Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest has been an informative and excellent lesson in taking charge of my life. It is well written and comfortable to learn. Of all the lessons, the most meaningful to me were the basic meditation techniques-especially the grounding exercises. I enjoyed learning how to center myself, cleanse negative energy and practice awareness and mindfulness.

Many years ago I learned meditation as a means of managing migraine headaches. Slowly, with time I have forgotten about daily practice because I got caught up in the craziness of life. Renewing this practice has allowed me to slow down and stay present. It has taught me to free up personal energy for healing and wholeness. I no longer take on negative energy from others and if I inadvertently let some in I know how to handle it. This is the miracle I have created for myself. The change is extremely positive and uplifting. At any time I can ground, center, breathe and heal.

The lessons on getting unstuck were also meaningful to me. Throughout life I have been aware of getting stuck on things and of how this has kept me focused on the past. Moving forward became difficult often resulting in problems. Some of the tools came more naturally than others. The Body of Glass tool was very difficult at first but with practice I am seeing small improvement. Since I love centering neutrality was one of my favorite lessons. Clearly seeing a situation makes the choices about that situation much more available. I like picturing a movie screen while sitting in a nice comfy chair. This is a very safe environment from which to evaluate a situation and choose a course of action.

Another area that was meaningful to me was the lesson on time. I have done some therapeutic work with somatic counseling to look at the trauma of a serious car accident. Although I didn’t know it at the time I was using the tools of neutrality and time to recover from this trauma. Most of my time and energy was spent in the past still involved in the accident. The anxiety was incredible and I was stuck beyond belief. Through hypnosis, meditation and learning balance I was able to release some of that negative energy and move more freely in the present. This course has reminded me of the tune-ups I must continue to do to keep from getting stuck again.

Above all I have learned that spirituality is fluid. This course has given me the tools to continue healthy growth, to identify my needs and to adjust my attitude when needed. I learned some of these tools once, misplaced them and now have them again. Thank you Spirit Quest.

Rev. Elizabeth Andres

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Religious Philosophy

Traveling throughout the world has expanded my understanding of the similarities and differences between various people. It has been an honor to meet individuals from all corners of the world, to experience their culture, and learn what the same planet looks like in their eyes. I have discovered some very interesting common themes between the multitude of global residents and myself, as well as some deeply divisive gulfs. The material presented in this course provided me with many valuable tools to further explore the reasons why people believe what they believe and the origins of many of the legends, myths, and stories we have today. By taking this course I also have a deeper understanding of myself. 

The most intense revelation for me, by being exposed to so many different ideologies, is the realization about how grossly under informed I am in the matters of different belief systems. In my own life there has been a progressive shift from taking things for granted simply due to the fact an influential person told me something, to searching for the truth through observation and scientific study. It has taken too long for me to finally ask the necessary questions. Surprisingly, many of the answers I am finding are contrary to what I was taught. There is some bitterness in the feeling of being deceived, but there is also relief in knowing that the answers can be found. I can not subscribe to an ideology that decides it is the truth with no proof. Many religions take this stand simply because any admittance of possible error would decimate the whole belief system. Science on the other hand, takes a different approach. Science begins by being ignorant of the truth and establishing a path to find the answers, a search for facts. Studying the different religions of the world using a scientific approach is not a process in place to destroy a faith based belief structure, but a manner of explaining and understanding why a belief is in place. To search for the origin of a story is an extremely exciting study, especially when an other than expected answer is found. It is not enough to simply mull over books or take in a National Geographic program to completely understand another group of people. A person almost needs to be submerged in the other society in order to grasp true understanding. The same stands for studying their beliefs and philosophies. Several times throughout the Religious Philosophy course I caught myself instantly dismissing a belief or idea that did not conform to the “truth” according to the program that I grew up with. By identifying the propensity to immediately default to my opinions based in the propaganda of a particular belief structure, injected into my life prior to being allowed to develop my own views, I will hopefully generate a freer atmosphere for knowledge and understanding to blossom. It saddened me to learn and observe the lack of consideration and open-mindedness that pervades many so called advanced civilizations. Most are comfortably barricaded in the security of ignorance and they leave little opportunity to experience the beauty of the world’s vast differences. Those most guilty of this philosophical prison are all too often members of the larger religious organizations. These larger organizations also have the unfortunate nature of being the most fractured due to the narrowness of their ideology. One such example is the division of an entire church over the matter of the acceptable color of a song book. 

Of course I do not and cannot accept all belief systems. However, this course helped me to see that it is not necessary to personally “believe” in all things but is enough to accept the validity of a belief systems’ existence. There also seems to be an “ethical” foundation to most of the religions of the world so at least that element ties much of humanity together. It has unfortunately been mankind that has corrupted and spoiled the most precious possession humanity has. We all innately possess the knowledge of “greater possibilities.” This is the key we will have to use in the evolution of our understanding our existence.

Rev. Dale Furr

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Paganism

This is my essay for my degree in Masters of Paganism.

Rev. Lee Warner

Master of Paganism has been an extraordinary course. This course helps you to learn all aspects of paganism. Being a pagan is a way of life for me, since I was a child. Growing with this spiritualism has encouraged me to know and learn my craft, with precision. Learning and studying this course, has given me a renewal in my life, to be able to teach paganism to others..

The creation lesson is one of the most unforgettable lesson. I am able to explain our creation story with more ease.. Without this course it was sometimes difficult to explain, to others how we came into existence.

The second course was very informational. I went through this lesson many many times. I learned in great detail about the maiden, mother and crone Goddesses. Teaching the sabbats and knowing in detail about the Goddesses are important in my family.. To be able to go into a prolific details with the ones that taught me and to know exactly what I am talking about, has given them great respect and pride for me.

