Mystical Christianity

Part One -Annunciation "Magic" of Ancient Egypt     From my reading and understanding (not comprehensive by any means), Egyptian theology actually paralleled Christian concepts which would later develop. Long before the heretic king, Akhenaton, who attempted to change Egypt's polytheistic viewpoint to emphasis on the one god, that of the sun = the Aten, the region of Memphis broke through with a theology of its own. The "Memphite Theology" called upon the creative forces of nature much akin to the highly skilled artists/architects/artisans of ancient Egypt. Their chief god's name was Ptah, and he is considered Father-god to all subsequent deities.   Ptah's power lay in the power of the spoken word. Some sources compare his power of creation with the Hebrew book of Genesis = "Let there be light and there was light" (Genesis 1:3). This power is called by scholars "annunciation". In John 1:1,2 we find the same annunciation "magic" if you will = "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Ptah put the Word into creative action.   Atum is the term the Memphite theologians used to describe the raw material of creation whereas Ennead was similar in function to the potter's hands in forming the angles and curves of an artistic piece. Ptah's tongue articulated the magic words pushing the sound and the glory of creation between his teeth into the heavens and earth. Through Ptah's heart, pulses the spirit of the gods followed by mankind and the lesser but not less important life forms. Ptah's heart thinks the Father-god's divine thoughts, while his tongue expresses the forms he wishes to create. All identifying features and life processes were then built with Atum, the material of creation, sculpted with god-like meticulousness by Ennead, interpreter of Ptah. Formation in the god's mind,  his ideation of what he would create and its purpose is termed as "perception" and Ptah's articulation, the Word, which enters the world by divine will as creative speech, is "annunciation". Though not unique to the ancient world, within Egyptian theology, these ideas remain exclusive to Memphis.   The Greeks had similar creation myths which scholars believe to be partly translatable into early Christian mythos.  Part Two:   Hathor, protectress of women  In our Mystical Christianity lessons, much emphasis is given to the feminine side of Christed individuals. In researching various sources for this concluding essay, I came upon Hathor who figured prominently as the goddess of joy and feminine love. She is depicted at various times in ancient Egypt as both the wife and mother of the god, Horus. Since both Horus and Hathor were sky-deities, they are usually pictured with either solar disks (Horus-a sun god) or in Horus' case, a falcon head which kept careful watch on the activities of humankind. Hathor, however, had the distinction of being seen in either the role as wife or mother, wearing the countenance of several "grounded" animals: the cow who nourished pharaohs and children (and hid Horus every evening in her breast as the sun set),a ewe, and during playful moments could assume the head dress of male animals as well. Her symbol or fetish was the sistern, a musical instrument which had the power to soothe and drive away evil spirits. Hathor often entertained herself with dance and music, wine and wild love-making. In the later era of the great Egyptian dynasties, Hathor became associated with the journey of the dead. This became so wide-spread that a dead person, previously known as an "Osiris", became supplanted in title to a "Hathor".   Hathor, at this period of time, was known also as the "Lady of the Sycamores". The story is told that the goddess hid in a grove of these trees at the edge of the desert to startle, then welcome, the newly dead and assist in guiding them on their final journey. She was also known to hold the ladder which the dead would climb on their path to Paradise. Hathor was present frequently in funeral processions in various roles as protectress of the deceased's living children, a symbol of new beginnings which for the Egyptians was very true, and venerated along with her husband (or whatever relation that region attributed to her) Horus. Images or statuary of both were present during the processions and in their shared sanctuaries.   At Dendera, large celebrations were held in honor of Hathor where her most famous sanctuary was located. Even worship of her husband, Horus, could not eclipse the participant's joy at these festivals where Hathor was the center of attention. Her birthday was New Years which added to the occasion. Songs were sung and composed and wine was abundant. Party-goers left happy and intoxicated.   Various stories are told concerning Hathor. The most famous is about the time Hathor disguised herself as the Eye of Ra. She was about to use the power of Ra's Eye to destroy the human race when Ra himself intervened by pouring beer (blood red in color) over the field where her deadly vision was fixed. Hathor saw herself reflected in the liquid and then with a godly thirst, drank all the beer. She became so inebriated that she forgot about her murderous mission and mankind was spared.   Worship of Hathor was wide-spread and she was known by various titles according to region. In Phoenicia, she was called "the Lady of Byblos"; in Somaliland, her name was "Mistress of the Land of Punt.." In the Sinai, her title was "Mistress of the Land of Mefket". Bibliography: EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY by Paul Hamlyn, Westbrook House, Fulham Broadway, London, Copyright 1965 WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE ON THE BANKS OF THE NILE: Egypt 3050-30 B.C .by the Editors of Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA, USA, Copyright 1990 ANCIENT EGYPT, General Editor David P. Silverman, Oxford University Press, New York & London, Copyright 1997 TIMEFRAME 1500-600 B.C.,: Barbarian Tides, by the Editors of Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA, Copyright 1987 by Rev. Judith Lichtenberger ******************** 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. 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Mystical Christianity

