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"Science of Life, Truth, Love, Substance and Intelligence.  Outside of metaphysics the world is seeking for its life by physical performances; working at machinery, books, commerce, cooking, washing, eating, governing one another, employing one another, killing and using animals, wearing flesh and bones [and working its self] into the grave to make a living.  But the whole system of living by material efforts is wrong.  'Turn unto me for why will ye die?' said the Spirit.  Death is the reward of hard effort to live by material actions.  If you will look into the Science of Spirit you will see that your life is meant to be lived by the Science of God [GOD] and not by the science of matter." [Brackets added; Hopkins, 1920, page 14]

Mysticism:  those practices and the acquired body of Spiritual information that has existed since the emergence of human C/consciousness.  The  Transformational discipline of Mystical practices to acquire the Knowing that empower the world's Spiritual Masters, or Adepts, to acquire Wisdom.  Wisdom displaces mere knowledge but can only be acquired beyond the worldly limits of the material senses and ego owned intellect. Every great contributor to human advancement has his/her Wisdom roots in Mysticism,  Not only the charismatic figures of the worlds great religions, but many secular practitioners, H.P. Blavatsky, Henry Ford, Charles Lindberg, Einstein, Mozart, Shelly, Burns, Hobbes, the other classical writers,  Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Schuman, and on and on and on.  [see Table of Mystical Succession draft]

Religious Fundamentalists  have pejoratively condemned Mysticism and improperly defined it as Satanic. This is because they are both ignorant of its practices and its enormous contributions to the quality of human life, and because they are trapped in their literal interpretation of materialist Scripture.  Thus they are condemned to exist in continued ignorance by their sectarian practices of "group think"  to which they slavishly adhere. There is much in the MP that will clarify these assertions.  Far from the truth, these fundamentalist claims have no validity in the Metaphysics of either Mysticism or Christianity.   These false claims are "noise" in the system which hinders the neophyte pilgrims who are attempting to enter into the Path of Spiritual awakening.

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GOD-God-god:

GOD:the ultimate all inclusive Universal source of Spiritual energy and information, in the Qabbalah, AINSOPH.  This GOD transcends the limits of the human senses and cannot be directly known by any intellectual or even Spiritual activity no matter how intense or devoted.

God:  this term is used to exclusively refer to the Judeo Christian anthropomorphic "God of our fathers." This God is endowed with all the human weaknesses of anger, vengeance, capricious judgment and manipulative arbitrariness.  No "God" invested with properties such as these is worthy of worship in accordance with the Principles of the Mystical Paradigm.   The idea of such a God, living above the sky, wrecking damage on vulnerable humans and the earth's life forms, and arbitrarily or for vengeance, causing horrendous "Acts of God," is unworthy compared with the concept of a Universal GODof TRUTH whose dispassionate PRINCIPLESare slowly being revealed to all of human kind.
god: a general reference to all forms of a supernatural force that can intervene in human affairs.

For a further, more metaphysical discussion, See also GOD

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The Expressions of Human C/consciousness in the Mystical Paradigm:
To communicate the nature of this hierarchy of Spiritual Intelligence, special use of color and capital letters help create the following definitions.

Note that in OT/MP there are four kinds of "C/consciousness" as follows:
(1) consciousness (biological small "c") is the very limited consciousness of the material biological systems that are programmed within narrow limits to carry out their assigned functions.  Some scientists are examining consciousness factors within the microtubals within neurons of the nervous system (Hameroff & Penrose, 1996).  The MP will not be concerned with the details of this level of consciousness.   

(2) consciousness (intellectual, small "c") is created and directed by the ego and its slave the intellect. This is a limited mental consciousness that refers to all the worldly and material experience that you consciously know, think, believe, and are aware of in your mind.  It includes the boundaries and limits to your seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, feeling and thinking.  It also includes that information which has become temporarily unconscious, but which can be recalled under certain conditions. While something may not be "on your mind" at the moment, it can become accessible under some kind of social or mental influence. Then that repressed memory, thought, value, concept or idea can be recalled to your  mental consciences.

The Mystical Paradigm (MP) is concerned with elements of TRUTH that are not simply in the unconscious to be  recalled. The MP is concerned about that which is entirely out-of-consciousness and not accessible to any normal thought, but which may appear disguised as symbols or metaphor
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(3) Consciousness (Spiritual, Capital "C"): refers to Spiritual awareness that transcends ordinary (mental) consciousness. This Spiritual Consciousness (resident in the Supraconsciousness) is such that a person has access to Intuition and the Wisdom found only in the enveloping higher energy-information realms of Spiritual Truth. It is an optimum state that awakens your awareness such that you can Know the relevant scheme of things. This kind of Consciousness can be achieved by anyone willing to exert the proper effort, discipline and time to develop meditative prayer and Spiritual focus, but this is not a trivial task.