I would encourage everyone to learn about the great rite. As I studied this concept, I realized that not many follow this particular way, anymore. I have learned to raise energy through the power of dancing, drumming and singing.

Divination, was so exciting for me, as I experimented with many forms , to see which were compatible with me. I began with the tarot cards. I did not have much luck with the deck. I did not get a feel of anything from them.

The pendulum, became my next experiment. After calming my mind and meditating, I had positive experiences with this form of divination.

Scrying mirrors I discovered, are doorways to the unknown.One particular night I asked a question with the scrying mirror. My dog began whimpering and the an all out growl and protective mode she was in , as she began nudging my arm. I turned the mirror over and sprinkled salt on the backside of the mirror. This was very curious and scary to me. However what I discovered, is there is a spirit in my house. My dog could see and sense this spirit before I could. How amazing is that. I do not use a scrying mirror after that. I have learned that it can be a doorway or a portal.

I am in the process of understanding tea leave reading more. I went through this lesson many times. It was somewhat difficult, but the more I do it the easier it is becoming.

Runes are as exciting to me as my pendulum. I have enjoyed learning and reading runes. I have enjoyed it so much , that I am helping a local artist design my own runes.

I have experienced and learned so much from this course. Thank you for this opportunity that has helped develop and shape my thoughts, into experiences that I shall share with others.

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Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church. 

Comparative Religion

By Rev. Linda Francis
Comparative Religion

Being special or the chosen group may elate the ego's of the "select" but it is a direct path to pain, suffering and war for both the select and those not chosen as special. By the time I was six years old I knew I was not the chosen child. My younger brother was the chosen one. A boy was wanted so much that I was actually was given the name of Keith at my birth because a girls name was not even contemplated since there had been ministers in our family for 7 generations until my grandfather had all girls and thus, broke the chain of events. (Females at that time were not permitted to be ministers) . Mother was sure that if she could give her father a boy she would be in good graces with both her father and God.

I grew up feeling that even God was not blamed all that much for my sex, but it was, as if, I personally chose to come and bring her this curse. Fortunately, Dad did add the name Linda or I would have been like the guy Johnny Cash sang about in his song a Boy Named Sue. In the song, the boy grows up strong because his father actually gave him this name for because he had to learn to fight for himself with a girls name, as he was teased and tormented all this life. In many ways the same thing happened to me in a different direction. I painfully understood the bible story of Hanna, Sarah's maid, and how she and her son were sent into the desert when Sarah had a child of her own, and thus the Muslim and Jewish Religions devolved each believing they and they only knew the right path to God and the two still fight over 2000 plus years later When mother talked about the Jews being Gods "chosen people" even at 10 or younger my heart felt for the Muslim faith and as I grew older I knew without a doubt why these two have always been at odds. 

Even as a child I knew this was not the way the God I talked to daily, in my little walks in the woods or at play, was not the same God who would favor one over the other that this was a man made idea created to serve his own self at the expense of others. I too, was taught that perhaps Baptist were the only ones making it heaven. Catholics for sure were not and maybe not Presbyterians, and the Methodist might or might not. Hindus, Buddhist, Muslims and even Jews (unless they accepted Jesus) , etc., were of the Devil and you should not even speak to people of these faiths. Perhaps it was that boys name and knowing I was not the chosen child but I developed a drive early on, even as a teen, to study all faiths and learn all that I could about them. Growing up in the "Bible Belt" of the South I had to do this in secret and I have spent nearly 50 years doing just that, although in the last few years I am teaching and lecturing about the common ground of most faiths and finding and honoring them rather than choosing a path to war and destruction for ever, among families, communities and nations.

Through out the years I have attended churches of many faiths to get to know them first hand. I belong to an Interfaith Organization to promote understanding among major faiths.

Needless to say, I have ready many books, and taken many classes on the religions of the world. Rev. Kythera Ann passion for research is most in-depth and the research skills I see here are to be most admired and I have to admit her passion for understanding all religious faiths goes even beyond my own.

Perhaps, due to a major surgery and the long recovery of many months and the constant pain I am in I was not always able to read the very long lessons and keep my mind on the subject. Then again I am ADDH and perhaps that too, accounts for part of it. Still, I wonder about those who do not have this passion for knowing about all faiths. Did they find there was so much new information given in lesson after lesson, subject after subject, with so many new words and ideas that it was too over-stimulating for the brain to follow. I would often finish reading a lesson and feel I recalled almost nothing, with the exception of the last lesson, which I knew a little about already and thus she added a little more and I was able to retain it.

If more classes were offered by this instructor I would no doubt look at other things and see if they might be subjects that interest me more. She is brilliant without a doubt but at my retirement age, and six degrees from many universities already I am looking for classes that lift me so much that when they are over that I am hungry for more. This one often stressed me in that I read the lesson and could remember so little afterward. However, I will admit I have always did better in classes that presented ideas to ponder rather than a list of facts after facts to memorize, for I am more creative than one prone to left brain activities.

Now from a positive side, I am leaning more and more to the idea that each contact that comes into our lives comes with a purpose for the soul's growth. In Rev. Kythera Ann’s suggested books to read was listed the Tao Te Ching. Having an art degree and creative writing one, I found a beautiful copy of this book that I purchased for the illustrations and because it was on the list of books to read. I begin to read and loved what I was reading but some parts were not clear to me in meaning so I purchased more translations and more and more and this is the book I cannot lay down. It has changed my whole life. The latest was Dr. Wayne Dyer's Change your Thoughts and Change Your Life and it has an essay on each of the 81 verses of the Tao. I have been reading daily these verses over and over and applying them to my life as well, and wow, the joy I am finding is like the sun coming forth each morning … and who do I have to thank, Rev. Kythera Ann, for suggesting it on her reading list?

