The Apotheosis of Man

APOTHEOSIS

The goal of the Orthodox Church is Theosis. Let's look at how they arrived at this goal, and how scriptures tell us that we too can become the Christ - the annointed of God - the Divine Spark:

a·pothe·o·sis
əˌpäTHēˈōsəs/
definition: "elevation to divine status"

"Apotheosis" literally means the process of becoming divine.  Here,  George Washington is sitting in the heavens, literally made into a god.

Photograph of Constantino Brumidi’s 1865 fresco in the Capitol dome, entitled The Apotheosis of Washington. The fresco (a painting done on fresh, moist plaster) depicts George Washington’s apotheosis — or elevation to the rank of a god. In the painting, Washington has ascended to the heavens. He sits in the center of the image, with a rainbow at his feet. The female figures to his right and left represent Liberty and Victory/Fame.

It is the goal of these scriptures to enter into the very essence of God. That which is ALL things. Consciousness, Spirit, energy, all of existence.

Jesus did it, and tried to tell us in his mission here that the Christ Principle is within ALL of mankind:

JOHN 10:34 (Jesus)
"Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'?"

GALATIANS 4:19 (Paul)
"My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you. "

1 JOHN 4:17 (John)
"... because as He is, so also are we in this world."

Apotheosis (from Greek ἀποθέωσις from ἀποθεοῦν, apotheoun "to deify"; in Latin deificatio "making divine"; also called divinization and deification) is the glorification of a subject to divine level. In theology, apotheosis refers to the idea that an individual has been raised to godlike stature.

APO: from the Greek APO: "from, in descent from"

THEOSIS:

Theosis is the belief, mostly found within the Eastern Orthodox Church, that Christians can experience a union with God and become like Him so much that they participate in the divine nature.

In Eastern Orthodoxy deification (theosis) is a transformative process whose goal is likeness to or union with God. As a process of transformation, theosis is brought about by the effects of katharsis (purification of mind and body) and theoria ('illumination' with the 'vision' of God). According to Eastern Orthodox teaching, theosis is very much the purpose of human life.

To recognize the Christ within each of us, and to connect with that Divine essence, is the purpose and goal of our Spiritual nature.

Just a thought ...

~Justin Taylor, ORDM/OCP

The Difference Between Giving Up And Letting Go

The Difference Between Giving Up And Letting Go

People have a tendency to "give up" easily, and they seem to have a hard time "letting go." The difference is really in their attitude. In some cases,” giving up” means quitting something. For example: "He gave up a project because it was too hard." or, "She gave up yoga because it was too time consuming."

These types of giving up are negatively influenced. The persons don't feel they have to willpower or ability to overcome it. Rather than continue, they simply quit (give up). Sometimes, it is an act of some sort of sacrifice. For example: "He had to change careers due to his family situation." Or, "She had to move to a less-expensive town to better afford her children's needs."

Letting go, on the other hand, can provide freedom for the individual. Letting go of anger, jealousy, and any other influence that can benefit ALL parties involved. Remember, that which you resist, will persist. 

Giving up is more suited to quitting something for a particular reason, whether you actually wanted to or not. Letting go relieves you and other of any further consequence or burden. If you are arguing with someone, and you just quit and walk away ... then you both suffer frustration. 

If you both choose to let go, then the entire event and its consequences will dissipate. Even if it is only you who lets go, you will be free of the burden and relieve yourself of the emotion or thing. Letting go shows good intentions for all who are involved. An old Zen Proverb says: "Let go, or be dragged."

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

Where is God?

Where is God?

How many times have you found yourself asking “where is God?” Whether it be a car accident, death of a loved one, illness, etc. We all have asked this question and I have spent many years looking for the answer. 

The life force that we call God, is in ALL things. In fact, we are in God. All is mind, all is Spirit ... even matter is low vibration energy. Nothing is solid, nothing is inanimate matter ... all is vibrating electrical and magnetic energy. Once this is understood, we can better understand the Source of ALL that is. 

This Source/God, is the power behind all of the universe. You need not be religious to understand where science and religion intersect. This is fact. Just as every light bulb in the world is ultimately connected to the very same electrical source, so is all life and even seemingly inanimate objects when see at a cellular level. 

It is important to understand that electricity can provide safety and security, and it can also kill. It is not the choice of the electrical power as to wheat it is used for. It simply IS. And it is up to us to use it properly. The Source Power of the universe also provides the life force for all things and it is up to us to determine how we use that force. 

Is it as if all is a dream, unreal ... just a mirage created in mind and thought. Everything that becomes form/matter first begins as a thought. Everything. So in essence, we are living a dream. From beyond the realm of matter, we operate through the power of Spirit and manifest into this lower realm from a much higher realm of our real existence. This is all made possible through free will and the Power of Source/God to all things.  