The spelling of "Consciousness" with a capital C is always with reference to the Spiritual capacity of a person. The term Consciousness, always implies that the Consciousness being referred to has to be empowered from the Intermediate Spiritual Realms that transcends the person's limited and limiting ego owned mental "consciousness," and that subset of that mental consciousness that is called the "unconscious."  The "unconscious" is in fact already resident in the the consciousness of the ego intellect, but overt awareness has been repressed by one or more of a variety of factors.  Removal of these limiting factors by various interventions can restore selected elements of unconsciousness to consciousness.  However, complex and detailed memory exists only in the Intermediate Spiritual Realms. [see Non-local Intelligence] Unknown to most persons today, one can argue persuasively from this paradigm that a poor memory is a Spiritual defect. [Fillmore]
...
 C/consciousness (spelled with both a Capital and small "C/c"):  where this convention is used, the referent or meaning includes the entire range of C/consciousness, from sense limited mental consciousness, through the Spiritually informed Consciousness.

(4) CONSCIOUSNESS: (SPIRITUAL, ALL CAPITALS): refers to the absolute UNIVERSAL Spiritual awareness which in Metaphysics is resident as the SUPRACONSCIOUSNESS, and is also called ONE, TRUTH, or BEING, or the MIND OF GOD.  This state cannot be directly known by any human intellect (or collection of intellects) no matter how Spiritually advanced. All of the C/consciousness of all living systems, and more, are collectively and UNIVERSALLY incorporated into this largest possible and unnameable CONSCIOUSNESS. In science, this ephemeral state is referred to as the Invariance, or the Implicate Order, or in the Metaphysics of the MP, as TRUTH, or the I AM THAT I AM, or the PRESENCE, or simply,GOD.

The "Word:"  In John 1:1, is found in the Aramaic language of Jesus as the word "Mithra" which when translated into English means "mind essence" or "mind energy."  (Neteler, 2002) It is related to the Greek equivalent word "Gnosis" (Nous) or the "Knowing"  This Nous in Gnostic teaching represents the Consciousness that Jesus expressed as the Christ, or the Mind Essence of Jesus.  This "Mind was also expressed through His immediate Disciples and original Apostles, and since then, in a decreasing number of "Sainted" individuals across the intervening era.  [Ref discussion of how the Apostolic successors eliminated these Gnostic concepts from the early church during its first 500 years.]

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Avatar:  a fully developed Soul that cannot be compromised by its ego's overlays of the senses.  Such individuals have fully achieved a Spiritual awakening, and have no further adverse Karma to resolve.  The enter into earth life solely to serve is Spiritual Masters to guide humanity to and along the Spiritual Path.  Such historical persons include, Jesus, Pythagoras, Buddha, Lao Tse, Plato, and others. [See Table of Mystical Succession for a list of such Spiritual achievers, although few on that list have attained the full status of Avatar.]

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"I am also betting that scientific discoveries in his new millennium will substantiate the rich inner world of consciousness all share is more than just a neuro-physiological epiphenomenon.  I'm betting that , before too long, we will understand how consciousness, at a fundamental level, creates matter, not vice-versa.   This view has roots deep in the ancient mystical traditions , but is currently heretical to modern science."    Haisch, 2006

GOD, [AINSOPH,orTHE TOTALITY OF COSMIC TRUTH: Super Consciousness (Cosmic Truth) & ego](a continuum):
contains all Spiritual Levels as the Super Consciousness (or Supra Consciousness): The embracing dimension of higher Consciousness (also labeled SuperOrdinate Mind, or Spiritual Intelligence) are the same concept as Plato's "Forms," or "Eternal Verities," or the General Systems Theory concept of "Invariance," [Ashby, 1974] and  the "Implicate Order" as conceived by David Bohm [1980]. The implicate order (Reality) exists above and beyond the conscious level of the senses.  At the level of Gaia (Spiritual name of the earth,) this level of Spiritual Consciousness embraces the various lower levels of biological consciousness collectively called the biosphere. The larger embracing Spiritual Realms of Consciousness (Reality) has been named the Noosphere. [see Teilhard de Chardin, 1959]

From this invisible Realm of TRUTH, the visible "explicate order" is constructed.  This TRUTH also contains Carl Jung's concept of archetypal shadow ["details"] which helps create our sensate world of illusion,  This sensate reality is defined and limited by the five senses and their ego driven intellect (mind.)  The Super Consciousness exists beyond the limited sensate capabilities of the Spiritually unilluminated human being. GOD, the name for that which cannot be named (cannot be bounded by human thought)  is the inclusive WHOLE of all intermediate levels of the Super Consciousness.

