Mystical Christianity

Questions For the Heart and Mind

1. What role does sacrifice play in your life?  Do you view it as positive or negative?

 

Sacrifice plays a role in my life. Being available to minister to people who are in need often requires that I work unsocial hours and times, over public holidays and family days such as Christmas or Easter. At times there might be a personal need to be attended to in my life which needs to be put on the back burner for a while in order to assist someone else who needs assistance. This involves a small sacrifice of what would suit my life best at that point, in order to be available to help another more in need at that time.

 

I believe that sacrifice can have both positive and negative aspects. The reason I say this is because sacrifice, if done with maturity and balance, involves my putting aside a lesser personal need in order to be available to effectively minister and assist others. However, if I lose balance, sacrifice could be pursued to the detriment of personal well-being and health which in the end, defeats the purpose. Ministry should not be pursued to the detriment of family life and personal health and energy. Each sacrifice thus necessitates ongoing discernment, and a renewed decision as to the best course to take in each instance.

 

2. If Yeshua did not come to save us from our sins, what was his mission and purpose?

 

I believe that Yeshua was our Redeemer, and His mission was to establish His Church to bring comfort and ongoing emotional/spiritual support to all; and to build up the relationship between humanity and God.

 

3. Do you believe that Yeshua survived his crucifixion? How would it affect your faith if he did?

 

I do not personally believe that Yeshua survived his crucifixion. I believe that He survived his crucifixion in another dimension, that is, He resurrected after his crucifixion. The importance of this for me is that Yeshua was able to resurrect to immortal life, giving testimony to the fact that He was Son of God with Divine powers, as well as being of human origin. If Yeshua had physically survived the crucifixion, and died later of old age, the testimony of His regenerative powers of immortality as Son of God would not have been borne testimony to, as they were in the Gospels.

 

If Yeshua had survived his crucifixion, and was human and not the Son of God as He claimed and I believe Him to be, the difference it would make to my faith is that instead of following Jesus as Son of God with the hope of immortality and a life of happiness in the heavenly afterlife, I would be following a good human being who had mistakenly thought Himself to be Son of God. Either way, I would still be following the most wonderful Person Who chose life over death; peace over war; peacemaking instead of violence; forgiveness instead of revenge; mercy instead of retribution; gentleness instead of harshness; kindness instead of cruelty. These are all values I hold in reverence and honour, and which are embodied for me in the Person of Jesus Christ.

 

4. How do you see the role of Judas in the drama of Yeshua’s passion? Was he a betrayer or part of a larger Divine Plan?

 

I believe Judas to have been a betrayer, but no more culpable of malicious wrongdoing than many who have made a mistaken decision. Judas' sincere repentance and remorse so swiftly after the consequences of his decision to prize money over loyalty and relationship shows, to me, that he had not thought through what the results of his actions would be. The fact that he committed suicide because he could not bear the suffering of the torture and the fact that Jesus was to be crucified shows, in my opinion, that he had a conscience and sincere affection for Jesus. He made a colossal mistake. And who of us, as humans, has not made at least one mistake?

 

I believe Judas' weakness for money became part of the fabric of a larger Divine Plan, and became the catalyst for the events that unfolded. God worked through the tragic events, to unfold the greatest act of mercy and gift to our troubled humanity we could have been given; immortality and redemption from the breach in relationship which had existed between humanity and God for so long. I believe, too, that there is forgiveness for Judas. As I heard in a sermon in a church many years ago, the person who commits suicide throws him/herself into the infinite ocean of mercy of God.

 

5. What influence do you believe the pagan mystery religions had on the development of Christianity? What do they have to teach us today?

I believe the pagan mystery religions had a significent influence on the development of Christianity. Many of the pagan rites and days of celebration were remodeled and incorporated into Christian feasts and days of worship. I believe the merit of balance to be important in the body-mind-soul trinity of each human and each structural organization. It is when the three elements of the human is respected in equal balance that greatest maturity and growth in each human occurs.

 

Pagan mystery religions often had great respect for the wonder of the human body, and the mysteries of the human mind and spirit, as well as great understanding of the miracle of nature. The sense of mystery, of the great unknown, was also deeply respected in pagan religions. I believe respect for the wonder of the gift of the creation of the human body by God, allied to the mystery and wonder of the human intellect and spirit, inspire us to celebration and reverence for mystery.