Now, if Rev. Kythera Ann offered a class in the Tao Te Ching, yes I would sign up, just to see her passion for this book and if it actually matched those in the last class, for the Tao has me hungry for more, , as it is truly changing the quality of my life, making the "golden years" of retirement really golden when one applies the messages that Lao Tze writes about. The astonishing thing is that many of the messages parallel with those from Jesus or the Buddha.

I think I might enjoy Part II more as I have already had several studies in the major world religions and I am sure the author's in-depth research will without a doubt add more to my knowledge.

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Four Gospels

The Gospel’s of Mark and Matthew provided explanations for some of Jesus’s stories that was very insightful. Luke’s venue and motivations for his Gospel, as stated in the course lessons, was eye-opening. The bonus Gospel of Thomas, since taking the Dr. of Metaphysics course (ULC), contained far more ‘mystical’ truths than ever before. It is the Gospel of John; though, that really caught my attention.

The original author, the ‘ beloved student’ of Jesus that is clearly not one of the 12 disciples (notice that ‘He’ was the first to believe when ‘He’ saw the wrapping in the empty tomb of Jesus, and the 11 other disciples did not believe until later, additionally if ‘He’ were one of the disciples, why would Peter question his following them [third line from the end of John]), is the first mystery noticed from this course. Catholic, most Protestant groups, as well as this course (see ‘love’ in the glossary) all teach that John Evangelist was the author. A relatively new book, “The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved” (see thedisciplewhomjesusloved.com [author not found]), makes a very convincing argument for Lazarus as the author. The title for this Gospel was added long after it was written.

A Rosicrucian document used several years ago stated that John was a Gnostic (probable one of the Essene sects). John’s ‘original’ Gospel, per this document, was very popular (partially because of the poetic cadence [like Jesus used] made it very easy to listen to and remember) but unfortunately, very Gnostic. The Gnostic’s taught each person could have direct experience with GOD. Therefore, Christ (and especially the Church) was not necessary to communicate with GOD. [Note: Perhaps it was not John but the ‘beloved student’ who was the Gnostic.] John’s Gospel was too popular to go away; therefore, the wording had to change to reflect the ‘CORRECT’ place of the early church.

The first example (though probably not occurring until later) is line 2 of the Gospel. Mr. Gaus’s translation says “It was with GOD in the beginning.” This clearly refers to “the Word.” The NRSV Study Bible (among others) states “He was in the beginning with GOD.” The NRSV notes say that Jesus was “the Word”, ergo, Creation occurred thru Jesus. This virtually deifies’ Jesus and establishes him before Creation (wouldn’t Luke have loved that). The Greek Orthodox Bible supports the course’s view. A clear dichotomy that goes to the heart of some differences mentioned in this course’s prologue (John part 1). **

Prior to C.E. 70, the harsh words directed toward the “Jews” (i.e., John 8:44), was probably predicated by Jerusalem’s Temple Elite ostracizing Jewish ‘Christians’ from Synagogue activities. On the other hand, the ‘elevation’ of Christ (i.e., John 14-17), probably originated between C.E. 80-90 (or beyond). References for both of the above statements, while there are many, can be found in the current NRSV Study Bible.

This course opened my eyes to many issues (and more than a few answers), contained in these Gospels. Much of that is beyond the scope of this paper. Learning more of John was clearly my favorite. Discovering three (at least) separate, but entwining, motivations (Spiritual enlightenment, political counter attach, and Church doctrine aggrandizement), written at different times by obviously different hands, within one ‘book’, yet still containing a truly enlightening theme **, was amazing to me. It is no wonder that, as mentioned in the lessons, this is the most quoted of the Gospels. The Gospel of John truly has something for everyone!

Respectfully Submitted,

Rev. William Fowler

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Metaphysical Healing

Master of Metaphysical Healing is a fascinating course, which every healer should take. It coalesces many, if not all, facets of the art of healing. From anatomy to the healers prayer it teaches, or reminds, us of those aspects of healing every healer should know.

Written from the perspective of South Africa, Rev. Dr. Katherine Lee Kruger presents a view that was new to me; with which I was vaguely familiar, but about which I really knew little. The teachings of the African healers are deeply meaningful, giving a much broader and deeper understanding of the healing arts.

This is a really complete course on healing. Many other teachers pick one aspect or method and go into it in great detail. Rev. Dr. Kruger goes in depth for many methods. I appreciate the fine background, which she has presented. The anatomy and aura sections are the perfect start. It would be useful to have each lecture on cards that could be filed for easy, future reference.

As for the practice itself, I am a Reiki Master so am familiar and comfortable with all of the hands-on healing approaches. I do not feel that way about some of the other techniques. In particular, any practice which involves deep relaxation bordering upon hypnosis, can be dangerous if used by someone who has not been trained. Practicums are needed in these areas, especially something like past life regression. What if the client sees something violent or threatening and becomes panicked? What if it seems impossible to bring the person out of trance? I was once involved in a relaxation session that took us through our own deaths. After coming out of it, one person became hysterical. Fortunately the leader was a trained psychologist and was able to handle the situation.

Finally, I am looking forward to my attempt to see auras. I have been trying to do this for many years. Hopefully with Rev. Drs Kruger’s instructions I will be successful.

