Month: May 2023

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Opposition

May 8, 2023 Joseph Dewey

Opposition

I thought I would post an exchange I had in another group on duality. I don’t want to rehash this subject again but every once in a while, someone brings up something that motivates me to respond.

We’ll just call this guy a “Thinker”

Thinker: Opposition in all things is something that devout LDS consider among the great truths of Mormonism. As a devout believer, I too believed that with complete sincerity. Later, I considered it to be one of the great lies that we live by.

I once had a conversation about darkness and light with a fellow who I considered to be one of the spiritually adept. He claimed that darkness is equal in power, might, and dependence to it’s opposite… which is, of course… light. Darkness is a thing, he said, it can overcome light, said he.

What?

I thought that darkness is an absence of light. In the presence of the smallest light, darkness flees. The opposite doesn’t occur… at least in terms of visible light. In that same vein, there is no such thing as darkness, since even in the absence of visible light, there are other forms of light (radio waves, cosmic rays, etc.) present.

JJ: Interesting thought, but despite this logic I maintain that opposition does indeed exist in all things.

To clarify let me add some additional points.

Not only is dark an illusion, but light in this reality is also created on the illusionary principle of the wavelength. If all wavelengths ceased then there would be no light or dark. There would still be that great something we call God, which created the great illusion but it exists beyond the worlds of form.

Secondly, that which we call dark exists even in the greatest light. If you were floating in space close to the sun, basking in great light, and looked up at the sky away from the sun, you would see the blackness of space and would see none of the light of the sun. If the sun and its light disappeared you would see no loss of light as you continue to look at the darkness of space. You would see no loss of light because even though you are drenched in light you saw no light of the sun, only darkness.

So when do we see light?

We can only see light when light strikes a form and the form casts a shadow. The shadow, or the dark, combined with invisible light turn on a light, which cannot be seen, into that which can be seen as a mixture of light and dark.

Thus when you turn on a light, technically the dark does not flee, but the dark of the shadows is put to use making form visible – giving the experience (or illusion) of seeing light.

Thinker: So, is there opposition in all things? Well, the opposite to truth is illusion. But, illusion, by definition, is not real. It seems that there is only an apparent opposition… that a belief in illusion makes opposition appear real. What’s true is that illusion isn’t real, so it is not an opposite to truth.

JJ: All form is created by the illusion of the wavelength and that which we call true are the happenings and effects within the great illusion itself.

The one thing we can say is real is the experience we have for experience, even in an illusion, is real. For instance, we have many experiences within our dreams, but most will admit that our dreams are not real, but illusions. Even so, a monster can scare us just as effectively in a dream as it could in the real (higher dream state) world.

That which we call true is true within the framework of the illusion of creation, but there is a oneness that is true and exists beyond the illusion, which created the illusion. It is not that which is not, but that which is hidden from us in this reality.

Thinker: What about eternal? Does anything that’s created fail to pass away? I can’t think of anything. Even memories are lost. We forget, don’t we?

JJ: I agree. Anything that has form changes form and when it changes or passes away, that form is no more. All creation, as we understand it, is the of form and is not eternal. That which is eternal is the formless life, which created the form.

Form is not eternal but the creative process is, because this process originates at a point beyond time and space.

Thinker: As LDS, we say we are remembering. I wonder if that too, isn’t a lie. I wonder if we aren’t playing out a joke we have yet to get. In remembering, one wonders if these memories are ones we once had. What if the memories are new ones (ie. created)? (c;

JJ I’ve encountered a lot of people who remember past lives and have verified some of those memories, but never encountered anyone who remember the standard LDS pre-existence. The modern church has conjured up an image of life before birth that is much different than taught by Joseph Smith.

The standard LDS view is that we have only one life and before this life we lived in heaven with a heavenly father and mother on a planet other than the earth where God was redeemed as a mortal. Most believe that God had many wives and I’ve never heard of an account that sees us sitting at the feet of God with a bunch of wives with billions of children gathered round.

I’m not saying such accounts do not exist, but if such does it is rare and runs contrary to the thousands of memories that are available.

We are indeed children of God but that standard LDS view of God and his wives having regular physical sex to produce billions (perhaps trillions) of offspring on a far away planet is quite fanciful and does not square with memory evidence or logic as to how we came to be. It also does not square with any statement that Joseph Smith made – that I know of.

(Note from 2023: Since then I watched a number of near death experiences related on YouTube and have seen several LDS recount a preexistence vaguely resembling the LDS view. I find it interesting that one near deather was told that people with a near death experience are presented with circumstances that are in harmony with their belief system. I think there is truth in that as many have different experiences)

Thinker: Ever hear the trite phrase that “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”? What a bunch of hoop-tee-law that is. I’ve been hurt by a lot of things I didn’t know. You too?

I think a better way to put it is: “What you don’t know won’t disturb you.” (c;

JJ: I agree that what we do not know can indeed hurt us. When it does, we often just do not relate the pain to our ignorance.

I’m convinced that the orthodox scientists of today are the counterpart of the orthodox theologians of the Middle Ages. Desmond Leslie

Jan 15, 2007

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Too Much of a Good Thing

May 6, 2023 Joseph Dewey

Too Much of a Good Thing

The seeker in the Pergamos stage receives a criticism:

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. “ Rev 2:14

Some of those who followed the doctrine of Balaam followed false gods, such as Baal, and committed some crimes that would be repulsive to the most open-minded in today’s society. Perhaps the worst thing they did was to sacrifice the lives of children by burning them to death on an alter of a false God. This was supposed to bring good crops, prosperity and fertility.

Balaam was an interesting character. He was viewed as a true prophet in Israel; he recognized the voice of God and when he taught or prophesied by that voice, he was very accurate and said things to benefit Israel. According to this verse he actually taught an enemy of Israel, Balac, how to seduce Israel and thus weaken them.

It has been said in the past that evil is merely a misuse of good. The seeker at this point in his progression has learned many things that are considered good, such as the virtues of tolerance, inclusiveness, compromise and acceptance. Now he must learn that all virtues taken too far become evil.

Let us take Hitler, for example. Now, most of would agree that having a beautiful, healthy body is a virtue, but this tyrant took this to an extreme. He determined which race and body type was the optimum and sought to eliminate all those who may interfere with this becoming a reality for all.

Likewise, a misuse of other virtues can turn a result from good to evil. A little tolerance is good, but too much can destroy the structures of society that insure freedom and stability.

The right amount of inclusiveness is a godsend, but when taken too far with no judgment, one is inviting the planting of destructive seeds that can destroy all good.

Compromise and acceptance can be saving principles, but, again, taken too far, can destroy all defense from evil and cause the life involved to become like unto that which he most despises.

Even though Balaam recognized the Voice, and never denied it, he, at times, did not check with that Voice and taught with the wisdom of his lower nature. He was over-tolerant of the enemies of Israel and even gave them advice that could hurt his own people. He saw the virtues of tolerance and took them too far, which resulted in the threat of destruction for his own people.

The aspiring disciple in this third stage on the path encounters the problems of the doctrine of Balaam. He sees that in the past he was too separative, rigid and exclusive, and feels that now he is enlightened, he will be much more inclusive and accepting of those different than he. If such a seeker were living in today’s society, he would embrace such thoughts as “it takes a village,” diversity, equal rights, fairness, sensitivity, political correctness and others. He would support illegal immigration, giving legal rights to detainees, and compromising with and befriending tyrants and enemies. He would be against hate crimes, hate speech, corporate greed, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, war, materialism and many other apparent evils.

These directions are good if done with judgment and the right amount of focus, but become destructive and restrictive if gone too far. The seeker at the Pergamos stage goes too far and unwittingly is willing to unnecessarily restrict freedom and endanger his brethren through his misplaced and excessive idealism.

He hears the Inner Voice, does not deny it, but, like the prophet Balaam, feels he knows what is right in areas beyond that which the Voice has told him. If he feels a thing should be right, he assumes he is in harmony with his soul; but like Balaam, he could be entirely incorrect.

The lesson the disciple must learn at this point is what feels right to the emotional self is often much more harmful than it is helpful. He makes the mistake of thinking that if a little of something is good, then a lot is better. He must learn the principle of judgment and realize that a little salt, for instance, can add zesty flavor, but if one were to consume enough of it he would die.

Similarly, the right amount of inclusiveness is good, but inclusiveness with no limits or discernment involved can be a disaster.

Let us take immigration as an example. A reasonable amount of immigration to any country is stimulating and increases resources and helps the economy. But if the gates are opened without limits, the country could be overwhelmed with more people than can be assimilated including many criminals and others antagonistic to the people’s way of life.

The verse continues correcting the disciple, telling him he is making the mistake of eating “things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”

In Old Testament times it was a grave sin for an Israelite to eat anything sacrificed to idols. The reason was that the sacrifice of any animal was to be dedicated to Jehovah, and to have anything to do with a sacrifice to any other god was treasonous.

So, what meaning does this have for the aspiring disciple of this age where we do not sacrifice animals to any type of god?

Meat or food can apply to levels beyond the physical plane. We feed our non-physical nature with thoughts, teachings and beliefs. If we, therefore, consume teachings that lead us away from the voice of the true God Within, and swallow without thinking the pronouncements of authorities without, we are eating “things sacrificed unto idols.”

The second problem was the committing of fornication. Fornication among Israelites went beyond anything to do with sex. God was called their husband and Israel was married to Him. Even in the New Testament, Christ is the bridegroom who marries the church. It was deemed to be fornication when an Israelite took his allegiance away from the true God and placed his heart on the teachings of a false god.

Even so, the seeker today commits fornication when he disregards the true Inner Voice within and puts his faith in his outer feelings and outer authorities.

In so doing, the seeker takes some of the messages from the Inner Voice and attempts to be over-inclusive and mix in unproven teachings of the outer voices. He then finds himself giving more energy to the false than the true.

With no limits on inclusiveness, the life of a country, organization or individual can be thrown into chaos, making the pursuit of happiness difficult.

In this stage the seeker finds that embracing his ideals without judgment or limits doesn’t seem to work for him, and finally, after much frustration, he checks with the Inner Voice and hears “I have a few things against thee… These Balaam tactics do not work – everything you feel to be right is not right. You must balance your fallible feelings with common sense from the mind and finally verification from the Christ within.”

When the seeker then listens to these instructions, he finds he does not have to give up his ideals, but must make adjustments and focus his intentions in such a way that practical and harmless results will be achieved.

“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Rev 2:15

As noted earlier, the doctrine of the Nicolaitans refers to the embracing of outward authority to govern and guide the lives of the people.

The seeker’s attempt to include the false teachings with the true lead him to place too much weight on the outer voices and authority of the modern day Nicolaitans.

“Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” Rev 2:16

The seeker must reflect and go back to the Inner Voice and rely on it over the outer voices. If he does not, he will find himself, his beliefs and actions to be counter to the God Within, and will find the Inner Voice is fighting against all that he has accepted. The sword of the mouth of the Christ Within will fight against his illusions and eventually prevail. How long it will take depends on how soon the seeker is willing to listen and apply.

Seeing ourselves as others see us would probably confirm our worst suspicions about them. Franklin P. Adams

Jan 14, 2007

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Pergamos: Satan’s Seat

May 5, 2023 Joseph Dewey

Pergamos: Satan’s Seat

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;” Rev 2:12

As stated earlier, Pergamos is unchanged from the Greek spelling and is derived from PERGOS, which means a “tower” or fortification “rising to a considerable height, to repel a hostile attack or to enable a watchman to see in every direction.”

It is also interesting that the word “parchment” is derived from the word for this city, which invented this writing material on which is found many profound words.

As one goes through these names, we see that they were not picked randomly, but the names and the qualities of the cities themselves are chock-full of symbolism.

When we read over the instructions to Pergamos we see that the meaning of the name is indeed fitting. In this third stage the seeker is besieged with all manner of troubles, hurdles and threats. He enters into the territory of the devil himself and is tempted by destructive doctrines.

To avoid the dangers he must create a mental watchtower (Pergamos) so he can see the dangers ahead and where they will lead. In this way he can navigate his way safely through enemy territory.