Universal Life Church Christianity and Reincarnation = Mystical Christianity = Lesson 17:                                    1. Sometimes, no matter how good a person is, lessons remain to be learned. When you pray to God to help you out during these inevitable "bad times" of your life, He may seem to not be listening or there is a delay in answering your prayer. In that situation, He is telling you to take an active role in resolution with Him as a much needed back-up. Yours become the hands and He is the strength and courage to see it through.                        2. As a Christian, I have asked this question over and over again to my Pastor and to others in authority to know.  One answer is that there is always a reason behind every tragedy and that God is working behind the scenes.  When you are close to dire circumstances, it's hard to notice the hand of the Creator at work.  (It occurred to me that in some mythologies the god of creation is also the god of destruction.  The Biblical God has also been known to play that dual role …)  This past year, my mother died of brain cancer – that was a family tragedy.  She was a strong, vibrant, intelligent woman who quite suddenly began to manifest violent personality changes.  We took care of her at home and thank God, she passed away without pain.  Bad arrives with good- at least that has been my experience to date.  When my Mom died, she left me in financial hardship- unpaid medical bills, reverse mortgage people trying to take our home etc.  I had to terminate my employment at a job where I worked for 21 years to get my pension to attempt to remedy the situation.  Unemployment is tough, but the little things I did not appreciate before have become big blessings –A life lesson!  So the bad is coupled with the good: quitting my job = it was a position of mental and physical slavery in which my soul was under a crushing weight for too many years.  Sure, we're scrambling and sticking it out – not fun by any means- but I received an unexpected scholarship to study at an accredited seminary and hope to be ordained as a pastor within the year.  That's a good thing!  I am going to be able to help others, pass on the blessings that I was fortunate enough to receive, in whatever ministry the Lord leads me to.  It's a dream come true!  I hope this makes sense.                                                                                                      3. This is a hard question. I think that when you do a good deed, positive energy is sent out into the world.  In contrast, those who do not care about their "neighbors," those who are set on revenge, are always angry and deal unfairly with others, send out negative energy which seems to compound.  I wonder why the negativity is stronger than the good.  Good deeds may not receive beneficial gains in return but evil will without a doubt multiply.  The doer of malevolence, the so-called "bad" person will eventually be caught up in the whirlwind of results which he has set into motion.  I think that we must always keep it in mind.                                                                                                                             4. Karma may be a factor but I think that human beings have some control over their circumstances.  I really have to know a bit more about reincarnation and the laws of Karma to give an intelligent answer.  Perhaps if you teach another course dealing with these subjects specifically?  I'll be the 1st to sign up! Rev. Judith ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. 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.  Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Four Gospels