Rev. Judith Wolf

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Comparative Religion

Rev. Dale Furr

A person never realizes how much they don’t know until they pursue knowledge. I’m not sure if that statement has ever been made in exactly that context before, but it is the key impression that I am left with after participating in the Comparative Religion course presented by Rev. Kythera Ann. This feeling is also being reinforced by my participation in other ULC Seminary courses. 

I must mention that each step taken with ULC has been extremely tentative. The greatest hurdle for me to overcome was determining the legitimacy of the product offered by ULC. Indulging my curiosity was the foremost reason for any of my investments in the student courses. So from a position of speculation, I began a journey into a very surprising and rewarding experience. Immediately, from Lesson One, I was captivated by the accuracy and the depth of the course. Throughout each of the following lessons there remained a consistent and very thorough quality to the information. The massive topic that is Comparative Religion obviously cannot create experts from merely 20 lessons. But a key, and wonderful element to this course was the recommended reading, links and activities suggested by the instructor. The amount of information shared with the students and the unbiased presentation also greatly enhanced the validity of the course. I enjoyed being able to find and research literature made easily accessible by Rev. Ann. Returning to a point made earlier, each step I have taken with ULC has been made tentatively. The moment I became a minister, I was, and perhaps still am, moving in a direction opposite to the religious teachings impressed on me in the past by a multitude of sources. In my own heart, moving towards a more scientific view of the universe, pre-history, the future, and my own existence, seemed in conflict with becoming a minister. It was from that conflict that sparked a curiosity into what other belief systems existed. Thus leading me to engage in this course. I feel as if I am being drawn into this experience. What was not being taken seriously before is now a very important part of my weekly activities. Although my own deductions about why we are here and what lies ahead do not match the established mega-religions philosophies I have been able to glean several helpful ideas in my search for truth. I was simply impressed with the course construction, subject matter, and impartiality.

There are a couple of things that may be useful in enhancing the experience of taking this course. There was such a wonderful and vast amount of literature made available throughout the course that perhaps a short book review, report, or opinion paper could be required beyond the final essay. For example, I treasure the acquisition of a couple books I previously knew nothing about that actually were quite famous. I would not have purchased them had they not come up through the ULC courses. They have greatly added to my knowledge, and out of simple appreciation for mentioning the literature, a paper could be justified for at least one of the mentioned books.

I am looking through all the different lessons I received at this very moment. It is with pleasure that I remember the time invested in following up on Rev. Ann’s research and delving into totally foreign topics. With the aid of this course, my understanding of the history, ideology, behavior and multi-faceted nature of human beliefs has been greatly expanded. The last lesson of Comparative Religion Part I may be in my possession but the usefulness of the material and research opportunities will keep me busy for quite some time.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Metaphysics and Miracles

Shortly after I started this course I came across a book titled; “The Mystic Christ,” Ethan Walker III. These two strong emphases on the negative role the ego plays in our lives prompted me to insert the following into a manuscript I am working on.

The androgynous God, Father/Mother, conceived man(kind), first Adam, as an androgynous spiritual being in the image and likeness of God, a son of God. The Divine Spirit, the mother, gave birth to this divine child, first Adam. This second stage spiritual being was perfect as was the universal Father/Mother from whence it came. First Adam saw the animals having sexual relations. This lesser spiritual being was duped by desire to divide into male and female, second Adam and his counterpart Eve came into being. Once they had divided their complete self through desire this divided child of The Supreme Being was tempted by a serpent named Ego to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Ego convinced them they had defied God, had sinned because they desired separation. The knowledge of sin is the knowledge of good and evil. This false knowledge from Ego also said they should be ashamed and for this reason they hid from their Divine Mother/Father. Desire is the sister/wife of Ego, The more she could mislead the child of Mother/Father the stronger Ego was able to grow and take control. Because Adam and Eve desired sexual relations they clothed themselves in “coats of skin,” entered into the bodies of the most advanced and compatible animals, primitive mankind, the naked ape. The serpent, Ego, took up its dwelling in the subconscious blocking the conscious memory of their human, divine, spiritual heritage. They were left with only the vaguest memory of that heritage hidden behind a wall of nonsense in their subconscious. Ego and its handmaiden Desire for things and for power overwhelmed the race of mankind.

We can run from The Divine All Mother/Father, but we cannot hide. The memory of our origin is still there hidden under the rubbish pile created by our ego. In time as mankind grew in earthly knowledge. They learned the art of reading and writing. Being ego driven they could not accept responsibility for their fall. They wrote the book of Genesis and other books blaming a creator god. Mankind caused the fall of mankind. Because mankind is responsible for this mistake mankind can correct it. How? By reversing the process through which we brought about our own individual fall as we allowed our individual spirit to fall into the darkness of our bodies. We, individually, are the constant repetition of the fall. Genesis was, is, and will be, as long as our ego continues to create the illusion of the fall and the illusion of the realm we fell into. We, collectively, are the creator god through our combined egos. We could not accept responsibility for our fall so we blamed a “creator god’” not realizing that in doing so we were obliquely blaming ourselves.

Rev. Raymond Thompson

  

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Paganism

Universal Life Church

I’ve spent most of my life wandering thru life lost and desperately looking for Something to believe in. Hoping to find some glimmer of hope that there IS more to life than just growing up, growing old and dying. Thankfully, I’ve found just what I was looking for.

I was raised Baptist and when I was a child, I went to Sunday school and church every week. I listened to the sermons and learned the hymns, and read the Bible. But after a few years, I started to notice something…maybe it was just me, but the more I went to church, the more I listened to the sermons, the less sense it made to me. It just seemed that I was reading and hearing contradictions. So I started looking into other denominations and found the same thing.

