Fornication, Spiritual Surfing and God Realization

St George

I got a text of of my mate Pete today. Pete used to work for me. Pete is one of lifes characters. Witty, sharp, intelligent & Scouse (read scally). Pete usually sends me offensive texts, jokes about current affairs etc and I pretend not to read or laugh at them (though obviously I do – sometimes to my own shame). Any how, his text today was of a different type and calibre:

“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf”

It's a great line innit? It rang true for a couple of reasons.

One: my lad Rory really got into surfing whilst we were on holiday in the Gower recently. Rory is a git. He is better than me in almost everything he tries. He's much more skilful than I was at rugby. His guitar skills are getting rather good. Academically he's a bit bright. He's not as handsome as me obviously, but he does seem to attract the chicks (something I failed at until Audrey took pity on me). On the surf board he was a natural. He was reading the waves and riding them on day one. Like I say, he's a git.

Two: When Pete worked for me I was well and truly engrossed in the church – not religious thank god, but certainly fervent and evangelical in that I was certain that everyone was entitled to my opinion. Pete at some stage made it known that he wasn't into the “church shite” (was he a prophetic angel?) and suggested I read a book on Zen Buddhism (The Way of Zen – Alan W Watts) and work out my self before I tried work out god. How dare he proselytise to me!

Three: The latter half of last week as you remember I became an apprentice christian Buddhist.

Four: I'm a George Harrison fan. He was by far my favourite ex Beatle. George was a deeply spiritual person. A follower of the Hindu, ,Hare Krishna tradition. He once said "Everything else can wait, but the search for God cannot...". I like that and I think Pete would have too.

So, where am i going with this diatribe? I suppose what is apparent in my starting this Blog is that I have a few issues to deal with involving my christian faith and I'm learning a little more everyday that my walk needs to be much more, MUCH MORE, spiritual. I'm carrying some hurts and baggage associated with the orthodox church and some of its members. However, I'm starting to truly realize that my faith has nothing to do with the church or it's people (apart from circumstantial). It's all to do with the spiritual awakening I had during a real God moment and a couple of other God experiences I've had since over the years (more of that another time).

I wrote on my “About Me”, that I'm a Dweller on the Threshold – a nod to Van Morrison. But it's true. I've been on this god journey for years now and I'm only just begining to see it for what means. It is truly a journey and I've but taken a few steps. 

I reckon I'm on the right path in that I have a God Realization, but I'm only starting to see where I might fit into Gods plans (if indeed God has plans). In the christian bible there's a book called Romans and we are told to “offer our bodies as living sacrifices…” because “this is your SPIRITUAL act of worship” Worship I suppose is placing value on God, catching his waves, to appraise HIS value.

The I God I believe in is called Jesus. Christians talk of Jesus being a saviour (we'll discuss the relevance of this term for the 21^st C and the enormous weight it carries another time too). Zen is oft described as “a way of liberation”. What's become apparent since Petes text this morning is that some of the beef I have with my past connections with the church are simply waves and that if I work harder on focusing in on Jesus then maybe I'll learn to surf as well as my lad. So, the question is not whether or not surfing is spiritual, rather is riding the waves my spiritual act of worship?

“There's a preacher out there warned me about Satan
Could be that he knows him
Cause' He acts like he's possessed
I said 'Hey man let's hear about God realisation
For a change'
he said "We ain't got time for that
First you must hear the evils of fornication"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbgYx5fJjj8

The Second Coming of Buddah

Buddha v Jesus Mega Mix:

I'm running into a bit of a problem with Buddhism. It's disappointing really as I was starting to enjoy the ride. My concerns are with the diet and I do enjoy me grub.

As I said yesterday, I have been looking at reincarnation today and that's where I discovered that I might have a problem. The first Precept in Buddhism is often interpreted as ‘do not harm,’ and many Buddhists choose to be vegetarian as a result of this precept. One basic tenet of Buddhism is that of reincarnation and the belief that animals can be reincarnated as humans and vice versa. As a result, Buddhists do not kill animals, and many do not eat meat or fish because this is considered to be bad for their karma and you could end up eating someone that you know. I suppose it would be like being part of the “Meet and Eat” team at a Sunday service.

I'm not opposed to becoming a veggie per se as the forbidden meat list seems to be predominantly humans, elephants, horses, dogs, snakes, lions, tigers, boars and hyenas. I'm fairly certain I could give those up. I am partial however to the average meat stocks of cows, pigs, sheep and cattle. Also I'm not sure I could give up ant eaters either, after all a little aardvark never hurt anybody! (BOOM BOOM!)

Possibly more difficult for me would be to refrain from eating the “Five Pungent Spices” such as garlic, onion and leek, because they are considered to increase one’s sexual desire and anger – Well I don't believe that for a minute and I'll fight anyone who says different although my wife might like the idea of my constant begging becoming a thing of the past.

Anyhow. Enough of the food talk. It's making me peckish. Back to reincarnation.