The first message to the seeker in the Pergamos stage is a reminder that the inner Christ “hath the sharp sword with two edges;”

Why is he told this? The simple answer is this: the two- edged sword is a symbol of the word, or truth of the God Within, as verified by the soul. This gives added meaning to the word “parchment” on which many of the words of God were written. The sword is mentioned first because a true comprehension of the truth is essential at this point for the traveler to successfully navigate through the dens of Satan, and successfully see through the fogs and illusions that cover the terrain.

The seeker thus plunges into dark territory with the powerful weapon of the two-edged sword of truth that strikes at the heart of the dragon. Wielding this sword takes courage, for he strikes fear into the hearts of all that dwell in Satan’s seat, causing them to lash out to harm and destroy. He must learn to strike with good judgment and power.

Next we are given the key to success, let us examine the rest of the message. Verse 13 reads:

“I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” Rev 2:13

The Master knows all about the aspiring disciple. He knows his works. Nothing is hidden, even his dwelling place, “where Satan’s seat is.”

As this message begins, it sounds like the seeker has gone to hell in a hand basket, but then the next thing he is told is “thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith.”

It is interesting then that he dwells where Satan’s seat is but is still keeping his faith. How is this happening and what is Satan’s Seat? This phrase has mystified readers for many centuries.

There have been many guesses as to what Satan’s seat is. Some have said it was the Temple of Athene where sacrifices were made to Zeus. Others say it could have been the god of the city, which was Asclepios. His name meant “savior” and his symbol was the serpent. Sounds antichrist and devilish, does it not?

The most popular idea is that Pergamos itself is the seat of Satan because it was a capital city in Asia and administered many of the ungodly rules of the Roman Empire. The biggest problem for the Christians in Pergamos was that they were required once a year to go to the temple of the emperor and acknowledge that “Caesar is Lord.” If they would do this one simple thing, they could worship in any religion they pleased.

Unfortunately, such a proclamation was anathema to a Christian as for to him the only Lord was Jesus Christ. Even so, the temptation to go along with the system was great because if a Christian refused, he could be put to death, and many were.

This situation would seem to be Satan’s seat if anything was, and it is probably the closest thing we could find to it in the physical reality of that time, but we are looking for something deeper. We are looking at the principle behind the seat of Satan that applies not only in ancient times, but in all times and places where the seeker must abide.

The truth is that Satan’s Seat is so close to us and ubiquitous that the forest cannot be seen for the trees. The Greek Gods, temples and Caesar, which many identify as being the seat of Satan, have one thing in common: they all signify powerful authority on the outside that takes the place of the authority of God on the inside. If the seeker places the voice of the God Within above the credibility of the God without, he is in danger of persecution, imprisonment or death.

When the seeker dwells where Satan’s Seat is, this means he is surrounded by believers who follow an outer voice. These religious (and other ideological) followers believe their leaders know best what the word of God is and what he has in mind for them. The seeker often finds he is completely surrounded by robotic people, and is under constant pressure to just conform and even adjust his thinking to get along and make the best of his life.

He remembers his commitment to never forsake the Inner Voice; he holds fast to the name of the inner God and does not deny his faith. We are told he held fast “even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”

Scholars have no idea who Antipas was, but his name in the Greek means “like the father.”

Even when the father, or the teacher of the seeker is slain, or is taken away for some reason, the seeker will not lose his faith and will continue to verify all things through the Inner Voice.

When he seems forsaken by the greatest teacher of all, his Father, God, he will still keep his faith and follow principles that have been verified to him in the past. Even while exclaiming “My God, why have you forsaken me?” he will still remember and believe in his true source.

The seeker thus receives praise for keeping the essential truth in his consciousness – that none of the outer authorities are one hundred percent reliable. His final faith must be on the message of the inner Christ, even during the times that his voice seems to have forsaken him.

The greater the ignorance the greater the dogmatism. Sir William Osler (1849 – 1919)

Jan 11, 2007

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Overcoming

May 4, 2023 Joseph Dewey

Overcoming

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Rev 2:10

The seeker is first told to not fear that which he shall suffer. This is easier said than done, especially for the Christian in the days of John. Some were thrown to lions, others in prison, and still others burned or tortured to death. Aspirants in the civilized world today do not have the same fears as many of the early Christians for they receive some protection from the laws of the land.