GOD: or "I AM WHO I AM" [Exodus 3:14]; GOD equals ONE, BEING, UNITY, (always in all capitals) to represent the unnameable, indescribable, MASTER INTELLIGENCE or MASTER FIELD OF CONSCIOUSNESS, or TRUTH, or THE LAW. GOD is the ultimate integrating and unifying POWER, the all pervasive UNIVERSAL PRESENCE and force that IS the COSMOS.  GOD manifests as, in, and through each of us, and all matter in the Cosmos.

The Term "GOD" is an unsuccessful effort to name what cannot be named.   Any name creates an illusion that something is bounded when not perceived.  It is an effort to conceptually grasp and label a boundless concept.  Some accounts acknowledge this limit by refusing to use a name, or by special spellings, e.g., G*d.  This is because any name defines and limits the object or process named when in TRUTH, "GOD" is beyond bounding or naming. Therefore:

"No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him" [John 1:18  NKJV].

"No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart who has made him known. [John 1:18 NRSV]

"No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. [1 John, 4:12 NRSV]

This is the GOD of the Mystical Paradigm. This term GOD as used in this book represents the accessible portion of the SuperOrdinate Intelligence, the Master Source of  Love, Power, Truth, Supply, and Wisdom in which we are embedded, in which we exist, which exists in us, which works through us, and with which we are ONE (as "the dewdrop slips into the shining sea." Sir Edwin Arnold, The Light of Asia.)

In OT/MP, our individual potential to fully experience our relationship with GOD depends upon the degree of unfoldment of our Spiritual Consciousness, not on the capacities of our intellectual consciousness. As you come to understand the metaphysical dimensions that support this statement, you will find a major clue for understanding how the implications of OT/MP can become relevant and useful for you.

God: an external being that is believed to exist apart from us.  This normal capitalization refers to all of our Judeo-Christian religious concepts of an anthropomorphic (human like male,) a supernatural, all powerful, sometimes loving, but often an intimidating and potentially threatening, wrathful, capricious and vindictive being.   Individuals of low Spiritual Consciousness can imagine that they have a personal (father-daughter-son) relationship with this God.  This manipulative and demanding being allegedly directs humanity and the events of the earth, often in a capricious and vindictive manner.  The Mystical Paradigm rejects this limited and sometimes destructive concept of a higher power which is corrupted with human values and limits.  Blavatsky, in her magnus opus, The Secret Doctrine, has commented critically about this Judeo- Christian definition of God:

"The personal God of orthodox Theism perceives, thinks, and is affected by emotion; he repents and feels "fierce anger.  "But the notion of such mental states clearly involves the unthinkable postulate of the eternality of the exciting stimuli, to say nothing of the impossibility of ascribing changelessness to a Being whose emotions fluctuate with events in the worlds he presides over. The conceptions of a Personal God as changeless and infinite are thus unpsychological and, what is worse, unphilosohical." [Blavatsky, 1888/1988, Vol. I, footnote,  page 2.]

Return to jump point in Intro, Part 2  of  3

The Presence: that portion of GOD within us to which we can have Conscious access.  The MP's perspective of our unbreakable link with GOD emphasizes the underlying, energizing, and creative force and Spiritual intelligence within us which is our personal Soul. The individual Presence is that portion of GOD manifesting as our individuated Soul, around which is constructed our externally directed personality. This Presence is localized within us as a portion of the ONE in which we are all embedded. We exist both within GOD the creator, and as co-creators with GOD who manifests through us as we become aware, open, and responsive to that Presence.

 I say, “You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.” [Psalm 82:6-7]

"Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? [John 10:34]

Therefore, GOD does not have what we want. GOD IS what we want, but only through a Conscious reunion at the highest level of our Spiritual Consciousness that we can manage.

OT/MP is devoted to empowering you to relate more effectively to, and benefit from, the Spiritual Source that is your personal channel to GOD's ever present and ever accessible manifest Truth.

[See definitions of CONSCIOUSNESS/Consciousness/consciousness.]