And not just contradictions, but hypocrisy abounded. It seemed to me that so many were preaching one thing and doing another. So I rapidly lost faith in anything but the here and now. And in so doing, I lost hope of anything resembling an afterlife. And without hope that there IS something more to look forward to than just death and emptiness, every day becomes a struggle to stretch it out as long as humanly possible, because with the end of each day, the Ultimate End comes one day closer.

And then I stumbled upon the concept of Paganism and began doing some research and what I found was that unlike organized religions, it at least Seems as if ALL forms of Pagan beliefs follow just one basic premise, just one “Golden Rule” as it were, and the Wiccan Rede seems to sum it up the best…”An it harm none, do as ye will”. Now I know that pretty much All organized religions believe in the “Golden Rule” of “Do unto others as ye would have others do unto you”, but unlike most “religious” people that I’ve known over the last 55 years, the Pagans that I’ve met and come to know actually FOLLOW that in their every day lives. This makes sense, finally.

After taking the Paganism for a New Age course, I have come to an even deeper understanding of what it really means to be Pagan. This course gave me not only a listing of Pagan Deities and their complete pantheons, but their history, preferences for tributes and the various Pagan sects who worshiped each. The course was Very complete in that it also listed the yearly sabats and celebrations, the magickal beings associated with Pagan beliefs. It taught a history of Paganism and how Christianity worked to do away with the “Old Religions”, but it also showed how most supposedly Christian holidays and celebrations seem to oddly coincide with the Pagan sabats, esbats and solstice celebrations that had been observed faithfully for centuries before the concept of Christianity came into being.

I learned about how Pagans view the afterlife and the concept of ‘rebirth’ and living more than just one life on this plane. I learned about creating “Sacred space”, using Sacred symbols and the concept of Sacred nature. The course offered explanations of different forms of ‘divination’ and the difference between ‘magic’ and ‘magick’.

When I enrolled for this course, I was expecting to simply get a ‘re-hash’ of the knowledge I have already gained thru my own research and following my own chosen Pagan path. What I got was not only a complete and in-depth study of Paganism in all it’s forms, but a ‘library’ that I plan to keep and use for reference in my own capacity as a spiritual counselor and leader. I have recently entered my Druid initiation year and hope to in the near future be accepted into the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. And although Druidism is my chosen path, and it seems the more I study, the more I come to realize I have not ‘chosen’ to be a Druid, I’m remembering what I once was many lifetimes ago, I enjoy counseling anyone who asks my counsel, regardless of what path they follow, whether it’s a Christian path or a Pagan one.

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to put this course together.

Rev. S.C. Hawkes

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Religious Philosophy

It is most interesting that during this class I’ve been able to gain an Old Insight into the Lord which was buried in my heart for over twenty years. This submersion of spirit had been caused by an event which shall remain nameless at this point but caused such a tragic response from my soul I shut down. I loved God still but did not function and would not due to my lost hope of the faith of Christ. About a year and a half ago I had a battle with God and it was a knock down drag out affair. God won. Now the second part of the puzzle has been placed on the board and the truth of my heart is taking shape.

As a Traditionalist Apologetic I am one who uses theology to justify the claims, demands, mission, and ultimate truth of Christianity or which is designed to help others do the same. Apologetics is generally a response to particular challenges, attacks, or questions, and is thus distinguished from evangelism and outreach, which by their nature try to seek out and persuade men to turn from erroneous beliefs and to accept Christianity.

Thus let us look at the “philosophia perennis” or Perennial Philosophy affirms that a direct insight into the nature of Reality is a universally human possibility -- whether it is gained after practice of spiritual disciplines and study of scriptures or through a wholly unanticipated illuminating experience of union with God or the Ultimate. A result of such awareness is the confidence that we have devolved from a single Source and the process of spiritual development is completed and perfected in our return to that One.

To call this perennial is to say that such an insight reappears in diverse times and places, not limited to any particular culture, class, or community. In more formal words, this philosophy has been described as the metaphysic that recognizes a divine Reality behind the world of things and lives and minds; the psychology that finds in [one] something identical with divine Reality and the ethic that places [one's] final end in the knowledge of the Immanent and Transcendent Ground of all things."

In other words, the term philosophia perennis is intended to describe a philosophy that has been formulated by those who have experienced direct communion with God or the Ultimate. However brief the experience; it transforms the thinking mind of “the acquaintancer”, so that they are never the same again. Such revelatory experience, captured however dimly in symbols supplied by human language or by whatever artistic expression, however often repeated through the ages by people of all races, genders, cultures and religious beliefs, open onto the Perennial Philosophy.

If we imagine ourselves living at the time of Jesus we can suppose that we would have had an easier time believing in Him. After all, He was visible, a warm, breathing person, and we could have walked with Him and talked with Him and shared a meal. We would have lost no time sorting through the various arguments about whether Jesus existed or what He said and did, and in addition to His words we would have seen His deeds when he healed the sick and gave other signs, like at the wedding feast at Cana. And thus, it would have been easy to believe, or so we suppose.

But if we read the Canonized Gospels it becomes evident that the people around Jesus had just as hard a time believing in Him as we do today. What they gained by the immediacy of His presence they tended to lose by their expectations for an earthly messiah, and their inability to get the whole picture of Jesus that comes to us through the Gospels. But the problem went beyond this. Even the words of Jesus and His deeds did not necessarily convince or compel them to believe. No matter how many reasons to believe they had, these reasons in themselves did not add up to faith.