Although the idea that Kate Bush and I might get the chance to become intimate (but not if i keep up with the pungent spices) is possible via reincarnation it seems the odds are stacked against me. I'm more likely to be a fruit fly or similar so the chances of me taking a stab at romance with the lovely Kate would be pretty slim even if I lead a really good and spiritually faithful life – so balls to that.

STOP PRESS: I just used a reincarnation calculator and the odds are that I'll be coming back as a rhino. It says; 27% of folk will get a higher life form reincarnation than me...... I still get the horn though eh? (sorry). www.reincarnationstation.com

Obviously 2 days as a Buddhist isn't really giving it a real chance but I think I've sussed enough to embrace the philosophy. The non-aggressive, moral and philosophical system expounded by the Buddha, which demands no blind faith from its adherents, expounds no dogmatic creeds, encourages no superstitious rites and ceremonies, but advocates a golden mean that guides a disciple through pure living and pure thinking to the gain of supreme wisdom and deliverance from all evil, is in fact I reckon a rather brilliant philosophy.

I'm fairly sure I could add this philosophy to my cannon of beliefs and still let Jesus be the governor.

Simplistically Jesus and the Buddha agree that pursuing happiness in transient things is futile, but they direct us to opposite solutions. The Buddha says suffering is caused by desire and “happiness” is overcoming all desire and treasuring nothing. Jesus on the other hand says desire is not the cause of suffering per se, but is in part due to desiring the wrong things.

Perhaps then true happiness is discovering, pursuing and treasuring what is truly important in the “Kingdom of God”.

To end with I'll let you take a peek at a web site that would certainly keep me from seeking Jesus and would prohibit my becoming a Buddhist due to the ill thought and violence i could bring upon it's authors... what a load of twaddle.

http://fundamentalbaptistchristian.blogspot.com/2011/02/why-jesus-is-better-than-buddha.html

Come Again?

Come Again? The Core beliefs of Buddhism:

 

OK. I've had a day of being a Buddhist.  To be honest I haven't felt much different. However I did learn some stuff which I thought to be pretty cool and rather familiar, so I'm thinking I'll give it another day.
What is apparent is that like most of the great religions of the world Buddhism is divided into a number of different traditions. However what is also apparent is that most traditions share a common set of fundamental beliefs. Below are what are know as “The Three Trainings or Practices of Buddhism” and a couple of my thoughts beneath:

1. Sila: Virtue, good conduct, morality. This is based on two fundamental principles:

- The principle of equality: that all living entities are equal.
- The principle of reciprocity: This is the "Golden Rule"


- in Christianity - to do onto others as you would wish them to do onto you.


2. Samadhi: Concentration, meditation, mental development. Developing one's mind is the
path to wisdom which in turn leads to personal freedom. Mental development also strengthens and controls our mind; this helps us maintain good conduct.

- Could be a prayer disipline – being open to what God is trying to tell us.? Seeking truth so that it might set us free?

3. Prajna: Discernment, insight, wisdom, enlightenment. This is the real heart of Buddhism. Wisdom will emerge if your mind is pure and calm.


- The chapter called James in the Bible says this: “But the wisdom that comes from above leads us to be pure, friendly, gentle, sensible, kind, helpful, genuine, andsincere.” - not exactly the same but hey............

Not a bad days experience on the whole.  Tomorrow I'm going to have a go at reincarnation & see if I can't be reborn as Kate Bushes boyfriend.

Rock On or Buddah Off?

Today I will mostly be a Christian Buddhist:

Joining in on friends blog yesterday I made a statement that "I was up for a revolution as long as it allowed for evolution".  Faith needs to be evolutionary. Recognising and practising (a good adjective in many senses) faith needs to be evolutionary.  

So for today I will be practising a bit of Buddhism - seeking truth, enlightenment, peace and happiness....... sounds a bit like core christianity don't you think?

gizakiss

Lets get this show on the road...........

Thousands of times I have heard it both read and said;
"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me"
It's a red letter phrase.  Spoken by Jesus, recorded by men, bastardized by theology and used as a threat by Sunday preachers. 

I'm on dodgy ground here as far as God botherers go - I'm starting to shift my thinking somewhat.  We are constantly told that all roads do not lead to God. We are also told that all will finally stand before God on judgement day. We are also told that God is merciful and full of forgiveness, compassion  and grace. 

Ergo if everyone one day stands before him then all roads must lead to his door. 

Or - if we are to believe the scripture, Jesus actually comes to our doors and knocks. That must mean everybody's doors, regardless of the flavour of their faith. 

Does he knock just the once?  Is it a special offer just for today?  Is it a never to be repeated one off kind of opportunity?

Or as I'm starting to think is it something that he will do time and time again. Intimately and infinitely until we stand before him as the great bouncer in the sky, at his door.  

Will he then explain that just like there was always a last chance for the thief on the cross, there are no dress code restrictions in Gods nightclub?

image courtesy of The Naked Pastor: nakedpastor.com