Is Your Church Able to Accept Those Who Think Differently Than You? I may be a heretic. While I love the Church and Swedenborg and am willing to take everything that the Writings tell us at face value, I also question things based on a simple premise. That premise is: God is All Loving, Infinite and Eternal. God simply can not be put in a box. It is entirely possible, that our finite understanding of God might attempt to place God inside a box. It might even be quite appropriate that we have a receptacle for our understanding of God. I think that it is entirely possible that what the Writings have to tell us about God, and all things spiritual is the best, most elaborate and relevant box available for humans today. And yet, because I firmly believe that God is Infinite, It seems reasonable that God will continue to create, love and nurture infinite Godly expressions to eternity. Swedenborg makes it clear that the notion of reincarnation is a flawed concept, He also seems to tell us that hell is an eternal certainty for those who choose to go there. I am not saying that Swedenborg is wrong. It may be the best understanding of reality for the New Church, and yet, might it still not be possible for alternative realities to also exist? If God is infinite He may have restricted Himself to limited possibilities in His Infinite Wisdom, or Good and Loving possibilities may be limitless. Earthly life can be hellish or heavenly. As long as we remain mired in evils and falsities, Earthly Life takes on the characteristics of hell. To the extent that we move beyond our own selfish loves and submit ourselves to the Lords will our Earthly Life comes under the influence of Heaven. Reincarnation suggests that until a soul breaks free from the chains of Earthly Loves (Hellish Loves), our souls will continue to return, again and again, to Earth. Eventually we break free from the cycle of repeated trips back to Earth when our soul comes into proper relationship with the Divine. When that happens reincarnation is no longer necessary and we return to the Divine. Reincarnation could be viewed as an allegory for transcending our own selfish desires and little else. Or, it may be one way, or another way, that the Lord uses to develop and prepare souls for heavenly eternal life. I am not attempting to make a watertight argument for either reincarnation, or a one-life-only-resulting-in-either-Heaven-or-Hell-to-eternity kind of view. I am simply saying that all Divinely Good and True approaches that God should choose to use are okay with me. Perhaps some souls may encounter their judgement and be given a choice that goes something like this: You are not yet ready to ascend into Heaven. You may go to jail/hell forever, or you may enter the military/life on Earth. Choose - which will it be? To what extent Is your church able and willing to accept those who think differently than you do?
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 20:25:27 +0000
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