DEVIL AND EVIL

DEVIL AND EVIL

If you were raised in the Christian Faith, chances are some of your earliest fears were brought on by the fearsome personage of all evil ... evil incarnate ... the Devil, and/or Satan. Other names you may have heard used: Beelzebub, Lucifer, the serpent/snake, Mephistopheles, etc. 

Chances are you were also taught at the same time about the all-powerful God who could turn off the sun if he chose to do so. So then, how is it that "another" mighty, eternal, God of Evil can co-exist with this Almighty, Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent total power of the One good God/Source of Absolute Truth? 

The church system would teach that this Devil/Satan was literally once a mighty Angel, the most beautiful of all, they say. But his rebellion led to an uprising and he took a third of the Angels with him ... cast out of the heavenly realm. So, having no where else to go apparently, he came to Earth as a serpent, tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and therefore brought with him, chaos and disorder into Paradise that once was - before he moved into the neighborhood. Talk about home values plummeting.

So, now he and his fallen cohorts (so-called demons) travel about the world, tempting humans into wars, poverty, hunger, lies, rapes, murders, theft, vandalism, and every other evil that we can come up with. "The Devil made me do it" is what people claim, yet it is the person who has done the evil that will go to jail ... not the Devil or his demons. This is all fine and dandy if it was the basis for the plot of a low-budget horror film, but other than that ... it is all just a convenient way to blame someone else the for effects that WE cause. 

The original Christians (Krestianoi) knew the Truth. But then again, they were murdered and tortured to death by the Roman Church, and most all of their scriptures and physical evidence were either destroyed or confiscated. Quite a bit of bounty was collected for a newly formed Empirical Religion that had behind it the armies and legions of the Roman Empire. But, to maintain power over mankind, the power must be held in secret within the highest ranking leaders of the Church. If the people knew the Truth, if they had been empowered with the Truth of The Ages, the Hidden Wisdom, the Apocalyptic Revelation that was Life changing, then they would no longer be able to be controlled. And the money, donations, and food offerings would cease to come rolling into the temples and churches.

So then, who is this guy/power?

"For as much as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself took part in the same, that through DEATH, he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is THE DEVIL."

~Hebrews 2:14

Much like a dictionary, biblical scripture will give you definitions if you look hard enough. Many times, we have to go back to the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. So right here, we are told in plain English, that whoever or whatever has the "power of death" is the "Devil." 

"For since BY MAN came DEATH, by man came also the resurrection of the dead."

~1 Corinthians 15:21

So, according to this verse ... direct from the Bible ... MAN has the power of DEATH. And every man is subjected to duality (Though it is an illusion). There are two polarities of men within every man. The Inward Man and the Outward Man. The "outward" is the man of flesh ... Adam, so to speak. We inherited this outward man from the Genesis story of Adam. Adam is a man (according to scripture) and therefore we inherited the sin nature of Adam, right up the line, as an inclusive part of our human nature. 

"For the wages of SIN is DEATH."

~Romans 6:23

Now follow me ... I'm going somewhere with this. So it is SIN that has the power of DEATH. Sin is the Adam-man ... the human nature man ... the first of two. Adam, and Jesus. Adam (and sin) represent your human animal nature ... the flesh that your Soul is wrapped in. 

"If you live after the flesh, you shall die. but if you "by the Spirit" (the Mind of Christ) do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live."

~Romans 8:13

The human body has the power of death, through it's sin (error in thinking) and the battle is in the Mind ... where Spirit lives. This is ego-centric consciousness vs. Christ consciousness. While in the mythical Garden of Eden (Mind), Adam and Eve were tempted by the lust of sin ... wrong thinking, missing the mark of Divine Truth, which is in all men. The conversation with the serpent, was actually Eve having an internal conversation amongst her-selves. Just as we do today. We talk to ourselves, ask ourselves questions, and actually answer them. She had wandered into Ego-land. 

This story is about inner temptation. Eve was tempted. Adam was tempted. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. The lust of sin in the flesh (the ramblings and desires of our ego) bring about these temptations. And therefore, this Devil/Satan who is "the opposer," or "adversary," leads us astray from the natural default of goodness and righteousness. When we "sin" (make an error in judgement through ignorance leading to consequences) we bring forth the Devil. Satan ("ha-satan"). The opposite end of polarity between good, and not good. We are given this duality (range of polarity) so that we can discern what is right, or unright. Human nature ego, or Divine nature Mind. Once we see the Truth, that which was illusion dissipates. 