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ULC Mystical Christianity

Questions For the Heart and Mind

From. Rev. Catherine Nicolette Whittle

Master of Mystical Christianity course

1. Discuss the symbolic significance of the name “Magdalene.”

Margaret Starbird believes the name Magdalene to be of great symbolic significance, deriving from the name Magdal-eder, which literally means 'tower of the flock' in Hebrew. This name denoted a watchtower or high place from whence shepherd/esses could keep watch over their flocks. Magdala or Magdalene may also symbolise elevated, great, magnificent. Given that Jesus gave His disciples titles, Starbird believes that Magdala or Magdalene is not a place name, but a title Jesus gave Mary. It is synonymous with saying 'Mary the magnificent' or 'Mary the great'.

 

2. Assuming that Mary was the anointer of Jesus, what do you believe was the meaning of her action?

My personal opinion is that Mary anointed Jesus to show him her deep respect and affection fpr Him. On a symbolic level, anointing with oil was done only in certain circumstances; when installing someone as priest, or at the coronation of a king. Mary's anointing was symbolic of Jesus' role as both. It was also an expression of deepest confidence; Mary was confident that Jesus valued her as a person. Women were considered of lesser value than men in society at that time. Thus, Mary, a lowly woman, anointed Jesus when His own disciples had not done so. Judas was angry at another meaning of her action; Mary used expensive perfume to anoint Jesus, implying that Jesus was extremely precious and worth the gift. Judas felt it was a waste; he looked at Mary's action with a pragmatic judgement, not seeing though her action to the deeper level of love and service she was displaying to her Saviour.

 

3. Have you ever been anointed? What was the context and what meaning did it have for you?

Yes, I was anointed with oil at a church service in the Blessing of the Sick. I was extremely ill at the time, and was struggling to walk or do work; my muscles were slowly becoming paralysed, and I experienced severe pain. After the anointing with oil, I did not experience physical healing at the time. However, I received a deep sense that I would one day be healed after walking a while on the road of sickness and pain. I also received the spiritual strength to cope with the difficulties my illness presented me with at the time. The anointing with oil was, for me, a meeting on a spiritual and emotional level with Jesus; it gave me much emotional and spiritual solace at that - for me - difficult time. .

 

4. Do you believe that Mary Magdalene has as good a claim, and perhaps a better  claim, as Peter or Paul to be considered the founder of Christianity?

I believe that Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity, and that Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene are His disciples entrusted with the message to tell the Good News as witnesses to Him. I further consider  Mary Magdalene to be the first preacher of the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus. I believe it was no coincidence that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene first after His Resurrection - she had immense faith and belief in Him as a Person and as Son of God. I believe that Peter, Paul and Mary each have a great message for Christians about their witness to Jesus. In essence, therefore, I believe Jesus to be Christianity's founder; and Mary Magdalene, Peter and Paul to be co-equal witnesses and preachers in the service of Christianity.;

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Many people get ordained through the ULC as a means to become wedding officiants, but also to study through our online seminary. If you need minister supplies or online ceremonies, we have a wide selection to choose from, as well as a place for spiritual articles and spiritual bookmarks. Visit our FB Page at ULC Seminary.

Mystical Christianity

Mystical Christianity Final

Sharon J. Mayer

Mother Maryesah Karelon’s classes on Mystical Christianity were a definite turning point for me on my path to knowledge. The lessons covered many themes of early Christianity and church dogma. The practice of making the church masculine and taking the feminism out of worship was brought into the Christian church in the fourth century. In 1950’s the Marian Year was introduced to the Catholic Church and has been an integral part of the religious structure since. Why was the feminine part of the church removed? And why was it brought back in such a form? It can not be said because of the area of the globe where the church started as the church had moved beyond its humble beginning to encompass most of the known world. It seems that it was done as the many peoples who were members of the church needed to have a feminine side to worship as well as the all powerful male side. The people clambered for a softer side to hold on to in faith. Since the church could make the Mother of God a person who was obedient and pure this belief was allowed by the church.