Even so, the aspirant has his plate full of concerns. It seems that today the average person fears losing his job about as much as earlier people did losing their lives. As humanity evolves, tension not only exists for persecution on the physical levels, but also on the emotional and mental. It is interesting that many people would just as soon die as suffer intense emotional embarrassment.

The true seeker and follower of the inner voice will indeed have suffering he must endure and the inner voice will prepare him for it. He is also told that he may be cast into prison. The prison he may have to suffer may be more than a correctional facility with steel bars. It could be a situation he is forced into and must endure if the work he is to accomplish is to be successful. Sometimes the difficult situations the disciple must face are worse than regular prison.

The inner voice consoles him on his sufferings: “ye shall have tribulation ten days.”

This is not a literal ten days, but is a symbol that tells the aspirant that in the scheme of things the difficulties will not last that long. Many people, including myself, have gone ten days or more without food. If a person can go without food for ten days, then one can handle almost anything for that period. Now, if the voice told us that we must endure ten years, this would be bad news. We can endure most anything for ten days, but even the strongest heart will yield to pressure if the time period is long enough.

Basically the message is that when the trial is over it will seem to be a short period, like ten days. This will be the case even though the actual time period will vary. For some it may be extremely intense and less than ten days, but for others the time may span a number of years, or even a lifetime.

The message continues: “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

It is possible that the tribulation may last until death or even require the seeker’s life, but even if this is the case, it will seem to be a short period in the scheme of things.

Imagine the Master asking you, “Are you willing to endure intense trouble for ten days in return for a crown of life for all the rest of your days?”

Ten days compared to a lifetime, or eternity, is insignificant and is even more so when we consider that we live for many lifetimes.

Now let us look at the final words to Smyna:

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” Rev 2:8-11

What must the seeker overcome? Books have been written on this idea alone, but in a word, he must overcome the negative influence of his lower nature and endure the various attacks and deceptions that come from the numerous adversaries of light and love that circulate among us. “He that endures to the end shall be delivered” is the key seed thought here.

If one overcomes he shall not be hurt by the “second death.” What is the second death is the key question that should come to mind at this point.

One problem is that there are several interpretations of this phrase that fit within the Law of Correspondences. Here are several possible second deaths:

(1) One interpretation is the first death was a spiritual death caused by Adam when he and Eve fell and were separated from God. The second death would happen when the pilgrim discovers he is not worthy to return to God and the separation continues.

(2) The Ancient Wisdom teaches that in the end of human evolution some will be prepared for graduation and move on to a higher sphere; the failures will go to another earth to suffer disease and death again and take the earth classroom all over.

(3) After the death of the physical body the pilgrim eventually suffers the death of his etheric body and later his astral body. These deaths can cause suffering and fear to those who are not prepared to sacrifice their lower nature and move ahead. The spiritually-centered person will not suffer from these second deaths, but will look forward to moving ahead.

He who overcomes the lower nature and endures all the adversaries that tempt him to move attention away from the light will not fear any second death, just as he does not fear the death of the physical body.

The Ray of Smyrna

Smyrna represents stage two in the seeker. He is governed by Ray Six, The Ray of Devotion or Idealism. In Smyrna he uses the power of this Ray to raise up his ideals and suffer whatever persecution and problems that may come from the principles he holds.

First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others. Thomas a Kempis (1380 – 1471)

Jan 7, 2007

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The First and the Last

May 2, 2023 Joseph Dewey

The First and the Last

“And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;” Rev 2:8

As noted earlier, Smyrna is derived from the Greek SMURNA, which is the herb myrrh.

Just as the voice of Christ identified himself as the first and the last, myrrh made its appearance in the first and last part of the life of Jesus.

The Magi, at the first, brought it to the baby Jesus as one of their gifts, and at the last, at his burial, he was given it again. It is written:

“And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.” John 19:39-40

Myrrh is an antiseptic and was used for embalming, and an oil for anointing. It is also a spice to enhance the taste of wine and other foods. Overall, it was quite costly in that day and often reserved for use by royalty and people of importance. The use of a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloe in his burial was an acknowledgement of the kingly nature of Jesus.