But to talk in this language of theology and of the Trinity may seem highly abstract and speculative, but it really isn't. It's the very center of Christian life and should be at the very heart of the Christian life of prayer. Without emphasizing the transcendent nature of the act of faith we will never really understand it. We will be like the “manualists” at the turn of the century who wanted to cling to faith's reasonableness, but reasonableness is not the heart of faith. If faith is the greatest challenge that Christianity faces, the challenge can only be met head on by attempting to deal with what can be called the critical problem of faith. This is the primary problem of the act of faith. It is a problem that is prior to the question of how the interior experience of faith is related to the exterior preaching of the Gospels.

But in the case of Jesus there is a new depth to penetrate. There is a deeper entity of union. If we were to see Jesus in the flesh, or to see Him in the Gospels narratives, we would see a man, and like meeting any other man; we would piece together what he does and says and come to some perception of His personality. And this relationship could blossom into a relationship of human love. But there is much more involved here. As we try to discern Jesus' inner nature we are disconcerted, for the pieces simply do riot fit our normal expectations, and much of the drama of the Gospels lies here.

The humanity of Jesus, then, becomes the sacrament, or symbol of His divinity. We cannot encounter it without being drawn towards its inner challenge which is the question of whether we can affirm or must deny that this is really the Son of God. And what gives us the ability to make this affirmation? It cannot simply be flesh and blood. Like must be known by like. On the human level the mystery of spirit played upon the face of flesh and it was reserved to the person who loved to see into this mystery with the eyes of love. In the case of the Incarnation where it is not a question of spiritualized matter, but of divinized humanity, it is the mystery of the Trinity that plays upon the face of Christ, and to truly accept Christ is to allow ourselves to be drawn by His humanity to the Son, and through the Son, to the Father and to the Spirit.

Thus I have approached the inner nature of faith through different directions: personal experience, the debates of the theologians, the reading of the Scriptures and Fathers, and the works of Gospels. And finally, we have examined the inner nature of faith itself as knowledge through love. All this can leave us with the impression that faith is a complex matter best left to the deliberations of theologians. This is not true. In fact, faith resists our intricately woven nets of concepts because of its simplicity and depth. And in virtue of this simplicity it permeates our lives like the air we breathe, but too seldom take notice of. We think God is absent because we do not find him like one object among all the others, when all the time He is there within us as our deepest goal. We are continually being drawn by this mysterious, powerful, silent call to union with Him, and it is faith which is our response to this hidden presence. At any moment, in any place, we can go on the journey of faith, for it is that tiny, quiet reaching out with our heart to God.

May God bless you and keep you forever.

Rev. Louis Hook

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Four Gospels

The Essay of the Gospel Class ULC Seminary by Louis C. Hook

The fact I recognize I knew more than this was most evident in my writings and of course the Lord smiled as I made a complete fool of myself. The chances of this factual knowledge of God being in one old broken down cavalry trooper was remote. Once I reread the vitally important section of the Sermon on the Mount (all references for this diatribe are those from the Unvarnished Gospels) presents a problem which is not easy to resolve - the question whether it is to be linked with what has gone before or be taken as introduction to the ensuing section about false prophets and false religion. In favor of the former it can be urged that the definite article: “the strait gate”, often has a demonstrative sense in New Testament Greek: “this strait gate”. In which case reference would appear to be to the comprehensive but difficult precept which Jesus had just laid upon his disciples: “All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

Yet this is not free from difficulty. The picture presented to the mind is of a narrow gate giving access to a narrow way, with eternal life as its end. Such a mental picture does not seem appropriate to this principle of Christian graciousness. And, further, to apply it in this way would surely imply justification by one’s own good works. If indeed a man is to keep himself in the narrow way to life by observing the Golden Rule, then it must be admitted that a vast proportion of the Lord’s people, with the best will in the world, are frequently astray from it. Again, the commentary: “few there be that find it” is hardly appropriate to the Golden Rule, which is easy enough to “find” but terribly difficult to maintain as a constant guiding influence in one’s life.

The words of Jesus here strongly suggest a faith which has to be sought out, and a personal decision and choice which have to be made. A man does not drift into the service of Christ. He becomes a disciple by making up his mind that this is the only loyalty he can accept, the only way of life for him to follow. This is the spirit of the appeal made to Israel by Moses, an appeal now reiterated by Jesus in even more challenging fashion: “I call heaven and earth to witness this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Dt. 30:19).

It was a far-reaching claim that if a man would have eternal life he will find it in no other way than through the service of Christ himself: “I am the true and living way: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). “I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved” (John 10:9). A man must give his own personal assent to these truths, and make his own personal decision in the light of them. The only alternative is the wide gate and broad way by which the many follow the road to destruction. The teaching of Jesus here could hardly be more explicit. There are not many or even several ways a man may follow. The Unvarnished Gospels therefore show there are only two, and every individual is in one or the other.

This “either - or” theme gets plenty of emphasis in the Bible-and needs it. Two ways (Jer. 21:8; Pr. 4:10-19); two trees (Ps. 1:6, 7; Jer. 17:5-8); two houses (Mt. 7:24-28). The Greek word for “narrow” is rather frightening. It means “squeezed up”; not “narrow”, but “made narrower”. This narrow way in Christ has to be sought for: “Few there be that find.” And since, only a short while before, Jesus had declared so unequivocally: “Seek, and ye shall find” (7:7), it follows logically that there are only few who seek! Experience underlines the truth of this. The vast majority, if not actually content with life as they find it, are so devoid of higher spiritual aspirations that they never seek anything different from what they naturally know. They do not have to “find” the way that leads to destruction. They are already in it, and are well content to make fast or slow progress there.

The teaching of Jesus here is eclecticism in its most rigorous form. In plain unvarnished fashion he made it perfectly clear that he expected no sweeping success in his preaching. The nation’s ultimate response to his appeal would be small. And in the wider field of Gentile evangelism also the same would be true.

It has become fashionable in the past several hundred years to attack the Christian faith in a unique and allegedly scholarly manner. Prominent universities, critics, skeptics, and scholars try to deny what the New Testament record reveals about Jesus Christ. Generally, most people will accept Jesus as a moral teacher whose followers developed His teachings into a religion, but what they will not accept is the testimony of Christ and Holy Writ.

The Unvarnished Gospels give us his baptism, the proclamation especially in parables of the present and future kingdom of God, a ministry of exorcism, his gathering of disciples across socio-economic boundaries, his sharing a common meal that celebrated their new relationship to God, his challenge to the Jewish teachers of His day, the arousal of opposition that led to his arrest, his trials by the Jewish authorities on charges of blasphemy and by the Romans for sedition, and his crucifixion.

The Jesus Seminar with liberal theologians, such as Burton Mack and John Dominic Crossan, differ significantly in their conclusions than the scholarship of the Historical Quest or that of the Unvarnished Gospels. The Jesus Seminar tries to claim intellectual scholarship with the Historical Quest, but fails miserably in such desperate attempts. For example, the Historical Quest and the Unvarnished Gospels believes that there are considerable sections of the Gospels that are historical. In contrast, the Seminar believes that only a minute section of the Gospels are historically reliable.

The disquieting trend in surveying the scholarship for the historical Jesus is the level of demand that is placed upon the Christian church to adjust its theologies and doctrines in light of the progression of “historical reconstructionism” of modern scholarship. However, these demands assume that the modern discoveries concerning the historical Jesus are the definitive interpretation of Jesus in contrast to the testimony of the Unvarnished Gospel writers. The question that needs answering is whether or not the historical Jesus of this research is the true counterpart of Jesus in His fullness as the New Testament documents reveal Him.

The answer to the question is without equivocation a resounding “no.” The breach between the historical Jesus of the various researches and the real Jesus of history and faith requires two things. First, scholars who are relying on history alone as the most important tool to understand Jesus Christ must understand and recognize the limits and restrictions of history. Without equivocation, the Christian faith is historical but understanding the whole of Christianity has never been based solely on historical studies. The interpreter of Scripture needs to be able to properly evaluate and reevaluate the role of history in studies of Jesus. Second, scholars must be able to correctly consign the real and historical Jesus within the life and theology of Christianity as a whole. The modern reconstructions of the historical Jesus quests need not put centuries of Christian thought and practice out of place. Certainly, the quests are profitable if the proper method and perspective are employed in such studies of the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

It is my most humble opinion that the Unvarnished Gospels and the studies we have done in this class point to the factual truth of God’s Infinite Word. Faith, Tradition, and Honor are the basis of our path to the One True God of the Multi-Cosmos (Traditionalism’s Tenets of Faith). I am a Traditionalist and I seek the Lord via that open and strict view of the Word. We must all see the truth and know that the heart gives us the power to know. It is up to us to hear the quiet call.

God loves you.

Louis Charles Hook SSG (CA)

Senior Master Chaplain Assistant

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Buddhism

The class has taught me a number of things which I had not considered in my many years of prayer, study and research of the faiths of the world. Let us consider what happened after the Buddha's death. About 100 years after the Buddha passed into Nibbana, conflict arose among the monks. The 2nd Sangha Council was consequently called to resolve these differences. Ten points were disputed; one of which concerned whether we should always follow the advice of our Teacher. In this case, it was decided that if a monk's teachings or instructions were in accordance with the Buddha's Teachings (i.e. the earliest 4 Nikayas and Vinaya) and then his words should be followed. However, if his instructions contradicted the Buddha's Teachings, they should be ignored.

Thus, the 2nd Sangha Council's ruling on this matter was very clear and definite: the Buddha's words take precedence over any monk's words. Buddhists should, therefore, become familiar with the Suttas so that they can judge whether the instructions of monks or some other teachers are in (as we Christian’s use the form of Hermeneutics to insure proper context and content of the Holy Scriptures) accordance with the Buddha's Teachings. This is why Buddhists should always remember the Dhamma-Vinaya is their Teacher.

In the Suttas, the Buddha calls monks kalyanamitta (good friend). A monk is a good friend who introduces you to the Buddha's Teachings and encourages one in the spiritual path. It is you, however, who have to take the 3 refuges (i.e. dependence) in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. But nowadays, people have added a 4th refuge (i.e. refuge in a monk or a teacher) which contradicts the Buddha's Teachings. This is made very clear in the Suttas.

For instance, in Majjhima Nikaya Suttas 84 & 94, there was an Arahant who taught very impressively and one person asked to take refuge in him. The Arahant replied that refuge could not be taken in him but only in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. The person then asked where the Buddha was and said he wanted to go and take refuge in Him. The Arahant explained that the Buddha had passed into Nibbana, but even so people should still take refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. This shows we always acknowledge the Buddha as our Teacher, now embodied in His Teachings (Dhamma-Vinaya). The Dhamma is His discourses. The Sangha is the community of monastic’s who is Noble (Ariya).

As it is very difficult to distinguish between Ariya and non-Ariya, we cannot rely on unsubstantiated information alone. Recommendations that such and such is a very famous monk who has many high attainments are very unreliable. As the Buddha stated in the Anguttara Nikaya Sutta 5.88, it is possible that a world-renowned monk of very senior status, with a huge following of lay and monastic disciples, and who is highly learned in the scriptures, can have wrong views. The Buddha gave us this warning for the future as he saw and knew that even such monks could not be relied upon. Therefore, only the Suttas and Vinaya can be relied on and made our Teacher. Thus consider those other people which can be no more than good friends.