Four Gospels Final Essay:                                         This particular study has helped to open further my eyes as to the actual history of the Bible and perhaps the early world. This study has a lot of references of early times which elude to the life of Christ both as a Man and a Religious Figure for those that choose that particular path.  This study also has many references to modern day events such as Courts proceedings, Organizations Foundational building etc. as many of these seem to use Bible material or similar to maintain their respective orders. This has caused a bit of friction among the Minions of the World as sometimes there may be a "if you don't believe as I believe" mentality going on however it is an important building block none the less.  I suggest that the Four Gospels of which Five were actually mentioned and historical events put into place to begin to explain modern world, is a really nice way for someone to be able to understand both Old and New World History and also to be able to make sense of ones own existence.  This was and shall be a wonderful study for myself and I would Highly recommend it to others whether in the Seminary Degree program or not as it gives Great references to read.  Many different styles of writing have been used here as well from poetic to straight talk to very old world. These styles have lead us upon a path of many different genres as well. As stated before a lot of history has been discussed in these books and they are not all completely merely fictional religious books as some folks believe the Bible to be a great work of fiction, there are factual references to the world as we know it from a Geographical standpoint at the least within the pages of these works.  There is also some references to works such as belief that what you see is what you get type of stories as well as many different works of interest to many folks out there.  I suggest that one should just pick up a Bible and read as well as get the study guide of The Unvarnished Gospels then they themselves see or experience rather a neat chapter of our lives.  Thanks for reading this final Essay and I look forward to the Degree Card as well as the other courses I'm taking.  As Ever I bid you all to Please Take Care and Be Well,                                                                                  Blessings,                                                                                                   Pastor Leo ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. 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.  Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian History

Universal Life Church

There are several miracles in the saga of the rise and survival of Christianity.  One is the resurrection of Jesus Christ and another the resurrection and survival of the church after persecution after persecution and meddling by the irrelevant, irresponsible, self centered, dishonest and of course the despotic – that is from both the outside and the inside.   I sometimes have to wonder which the greater miracle in the history of Christianity.  Psalms 37:11 and Matthew 5:5 comforted the meek, but blood of the bold Apostles and courageous martyrs flowed everywhere for centuries. 

The Acts of the Apostles in the Bible, and per lesson 3, showed the strength of the Holy Spirit in motivating ordinary men without any other significant birthright of wealth and political influence to preach the new covenant of Christ. This was done so well that the Pharisee element of the 'Jerusalem church' collaborating for all intent and purpose with the Romans had to resort to terror and annihilation as the basic strategy to preserve both of their ill constructed heritages.  The word spread in accordance with Acts 1:1-8 indeed worldwide.  Of course as in lesson 3 the 'Good News' was not always spread as an engineered event as it was a flight for survival with the quasi exiled in Samaria and Rome appealing there to the Gentiles and the approachable Jews for converts and strength in numbers.  The enemy became a safer haven and more fertile ground than the homeland of Christianity. That home was pillaged in 70 A.D. and the Promised Land was plowed under over the graves of a half million in 135 AD.  Eusebius and Josephus write extensively on the persecutions and the heroes of the church.

Somehow, as discussed in lesson 6, the church survived the first fifty through one hundred years to struggle through the bureaucratic process of development of government and liturgy as reported in subsequent lessons.  That took a thousand years to mature and yet it was throughout chaotic and resulted in the schism of 1054.  One wonders if the term 'Bible based' vs. 'man made' was ever used to resolve the disputes that took another thousand years to be somewhat repaired – a work still in progress. Time passes and ecumenical councils challenged politics, pagan heritage, and heresy doctrine and cult scripture in 1^st through 4^th centuries BCE to do the impossible and define (canon) scripture as we know it today. Yet archeologists today have unearthed the discarded heretic gospels and the same debates continue anew.  I find it truly inspiring that the tireless efforts of untold heroes and several scholars managed to stabilize the word so that 2 Timothy 3:16 survived as hallowed text and may well prevail another thousand years. Others shall I say 'less devoted to Christianity' must be so worried or their frenzied fanatics would not be so furiously implemented with flawed word and bombs.

Although not a point of the lessons in this history course, the libraries containing the sacred texts, as originals they may have been each in its own time and place, were burned and dismantled right along with the temples and the devoted readers and scribes.  Today the 'church' is questioned in part because it can not produce tangible proof of Moses' notes or Solomon's decrees or Aramaic clay tablets of the preaching of Jesus Christ. Today the lawyers seem to have instilled in modern society the necessity for "proof" while they toil to invent 'lawyer speak' and strategies that seems to challenge any statement as some how vague and vulnerable to question. Can anything be proven, or is faith and spirit indeed the rock that Peter used as a foundation for the church; capable of prevailing and withstanding any force brought against it for two thousand years?