The voice says he “was dead, and is alive.” Smyrna also corresponds to this. The city was destroyed (died) around 700 BC and for 400 years it seemed to be gone forever. Then Lysimachus, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, rebuilt Smyrna as a new Hellenistic city. It then it grew in population to around 100,000 people in the days of John.

It was rebuilt as one of the few planned cities in the ancient world as well as one of the most beautiful. Indeed, it died and was resurrected with much more beauty than it had before.

So how does this apply to the life of the aspiring disciple?

Through Ephesus he discovered the path and the freedom it gives, and for a time misused that freedom. He moved back to his Christ center, focused and moved to the second stage represented by Smyrna. Here, for a time, he is focused solidly in the light, for the voice of the Master gives no rebuke or correction, but only advice and encouragement to move forward.

The reason the seeker does not go off the path in this state is because he has one of the names of God “written in his forehead” (See Rev 14:1). That name is “the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive.”

He felt the Presence at first, but drifted away in the middle of the Ephesus stage. Then, at the last, when he came back, he discovered that the Presence was always there. It was he who moved away, not the Christ within. The Christ is with us at the first and then, after we finish playing the prodigal son, is there at the last. If the seeker ever thinks that God has deserted him, he is deceived. To stay upon the path he must acquire the faith that God is always available the first time he is sought and the last.

There is a difference between the first and last contact. Even though the first is real it also seems temporary, for the seeker cannot focus consistently enough to establish a permanent link. The last contact is different because when it is made, the seeker solidly commits to the path of discipleship and promises himself to never again drift away from the voice. He tells himself that this is the last time he will reestablish contact for this time the link is not to be severed.

The seeker by no means obtains perfection in the Smyrna stage, but he does come to the realization that he must never again leave the voice. Correctly applying the inner voice and becoming one with it are still in the future, but a giant step is taken when the importance of inner listening sinks deep within his heart and mind.

The True Jews

“I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” Rev 2:9

When the seeker attempts to follow more diligently the inner voice many problems occur. He seeks to do numerous good works, but they often seem to come to naught or backfire on him. His efforts are often not seen or recognized by others and he feels unappreciated. Nothing is overlooked by the inner Christ, however. He sees all, and if the seeker will listen again to the voice he will hear “I know your works.”

When he hears this he realizes that all his efforts are seen for what they truly are and eventually will yield fruit.

The second thing the seeker must face is “tribulation.” The inner voice guides him toward “the path less traveled” and he makes decisions that go against the grain of friends, family and authority figures. He finds many people coming out of the woodwork to get in his way, slow him down and even cause him serious trouble and danger.

The third thing he faces is poverty. Often, the inner voice will lead him in directions that will cost him everything he owns and more. It may also cost him his friends, loved ones and his reputation. He may start feeling sorry for himself, but when he listens to the voice he hears encouragement: “I know thy poverty, but thou art rich.”

Then when he reflects on this he will say to himself. “Would I trade the riches of the Spirit and communion with the inner Christ for all the riches in the world?”

After a short reflection he comes to the only possible answer, which is that he would not make such a trade, or even consider it. If he then has something of more value than all the riches of the world he is not poor, but rich beyond measure.

Perhaps he will reflect on the parable of Jesus:

“And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

“And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

“So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21

The verse in Revelation continues: “I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”

This illustrates a theme that keeps repeating in these instructions. First, the aspirant has to see through false apostles; then he encounters false followers of Nicolas, the Nicolaitans. Finally, he encounters false Jews.

So what is the difference here between a real Jew and a false Jew? The answer can be found in the fact that we are told what a false Jew is. Once we know what a false Jew is, then identifying what is meant by a true Jew will be fairly easy.

The false Jew is one who worships at “the synagogue of Satan.” It would follow then a true Jew is one who worships at the synagogue of the one true God.

It is a given that the true Jew will worship, but notice that the false Jew at the synagogue of Satan also worships. Satan in the Greek means “adversary” and is, of course, an adversary to God. Few will knowingly worship an adversary to God but many will do it in ignorance. It is written that, “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him” (the Beast), except those with the name of God in their foreheads.” Rev 13:8; 14:1-2

It is safe then to assume that it is the many, not the few, who worship at the synagogue of Satan. We can also assume that such people are deceived into thinking that their worship is toward God, when in reality it is toward the adversary of God or antichrist.