Your mirror reflection is not actually you, but it looks just like you ... in the opposite reverse polarity. Once you see that the image is not real, that it is merely an illusion, it is no longer needed. You have learned the lesson that was intended. The Devil/Satan are not anthropomorphized evil as personages, they are our ego Mind, forever wanting to follow the desires of our senses, rather than what is best for our Self and everyone else. We are one race, one blood, one point of origin. God/Source/Spirit lives with us, through us, and AS US. When all is "whole" ... "holy," then we can attain the ultimate goal ... Heaven on Earth. There is ONLY ONE power in this world. God alone is all there is. We are each an emanation from this Source of all there is. 

"so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, the LORD, do all these things."

~Isaiah 45:6-7 

There is no room for a creature called the Devil to exist in a realm in which GOD is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, or ... ALL there IS. 

"for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."

~Romans 14:17

"Neither shall they say, Look here! or, look there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you."

~Luke 17:21

The Kingdom is described in the scriptures as being "Love, Peace, and Joy." So, let's make it happen ... and KNOW that it is found WITHIN us. Collectively, we are commissioned to bring order from chaos (day from night, light from darkness). We have the ability to reason. 

"For IN HIM we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

~Acts 17:28

The universe/God/Source is one giant organism, and we live within it, move within it, have our being in it, as it, and there is nowhere else to go but right where we are right now. All is NOW. All is here. The present is a gift ... enjoy the moment. 

Just a thought ... 

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

EVENING THEN MORNING

EVENING THEN MORNING

For this topic, I am going to focus on some biblical scriptures that have some deep allegorical, metaphorical, and symbolic meaning beyond just paper and ink. Let’s start at the beginning, Genesis. 

Genesis 1:5 (KJV)

"And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." 

The words which we find in the contemporary English Language Bible that translators interpret as "morning" and "evening" in Genesis 1, do not actually equate with our English words for those occurrences. In Hebrew, they actually mean "chaos/disorder" and "order" respectively.

When the sun goes down, vision becomes blurry and disordered, and with the break of day it clears. After all, what can be seen in darkness? The light pushes darkness out of the way and brings clarity into our lives in so many ways. This is true physically, and metaphysically. 

In the creation account of Genesis, the light existed BEFORE the sun and the stars were ever set in place. Wait ... BEFORE the sun and stars were created? Yes, and this was the light … of consciousness. We were brought out of the darkness, and into the light. Now lets move forward towards several other books contained in the Bible. 

Revelation 22:16 (KJV)

"I Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and MORNING STAR."

John 9:5 (KJV)

 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)

 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God ..."

Revelation 22:5 (KJV)

"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

Now consider this - it is the same as when ours eyes are closed - we are in darkness. We are in chaos. This is the only time we can truly see inside ourselves. Without the light of the world, we will stay in chaos, with our eyes figuratively and symbolically closed through Life. Our consciousness IS our light. It is our Mind that perceives everything, and remember that our brain is always in total darkness … our entire Life. Its encased in the darkness of our skull. 

When we open our eyes, we see the light not from the outside in, but from the inside out, and we see the order of all of God's creation. The Morning Star, represented mythically as Jesus Christ, pushes the darkness and chaos out of our sight ... if we set our sights on the Divine Spark of Christ Consciousness within us. In the same manner, the Morning Star (Phosphorus in Greek, Lucifer in Latin - the Planet Venus) arrives each day to usher in the Morning Sun (Sun of God). See the connection? By the way, “Lucifer” is not the Devil/Satan. Only the King James Bible uses this term. But thats for another writing. 

We will experience restoration and order in our lives ... just as the morning Sun brings ORDER from CHAOS.

Also remember the ancient Hebrews began the new "day" at sunset ... nightfall. With the dawn bringing forth the light. Sunset marked the start of the 12 night hours, whereas sunrise marked the start of the 12 day hours. We return back to Genesis 1:5 to see: "There was evening and there was morning, one day." When envisioned as the start of a new day, night loses its dread. It becomes a time of preparation, renewal and anticipation, a period of incubation before a new birth. This was their natural order. From the darkness, comes the light. 

Awaken and open your eyes to see all that life has to offer. Too much time in darkness with your eyes closed, and you'll stay asleep rather than be awake, and aware. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.