Truth (First Letter Capitalized):  That portion of TRUTH that lies within the intermediate SuperOrdinate plains of matter-energy-information and intelligence, and which is accessible to human Consciousness, but only by those who have perfected the discipline of Meditation in The Silence. [Psalm 46:10].  Truth is that portion of TRUTH that can be known by an advanced Spiritual Consciousness. Thus a "Truth" student is a person who seeks to Know GOD by means of an inner Meditative discipline applied through Metaphysical Principles, rather than only by means of an externalized intellectual discipline.  Truth is only made Known by Spiritual discipline through access to the Super Consciousness.

truth (without unconventional capitalization): The common use of the term is found in the daily vernacular associated with the ego driven sensate intellectual consciousness which has no metaphysical significance.  This truth is what the rational mind can defend as its reality, and is found expressed as the visible laws of science and behavior.  The less one has access to his/her Spiritual Consciousness, the more one is trapped in the ego owned intellectualized reality.

intelligence, or the ego intellect, is the combination of your memory and logical mind that is managed by your ego and which is limited to work within the scope of your sensate consciousness. Thus, without a developed Spiritual Consciousness,  you are inherently limited to an illusory and error ridden  ego owned and managed  reality as defined and and bounded by your five senses and accessible memory.

The original teachings of Jesus as practiced by the original apostles and their immediate successors who were called Gnostics.  They were descended in the first Century  along with three other major groups: the Ebionites, the Marcion School, and the Proto-Orthodox Christians, that competed for dominance. [See note for details]  The latter eventually prevailed because of their ruthless oppression of the Marcionites, Ebionites and the Gnostics [Ehrman, 2002.]  Apart from the persecutions of the Gnostics, because the dynamics of practicing the discipline that empowers the Gnosis was so demanding, the teachers and custodians that followed the original Apostles and their disciples in succeeding generations of dominating Proto-Orthodox Christians steadily became mostly devoid of the capacity for demonstrating the True Gnosis. This condition was exacerbated by the rapid expansion of followers of the new Christian teachings.  So many persons desired membership such that the need for apostles could not be served by persons fully qualified with access to the innate Gnostic discipline and skills of the founders.  Thus the Christian church slowly became transformed from presenting a Spiritual emphasis to an intellectual one as a church culture.

Then, under the direction of the ego, and its capacity for ruthlessness, those apostolic successors who were overcome by the influences of their ego intellect and its need for power and control, steadily succeeded over the first 500 years of the church in wresting control from the original Christian Gnostics (e.g., Marcion, Valentinus, Basilides, Simon Magus, Origen, etc.)  During this period of transformation from Gnostic practices, the apostolic successors steadily opposed and denigrated the Gnostic practitioners and their teachings as they placed themselves in the role as sole intermediaries between God and man (a supreme ego power trip.)  [See church polemic against the Gnostics. Reflect on writings such as these when you encounter the "words have no meaning demonstration in Dialogue 3]

As early as the first century CE, the new bishops increasingly managed a ruthless campaign to remove the threatening presence of practicing Gnostics who taught and demonstrated that GOD was Universally present, and that (as Jesus promised) each person had direct access to the Power and Wisdom of GOD through the Gnosis, or the Presence of GOD within themselves. Gnostic practices taught no need for human intercessors for a practitioner to engage and benefit directly from The Presence and Power of GOD that is always accessible within each of us.  This was a direct challenge to the new bishop's ego driven need for power and control of their congregations that consumed the later apostolic successors, and eventually the Christian church and its sectarian offspring.

Under the control of their Spiritually empty egos, the established clergy in the first centuries of Christianity were threatened by any continuing demonstrations of True Gnostic capacities, or any Spiritual capacity not approved by the developing dogma of their church.   By the year 500 CE, the Gnostics had been either exterminated or driven into secret societies where their practices could no longer influence the approved Christian congregations. Because "Truth will out," they established the Inquisition to ferret out and destroy any emergent resurgence of Gnosticism.  Then the "victors" rewrote the history and teachings of the church and through their anti Gnostic polemic, defamed and discredited the Truth of the Gnostics to anathematize them and their teachings.  To this day, many establishment Christian churches remain threatened by and compelled to ridicule and discount the current revival of Gnostic teaching and practices (e.g., through, New Thought Christianity, and the Gnostic Society in America) which they pejoratively mislabel as "cults."

To this day the evils perpetrated by those early and subsequent church leaders who directed and implemented the Gnostic persecutions continue to manifest as evil Karma within the heirs to the Proto-Orthodox Christian church. This is evident by means that ought become clear during your engagement of Dialogue 6, on Karma and Reincarnation.

NOTE:  there is additional detail on the removal of the Gnostics by the Apostolic Successors  presented at the end of the third introductory dialogue. [link]

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Here are some simple criteria to evaluate the Spiritual health of any religion or organization:
   

Problematic religions can do little to expand one's Spiritual Consciousness, and nurture one's Spiritual unfoldment and freedom.   Rather, they often have the opposite effect. They are often divisive, promote a concept of in-group (trusted members) versus out-group (all others.) They tend to set people on each other, even family members, and alienate them from each other. They frequently cause Spiritual injury to those caught up in its culture.  They are directed by the ego intellect to sow guilt and bind, rather than to follow the Heart and practice Love, forgiveness and liberate.  They promote "group-think" (an Orwellian concept) and are closed to information outside their group.  This is related to low HIP (concrete) consciousness in OT/MP,  rather than the opposite, group Wisdom (abstract HIP.)

Spiritually healthy religions are guilt free, and liberating of the Holy Spirit within.  They nurture, enhance, and empower a member's Spiritual Consciousness. They act the out-picturing of Love to heal division, and promote Wholeness and harmony across ego defined intellectual and emotional boundaries. The apply prayer and meditation in The Silence to form a more perfect Unity with GOD, not to achieve worldly ends.  Therefore, a Spiritually healthy religion heals and improves its member's emotional health.  Such religions are tolerant of the presence and practices of other religions so long as another religion does not try to apply their faith to shape political doctrine, public laws and policy, in accordance with their beliefs, or to force proselytizing by any means whether direct or subtle.  A Spiritually healthy religion does not try to manipulate or enforce their own beliefs and values on others outside their faith group.

NOTE: OT/MP does not evaluate the Spiritual validity of any religion or believer in terms of this table.  OT/MP does vigorously oppose the political actions of any religion directed to impose its will on those outside its in-group whether through politics or by any means. The Pilgrim working her/his way through OT/MP will decide where any individual or religion of interest to them falls on the continuum of Spiritual validity and health as suggested by the table.

[see Spirituality]
[extrinsic religiosity and intrinsic religiosity are defined in an advanced draft sub dialogue on C/consciousness  (within Dialogue 1) ]
[see religionist]

Return to jump point in Intro Dialogue, part 3 of 3

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religionist/religiosity: the Webster definition is simple. It defines a religionist as: "a person adhering to a religion." But the definition in OT/MP is more complex. The Webster definition applies to the extent that by adhering to a religion, which according to Webster is, "the service or worship of God or the supernatural," a person subjugates one's self to the tenants of that belief system they have adopted. [ref OT/MP's definition of religion]

In OT/MP, a "religionist " acting through their religiosity, is defined as one who support as the end goal, the intellectualized trappings of belief,  including dogma, doctrine, ritual sacraments, norms and expectations for behavior, but who in doing so are also by their actions (works,)  devoted to materialistic and political goals and objectives.

Rather than focus the energy and consciousness of their adherents to activities related to Spiritual development [See definition of Spirituality], they tend to invest themselves in secular and sectarian goals and politics.  Here we find some the practices and values of right wing Christian zealots, the fundamentalists and evangelicals.  The seek to infect the laws of the land with their religions values and rules, to impose their beliefs on others by law, and if necessary and possible, by force.  They do this in spite of the overwhelming evidence that Jesus was a liberal.  When the teachings of Jesus are implemented by means of social policy and practice, you will find the liberal agenda [See Evidence] Sometimes the religionists invest in sectarian warfare, actively opposing and discriminating against any other religious or social view that threatens their own.  Sometimes they invest in intra-religious warfare, i.e., within their own sect, a struggle for power and control.  [example]

Our social mythology holds that religious values and beliefs are intended to guide, uplift and inspire one to Spiritual growth. But under the control of a religionist, they often apply their credibility and authority to betray this goal, and replace Spiritual goals and nurturing with "Satanic" [definition] or  material and political values and goals related to power and control.  Satanic goals relate more to the the politics of defending, and expanding their sectarian and secular power and control over others as guided by their religious belief system.

The fundamental goal of religionist guided faith groups promotes the politics of sectarian and secular values with the effect that goals oriented toward Spirituality must give way because the two are inherently incompatible. Religionist values energize their member's fears which they link to those political interests which drive their quest for power and control over others.  Such goals and objective are contrary to and incompatible with acting only to bring Spiritual awakening and enlightenment to their followers.

In the Mystical Paradigm, religion's original and only legitimate purpose and potential is to bring forth, inspire, and nurture humanity's latent Spirituality.  The ideal is to transform the latent qualities of Spiritual potential into a quickened, empowering and Loving and Compassionate Consciousness which acts to improve the quality of life for those who participate. Any organization of Spiritually grounded individuals exists to serve its members through Agapic Love,  [defined in dialogue 7] and thereby to inspire their members by example to serve others and nurture and live the Spiritual life for themselves.

NOTE: A tragic example of extreme religionist practices recently surface with the publication, after 51 years, of a secret Vatican document that ordered all priests and bishops of the church (151 dioceses in America alone,) on pain of excommunication, to repress any allegations of sexual abuse by priests, and to hold secret internal courts.  It provided guidance on how to suppress any threatened public statements made by any victims who alleged such abuse. [source] This religionist policy was enforced by the church without regard to the Spiritual integrity of the faith, and the betrayed emotional needs of thousands of abused victims and their families.

Regarding cults:  OT/MP does not support or promote, the formation of cults for any cause because they are inherently destructive. .  Members of any religion or Spiritual movement that is not a cult will demonstrate the following qualities:

its members are free to come and go without prejudice,
their leaders will not judge the non politicized faith teachings or practices of any other religion or movement with hostility or contempt
members are encouraged to form their own individualized understanding of the basic teachings within the faith,
its organizations avoid and are removed from serving or attacking the politics of the world, i.e. while they may support programs and practices that have the possibility of bringing Love into the world, they do not advocate for or against any particular candidate or party,
members are guided to constantly revisit and revise their beliefs as their C/consciousness of Spiritual Truth expands.
members are not required to divest themselves of their resources, or be made economic, emotional, or literal slaves in support of their faith group, nor is coercion or guilt used to promote contributions,
management is by consensus, not by autocratic enforcement
do not make a member's acceptance conditional upon the member unquestioningly adhering to the dogma and tenets of the faith group as promulgated by its controlling leadership.

The truly Spiritual religion attracts its members solely by the evidence of its intrinsic power, Wisdom, Love, compassion, meaningfulness, beauty, integrity and modesty. But it only attracts those equal to and ready to reach for, and discipline themselves to achieve such goals, those with eyes to see and ears to hear. A Spiritually valid religion cheerfully and loving releases its members to other religions when such a member believes that another faith group can better serve his/her the ongoing Spiritual growth.

All religions will have individual leaders and members representing both religionist or Spiritual qualities. OT/MP, does oppose any aspect of a religion that manifests religionist goals and actions intended to force others to accept or live by their beliefs and values.  Let each Pilgrim apply the Principles of OT/MP to judge for  themselves what is the dominant quality and Spiritual integrity of any religion or person of interest to them.

Return to jump point in Intro Dialogue, part 3 of 3

By the criteria that defines a Spiritually healthy religion, as defined within OT/MP, Islam, as demonstrated by the works of its zealot adherents, is Spiritually empty and even evil [definition].  [more details:  Why The Koran is The Manual for Militant Islam]

Return to Jump Point in the Notes page

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A Spiritually oriented value system is the opposite of an ego oriented value system.  This Spiritual potential is indicated by a person's behavior which reflects the state of their awakened Spiritual Consciousness. High Spiritual Consciousness is evident in people who are ordinarily Loving, giving, nonjudgmental, compassionate, kind, patient, gentle, modest, and happy.  The live without fear.  Others are drawn to them.  Their validation of self is internal, not external. Consequently they are devoid of the need to seek validation or approval by others or by a cause.  They need not dominate others, nor do they seek to acquire ego gratification or personal power for the purpose of gaining respect, wealth, political advantage, or to control others. Others are drawn to them.  [Ref the Parable of the Nullbenign and The Buddha Child]

Spiritual Truth, once recognized, can only be welcomed. Only error and lies must be argued, forced, coerced. manipulated, and/or protected by rules, manipulated guilt, enticement, and intimidation. Spiritually directed persons do not need the approbation and approval of others to be confident or at Peace.

Spiritually awakened persons are normally disciplined, quiet, and studious. They can be found actively enlisted in various services to others, for the joy of it, not for the recognition or benefits of it. They tend to be practiced in the creative arts. They do not need to proselytize, control, or attempt to force their empowering personal faith on any other.  Instead, their life is a demonstration of their faith, however rudimentary or modest their Spiritual capacity.  Nor do they attempt to hold others to the requirements of their own faith. Instead, they present themselves as a living testament, as a model of the power and majesty of their own fulfillment of Spiritual Consciousness.  This power constantly works in and through them as an individual.   In the world of materiality, they are survivors.

While all religions purport to have their members achieve this goal of Spiritual growth, such is not always demonstrated as fact.  There is a simple litmus test to determine whether the practitioner of any religious group or practice is worthy of the label "Spiritual" in its values and behavior, or whether they deserve to be labeled as "religionist."  The Test?  Behold their works. [James 2: 14-26] The Spiritually endowed religion or person will be found as an activist in making Love visible in the world.  They will be of Loving peaceful mien.

Spirituality is not the same as "religiosity" and the two are defined by clear differences in the Mystical Paradigm.

See also: [definition of religion]   [definition of religionist]

Return to jump point in Intro Dialogue, part 3 of 3

Tithe--A tenth part. In the Old Testament the tithe or tenth is mentioned as a reasonable and just return to the Lord by way of acknowledging Him as the source of supply.  [Source:  (Lev., 27:30; Deut., 14:12) The Hebrews are commanded to offer to God the tenth part of the produce of the fields, of the fruits of the trees, and the firstborn of oxen and of sheep ]

Tithing--Giving a tenth of one's supply to God and His work. Tithing is a tacit agreement that man is in partnership with God in the conduct of his finances. This leads to confidence and assurance that whatever is done will bring increase of some kind. "Give, and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38).  Tithing, which is based on a law that cannot fail, establishes method in giving. It brings into the consciousness a sense of divine order that is manifested in one's outer life and affairs as increased efficiency and greater prosperity. It is the surest way ever found to demonstrate plenty, for it is God's own law and way of giving. "Freely ye received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8). [Fillmore, 1959]

Tithe,  the four "Ts" are; Tithing = the giving of Time, Talent and Treasure.  Tithing is the Spiritual practice of giving back to GOD 10 percent off the top of all of one's income earned as provided by GOD.  GOD is the only SOURCE of one's prosperity, supply and abundance.  Tithing also requires an equivalent giving of one's time and talent. The Tithe is typically given only to nourish those resources in one's life that provide for one's Spiritual health and growth. [ Smith, 1992]
 

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Non local Intelligence (NLI): our basic intelligence is a product of the bio-chemical structure of the material nervous system and is owned and operated within the limits of the ego intellect. But the concept of NLI lies outside of the biological body, and within the higher levels of Spiritual Information and energy. This concept was contributed by Larry Dossey, M.D. [2001, 1995]   NLI holds that the locus of human intelligence and memory is not solely within the individual's brain and nervous system, but is collocated as a portion of the higher energy planes within which the body is embedded as a networks of energy-information fields within fields. [recall or refer to the "we are ONE" demonstration in Dialogue 1 on Consciousness]  OT/MP refers to this encompassing Spiritual Realm by various related terms: e.g., as the Supra System, Cosmic Field, GOD FIELD, Supra Consciousness, or SuperOrdinate Intelligence / Energy-Information Fields.  One's competence in applying logic is limited to the material intelligence of the body, but Wisdom is dependent on access to the higher energy fields of Spiritual Consciousness. [see also Fillmore, 1953, pp 89-90; Fillmore established a metaphysical concept of NLI as a Spiritual phenomenon early in the 20th Century.]

In this NLI paradigm of intelligence, the bio-chemical brain and nervous system of the individual resonates within these embracing Spiritual fields of Intelligence, like a delicate glass whose natural frequency of its matter resonates to the sound vibrations emanating from a tuning fork or musical instrument. By the same rules, the coherent energy of the Super Consciousness "informs" the sensate human consciousness to the extent it has prepared itself and is open to receive it..

Such influences can only be welcomed (not commanded, rationalized, or manipulated) by a Spiritual Consciousness while in a state of deep Meditation or Prayer. The history of these interactive transactions and the information that remain accessible in this embracing Supra System Network (in memory.) This history is integrated by the human C/consciousness as the experience of sensate memory, knowledge, and insight. The effective presence of this Spiritually directed relationship as implemented in the world is recognized by observers as Wisdom. [see also the energy model theory of NLI]   When our leaders are bereft of Wisdom, it matters not how brilliant, experienced, or connected they are.  Our nation is at a peril whose nature and threat is only recognized and appreciated by the Spiritually advances, e.g., see today's political headlines.
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baal: the god that was worshipped by the Phoenicians.  From Fillmore:

"Baal means lord, and it was the besetting sin of the ancient Hebrews to apply this title to things formed [sense created material illusion] instead of the formless [Spiritual] ...All concepts of God as less than universal mind are Baal." [1959]  [MBD] See also "Gnosis."

Peck's Applied Definition of Evil in OT/MP:  Because of its relevance to the nurturing of children, and its existence as a principal root that nourishes the power monger, I use as my principal expression of evil as affects children in this work, that  definition offered by M. Scott Peck, M.D. [1983.]   By his definition evil is not simply making destructive mistakes, even egregious ones, but rather the willful refusal to acknowledge responsibility for harmful actions even when in error.  I offer this extended discussion because Peck's work is devoted to family therapy and relevant to raising children which is a priority application for OT/MP.  This definition may be compared with the evil created by the dynamics of the "Obedience to Authority Syndrome" [Milgram, 1974] as discussed in Dialogue 5, on power and control.

