THOUGHTS FROM AN IMPERFECT MIND

• THOUGHTS FROM AN IMPERFECT MIND

 

• I THINK CHRISTIANITY HAS MANY BELIEVERS BUT FEW DOERS. THE BELIEVERS ARE SAFE BEHIND WALLS FROM WHICH THEY DO NOT SALLY.
• WE PRAISE GOD AND REMIND HIM CONTINUALLY THAT WE ARE SINNERS AS IF HE MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN. HE’D LIKE US TO ADMIT OUR FAILURES BY DOING BETTER.
• MANY OF THE ANCESTORS OF MODERN DAY RELIGIONS REQUIRED SACRIFICES OF LIVING THINGS OR PLANT FOOD TO APPEASE THE GOD. FOR CHRISTIANITY JESUS WAS THE SACRIFICE.
• MAN IS DESTRUCTIVE. HE DESTROYS ANIMALS AND PLANTS TO SURVIVE. PRIMITIVE MAN THANKED THEM FOR THEIR SACRIFICE. A KIND OF GRACE.
• PRIMITIVE MAN HAD NO CREED OR DOGMA. THE WHOLE WORLD WAS SACRED. THE SPIRIT WHO PROVIDED FOOD, CALLED BY SCHOLARS ‘MASTER OF THE ANIMALS’ WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE ANIMALS FOR THE HUNT, THEN WAS THANKED IF THE HUNT WAS SUCCESSFUL. GOING ON THE HUNT WAS OFTEN A RELIGIOUS EXERCISE. IF THE HUNT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL THEY WONDERED HOW THEY HAD OFFENDED THE MASTER.
• WHEN RIVERS REACH THE OCEAN THEY BECOME ONE, WHEN SOULS REACH GOD THEY BECOME ONE WITH GOD AND THINK GOD-LIKE THOUGHTS. THEY CARE FOR HIS CREATION.
• IT IS WRONG TO WITHHOLD CHARITY FROM SOMEONE WHOSE BELIEF IS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS. ALSO IT IS WRONG TO ASK THE OTHER TO CHANGE HIS BELIEF TO YOURS IN ORDER TO GET CHARITY.
• IT IS WRONG TO CALL THE UNEMPLOYED LAZY, WHEN THE EMPLOYER REDUCES JOBS TO MAKE A GREATER PROFIT. IT PUTS THE ONUS ON THE VICTIM.
• TO GO ON RETREAT TO RETURN A JUSTIFIED PHARISEE IS NO EARTHLY GOOD BUT TO RETURN AS A WIDOW WITH HER MITE – A PERSON WHO KNOWS THE WORLD IS IMPERFECT AND NEEDS FIXING – IS A GOOD THING.
• THE SIN OF DIVES FOR WHICH HE RESIDES IN HELL IS NOT THAT HE ABUSED LAZARUS BUT THAT HE DIDN’T SEE HIM UNDER THE TABLE LIVING ON HIS SCRAPS.
• THE TERM MYSTERY RELIGIONS IS A MISNOMER FOR MODERN MAN. IT DOESN’T MEAN A MUMBO-JUMBO EXPERIENCE OR SECRET KNOWLEDGE, THAT WAS THE PLOY OF THE GNOSTICS. RATHER IT WAS A PARTICIPATION IN A PSYCHODRAMA CENTERING ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A GOD. THE PARTICIPANTS FASTED AND THEN WALKED TO EXHAUSTION TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE EXPERIENCE. TO CHRISTIANS THE TRINITY IS A MYSTERY. IT CANNOT BE DESCRIBED WELL, BUT EXPERIENCED. THE EUCHARIST CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BUT THE FACT IS THE PARTICIPANT HOLDS GOD’S BODY IN HIS HAND. A SORT OF PIETA WITH A LIVE BODY.

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER