Awareness in Myth Surrounding Jesus
by: Ber Stackhouse, MBA October 23, 2012
A demythologizing of Jesus is quite important to personal awareness and to allow growth and introspection. Much of life is lived in the story about the story, or the biases of certain people. The stories humanity creates are not necessarily “wrong” in all instances. Yet, for one to be aware of impacts of religion (Influential Religious Stimuli) on one’s life leads to the ability to discern and value self. Many people may have a religious perspective based on experiences, lore, or other influences without ever taking time to take ideas unto a “high mountain” and to live from an inner knowing.
Many may see Jesus as so far from humanity that following him or gaining insight seem to be left to chance or if, “maybe, someday, and if it is the will of God I may get to the sweet by and by after much suffering and poverty and disavowing my body.” One may decide in life that such a belief system is personally beneficial and find some good in such a system. Yet to see the person, Jesus, whether historically or in the teachings, would show a deep connection with the human condition while transcending any error thought to truly have life here. It can be seen that beyond just being helpless humans, life can be enjoyed with the revealing of the Christ-nature in everyday affairs. Unity visionary, Eric Butterworth notes that “When Jesus says, ‘Follow me,’ He is referring to our acceptance of the high level of consciousness that He achieved.”[1]
To dwell in suffering and sin-consciousness may not be what this life is all about. In his book, The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore, author Deepak Chopra says, “Jesus the radical went to the root of the human condition, and his approach to suffering was to eradicate it, literally to tear it out by the root.”[2] Could one consider developing Christ-consciousness - seeing good, being empowered, and speaking affirmatively or just connecting with diverse groups of people to experience Life and Wholeness? Lack of awareness in myth can become burdensome and keep one in certain areas of limitation. Chopra observes, “A mythical Jesus has grown up over time. He has served to divide peoples and nations. He has led to destructive wars in the name of religious fantasies. The legacy of love found in the New Testament has been tainted with the worst sort of intolerance and prejudice that would have appalled Jesus in life. Most troubling of all, his teachings have been hijacked by people who hate in the name of love.”[3]
In the Christian Scriptures, having a focus on what is always wrong with the “other” often causes some type of inner turmoil; this focus is often likened to casting stones, having an impediment in the eye, or forgetting the now-harvest or paradise-of-today. Knowing this, in the holistic teachings of Jesus, if one becomes aware of practicing these behaviors, change can take place. One can move forward without having to stay in paralyzing fear, guilt, or sin-consciousness. As elucidated by Butterworth, “The great problem of today lies not in getting religion into business and into human relations, but in getting life and light into our personal religion….The Christ standard is not a series of hard and fast rules for behavior, not simply an analysis of what Jesus did for men to see. It is, instead, a principle that Jesus revealed through His discovery of the Divinity of Man.”[4] In awareness, incorporating aspects of human-living as well as the infusion and effusion of Divinity are affirmed with faith; Life is demonstrated with the single eye of Spirit.
[1] Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within (New York: HarperOne in partnership with Unity House, 1992), 9.
[2] Deepak Chopra, The Third Jesus: The Christ We Cannot Ignore (New York: Three Rivers Press, 2008), 4.
[3] Ibid, 7.
[4] Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within (New York: HarperOne in partnership with Unity House, 1992), 18.
Ber,
ReplyDeleteI’ve often wondered myself if some people fail to take what they have learned to the “high mountain,” and after my own high mountain experience(s) I realized that the wondering was sinfully judgmental on my own behalf. As you said, their experiences, different than my own, doesn’t make them wrong. And I applaud your acknowledgement that I don’t have to stay in that judgment. In fact, If we really listen outside of our own paradigm of beliefs, we may gain valuable insights, which is much greater than the turmoil you mentioned. Yes, I’ve experienced the turmoil; especially when it came to listening to someone tell me about the religion of my childhood and their own acceptance of the story/myth. But when I recognize their sincerity I can see how it truly impacts their life. Dr. Tom is helping me grasp this understanding even to a deeper level when he teaches to “describe before you prescribe.” Thanks for the great blog!
Elise