In Anguttara Nikaya Sutta 4.180, the Buddha taught the great authorities. He advised that when any monk taught that such and such were the Teachings of the Buddha, we should, without scorning or welcoming his words compare those words with the Suttas and Vinaya. If they are not in accordance with the Suttas and Vinaya, we should reject them. Again, this illustrates how a strong grasp of the Sutta-Vinaya is a reliable guide to what the Buddha actually taught. This knowledge enables us to distinguish between a teacher who teaches the true Dhamma and another who has wrong views.

In Samyutta Nikaya Sutta 16.13, the Buddha warned that the true Dhamma would remain unadulterated for 500 years after his passing into Nibbana. Thereafter, it will become very difficult to distinguish the true Teachings from the false. Why? Because although many of these books contain a lot of Dhamma, some adhamma (i.e. what is contrary to the Dhamma) are added here and there. These alterations scattered throughout the text are only noticeable if one is sharp and very well versed in the earliest 4 Nikayas. Otherwise, one would find it very difficult to distinguish the later books from the earlier ones.

All Buddhists accept Buddha as the historical founder of the religion. Theravada emphasizes his humanity; he was a man who discovered the way to enlightenment and anyone can follow his footsteps and achieve enlightenment as well. Buddha was a teacher, a guide, one who showed the way to happiness and enlightenment. Buddha was a human who lived, discovered the middle way between pleasure and pain that leads to enlightenment, taught this path for 45 years, and then entered Nirvana (when he passed away). He is not a God, is not involved in the world and thus he cannot answer prayers or petitions. Thus, Theravada stresses self-reliance and obtaining enlightenment on one's own by following the way of the Buddha. Both Mahayana and Tantrayana, on the other hand, stress the supernatural quality of the Buddha and the fact that Buddha and other beings can help one on the way to enlightenment.

This last part from my former writings of this class is the basis of all that I have gained from the path of Buddhism; I am a Theravada Traditionalist (Christian) of the Light and may the One True Lord of all bless thee and keep thee forever in his mighty hand. This is what I have gained from this class, these are some of the discourse I am working over in my heart and these are the open paths I have walked these past few months.

Rev. Louis C. Hook

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Paganism

When I started the class I was not sure what it would be about or what I would learn... Having grown up in a world that considered anything out of what was considered “The Norm” I had misgivings and second thoughts about the course. I have several friends that are practicing forms of Paganism and wanted to further understand their points of view on the subject and therefore started the course.

Would I be expected to dance around a fire or learn to fly on a broom?  My knowledge of the subject was clouded by media and what others thought was going to take place. I was traversing on new ground in an area I had no true knowledge.  It was to prove to be a very interesting course and not at all what I had been led to expect.

The excellent teaching given to move the student forward into a knowledge base of the subject was a great help in understanding that this was an early means of gaining knowledge of who we are and what our purpose is on earth. The idea of do no harm to others is the universal law for all who are One. The ideas of taking care of the earth an all upon it was what I was learning in other classes at the same time as I was taking this course. I could find no fundamental difference in Paganism and other beliefs I was studying. Each was going on a different path to the same destination.

The accent on the feministic parts of god is the new learning I have been receiving. The basis of the catholic mass and the high ritual of Paganism denote the same end of teaching the Truth of who we are and the mission to progress we as we live out our earthly time.

Each lesson just brought out further that these rituals had been taken and incorporated into the forms of church rituals. The Roman form of understanding and worship was still being practiced in both Christian and pagan meetings. There is no difference except in name for the basic ideals and rituals of each.

I have know for years that the holidays and the festivals of the church are at the same time as the Pagan festivals and that parts had been incorporated to appeal to the population as the church grew with the expansion of the Roman Empire. I also knew that the rulers wanted to have the people on their side and the best way was use of a religion and worship they were already practicing. It was not until I got into the course that I realized to what extent this had transpired.

I found my favorite part of the course was in lesson One on creation. I marveled at “In the beginning there was Chaos.” My understanding of Chaos has always been that it was what brought forth understanding and life and this just reinforced my feelings. I now understand this is a Greek term for “nothingness” and Chaos being stirred brought the earth and all it living creatures, plants, and natural parts into being. I picture a giant cauldron being stirred and from it coming water features, mountains, rocks, sea creatures, animals, and man. Each being brought up on a giant spoon and placed on the orb we call Earth. Knowledge, as required, is given to each and we are all part of One as we are part of the creator.

The interaction of the god and goddess plurality is something I am continuing to study. With my understanding of the culture of those now called Native Americans I have accepted this for some time. It must have been very hard for those who do not have an understanding to see that the feminine was also revered and equal in all things as it should be. This idea was taken from any type of formal religion by those governing the church in the third century, even to the point of rewriting the texts to just not including them in the final book that is used by most religions.

The Wheel of the Year is no different than the calendar that tells us when to do something. There are also other parallel items that are not all that different from formal religion.

The worship of varied god and goddesses is no different then paying honor to the saints or the attributes of God. It is just practiced in a different form but is still part of the path to understanding.

Both Paganism and Christianity work on the concept of integrity and doing what is right. As Dennis Waitley said “integrity that strengthens an inner core value is the real human bottom line.” By doing what is right and valuing all beings and things upon the earth with dignity and integrity the earth will be a better place and so will those who practice doing the right thing.

I was most surprised at what I was able to learn from the course and what I will continue to learn as I continue my studies on the subject of Paganism in the 21st Century.

Rev. Sharon  J. Mayer

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The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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