A Study of The Word Life

A Study of The Word Life

What is the meaning and etymology of the word: "life?" The answer to this question is almost five thousand years old and leads us to the Proto-Indo-European word "lip" meaning, ‘to remain, persevere, and continue’. When this word was adopted into the English language as ‘lif’ about 1500 years ago, it stayed true to its original meaning but still closely resembled its Germanic predecessors meaning of ‘body’.

Root Meaning of Life

Before we delve further into English, let's look back at the Greek word for "life" which is translated in English as "ZOE." This is the root of the English words "zoo," "zoology," and even "Zodiac." Zoe is used for the state of existing and being animate which is common to all living things. From early times, "ZOE" (living soul) was adopted by Hellenized Hebrews as a translation of the Ancient Hebrew name/word translated into English as "EVE." 

This word EVE is from the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Chawwah), which was derived from the Hebrew word חוה (chawah) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חיה (chayah) meaning "to live". I once had a white German Shepard that I named "Chaia" for the same reason. Hence, Eve is described as the "Mother of ALL living" when looking at the Biblical allegory of creation in the Book of Genesis. This statement makes perfect sense when understanding the meaning of the word, rather than being associated with a literal person. 

The New Testament Bible, which was originally penned in Greek before being translated, and uses the word "ZOE" 134 times as an indication of eternal life ... the actual eternal life-force. "LIFE" ... therefore, is the force which animates all living things. This force is what many would call God, or Source Energy. 

Old English Use Of Life

Since Old English times, the word "life" has meant: "the condition, quality, or fact of being a living organism." This includes the capacity for growth and development characterized by continued functional activity. It is natural then that from its very beginnings "life" has been used as the opposite meaning of "death" (or the cessation of animate existence). The word life also meant to describe the existence of an individual in respects of its physical duration: "the period from birth to death, from birth to a particular time, or from a particular time to death." It becomes clearly evident that the meaning of the word "life," has not changed much in over 1500 years of use.

Middle English Use Of Life

There were however added meanings that were attached to "life" during the Middle English period. Life began to mean not only the living organism itself, but the cause or the source of living, as in: "the animating principle which keeps a thing alive." The natural extension to this meaning was that people began to believe that life was a possession which was deprived by death - a meaning that can be constantly witnessed in the media.

From the mid 16th century "life" was used to describe the chance to live after a narrowly escaped death - this originated from the myth of cats having nine lives. From the late 16th century the word began to mean the vitality embodied in an individual person who was very energetic and animated. From this later meaning the sport of cricket adopted the word to describe the quality in the pitch which causes the ball to rise abruptly or unevenly after pitching. From the early 18th century ‘life’ included the activity and presence of living things as well.

Life Today

By the 19th century the term "lifer" or "life sentence" was used for a number of different things ... sporting events, battery duration, a person who was imprisoned for the rest of his existence, and even the term "get a life" used for someone with not much to do but cause trouble. 

The bottom line is easily discerned as being descriptive of the force and Source of that which animates living creatures. Even down to a cellular level. Remember, we raise a glass and toast "LIFE" ... not yours or mine ... but LIFE itself. It is that which gives us consciousness, the very breath we take in and out with each moment. All that exists in this physical realm in which we are animated is powered by that energy source, or Source Energy that all is dependent on for our very being. 

The New Testament Book of Acts scripture summed it up quite nicely in it's esoteric and metaphorical presentation:

" ... for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children."

~Acts 17:28

We are all a living part of this great organism called the universe. We share all things in this life. Down to the very breath within you and within me. We truly are ONE in this LIFE. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

Pray Without Ceasing?

Pray Without Ceasing?

