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#2776 - Monday/Tuesday, April 2-3, 2007 - Editor: Jerry Katz - http://nonduality.com/one.htm
Nondual
Highlights - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights
The Nondual Highlights is
the only publication of which I am aware that collects and
publishes various expressions of Nondual
Christianity. The book considered today is easy to read, and
boldly instructs and reminds that you are not separate from
God and that oneness is truth. Although it is inspired by
Christian Gospel, this book leaves religion and traditional
teachings behind so that what is left over is God and
instruction and confessions on nonseparation. So is it Nondual
Christianity or not? If the anthology on Nondual Christianity is
ever put together, we'll have to define terms!
Gospel of One;
Letters of Aul
by Clifford J.
Mikkelson
http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-One-Letters-Clifford-Mikkelson/dp/1412067804
From the back cover of
the book:
The oneness of all life
is a concept that comes from some religious and scientific
theories. To some people it is only a theory; to others, it is
the truth. This book takes the viewpoint that all life comes from
one source whom we call God -- the eternal, infinite
consciousness of the universe.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part consists of
various quotes about the oneness of all life, taken from sources
world-wide, ancient and new. The second, and more controversial
part, consists of the letters of St. Paul, re-written from the
viewpoint of the oneness of all life. It is a compelling message,
direct and straight-foward. Read it and find out for yourself.
It is not just an intellectual exercise. This book is meant to
help people solve the problems of the world by inspiring people
to see that everyone and everything else is truly connected to
their own well-being. We are all part of the oneness of God. This
book will reinforce your own beliefs about the oneness of life
and inspire you to live the life of oneness, or perhaps help you
to consider the possibilities.
In this issue of the
Highlights I'm going to type out some of the quotations from the
first part, as described above. Then I am going to type out a
chapter from the second part.
Quotations:
My self is God, nor is
any other self known to me except God. --Catherine of Genoa.
Abandon all varieties of
religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all
sinful reaction. Do not fear. --Bhagavad Gita, 18:66
In stage seven two
impossible things must converge. The person has to be reduced to
the merest point, a speck of indentity closing the last miniscule
gap between himself and God. At the same time, just when
separation is healed, the tiny point has to expand to infinity.
The mystics describe this as "the One becomes All." To
put it into scientific terms, when you cross into the quantum
zone, space-time collapses into itself. The tiniest things in
existence merge with the greatest; point and infinity are equal.
--Deepak Chopra
He is hidden yet obvious
everywhere. He is bodiless yet embodied in everything. There
is nothing which he is not. He has no name because all names are
his name. He is the unity in all things, so we must know him by
all names and call everything "God." --Hermes
Trimegistus
You never identify your
self with the shadow cast by your body, or with its reflection,
or with the body you see in a dream or in your imagination.
Therefore you should not identify yourself with this living body,
either. --Swami Shankara
Before I present a
selected chapter, here is material written by the author in the Introduction:
In regards to all names
and places in the letters of Paul, I have dropped the first
letter. Thus Paul becomes Aul, a play on words to indicate that
"All of us" are part of the oneness of life. And then
to be consistent and to show that these letters are different
from the originals, I call them "Omans,"
"Orinthians," "Alatians," and so on.
...
The letters of Aul in no
way deny the living presence of Jesus, or Krishna, or Buddha, or
anyone else. Jesus is and can be a personal friend, teacher,
counselor, savior to anyone. His real words come to us
personally. His words and actions as recorded in the Bible are
only a small fraction of his life, and not all of his words and
actions have been recorded accurately.
Chapter 10
This is a personal issue
that I want to address. I've heard through rumor mill that I've
been evasive and easy-going and even slack when I'm with you, but
harsh and critical when I'm a safe distance away writing letters.
I guess some people mistake my mild manners for being a pushover,
but don't think for a moment that I won't stand up for the truth.
I give people slack and don't force my views on anyone, but in a
general letter I need to make my views clear and bold.
I know the world is very
competitive. So many people still think they need to cut other
people down to get to the top. It's a win or lose situation for
many. But we don't live that way. We see life from the
perspective of oneness. We don't manipulate people or step on
them to move up higher, but our views certainly can bring down a
materialistic and corrupt culture. Our powerful ability to see
through the illusions of life can bring down a culture based on
insufficiency, competition, judgment, inequality before God,
conditionality, and ignorance. And as we bring it down we are
also building up a new culture as people find new hope in
unconditional love, cooperation, sufficiency, wisdom, gratitude,
and appreciation for all life and the realization that we are all
united in God.
...
I admit I might come on
too strongly in my letters, but I don't exaggerate or pull any
punches. The world needs this information, but the vested
interests in separation criticize us at every opportunity. Once
again that is slanderous talk by people who want to discredit me
as well as this message of oneness. But such slander won't stand
up to my personal presence. Even the pure saints get criticized
for something or other. What is the point of all this comparing
and grading and competing? It just comes because they are lost in
the illusion of separation.
We aren't making
outrageous claims for our ego's self. We are working to set you
free, just as we have been set free. I don't care about personal
criticism of my worthiness. I know God is in me and is worthy.
I'm not out to get my personal place in the sun. If God is
pleased with my work, then I'm satisfied. I'm not taking any
personal credit for your progress up the ladder of wisdom.
~ ~ ~
Gospel of One;
Letters of Aul
by Clifford J.
Mikkelson
http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-One-Letters-Clifford-Mikkelson/dp/1412067804