640.     web

Religion

The Torah fell

It has been said in many ways things are just broken these days.  Although I'm not really a fan (he never really spoke to my needs), Bob Dylan used the word 'broken' in some song I recall.

I received a message from my ex in Pennsylvania about her Rabbi who wrote a piece and sent it out to all he could concerning the fact that the Torah under his watch fell on the floor.  There was no damage to the print but the holder were slightly bruised.  This happened on May 22 which has the feeling of an auspicious number already.  He wrote that this is not a good thing, that it is a sign that the Torah (simply learning and instructions on how to live) has not been followed. In falling upon the floor it had been demeaned and violated. The Rabbi called for a fast all day asking for reflection and 'teshuvah' (a return). 

He pointed out that this happened on Shavuot which is the day the Torah was given to the people by Moses.  Again a sign.  In addition it happened right before the congregation sang the 'ancient poem' Akdamut which refers to the placement of the Torah as a focal point in life.  The rabbi said this is a 'clear message.'

I had Maggie, my ex, read this writing and she added information that is informative and good to know and respectful to the history and occurrence. Usually I rewrite things in my own words but her words carry their own clarity and give a first hand account.  She wrote:

(That’s good - but Moses didn’t give the Torah - G-d did!

In addition to the community fast, we shared the morning service (Shachrit) together and said Kaddish. A  Torah scroll was brought out from the ark with proper reverence.  Torah scrolls are brought out only in certain days of the week or for special events.    The fast - for teshuvah and repentance - is called a Taanit Tzibur (minor fast which lasts from first  light till full dark.)

In the Rabbi's words it was a sign people were 'forsaking something eternal for something temporal,' and that 'we were ignoring something profound for something shallow, and finally 'we are embracing something superficial and pushing aside something deep.'

When Maggie told me this I also fasted that day for 16 hours.  I am not overly observant but the scenario struck me as odd and different and worthy of notice.  It did seem like a sign.  The day also had a strange energy and May 22 seemed like a natural metaphysical dividing point.

I think for the Jewish people they should take a moment of pause.  I think all others should also take a moment of pause.  A lot of signals and signs have come and gone.  Some people might have been affected, some not, obviously not all.  The wheel still seems to be turning.   It's a bit of a mystery.  It's easy to say 'so what.'  I, for one, pay attention.  I continue what I'm doing, I have to, but I also pay attention.  Some events are signals, and this stands out in a unique way.

633.  Past

Religion

Mainstreaming religion

All religions at some point become mainstream.  The young people need to succeed in society, and use it to further themselves.  Success overrides the original message.

385. Past

Religion
(There are many Christian readers on all levels of belief reading this website.  The following is not meant to offend. It raises three issues.  The first is the realization to cut through go betweens and go to the above directly.  The second two examples are personal accounts that clarified the question for me on whether Christ existed or not .  The third is an interesting viewpoint of what might have happened around that time that he supposedly existed.  It is an different take and stands outside the norm as far as present scholarship is concerned.  There is no intent to offend.  Your belief, or not, is strengthened by intelligent insight and questioning from all angles.  It is my belief it is okay in the 'aboves' eyes to scrutinize and surgically remove what is extraneous  and mythical in order to get closer to the essence itself.  That's what this is about, getting to the above, and not fearing where that yearning leads us.)

I say go directly

I say go directly to God.  That's how the western religions got started before they were religions. One man went directly to God.  At various times in my life when up at 3 am, I didn't want go betweens.  Onetime I insisted to God “either you are or you aren't.  If you are, no intermediaries please.  Otherwise you can go to he.l.”  I was blunt but it seemed to work as clarity followed.

I recall meeting a nice looking couple in their sixties, the husband was Catholic, the wife Jewish.  She said he goes to God through Christ, and I go directly to God and save a stop.  Here was confirmation.

I also had heard of an African tribe in Uganda  converted by missionaries to Catholicism.  At one point an elder insisted they dispense with the 'New Testament' claiming the Torah and following its laws were enough.  They became orthodox out of nowhere.  Jews from all over heard about them and were impressed.  I am not presenting an argument for Judaism, but rather one for authenticity, getting at the roots of things.

The Jews were never called 'Jews' or 'Hebrews' originally.  From oral tradition one man had spoken to God directly, one on one, and his offspring, tribe, friends saw and respected this and  preserved memories of its happening.  We all wish to do this with our parents, preserve what is special.  Eventually people gave these 'respecters' a name, Hebrews or Jews.  Today, we all have to relate to the maker as Abraham (or whoever it was) did, one on one, with no go betweens.

The Christian church has become Christology, the worship of anything to do with Christ.  Given one believes he existed, his role expanded from being a messenger to the message.  Digging deeper his existence itself is suspect.

At the time the Roman Empire squashed all rebellions to their authority.  They would be tolerant if the culture accepted and worshiped the Caesar  alongside their own God or Gods and insisted they bow to his statue in  places of worship as another deity.  The Jews refused to go along and rebelled against the Romans. The emperor at the time Vespasian,  wanted to squash this rebellion .  He sent his son Titus, or the 'son' of God, to squelch the rebellion which he did mercilessly.

There are numerous reasons to suspect Jesus Christ never existed.  According to one source, this 'son of God's' life, Titus, paralleled the life of Jesus as if they were one and the same.  The Romans carefully constructed an adaptation of Judaism, indeed, even seemingly with the high moral ground of submissiveness.  They wrote the gospels years later stressing giving little resistance to authority, that their kingdom is in another world and so rebellion is fruitless in this world.  They should turn the other cheek if they experience oppression.  The Jews wanted a Messiah in the here and now to deliver them from Roman bondage.  The Romans gave them a politically correct passive resistance philosophy which served only their needs.

Finally it can be added no real artifacts exist giving evidence that Jesus existed.  They have all been found to be forged.  The Jewish historian Josephus was adopted as almost a family member by Titus and his one mention of Christ in a different tone seems inserted after the initial writing, often done in those days.  Tampering and changing scriptures was commonplace.

Again, the implications here is that over 2,000 years of Christianity might be fraudulent.  I can't verify all this information or lack of on the 'myth' of the Jesus Christ, but my innate truth detector tells me there is some substance here.

That is why in this time one must go to God directly.  History and what you've been taught can't be trusted.  You might find the maker to be close to you or distant, but whatever you find out or wherever you stand will be authentic.  It's the best you can do, where you are at, and not someone else's agenda.