church of the time, only to replaced by a Church in his name that has become symbolically exactly the same. Jesus is my borther, and I will always look at him that way. And even though I may be the younger brother, living in his shadow, looking towards him as my spiritual mentor, I enter into a paradox that places me upon the altar as Abraham, but not sacrificing my son, but my brother, because everything that I see, and feel, and hear through the song of Creation, of the light, is telling me that I must not accept Jesus as my savior, but as my mentor. Even if stone tells me otherwise, I must not listen to the words cast in stone, but the words cast in the spirit that is the body of God. If I am damned, then I am damned, and willing to take the responsibility of that action. Not because of Ego, or temptation, or greed, or hatred, but because of Love. Because every ounce that is good within me tells me otherwise.

    I cannot abandon the Buddha for Jesus, nor Jesu for the Buddha.

    I cannot abandon Mohamed for Jesus, nor Jesus for Mohamed.

    I cannot abandon The Tao for Jesus, or Jesus for the Tao.

    I cannot abandon the Goddess for Jesus, nor Jesus for the Goddess.

    I cannot abandon Creation of Evolution, nor Evolution for Creation.

    I will not live within a dualistic Universe no more.

    I do this because in my heart, I know that that is what God would want of me, and all else feels dark.

    Sorry for the Soapbox, but I wanted to clarify my actions. God is my Passion, and nothing else. God is my heartfire.

    Again, I apoogize to both you and the readers of your page, and I shall cool it down.

    I know this has become irrelevant to the topic, so I will stop there.

    Peace Brother,

    Keith

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13. 

    Michael

    May 22, 2006 at 10:28 am

    I do not claim to support any of which I said, but only was attempting to demonstrate that even though I came up with that on the spot, anyone, me, you or the Church can manipulate words and text to bend to whichever needs they so desire.

    If that’s what you think Christians are doing, then no wonder you are not a Christian. The bible is historical and demonstatably shown to be unchanged over the centuries thanks to the Dead Sea Scrolls and other achaelogical finds. Ephesians 4:14 tells us those that are confident and unwavering in our faith will not be like those who are “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.”

    because everything that I see, and feel, and hear through the song of Creation, of the light, is telling me that I must not accept Jesus as my savior, but as my mentor.

    Except Jesus himself did not leave that as an option. Jesus claimed to be the son of God, the self-sacrificial lamb for our sins. That is the essence of accepting Jesus Christ.

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14. 

    Keith Prossick

    May 22, 2006 at 3:23 pm

    The New Testament can only be traced back in it’s entirety to the 3rd and 4th centuries. Particulary speaking of the Vatican, Sinaitic, and Alexandric manuscripts.

    A full version of the Old Testament can only be traced back to the 9th Centurty. This was particularly so because the Jews believe that the word when copied to a new book or scroll, the old copy had to be buried through a specific ritual to maintain the power of The Word.

    Also, the Old Testament was written without vowels. The vowels were added later and we rely on their interpretation of what the specific vowels were.

    As for the Dead Sea Scrolls, and other finds in the area. There are the so called, “controversial” gospels found, Like Thomas, and Phillip.

    I believe the only full section found was Issiah, and that had variants in them. All others are just fragments.

    In your last paragraph, your key word is “claimed.” If he was of God, he would know that it is a dangerous practice place limitations and ultimatums under faith.

    I’m not saying that you cannot reach God in that way, but saying that it is not the only way.

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15. 

    Michael

    May 22, 2006 at 4:52 pm

    I don’t know where you’re getting your facts. Even the Wikipedia (not always friendly to Christianity) dates the earliest written Old Testament to 1400 BC (oral traditions before then), and New Testaments were widely believed to be available within the lifetimes of the contemporaries of Jesus. And while there were no vowels, “niqqud (vowel points) were used. Regardless, oral tradition made the meanings clear. Your “controversial” gospels arethe gnostic bibles that were widely considered heresy even in their own day. They were not written by contemporaries of Jesus and contradict the bible.

    My point that Jesus “claimed” to be the son of God was not clear to you. Selectively following the teachings of Jesus means he wasn’t truly a mentor to you. If you believe what He said is true, then you acknowledge Him as the Son of God. Otherwise, you’re just quoting the parts you like. If only part of what He says is true, then the rest must be lunacy, so why is He your mentor? Jesus says He is the only way.

    What’s your point? You asked that I not “convert” you. Does my faith bother you so much that you feel compelled to convert me to your non-belief?

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16. 

    Keith Prossick

    May 22, 2006 at 9:19 pm

    It’s not about conversion Michael, it’s about respect. It’s the fact that with my spiritual path, I can be open to you having your faith as you see fit, but in return, I have to feel the impression of being an outcast in your eyes, simply because I don’t adhere to your faith. My faith requires I be open to you, yet, you remain closed to me, unless I meet you on your grounds, and by your terms.

    Of course, you could say, but then I am expecting you to adhere to my terms. And hence the frustrating paradox.

    In the end, it comes down to Love and Freedom when deciding paradoxes.

    I’m not saying you will never wish me well, and show compassion and love for me, but in the back of your eyes, you will always see me as lost based upon the tenets of your faith.

    Your very last question illustrates this. I always referred to your belief as your belief, but you referred to mine as my non-belief. That’s the difference between you and I. My love is unconditional, and yours is. Your faith does not bother me, nor do I think mine bothers you, you just don’t care about mine.

    I do thank you for the wonderful discussion, and I learn a great deal from it. My faith was strengthened, and I now have work to do, as I know you do.

    Fare you well brother,

    Keith

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17. 

    Michael

    May 23, 2006 at 12:14 pm

    I have not disrespected you. I just don’t agree with you. I understand my God and His statement that the only way to the Father is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You’re free to have some other belief, knock yourself out.

    I do wish you well, and compassion and love is for you and for all me. Why you assume otherwise simply because I have faith in Jesus is a mystery. It’s also not up to me to determine whether you are lost or not, again an assumption of what I believe.

    You’ve misunderstood what I meant by “non-belief,” by which I mean a lack of faith in Jesus. I understand you believe something. Everybody does.

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