The Church had followed the Roman Road throughout the years and the leaders had taken much of the thought from the religions that were prevalent in the areas that Rome conquered. If one studies the areas and beliefs of the people it can be seen that integral parts of local belief were added to the practices of the church. This was done either to pacify the people or make the church more accessible to the masses but with the final reason of holding all to one faith and rule. By making the church part of the ruling country and making it the only means of salvation, ruling the masses was made much easier. If the beliefs of the masses fit in and the holidays and services were compatible with what the church and the rulers wanted then they were added to church doctrine. This is why we celebrate when and what we do if members of the faith.

In many areas it was the belief in the feminine that prevailed as the life giver and sustainer to all. The feminine was considered the seed that all life sprang from and the nurturer that sustained life. Because the church and the leaders of the world thought that too much worship was given to the feminine and they were espousing a masculine all powerful and vengeful god they suppressed that part of the worship and made only the masculine god the deity to worship. The concept of Spirit was changed to one and the duality of the spirit was suppressed. By doing this the church and leaders could control the peoples as according to the new religious belief on through the church could one find peace, joy and redemption. Before this time, about the fourth through twelfth centuries the belief in a feminine side of Spirit was normal. It was the feminine side that was the teacher and giver.

It was about the fourth century when the church wanted to make a point that their “founder” was as much a mythical god” as other religions that the true nature of Jesus was changed and the feminine was removed. The debate of who was a part of Jesus’ life also started at this time. There are passages in the modern Bible that are in conflict because this family and possibly his personal life did not include women. If he was to be thought of as a teacher in the time he most certainly would have followed the prescribed rules and taken a wife. I find it hard to believe that he was sent by God to be a part of the human on earth and was not to live life. How would he be able to fully understand if he did not participate in life fully?

As for the church taking a person out of context and at first giving her a dubious history and then making her a saint as they did with the Magdalene is one of the mysteries of the church. There are so many female mystics of the church that it seems improbable that the feminine side of religion can be ignored. All other with the exception of Christianity have a decidedly female side. With the introduction of Mary, Mother of Jesus into the picture this feminine since has been reintroduced. That seemed to be acceptable when she was deemed to be pure at the birth of Jesus and made to be able to represent all other women no matter who they may have been or their relationship to Jesus. In the early years of the Church women were able to teach but after the fourth century they were greatly monitored.

It is so interesting to see in one publication all the women being a part of the understanding of purpose of life and what we are to learn while in our earthly bodies. No matter what is written or believed by some the feminine must play an important part in the paths each of us must take to gain understanding and reach our full potential of wholeness. Even in modern times the women who have tried to guide us to this understanding have been given a back seat to the masculine side of religion.

When the Europeans came to the New World they were met by peoples that believed it was Mother Sky, Corn Women, White Buffalo Women, and Spider Woman – to name a few that gave life and sustenance to the people. The Europeans worked very hard to suppress these teachings and to impose the teachings of the Church on the people. Granted they allowed the teaching that Mary, the Mother of Jesus could be worshiped as this had been a part of the church for some time. All else was taken away from the people and women were thought of as lower than men. Since the basis teaching of the value of womanhood was lost the poor and in some cases brutal treatment of women has prevailed among the Native Americans to this day.

If the time is coming when we all must start learning the real reason we are on earth and bring the thought of Oneness to the world then both sides of understanding must be taught and present. There must be a masculine and a feminine to have a whole. All must come to an understanding of the true teachings for the great Oneness to happen. When both sides come back together learning and peace will be possible.

Mother Maryesah has skillfully written the course so we can see history unfold and gain understanding of what has taken place in the church and what needs to be accomplished. With her writing skills and ability to bring us to a point of further reference and understanding she has shed light on a part of religion that has been suppressed for many centuries. I truly feel that much light has been cast on the subject by this class.

In addition to the lessons I also read the following books which in many parts parallel the writings of Mother Maryesah: The Secret Teachings of Jesus, Four Gnostic Gospel; ; Forbidden Faith, the Gnostic Legacy, Richard Somley; Peter, Paul and Mary Magdalene, the followers of Jesus in History and Legend, Bart D. Ehrman; Lost Christianities, the Battles of Scripture and Faiths We Never Knew, Bart D. Ehrman; Lost Scriptures, Books that Did not Make It into the New Testament, Bart D. Ehrman; and Sylvia Browne’s The Two Marys.

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