Once the legislators of this country were educated as historians and now the majority is lawyers.  Which seem to have accomplished and which seem to have demolished?

Indeed if anything at all is proven by the history of the Christian Church, it is that 'the word' is indeed stronger than the sword and 'the truth' is an impregnable defense against all false prophets.  'The way' was cluttered with potholes but the philosophy and the essence of Christianity prevailed.  One would hope the young would appreciate the lessons of history forwarded by historians rather than listen to the flawed arguments of a self indulging lawyer. Let the pendulum swing to return reverence to the historian and respect those he reports on so that history will indeed avoid repetition, but instead be the rock upon which wisdom, progress and meaningful accomplishment worthy of our inherited image of His creation mirroring His Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26); for historians and ministers are today's apostles of Acts 1:7-8.

Great course – well done and appreciated.

Rev. Nick Federspiel

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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.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Mystical Christianity

Final Essay for Mystical Christianity Presented by Ernest Kayorie I have recently completed Mystical Christianity which I found to be an informative and inspirational study of the Sacred Feminine, a concept that, although recently popularized by mystery novels and movies has long been ignored by conventional scholarship.  The information was well researched, thoughtful and insightful.  Although each of the sections can stand on its own as in depth introductions to the topic of spirituality, the ones that captivated my interest were the overview presented of Matthew Fox's contributions to the resurgence of interest in the mystical traditions of the West and the section on the rediscovery of Jesus of Nazareth. Although I was vaguely familiar with Matthew Fox's work, the material presented in the course stirred my interest and seemed to be a catalyst for me because after reading and re reading the section on Matthew Fox in the course, I went to our local library and took out three of his books and promptly read them familiarizing myself with his work in establishing the concept of creation-centered spirituality.  As Jane Strohl of Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary notes in Word & World  8/1 (pg 42), "Matthew Fox has struck a responsive chord in the hearts of many spiritual seekers, both within and without the institutional church." Many years ago, as a young seminarian studying for the Catholic priesthood, I was severely cautioned against falling prey to pantheistic thoughts because I tried to relate to my peers and mentors the glories that I was experiencing during extended meditation sessions.  Upon reflection, I had to agree with their concerns because pantheism did not adequately describe my experiences.  Matthew Fox's description of panentheism and the revival of the mystical traditions of the West aptly provided a framework for this writer's thoughts from then until now.  Thomas Berry, author of  The Great Work, The Dream of the Earth and The Universe Story calls Matthew Fox "the most creative, the most comprehensive, surely the most challenging religious-spiritual teacher in America" and I can't agree more. The rediscovery of  Jesus of Nazareth, both historically and spiritually and the implications that this might have on the Christian tradition are extremely well represented in Mother Maryesah Karelon's lessons.  She has presented numerous theories that cannot but tease the intellect and urge the reader to do more research and study.   Over the centuries, the efforts of the early Church fathers to justify the existence of this teacher and how he was to be represented produced a ridiculously unapproachable figure.   The recent work done through the Jesus Seminar group and accompanying scholarship presents more options to consider as we search for a more meaningful relationship with this teacher/mystic called Jesus. All of this being what it may, Mother Maryesah's course materials will definitely hold a special place on my bookshelves.  I certainly can see myself referring to them often and for this alone, she is to be commended as a teacher and educator.  This writer hopes to see more courses written by her and presented for study in the seminary curriculum. ********************** Ordination with 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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Christian Studies

Evolution of the Importance of Dress through to the Gospels of Jesus of Nazareth

by Christopher B. Adams Jr.

© 2009, All Rights Reserved.

Abstract:  Through the Gospels of Jesus of Nazareth, God alters the sacrosanct importance of dress and clothing from that shown in the Old Testament of the Bible.