At the very basic foundational understanding of prayer, we can simplify the commonly accepted definition as: "communion with God." So we must ask how is one to "pray without ceasing?" We first go to the New Testament scriptures for a very short except:

" ... pray without ceasing ... "

~1 Thessalonians 5:17

Now lets look at the word "communion," or common-union:

communion (n.)

late 14c., from Old French comunion "community, communion" (12c.), from Latin communionem (nominative communio) "fellowship, mutual participation, a sharing. Used by Augustine, in belief that the word was derived from com- "with, together" + unus "oneness, union."

Now we go to the Old Testament Book of Job:

"The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life."

~Job 33:4

Now look how simple the answer is. To "pray without ceasing" ... is to live and breathe. Look at The Book of Acts:

"For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'"

~Acts 17:28

From this verse we are told in God/Him, "we live and move and have our being." Think about that for a moment. Taken in context, all of existence IS God, ALL God,  and ONLY God ... and we are (all of us) an individualized essence of the entirety that IS God. Are you not in your children and your children in you? Are you not in your parents and your parents in you? Our DNA is Gods DNA. It can be no other way. 

A clear presentation that this magnificent universe that we live IN ... is the single manifest organism that many will call God. The Source, the Origin, The ALL ... and with each and every breath we take ... we pray unceasingly in common-union with God/Life. We are co-creators of all things manifest in thought and form. We have within our genes the power of the Father (Spirit/Energy) and Mother (matter/earth). Breath deep ... 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

Leviticus 18:22 And Homosexuality

Leviticus 18:22 And Homosexuality

Lev 18:22 and 20:13 have never been about gays or lesbians. You must consider the context of the surrounding scriptures. 

None of the human authors of the Bible link those verses to homosexuals. Jesus never links those verses to homosexuals. The ancient Jewish spiritual ancestors never linked those verses to homosexuals. Early Christians did not link those verses to homosexuals. The church fathers did not link those verses in Leviticus to homosexuals. In fact, the very word "homosexual" was not even invented or coined until the 1800's so how can it appear in Old Testament Hebrew scripture?

If today's common view is correct, someone between 1400 BC to around the time of Christ, would have linked those verses to homosexuality. Yet they did not. The reason why is, is that those verses prohibit "temple prostitution," not same-sex couples falling in love with each other and spending their lives together as a couple. 

What I present is strongly supported historically ... that the context of Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 deals with cult prostitution, temple prostitution, or pagan/non-Hebrew prostitution - different names for the same idolatrous activity.

Now, to go one step further ... consider that Christians claim to be no longer under the "Law." Paul taught that the followers of Christ were no longer under the Law. Period. Now follow me for a moment. There are two clobber verses used to combat "homosexuality" in the Old Testament Bible ... both verses are found in Leviticus ... 18:22 and 20:13. 

First, "Thou shalt not lie with a man, as with a woman: it is abomination." Second,  "If a man lie with a man, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

Of course, there are as many different wordings as there are translations but we will use this one above for now. 

Please understand there is a big problem in general with quoting Leviticus. The problem is that - by their own New Testament scriptures - Christians are no longer under the Law. They do not live a Christian life by following Old Testament Law. Paul makes this abundantly clear in the books credited to his penmanship. It is not something fabricated to win an argument, or made up in the twentieth century, or manufactured to get around something somebody doesn’t like. It is clearly stated in the ancient Greek scriptures - the original language of the New Testament. The Apostle Paul wrote it in Galatians:

"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'” 

~Galatians 3:10

If Christianity would rely on following the Law (which is the Torah - the first five books of the Bible) they would be under a curse. The passage above, Galatians 3:10, contains a quote from the Law itself ... Deuteronomy 27:26. According to Paul’s statement:

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us."

~Galatians 3:13

It was (as accepted by Christianity) Jesus’ death on the cross that rescued them from the "curse of the Law." If they insist on following the Law of Leviticus and other verses - and imposing the Law on others - then Christianity negates the effects of the crucifixion, and therefore repudiates their Saviour's death on the cross.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

~Galatians 5:1

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

No Other Gods

No Other Gods

Among the followers of Christianity, there are many verses that need to be brought to attention. 