Knowing this, try and imagine yourself in the presence of someone who is experiencing a dream. Perhaps even a nightmare. We know not to startle the person to awaken them so we gently begin the process of nudging them into returning from their dream. Even if we are standing next to them, we have no idea what is going on in their dream. But, the same power that provides consciousness to us, is the power providing consciousness to them. 

There is no way we can know what is going on inside the other persons head. Therefore, we cannot intervene in their own personal dream. However, we do know they are experiencing some sort of event. Good, or bad. In this same way, God/Source provides all life with energy ... yet cannot directly intervene in THIS realm UNLESS ... it is through US. 

God/Source is unaware of the events that are happening in a dream state (like this realm of matter) and therefore we feel that our prayers are not being answered. Because our true existence is Spirit, projecting into this realm, it really isn’t happening at the Source of where we truly exist ... only here in this earthly experience. Just like you don’t know whats going on in another persons dream. 

God/Source Energy is the provider of LIFE. We use that life force to experience this world. To discern good from bad. To help grow the Universal Unconsciousness and expand the knowledge base of the universe. We are also commissioned to help each other grow from our experiences. To raise the vibration and awareness of all that is. 

So, the next time you ask “where is God?” ... remember Mark 13:21:

“And then if any one say to you, Lo, here is the Christ, or Lo, there, believe it not.”

The Christ is not OUTSIDE of us. The Christ is the begotten of God, the offspring, the Divine Spark with ALL things. It isn’t some being out there ... its inside. And this is the spark that powers us to do the work of God. To be the hands, the mouth, the feet of the Source/Almighty. When we pray for something, we have to be interactive and use the power within us to create action ... “faith without works is dead.” 

Imagine if as humanity, we stopped spending billions on how to annihilate ourselves and each other, and instead spent that on research and wellness? How many more “miracles” we would experience? So then, where is God we ask? Right here. Inside. All we have to do is wake up from the dream and bring about awareness of the unlimited universal power within. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM.

Do We Blame The Truck?

Do We Blame The Truck?

A truck rolls out of control, over an embankment and into oncoming traffic. The drunk driver behind the wheel was impaired and had a distorted view of reality. 3 people are killed, 2 others are injured. 

Now, ask yourself honestly ... is the truck at fault? Is the truck to blame? What about Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan? 

No. The driver is the cause of the effect. He used a tool that was available to him to commit this crime. It was not the intent of the truck manufacturer that it's vehicle be used for manslaughter. It also was not the intent of the auto dealer who sold it to him. Even if it was, the driver would still ultimately be responsible for the use of the vehicle. He has usurped the power of the vehicle which has both good and bad potential, and chosen to use it for bad. 

The same goes for ancient Wisdom and philosophy. The very foundation of all mainstream world religions has a common point of origin and a common system of belief. Whether it be Egyptian Mysiticism, Greek Mythology, Persian Mysticism, Buddhism, Hinduism, et al. The original alignment of the principles has been usurped through the ages by power and control seeking men. They have usurped the original teachings, and modified them for their own dark agenda. All have been exposed to this. 

Regardless of ones faith, creed, or holy book ... it is an individual and personal decision to cause harm. Plain and simple. Many years ago the Comedian Flip Wilson use to laugh and say "the devil made me do it." But we all know, the devil isn't going to jail ... you are. 

Karma is an ancient Sanskrit word meaning "doing." So ... your karma, is your doing. It is cause and effect ... Universal Law. And your decisions, effect not only you ... but everyone else. We are all subject to each others doings (karma). 

So when a terrorist drives a truck bomb into a building, or into a crowd of people ... we do not blame the truck do we? There are those who would blame it on the gun ... but it is not the gun. It is not the truck. It is not the bomb. It is THE MAN who performs the heinous act. 

We cannot re-write what world religions have coe to believe, but we can re-educate people and present to the the Truth of Unity and Peace. Compassion, love, understanding and tolerance. This must start with the children. For many adults, too much time has passed, and there is too much hatred and violent self-serving desire to commit atrocities out of anger. 

Though many may think the culprit is religion ... it simply is not. Not in it's original form. The word "religion" comes from the Latin "religare" meaning to bind, or to tie or to connect. This IS NOT a binding to the religion ... but a binding to the spiritual power that is God. This is what was originally the intent. And "God" was the One. The Source. The LOGOS (Archetype/Word). The Life ... the very breath of life. 

When people awaken to the Truth that all is One and One is all ... and that what we do to "other" we do to our self ... then we will begin to see peace and unity among mankind. If the world leaders of religion would just admit what they already know ... and admit it publicly ... there would be a sharp decline in world wide violence. 

It isn;t the truck. It's the individual human operator. The truck, and the gun, and the bomb, do not have the consciousness to reason and decide what effect they wish to have from their existence and first cause. They are tools that become one with whoever is using them. The hammer, becomes the hand. 

Just a thought ... 

~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM. 

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.