The original Nazorean view of Yeshu, in contrast
to the orthodox stance, does not diminish His value,
importance, or unity with the Great Life (Deity).
Rather, it makes them more accessible and makes it more possible to follow
in His footsteps for the following reasons.
A conception that
is immaculately pure, but not virgin, does not diminish the purity of Yeshu
by staining Him
with the sin of sexuality;
on the contrary, it exalts and purifies sexuality and the sacredness of
marriage and
opens the door for
all of our unions to be pure.
A realization that
Yeshu fully became Christ only later on in His life, rather than at birth,
means that we too
can become "anointed"
through following the path that He has so beautifully outlined for us.
A sonship, or
daughtership, with
Deity that is innately inherent but ultimately realized only later on in
life thru a series of
purification and
initiations makes it more feasible for all of us to obtain enlightenment
and perfection, whether in this life or another.
This realization lends itself toward greater dedication and personal responsibility
and saves one from thinking
that the fate of their birth determines their destiny.
A perception that
many of the miracle stories of the New Testament are more allegorical than
actual, allows
us to appreciate
Yeshu for the truth He taught rather than the magical tricks He allegedly
performed.
An understanding that
Yeshu's "resurrection" from the grave was a spiritual
triumph over death, and not a
physical one, does
not diminish the import of His life, sacrifice, or compassionate grace
for us. It allows us to focus on the truth
and triumph of the spiritual world, rather than the material, so that like
our Buddhist
brethren and sistren,
we may cultivate a true understanding of enlightenment, liberation from
the material
world and eventual
absorption into eternal spiritual bliss.
As for the New Testament, it is clear that
it is not a perfect book or a completely accurate historical record, as
some would have us believe. It is, nevertheless,
a wonderful testament to Yeshu the Messiah, despite its many
flaws, deletions and additions. It is important
to note that the original disciples and their descendants took little
notice of these gospels, according to Jerome,
or the Pauline epistles; preferring instead to base their foundation on
the Gospel of the Hebrews which unfortunately
is no longer available to us as a historical record. Modern Essenes
have, however, several important and useful
texts which are close to, if not identical with, early Nasarene sacred
scrolls and scriptures. These include the
Nag Hammadhi codexs such as the Gospel of Thomas
and Philip.
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