"You shall have no other gods before Me.”

~Exodus 20:3 - Old Testament

“And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”

~Luke 10:27 - New Testament

“By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, BECAUSE JUST AS JESUS IS, SO ALSO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD.”

~1 John 4:17 - New Testament

Now pay very close attention to the verse in bold above ... “because as Jesus is, so also are we in this world.” Think on that. Meditate on that. Pray on that. It cannot be any clearer. Jesus is as us, and we are as Jesus ... begotten of the Father ... children of God/Source. 

This was the lesson to all. We are ALL the “Son of God.” The use of “Son” in the Old English sunu is “son, descendant.” This is Strong’s Concordance word #5207 ... “anyone sharing the same nature as their Father” and has the legal right to the Father's inheritance. ALL things have originated from the Source of All Things. There can be no other way. This is science ... not theory. The entirety of the universe had one point of origin and all things are made from the materials and essence of that Source. 

To make Jesus the only “God among mankind” is to transgress the commandment in Exodus 20:3 ... “thou shall have no other Gods before me.” Yet, Christianity has made Jesus ... the only God in the flesh.

One more point: 

“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” 

~2 John 1:7

Based on this scripture, the typical argument states that John was aiming this scripture at the people who denied Jesus was resurrected in a physical body. Keep in mind that the writer of John, was a Gnostic.

To the Gnostics, the resurrection story of Christ wasn’t about the literal man; it was about the spiritual awakening of the divine nature that can happen within each and every individual. This awakening happens ... while still yet in the flesh. 

So John’s statement rings true after all. Christ does come in the flesh. But this coming of Christ is the gnosis (mystical insight) attained by the individual going through a profound experience in higher states of consciousness. 

This entire process happens while being in a physical body. It is the born again experience of the spiritual nature which rules over the physical nature. This spiritual nature is the Christ. This is the divine spark of God within every man. 

Remember, in scripture, the Apostle Paul attests to this when he states that he "travails in birth until Christ be formed in you." And that: “YOU are the body of Christ." Jesus himself affirmed several times his position. At the Sermon On The Mount, he said: “YOU are the light of the world" to his audience. He is also quoted as saying: “YOU shall do greater things than I."

How would any of this be possible if Jesus (the man) was the one and only God in the flesh? Remember also, the church teaches the doctrine of "Original Sin" (which they created). If all people are born in sin, then so then would Jesus since the church teaches that he was both fully man, and fully God. 

Suffice it to say that there is much more spiritual Truth and symbolism beyond any literal or historical interpretation of the great ancient scriptures. One must dig. The Truth is hidden ... “the pearl of great price hidden in a field.” When something is uncovered, no longer hidden, revealed (revelation), we have an "apocalypse." The Apocalypse is not the end of the world ... it is a Greek word meaning “to unveil” ... “to reveal that which is hidden.” Seek and you shall find. Question everything before you accept or dismiss anything. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.

Good/God Vibrations

Good/God Vibrations

We are all a collection of oscillating waves vibrating on specific frequencies, and our material existence is nothing more than an expression of these vibrations at these specific frequencies.  

In fact, all particles in the universe, all stars, and all galaxies, are precisely that— collections of oscillating waves whose physical manifestations are nothing more than the expression of these vibrations at specific frequencies. 

We also know that every particle in the universe, and every molecule, is in constant communication with every other particle and molecule in the universe at the quantum level. All are involved in interconnectivity. This is the matrix. 

Something of this sort is what the scriptural Yeshu’a (Jesus) meant by: “I am in that rock, I am in that piece of wood.”  In other words, we are all “God” and “God” is in all things, even the rocks and the pieces of wood. All energies derive from the same Source, and therefore contain particles and an essence of that Source ... and ARE that Source in their entirety. The scripture accredited to Jesus was quantum descriptions confined to the limitations of language and communications in those days. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.