THE VAST NETWORK OF LIFE

THE VAST NETWORK OF LIFE

A lightbulb that is never lit, is not serving it's purpose. After all, when it is plugged-in to the Source of Power and not on ... it isn't doing it's job ... it's calling. It is dark and has no light. Connecting it to the source ... turning it on and putting it into service ... gives it Life. Otherwise, it is just there ... inert, inactive, and non-participatory. If it does not shine, it is darkness.  

It was recorded among the ancient Biblical scriptures: "you are the light of the world." Therefore, if you have Life, you have light. Your bulb is ON. With this light, you join the universal network of consciousness and Life ... connected directly to Source Energy. You are plugged in and that very fact proves you have purpose. 

When a light bulb burns out ... we say it is dead. It is the light that is it's purpose. The LIFE ... comes from within. Just as our Life comes from within. Each and every breath we take, is inspiration and expiration ... two polarities of one principle - breath - our life-force. We live and die in each one. We cannot breathe out, unless we first breathe in, and vice-versa. 

You are connected to the vast network of consciousness (the Field/Matrix) that moves the planets, births the stars, and shines the suns. All is energy ... even matter. You are a piece of the whole ... the holy. We are all One. Interconnected through Heaven (Spirit) and Earth (Matter) ... or Father and Mother. 

Each of us is a seed, birthed OUT of the Earth (our Mother/Matter - Mater is Latin for Mother) in the same way as a flower springs from the ground. I can go on and on but suffice it to say ... everything in this vast network of Life matters. Every plant, mineral, animal, and the entirety of mankind. We are tied to the winds, and the ground. Sharing every molecule, atom, and quark ... as a fish in the ocean ... we are as waves, eternal blended with all that is. 

There is no "other." What we do to/for someone else, we do to/for ourselves. Pay no attention to labels and creeds, beliefs and opinions. The Truth is that there is One Universe, One "God" (call it what you will), and that every "thing" is actually no-thing at all ... but a single oneness as a single universal organism. It can be no other way. 

"There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness ... If they say to you: Whence have you come?, say to them: We have come from the light, the place where the light came into being of itself. It established itself, and it revealed itself in their image. If they say to you: Who are you?, say: We are his sons, and we are the elect of the living Father."

~Gospel of Thomas

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

ALLEGORY OF “COMING OUT OF EGYPT”

ALLEGORY OF “COMING OUT OF EGYPT”

The word “Egypt” comes to us from the Ancient Greek “Aegyptos,” which is a Greek transliteration of the Kemetic phrase:  Het-Ka-Ptah. Het means place and Ka means: “the physical projection of the soul,” which is the character or aura that attaches itself to the body ... and NOT the body. It also meant black/darkness referring to the rich, black alluvial soil deposited by the Nile River, which allowed the agricultural basis of that civilization to flourish. 

In Ancient Hebrew, whenever Egypt or “Mitzraim” is mentioned, it is synonymous with physical and mental Bondage, presented metaphorically as Slavery. The indigenous tradition of the Land of Egypt tells us the civilization was called Khemit, and the people and language were called Khemitian.

Knowing now that scripturally, the word Egypt ... represents the body. When the Ancient Mystery School initiate identified with only the body and the flesh they were considered to be “in captivity.” Therefore, To “come forth out of Egypt” was understood as leaving behind the idea of being merely a body, and discovering the soul. This was the beginning of the Spiritual experience and discovery of the God or Divine Spark within. 

Hippolytus wrote about “those who are ignorant” ... “Egyptians in need of departing Egypt” ... that is from their body-centric existence ... believing themselves to be merely physical matter, and nothing more. Allegorically, the ignorant Egyptians represent those “without Gnosis” - without the knowledge of the Divine Spark within them - without the light and existing in darkness. It was this group of people who remained identified with their physical selves (not Higher Self) and who did not possess the “knowledge/Gnosis” ... that they we are all Divine Sparks of God entrapped in these fleshy and carnal bodies.

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM. 

PERSONIFICATION OF SATAN

PERSONIFICATION OF SATAN

The characterization and personification of “Satan” (Greek: σατανάς) (Hebrew: ha-satan) is portrayed to humanity in ever changing and varied images. The diversity of the images should be noted, particularly the diversification of forms “Satan” has taken on throughout history depicted by the images which have been catalogued, is not coincidental. 

Either these extremely varied pictures are all true to some extent and represent the “Satan” creature’s ability to morph like some kind of “shape shifter,” or there is no Truth to his being a real entity. 