Table of Contents:

Introduction……….….……...1

Findings………….………..…2

Conclusion………….……..…4

            Works Cited…….…………...4    

Introduction:  According to Christian tradition, the Word of God, the Creator of mankind and the universe, can be found in the Holy Bible; the Bible, a series of narratives and proclamations written by a collection of authors, is viewed Christianity to be a divinely inspired text.  The first half of the Bible, known as the Old Testament, details the creation of the universe by God and the history of the Israelites, his chosen people, until the birth of Jesus of Nazareth in approximately 4 BCE (Wikipedia).  Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is viewed by Christians to be the Messiah and the physical manifestation of God on earth.  The birth of Jesus and his life and teachings are chronicled in the section of the Bible known as the Gospels.  By comparing the Old Testament and Gospels, the evolution of the Will of God due to the coming of Jesus Christ can therefore be seen.   In performing this comparison, it is one of the less obtrusive verses of the Gospels that I found the most interesting.  On Mount Olive the night of the Last Supper, Jesus is apprehended by Roman soldiers for charges of heresy.  During the apprehension, the Gospels subtly note the following:

"And one guy, a teenager, was following him (Jesus), wrapped in a sheet and nothing else.  And they (the Roman soldiers) seized him, but he jumped out of the sheet and ran off naked." (Mark 14:51, Mark 14:52, Gaus)

This statement is often viewed figuratively to represent the symbolic release of Christ from this life by his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans (Matthews).  However, my hypothesis is that verse is not metaphorical, but instead illiterates an important shift in the Will of God through the coming of Christ: as Jesus' crucifixion absolved mankind of sin, so too does God relinquish the requirement that man physically and symbolically separate himself from God with prescribed clothing and dress.  I will illustrate and defend this point through the following findings. 

Findings:  The Old Testament of the Bible first makes reference to clothing in the Book of Genesis through the story of Adam and Eve.  These first human beings, Adams and Eve, naïvely live in the paradise of the Garden of Eden and lack any knowledge of life outside the Word of God.  However, giving into temptation and curiosity, they commit the first sin against God by eating from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge (New International Version).  By eating the fruit and receiving wisdom of the Divine, Adam and Eve immediately became aware of their lack of clothing and rushed to cover themselves:

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Genesis 3:7, New International Version)

By committing this sin, mankind is ejected from the Garden of Eden and never allowed to return.  These fig leaves, man's first clothing, become the first objectification of mankind's newfound separation from God.

Clothing gains greater importance further on in the Old Testament; God reveals His Word to the prophet Moses, detailing the prescribed dress of the Levites, the group of Israelites designated to serve in the Tabernacle:

"He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself with water before he puts them on." (Leviticus 16:4, New International Version)

The Tabernacle, the symbolic seat of God on earth, served as the interface between the Israelites and the Divine (New International Version).  It is here that God decreed man is to wear a series of sacred garments and be cleansed by a ritual bath before even coming into His presence.  This clothing separates man from God at their closest acquaintance; even at this juncture, this degree of separation is demanded between mankind and the Divine.

      However, through the Gospels, a change in the importance God places on the physical form is seen.  During one of his sermons, Jesus is questioned by a group of Pharisees, a sect of Jews viewed as overly legalistic, concerning why he and his companions did not cleanse themselves before eating (Gaus).  Jesus responds to his followers:

"…Don't you see that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the belly and is thrown out into the toilet?  But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and those things pollute the person.  For out of the heart comes evil designs, murders, adulteries, whoring, thefts, perjuries, blasphemies… those things pollute a person, but eating with unwashed hands doesn't pollute a person." (Mathew 15:17-20, Gaus)

The evolved Will of God, manifested through the words of Jesus, shows little regard for the body and physical form, and instead places greater importance on character and spirit.  To further illustrate this, Jesus instructs his disciples to treat all others with love and compassion, even if the emotion is not reciprocated:

"And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." (Matthew 5:40, Gaus)

While this verse presents the more obvious message that one should obey the Golden Rule, that one should treat others as they themselves would like to be treated, it also depicts another important point: material objects, such as clothing, can be freely given away as they are no longer essential in God's view and come second to the happiness and well being of man.

