Originally posted by Mindship
I think a lot of confusion disappears if the Bible and other holy writings are interpreted metaphorically, especially within the mystical / consciousness context. For example:To "sin," to "reject" the Gospel, etc is to live one's life on autopilot: automatic / mechanical / habitual consciousness, ie, ordinary consciousness where we are lost in inner dialogue, out of touch with the here-and-now, and certainly out-of-touch with our deepest feelings, wherein "God" may be found. Jesus is the Way and the Truth in that he is a metaphor for rising out of this functional trance we live in, and becoming self- or situationally aware, ie, becoming conscious of being conscious. This is the common thread, the universal truth in all mystical systems, the perinnial philosophy. Now because "training one's attention" is highly intangible and can be difficult to grasp, which is where (imho) organized religion comes in (at least as initial intent): translating this intangible into simplified ("watered down"😉 instruction and concrete behaviors, so that the common man, especially en masse -- who generally has more immediate survival/material concerns to deal with -- can apply these truths in some fashion in his life.
Problems arise when these watered-down instructions are taken literally, and problems mount exponentially when "sinful" people use them to feel superior to and to control others.
I wrote this quick so I hope it makes sense.
No, that makes sense. All of the major positive religions are about some form of enlightenment/transcendental consciousness.