In his poem, Dante portrayed the Devil as a grotesque, winged creature with three faces - each chewing on a devious sinner - whose wings blew freezing cold winds throughout Hell’s domain. In The Bible, there is no description of the Devil in any physical detail, and Historically by the end of the Middle Ages, the Devil had taken on the appearance of the horned, trident-wielding figure with a tail that has endured to modern times.

All the images of Satan are just many different depictions of many different imaginations that are based on imagery borrowed from ancient mythological creatures ... such as Pan. Pan being the nature demon that frightened everyone at that time. Pan’s fearful presence has carried on into our English language through words such as PANic and PANdemonium.

The primary meaning of the Hebrew word שָׂטָן (satan) is “an adversary, an opponent.” So in the Old Testament, satan (ha-satan) is commonly used to mean “an enemy”, either within or without. Biblically, in many of the places where this word is traditionally translated “Satan,” it should really be translated as “enemy or adversary." The Greek word σατανάς (satanas), comes from the Hebrew word satan, and has the same meaning: an adversary or enemy. 

We also find the use of the other word known as “Devil” in ancient texts. In the Greek of the New Testament, the word  “devil” (διάβολος/diabolos) most of the time meant a ruling evil figure. The underlying meaning of this Greek word is “false accuser, slanderer.” So once again, when we read “the Devil” in the New Testament, it refers to a very human reality: those who slander others and make false accusations.

These different graphic depictions can only be mental fabrications and constructs with no real model to base them on. So too is “Satan” himself ... a mental fabrication. Albeit, one in which many people believe to be real, in a physical sense.

The medieval period has been the most profound period of artistic depictions of what it is believed Satan looked like. The graphic images played a huge part in the conciousness of unsuspecting and unquestioning citizenry throughout that period, and assisted in setting up a belief that “Satan” was a physical being with a physical form ... and this horned being may well be the oldest deity reconized by humankind. 

Just like the fabrications of creative pagans and superstitious Christians of the past, the demons of the present day and of the New Testament period, were little more than mental constructs used to strike fear in the heart of mankind. That being said, know that the very word “demon” in the original Greek simply meant “spirit” (δαίμονας/daímonas), or Divine power. Nothing more. 

Although every culture assigned images to their concepts of their evil deity, the Truth of the matter is that the pagan nations each had their own multiplicity of Gods to worship, but that doesn’t make them real. These are non-existent, fabrications of men’s minds and were often made into statues and idols by the very hands of men. It is these “Gods” who were known as diamons/demons by the Ancient Greeks.

Although not specifically good or bad, they were believed to be “spirit energies” but eventually the Christians of old rejected the concept of “good spirit energies” and concluded ... these must be evil demons.

Today, many Christians believe the Devil was once a beautiful angel named Lucifer who defied God and fell from grace. This assumption that he is a fallen angel is often based the book of Isaiah in the Bible which says: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations.” It is important to note that “Lucifer” isn’t a proper name but a descriptive phrase meaning “morning star or day star,” and can also be properly translated as “light Bearer or light bringer.” Lucifer is Latin, and in the Greek we find “Phosphorus” (Greek Φωσφόρος Phōsphoros) ... the Morning Star, the planet Venus in its morning appearance. 

The Latin word lucifer, corresponding to Greek φωσφόρος, was used in Jerome’s Latin Vulgate translation of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל (helel), meaning Venus as the brilliant, bright or shining one, in Isaiah 14 (Isaiah 14:12), where the Septuagint Greek version uses, not φωσφόρος, but ἑωσφόρος. As a translation of the same Hebrew word the King James Version gave “Lucifer,” a name often misunderstood as a reference to Satan. Still, the name stuck and the Devil is often referred to as Lucifer.

By the time the Christian movement had swept across the Western world, our language would reflect that reversed perception, the Greek term daimones, “spirit energies,” would become in the English language, “demons” ... and are considered to be evil. These spirit-energy creatures, had become Satan's little helpers. 

Throughout history, the Devil’s reputation as an evildoer hasn’t changed much. Most followers of the Christian Religion still believe he has literally wreaked havoc on the earthly plane, and is responsible for much of the world’s corruption and chaos. To find the real satan though, we must look within ... and find our own sensory based ego-driven choices that bring consequence rather than benefit to humanity. This, is the “Opposer,” the enemy, false-accuser, and adversary - and, in many ways - the Antichrist. 

Just a thought ... 

Justin Taylor, ORDM.