            The decreased importance of the physical form and therefore clothing can also be seen in the dress of Jesus' followers.  As Jesus is viewed by his followers to be the embodiment of God on earth, it would be expected that those he traveled with would have taken the greatest care in their appearance and manners as they are in the presence of the Divine.  But instead, the opposite occurs: the more formal clothing prescribed in the Old Testament is exchanged for the plebian dress of the common person.  As stated previously, on Mount Olive the night of the Last Supper, Jesus is apprehended by Roman soldiers for charges of heresy.  During the apprehension, the Gospels subtly note the following:

"And one guy, a teenager, was following him (Jesus), wrapped in a sheet and nothing else.  And they (the Roman soldiers) seized him, but he jumped out of the sheet and ran off naked." (Mark 14:51-52, Gaus)

As described before, this statement is often viewed figuratively to represent the symbolic release of Christ from this life by his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans (represented by the young man releasing himself from his clothes at the hands of the Romans) (Matthews).  However, by performing a more straightforward examination of this verse, one can see that this follower of Jesus had very little clothing on and was not wearing any undergarments.  The argument can be made that this was an exception to the norm and that the majority of Christ's followers may not have dressed so "casually."  However, that cannot refute the fact that Jesus, the manifestation of God on earth, readily allowed a follower dressed so informally to remain in his close company.  As all of Jesus' immediate followers were common working people (Gaus), their clothing options were most likely limited due to economics.  It would therefore be expected that such casual dress was not only acceptable, but even most likely commonplace.

Conclusion:  While certain attire may be prescribed for Christian religious settings in modern times, close examination of the Gospels indicate that this was not the case during the life of Jesus of Nazareth.  Instead, the scriptures indicate that the dress of Jesus' followers was most likely simple and casual, obeying the vernacular fashion of the time instead of the more ornate and constrictive clothing edict of the Old Testament.  Through the teachings of Jesus, many Christians strive to achieve a closer and more personal relationship with God.  Perhaps, through further analyses of the Gospels and by setting aside artificial constraints, this goal can be better put into reach.

Works Cited:

Gaus, Andy.  The Unvarnished Gospels. Boston: Shambhala, 1988.

Holy Bible, New International Version. Biblica. New York: Zondervan, 1973.

"Jesus." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 15 September 2009. & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus

Matthews, Marry W. "The Naked Young Man in Mark 14:51-52." Rheophilia. 15 September 2009. & http://www.extremelysmart.com/insight/accurate/Mark_14_51-52.php &.

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Gospel of Thomas

Subject: Final essay for Masters of Gospel of Thomas  I began my studies with ULC with the Spirit Quest class and 64 credit hours later I end my Doctorial program with the Masters of the Gospel of Thomas. This first and last class are the two classes that I have found most useful in my personal life quest for spiritual growth.  I read the Gospel of Thomas ten years ago with my late husband, where we discussed it meaning together. What a shame he is not here to have shared this class with me for the discussion gave much more depth and meaning than when I read it the first time.  Sometimes, Rev Thompson gave a personal interpretation I was not sure I agreed with but for the most part I liked and could agree with his explanations of the text.  His use and explanation of Arabic culture and language were most helpful in understanding the Gospel of Thomas.  I especially liked text number 102 and his explanation of "Grief to the Pharisees, for they are like dogs in a cattle manger. The dog will not eat and the will not allow the cattle to eat."  While growing up in a long line of minister for several generations I come to view them as the Pharisees, who not only refused to see the light of truth or even listen to others views when it came to religion but insisted they and they alone were right. As more and  more members (especially female) of the family became highly educated the turned away from formal religion and were shunned by the "older" family members. Many are my own age and in their middle age years are finding faith or "spiritual truth" for themselves outside of the formal church.  I recall in my younger days reading The Celestine Prophesy.  This book and the series that follow touch on this topic, explaining that both the church and the government wanted these "real" "spiritual truths" hidden from the public.  Using fear, judgment, guilt and shame both the church leaders and the government were able to control the people.  If a "spiritual truth" took these tools away then their power of control was lost.  But the fact is when love is the central rule above all else we govern ourselves and do not need church leaders or government for control.  The control comes from within.  In fact, this scripture reminds me of the Bush years (and foolishly I voted for him) after 911 when both government and fundamental religion came together to almost destroy democracy through fear.  Thanks Rev. Thompson for a most informative class. I have been in school most of my life getting degree after degree and I said this would be my last but then I saw the news of your new Chaplain program. Perhaps it is not the end after all.  While a few classes were not all that interesting most were most inspiring.  Cannot wait to see what you offer in this new program.       Rev. L. Francis ********************** Ordination with 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 Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar