The Christian Sacraments and Traditions
When you first join a Christian Church they do not hand you a Bible and say now go study this book. Instead they give you what is known as a catechism or a handbook of the beliefs and tenets of that particular denomination of Christianity. Of course inside you will find, a few cherry picked, quotes from scripture which seem to support their religious system. The last thing in the world they want you to do is to read the scriptures. In fact, during the early days of the Catholic Church reading the Bible was actually punishable by death. So, while you may think that you are becoming a good holy person by following the word of God and Jesus Christ, what you are actually doing is following what they, the priesthood, want you to believe.
When Christianity first started there was competition among the varying early sects as to exactly what the religion was to become. Today, however, once established by means of blood and tyranny the Christians are every bit as steadfast in their rituals and traditions as were the Pharisee. So, when I mention the Pharisee keep in mind that they represent the religious temple worshipping Jews of Judaism and not the Jewish religion as a whole. During the time of Jesus there was an ongoing feud between the secular temple worshipping Pharisee and the more pious unworldly meditating Essene.
The Bible lays out two distinctly different methods of worship: the first method is temple worship represented by the church going people of faith, the second method is also temple worship, but this temple is not built by human hands, but is the temple that sits on your shoulders. The question isn't which method is right and which is wrong, but which is the one portrayed by Jesus Christ. According to Jewish tradition faith meant trust, but the Christians changed faith to mean belief.
The Early Church Father Irenaeus went into wild rants about the heretics not following religious tradition: "In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us."--Against Heresies (bk. III chap. 3). However, Jesus was not big on religious tradition. While ministers may either choose to ignore these verses, in Matthew, or interpret them as only pertaining to the Jews, doing so makes these statements anti-Semitic. "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"--Matthew 15:2, 3. "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."--Mark 7:8, 9. "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."--Mark 7:13. The churches worship Jesus by teaching the doctrines of men, and not the doctrines of God. Rather than teaching the word of God, they adhere to the ancient traditions of men.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."--Colossians 2:8 Do not simply follow in the footsteps of your parents, but seek the truth for yourself. "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."--Matthew 15:4-6. Religious people often talk about redemption which simply means adhering to their beliefs and the norms and traditions of their religion. Jesus is telling you don't do it. This is bondage. Do not simply following in the footsteps of your parents, but seek the truth for yourself. You must reject the traditions of man, and accept the teachings of God.
The Christian Sacraments and Traditions
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."--Hebrews 6:1, 2. This single verse, which is a vital part of the New Testament, rejects all such Church doctrines pertaining to Church rituals, traditions, sacraments, works, and faith toward God. "Why should you not have faith in God, simply put, you are God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."--Ephesians 2:8, 9. "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."--Romans 3:28.
To be blunt you would be better off doing nothing than following much of religious dogma. When it comes to religious doctrine you can split all of Christianity into two distinct sections:
Renunciation: Salvation Through Grace - Catholics; Renunciation Plus Right Works - Protestants
While Catholics believe in salvation through grace, Protestants add what they believe are right works, but they totally misunderstand the true meaning of works, Works does not mean helping little old ladies across the street, or any actions aimed at helping your fellow carnally minded neighbors.
We have already covered salvation through grace as mentioned by St. Paul, but according to the Epistle of James, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."--James 2:17. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"--James 2:20. Here James seems to contradict Paul. So, who is right? Just renouncing the ways of the world is good, but is incomplete without right actions. To find the answer we have to resort to the source. "Arjuna said: O Krishna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?" -- Bhagavad-gita 5.1. "The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work."--Bhagavad-gita 5.2. So, here you can see that the scripture is not talking about doing good deeds, but of devotion to God. Do you remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman when she said that she wasn't married? He said that she had five husbands meaning the five senses. In a like manner doing good deeds does not free you from reality, but rather binds you to reality.
You are either living in the carnal world or the spiritual world. "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."--Romans 8:7, 8. So, if you are carnal, the world you experience is carnal, but if you are spiritual, the world you experience is spiritual, and the only way to escape the carnal mind is to renounce the carnal world, and the way to do so is meditation. Performing good deeds in the carnal world only keeps you grounded in the carnal world. "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:"--Numbers 23:19. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."--John 4:24
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"--James 2:21. Here Abraham offers his son Isaac up as a sacrifice to God. While this may be deemed a devotional work it is hardly a good deed. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."--Matthew 6:33. This is right action. Just saying it and believing it is not enough if you do not actually do it. Right action does not mean helping little old ladies across the street, doing good deeds, or community service. It means devotion to God, not performing acts to help others. It means that just planning a meditation routine, or thinking about it is not enough, you must also actually do it. This is renunciation of action. "Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay."--Bhagavad-gita 5.6. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."--Matthew 23:13. Suffer means allow. Jesus never said that just believing in him will get you salvation. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"--Luke 6:46. Remember, the James who refers to works is the very same James who said "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."--James 4:4.
Although the Epistle of James has been reluctantly accepted as a part of most Christian canons, the authorship is unknown. Was it James the son of Zebedee, or James the son of Alphaeus, or was it James the brother of Jesus? Although it has a distinct Jewish tone, most scholars today believe it was none of the above, but belongs under the category of pseudepigrapha, written by some unknown author at a later date, perhaps as late as the 3rd century. It is possible that it was originally written during the late first century, but edited and polished by a later day author.
When you meditate seemingly nothing happens so it requires faith to continue along this path, but religion has replaced faith with belief. Christianity offers its flock the promise of an unseen majestic godhead, which requires belief not faith, who will judge all mankind after death. All of this is repudiated in Hebrews 6:1, 2 as I have just outlined. There is nothing in the scriptures that support this type of supreme, human like, being. Rather the God of the Bible is 'I AM', and not some independent separate being.
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:""Matthew 7:24-26. Notice, Jesus does not say anything about believing in him, or just listening to him, but doing what he commands be done. Of course the rock that Jesus is referring to is the pineal gland, and we all know what happens to houses of worship that are built of stone by hand. "Perishable is a city built on sand."--Buddha. To find evidence of this we need look no further than the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."--Matthew 8:21, 22. Here is the Gnostic secret of life. "Human life does not fulfill its promise within the structures and establishments of society. No one comes to true selfhood by being what society wants you to be, or by doing what society wants you to do." Yet, everything we do from our earliest days of childhood is intended to prepare us for living in a carnal society. From our first day of preschool to our high school graduation we are guided toward our occupational path. Meanwhile you are instructed in religious study to serve society as if this is what the Bible instructs. We then enroll in college where we make our career choices, and maybe join a fraternity which hazes its pledges to toughen them up for their long arduous disingenuous societal path ahead.
Here are just a few of the references to meditation in the scriptures. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming."--Genesis 24:63. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."--Psalm 1:2. "When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches."--Psalm 63:6. "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all."--1Timothy 4:15. The use of the word meditate is most prevalent in the Book of Psalms much of which, but not all was supposedly written by King David. Hence we have "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth."--1Samuel 17:49. The Goliath myth parallels the Greek tale of Cyclops. Notice the stone which is the pineal gland sinks into Goliath's forehead.
"Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:"--Luke 21:14. By meditating you will gain great wisdom, but be aware that you will be rejected by your friends and neighbors. "For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death."--Luke 21:15, 16.
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost"--1Thessalonians 1:5. This is a very strange since 1Thessalonians was written c 50 CE and the gospels were not written until after c 70 CE. So, the gospel that Paul is talking about could not be the same as the canonical gospels. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."--1Corinthians 4:20. The scriptural gospels come to you in word, but the gospel which Paul is referring to comes to you in a power hidden inside of you.
Continued Table of Contents
When you first join a Christian Church they do not hand you a Bible and say now go study this book. Instead they give you what is known as a catechism or a handbook of the beliefs and tenets of that particular denomination of Christianity. Of course inside you will find, a few cherry picked, quotes from scripture which seem to support their religious system. The last thing in the world they want you to do is to read the scriptures. In fact, during the early days of the Catholic Church reading the Bible was actually punishable by death. So, while you may think that you are becoming a good holy person by following the word of God and Jesus Christ, what you are actually doing is following what they, the priesthood, want you to believe.
When Christianity first started there was competition among the varying early sects as to exactly what the religion was to become. Today, however, once established by means of blood and tyranny the Christians are every bit as steadfast in their rituals and traditions as were the Pharisee. So, when I mention the Pharisee keep in mind that they represent the religious temple worshipping Jews of Judaism and not the Jewish religion as a whole. During the time of Jesus there was an ongoing feud between the secular temple worshipping Pharisee and the more pious unworldly meditating Essene.
The Bible lays out two distinctly different methods of worship: the first method is temple worship represented by the church going people of faith, the second method is also temple worship, but this temple is not built by human hands, but is the temple that sits on your shoulders. The question isn't which method is right and which is wrong, but which is the one portrayed by Jesus Christ. According to Jewish tradition faith meant trust, but the Christians changed faith to mean belief.
The Early Church Father Irenaeus went into wild rants about the heretics not following religious tradition: "In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the apostles, and the preaching of the truth, have come down to us."--Against Heresies (bk. III chap. 3). However, Jesus was not big on religious tradition. While ministers may either choose to ignore these verses, in Matthew, or interpret them as only pertaining to the Jews, doing so makes these statements anti-Semitic. "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?"--Matthew 15:2, 3. "For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."--Mark 7:8, 9. "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."--Mark 7:13. The churches worship Jesus by teaching the doctrines of men, and not the doctrines of God. Rather than teaching the word of God, they adhere to the ancient traditions of men.
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."--Colossians 2:8 Do not simply follow in the footsteps of your parents, but seek the truth for yourself. "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition."--Matthew 15:4-6. Religious people often talk about redemption which simply means adhering to their beliefs and the norms and traditions of their religion. Jesus is telling you don't do it. This is bondage. Do not simply following in the footsteps of your parents, but seek the truth for yourself. You must reject the traditions of man, and accept the teachings of God.
The Christian Sacraments and Traditions
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."--Hebrews 6:1, 2. This single verse, which is a vital part of the New Testament, rejects all such Church doctrines pertaining to Church rituals, traditions, sacraments, works, and faith toward God. "Why should you not have faith in God, simply put, you are God. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."--Ephesians 2:8, 9. "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."--Romans 3:28.
To be blunt you would be better off doing nothing than following much of religious dogma. When it comes to religious doctrine you can split all of Christianity into two distinct sections:
Renunciation: Salvation Through Grace - Catholics; Renunciation Plus Right Works - Protestants
While Catholics believe in salvation through grace, Protestants add what they believe are right works, but they totally misunderstand the true meaning of works, Works does not mean helping little old ladies across the street, or any actions aimed at helping your fellow carnally minded neighbors.
We have already covered salvation through grace as mentioned by St. Paul, but according to the Epistle of James, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."--James 2:17. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"--James 2:20. Here James seems to contradict Paul. So, who is right? Just renouncing the ways of the world is good, but is incomplete without right actions. To find the answer we have to resort to the source. "Arjuna said: O Krishna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?" -- Bhagavad-gita 5.1. "The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work."--Bhagavad-gita 5.2. So, here you can see that the scripture is not talking about doing good deeds, but of devotion to God. Do you remember what Jesus told the Samaritan woman when she said that she wasn't married? He said that she had five husbands meaning the five senses. In a like manner doing good deeds does not free you from reality, but rather binds you to reality.
You are either living in the carnal world or the spiritual world. "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."--Romans 8:7, 8. So, if you are carnal, the world you experience is carnal, but if you are spiritual, the world you experience is spiritual, and the only way to escape the carnal mind is to renounce the carnal world, and the way to do so is meditation. Performing good deeds in the carnal world only keeps you grounded in the carnal world. "God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent:"--Numbers 23:19. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."--John 4:24
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?"--James 2:21. Here Abraham offers his son Isaac up as a sacrifice to God. While this may be deemed a devotional work it is hardly a good deed. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."--Matthew 6:33. This is right action. Just saying it and believing it is not enough if you do not actually do it. Right action does not mean helping little old ladies across the street, doing good deeds, or community service. It means devotion to God, not performing acts to help others. It means that just planning a meditation routine, or thinking about it is not enough, you must also actually do it. This is renunciation of action. "Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay."--Bhagavad-gita 5.6. "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."--Matthew 23:13. Suffer means allow. Jesus never said that just believing in him will get you salvation. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"--Luke 6:46. Remember, the James who refers to works is the very same James who said "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."--James 4:4.
Although the Epistle of James has been reluctantly accepted as a part of most Christian canons, the authorship is unknown. Was it James the son of Zebedee, or James the son of Alphaeus, or was it James the brother of Jesus? Although it has a distinct Jewish tone, most scholars today believe it was none of the above, but belongs under the category of pseudepigrapha, written by some unknown author at a later date, perhaps as late as the 3rd century. It is possible that it was originally written during the late first century, but edited and polished by a later day author.
When you meditate seemingly nothing happens so it requires faith to continue along this path, but religion has replaced faith with belief. Christianity offers its flock the promise of an unseen majestic godhead, which requires belief not faith, who will judge all mankind after death. All of this is repudiated in Hebrews 6:1, 2 as I have just outlined. There is nothing in the scriptures that support this type of supreme, human like, being. Rather the God of the Bible is 'I AM', and not some independent separate being.
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:""Matthew 7:24-26. Notice, Jesus does not say anything about believing in him, or just listening to him, but doing what he commands be done. Of course the rock that Jesus is referring to is the pineal gland, and we all know what happens to houses of worship that are built of stone by hand. "Perishable is a city built on sand."--Buddha. To find evidence of this we need look no further than the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
"And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."--Matthew 8:21, 22. Here is the Gnostic secret of life. "Human life does not fulfill its promise within the structures and establishments of society. No one comes to true selfhood by being what society wants you to be, or by doing what society wants you to do." Yet, everything we do from our earliest days of childhood is intended to prepare us for living in a carnal society. From our first day of preschool to our high school graduation we are guided toward our occupational path. Meanwhile you are instructed in religious study to serve society as if this is what the Bible instructs. We then enroll in college where we make our career choices, and maybe join a fraternity which hazes its pledges to toughen them up for their long arduous disingenuous societal path ahead.
Here are just a few of the references to meditation in the scriptures. "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming."--Genesis 24:63. "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."--Psalm 1:2. "When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches."--Psalm 63:6. "Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all."--1Timothy 4:15. The use of the word meditate is most prevalent in the Book of Psalms much of which, but not all was supposedly written by King David. Hence we have "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth."--1Samuel 17:49. The Goliath myth parallels the Greek tale of Cyclops. Notice the stone which is the pineal gland sinks into Goliath's forehead.
"Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:"--Luke 21:14. By meditating you will gain great wisdom, but be aware that you will be rejected by your friends and neighbors. "For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death."--Luke 21:15, 16.
"For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost"--1Thessalonians 1:5. This is a very strange since 1Thessalonians was written c 50 CE and the gospels were not written until after c 70 CE. So, the gospel that Paul is talking about could not be the same as the canonical gospels. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."--1Corinthians 4:20. The scriptural gospels come to you in word, but the gospel which Paul is referring to comes to you in a power hidden inside of you.
Continued Table of Contents