There are parents (as only one example) who sometimes slow torture their children by enslaving them with a kind of all consuming selfish and debilitating possessiveness. This, they proclaim to their children, the world (and to themselves,) is love.  Peck emphasizes the crucial role of parents in influencing children, not by what parents say, but by what parents do:

 "Raised without love, children come to believe themselves unlovable. We may express this as a general law of development. Whenever there is a major deficit of parental love, the child will, in all likelihood, respond to that deficit by assuming himself to be the cause of the deficit, thereby developing an unrealistically negative self image." (Page 60)

 "When a child is grossly confronted by significant evil in its parents, it will most likely misinterpret the situation and believe that the evil resides in himself." (Page 62)

Peck points out that even the adult experiences confusion when confronted by evil, and he asks the reader to imagine what it must like to children, whom he states experience their parents as gods, even when the child is acting out against them in rebellious adolescence. But then the most disturbing aspect of Dr. Peck's thesis is stated:

"If the parents are cruel and unloving or if the childhood is otherwise traumatic, however, it is believed that the infantile narcissism will be preserved as a kind of psychological fortress to protect the child against the vicissitudes of life...children may become evil themselves in order to defend against the onslaughts of parents who are evil. [p 81]

 The child, when confronted with a narcissistic parent (or when embedded in similar societal elements,) becomes an expert in survival and quickly learns to discern the rules of pretense, e.g., gifts given without love, or any conditional offering as love. It is an axiom that most unloving parents often find it necessary to maintain a pretense of love.  Children who are confronted with the consistent actions of such a parent day in and day out are vulnerable to mental illness.

 According to Dr. Peck, mental health requires that the human will submit itself to a cause higher than itself.

 "To function decently in this world, we must submit ourselves to some principle that takes precedence over what we might want at any given moment."  [p 162]

But a child who is forced to cope with the chronically self serving needs of a narcissistic parent never learns to recognize a cause higher than self-serving human needs, especially the narcissistic need to manipulate others to get what one wants and needs.  Thus, instead of thinking of service to others, they begin to yearn for escape from the narcissistic parent in order to exclusively serve their own needs. Such an unfortunate child only learns, because children learn mostly what they are shown, to devote their own lives to the service of their own needs.  The needs of others, let alone a higher Cosmic cause, never become part of their working consciousness.  The stage is set for them to repeat the tragedy created by their own Spiritually impoverished parent(s).

 But the problems for a child that are created by a narcissistic parent are further perpetuated by the effects of their actions on others.  A narcissistic person can not accept responsibility for adverse conditions they themselves have created.  They project their own definitions of problems onto others.  For a child caught in this trap, not only do they accept the burden of parental criticism, they have this fear persistently affirmed by the chronic demands and accusations of their parent.  The world of such a helpless and vulnerable child does not take long to become filled with anxiety and loathing.  Their conscious rage at the culpable parent becomes internalized and unconscious, to be reenacted and discharged upon all who touch their lives.  They become unable to love, unlovable and unloved. Should they have children come under their control, the cruel fate of such hapless descendants is already set.  History repeats itself.

Therefore, per the above discussion, evil comes into the world by influences which are related to the chronic absence of Love (even without the added presence of chronic punishment.)  Such conditions inflict profound psychic damage on growing children.  The root of this evil lies in contributing to the permanent narcissism of the afflicted child which becomes the way of life as the child becomes a parent.  Thus, like the Greek tragedies of which Narcissus was a part, there arises an endless cycle in which the evil parent creates evil children who themselves become the evil parents of tomorrow.

 But all need not be lost to such victim children if they can be caused to enter therapy.  There are possibilities for positive interventions in the recognition and correction of evil wherever it is found. Consequently, as Sorokin concluded, the hope of correcting evil lies in a child finding unconditional Love while still young. Peck also states:

"The healing of evil-scientifically or otherwise-can be accomplished only by the love of individuals.  A willing sacrifice is required. The individual healer must allow his or her own soul to become the battleground.  He or she must sacrificially absorb the evil." [p 269]

However, even though one may find a cruel fate in the quality of their upbringing, after being born into an adult world of a manipulative and punishing adult, there are ways out. MP will propose some in Dialogue 6 On Love.  Relate this definition to the discussion of prejudice found in the work of Adorno et al (1950) as discussed in Dialogue 5 on the dynamics and corruptions of power.

"'Satan' is the 'Devil,' a state of mind formed by man's personal ideas of his power and completeness and sufficiency apart from God.  Besides at times puffing up the personality,  this satanic thought often turns about, and after having tempted one to do evil, discourages the soul by accusing it of sin."  [Fillmore, MBD]

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"For now we see in a mirror, dimly,  but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.[1cor 13:12]

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