The difference between the two synagogues must be understood. In the synagogue of Satan, the people worship not the true God, which speaks through the soul within, but follow and worship according to outer voices that tell them what the mind of God is they are to follow.

The true Jew worships at the alter within and gives reverence to the inner voice above all the noise of the outer ones.

We shall discuss this concept in detail when we examine the Beast and his power over the hearts of men.

Notice that the inner Christ tells us that the false Jews are guilty of blasphemy. This was the same offense that brought Jesus himself to anger. The false Jews are blasphemous because all they teach about God does not harmonize with their works, even as was the case with the authorities who persecuted the Master.

The true Jews are they who practice what they preach. If they teach about a God of love, for instance, they will not be speaking in the next breath of hellfire, damnation and death to those who displease them. If they speak of helping the poor they will be willing to do so out of their own substance instead of other people’s money. If they speak of worshipping God they will look where He can be found (which is within) rather than where He is not (outer voices).

After the greatest clouds, the sun. Alan of Lille

Jan 5, 2007

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The Spiritual Connection

May 1, 2023 Joseph Dewey

The Spiritual Connection

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev 2:7

The Spirit gives an important message to the seven churches, or seven groups of aspiring disciples.

The message is one of extreme importance:

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

The first thing to note is that one must “overcome” to partake of the tree of life. So many spiritual teachers are promising shortcuts and an easy path if we just follow them, but there is no shortcut for anything worth having. Instead, the seeker must make a strenuous effort to achieve the goal.

It is interesting that Jesus compared himself to a vine connected to a tree, which gives life:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:4-8

The idea presented here by the Master is a branch needs to be connected to a vine to stay alive. If it is not connected it does not receive the life-giving fluid and becomes “withered” and dies. Even so, the comparison fits the aspiring disciple. He connects with soul energy and feels spiritually alive more than any other time in his history. The problem is that he will often abuse the feeling of freedom that comes with this new life and, for a period of time, he will sever himself from the vine. When this happens he will be led by the lower desire energies and his spiritual life will wither and die. He must awaken to his terrible situation and reconnect to the spiritual flow so he can continue his journey upon the path.

The tree of life is “in the midst of the paradise of God.”

True paradise is found in the center of our own being where the voice of God speaks to us. The seeker must center himself in the light at the core of his being so he can connect to the spiritual flow.

Yes, we can die and go to paradise, but first we must live and go there.

Just as there are many leaves, branches, limbs, and larger limbs in a tree, even so are there many states of consciousness to be attained after a permanent link is established.

The Ray of Ephesus

Ephesus represents stage one for the seeker after the birth of Christ occurs in the heart. He or she uses the power of Ray Three to discern the true from the false. This represents the aspect of light and is called The Ray of Active Intelligence.

In Ephesus the aspirant learns to use the light and active intelligence of Ray Three to discern the false teachers, break off from them and begin a journey on the great path of liberation.

An Interesting Year

It has been an interesting year, but I suspect that the coming year will have even more to offer.

I’ve lost two people very close to me, but then I have several new grandkids filled with the love and innocence of new life. I’ve only lost those through death to a temporary separation, while, at the same time, new life coming forth ends temporary separation of the past.

I have much to be thankful for and look not at a glass half full, but overflowing with bounteous gifts from God.

That for which I am most thankful are the distillations of truth and principles that come upon my soul from time to time. In the whole scheme of things, they are only small snapshots of a great picture that defies the imagination, but pieces of the truth nonetheless for which I feel honored beyond measure to give out to the group and the world. My prayer is that I can maintain the focus and humility necessary to continue to be a channel to send forth light to stimulate and inspire the minds of true seekers.

“We see a hearse; we think sorrow. We see a grave; we think despair. We hear of a death; we think of a loss. Not so in heaven. When heaven sees a breathless body, it sees the vacated cocoon & the liberated butterfly.” – Max Lucado

Jan 3, 2007