A Voice in the Wilderness
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
IN YOUR HEART TO BE TRUE?

A few days ago I placed a question in this space. I invited visitors here to respond to this query: “What does God want?” Then I asked some other questions in which I repeated some statements that I have heard from others.

I asked, “Is it true, for instance, that every Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, and Baha’i’ is going straight to hell upon their death? Is it true that a 2-day-old baby will be denied entry into heaven and reunion with God if that baby is not baptized? Is it true that God says women should to be subservient to men, and that wives must obey their husbands? It is true that God wants people to love each other, but wants people of the same sex who love each other to never marry, or demonstrate their love for each other in a physical or sexual way, and that God will punish with everlasting damnation any person who does? It is true that God wants us to understand that God’s love can turn to wrath if we do not do what God wants?”

Nearly all of the people who people who commented below failed to address these specific questions. Many offered their conclusion, some in roundabout ways, that they did not think that God, as God really is, was accurately or widely understood by the majority of people. But I was intrigued by one response in particular, this from a reader posting as “Jethro”, who offered this: “When I was still a very young child, I heard that all religions other than the one I was in was doomed to hell. Other Christians were going to hell. So it applied to other denominations too, not just other religions. One of my first thoughts about people and God was believing that something must be misunderstood. I was a child and thought this. One thought that followed me into adulthood is, how can I be more compassionate than God? I don’t think I am, so there must be something wrong with the information I received.”

It will be a long time before I forget that question…if I ever do. I think Jethro drove right to the heart of the matter. As I look at some of the things that billions of people believe about what God wants, I now find myself asking this simple, pure question of a child: How can I be more compassionate than God?

Of course, there are billions of people who think that God does want every Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, and Bahá’í to go straight to hell upon their death. There are billions of people who think that God does want a 2-day-old baby to be denied entry into heaven and reunion with God if that baby is not baptized. There are billions of people who think that God does want women to be subservient to men, and wives to obey their husbands. There are billions of people who think that God does want people of the same sex who love each other and marry, or demonstrate their love for each other in a physical or sexual way, to be punished with everlasting damnation. And there are billions of people who think that God does want us to understand that God’s love can turn to wrath if we do not do what God wants.

And so it would appear that there are billions of people who are not “more compassionate than God,” but every bit as lacking in compassion as they believe God is.

They would not say that God is lacking in compassion, however. They would say that it is a sign of God’s compassion to treat people in this way, allowing them to know the laws, and be subjected to the conditions, of Perfect Justice in Heaven.

Justice, they say, is being rewarded or punished based on one’s behaviors in Earthly life—as those behaviors relate to what it is that God commands, demands, and wants.

And there are those who believe that one’s behaviors in Earthly life don’t matter — that even the worst human behaviors will be forgiven and forgotten if one comes to God through the right doorway, and that even the best of one’s behaviors will be totally, completely, and utterly ignored, accounting for nothing and meaning nothing, if one does not come to God through the right doorway.

Is this how it is in the Kingdom of Heaven? That is the question that has been facing humankind for thousands of years.

What do you think? What do you believe? What do you know in your heart to be true?

Comments

13 responses to “A Voice in the Wilderness
WHAT DO YOU KNOW
IN YOUR HEART TO BE TRUE?”

  1. Kirsten Avatar
    Kirsten

    Again Neale, the answers are at the end of Revelation in scripture. A list of those God will not allow access to Him, and a list of the positive properties of Heaven where God dwells, rather than The Source whom dwells over Earth in general. Just look up one meanings of the wall gems, then everything else in a dream interpretation book. These are easy questions, the answers were published thousands of years ago. Heaven and Hell are generally states of mind, a state that the physical aspects of our lives will, and do, bring about.
    Take care,
    K

    1. Gross Prophet Avatar
      Gross Prophet

      Didn’t I see elsewhere that you claim some form of Judaic belief-system? If I am wrong, I apologize, but, if so, why would you reference ‘Revelation’? I come from a christian background, and wish John (or whomever) would never have written that book, as it has caused so much misunderstanding.

      1. Kirsten Avatar
        Kirsten

        Hi ya,
        Im a non religious Israelite, a Levite, or would identify as a Kabbalist but I am now off The Tree of Life journey, so probably not Kabbalic anymore. Just me!!
        Yes Revelation is confusing, but all information under ‘seek and ye will find’. The Pearly Gates (or balls of oyster pus) are the Binah position on the Tree of Life journey, and the wall properties are all the traits of The Source directly under him on the tree, then you move on to God’s position if you can get through. Its the game of snakes of ladders, the Serpant is on The Tree of Life as the temptor as he has always done. The main thing revelation is about is that God splits from The Source and The Universe to go it alone with those He chooses to the the God of, just as He originally did with Abraham. This is clearly evidenced in Revelation stating the sun and moon will not be there…The Source is represented by the sun, and the Binah/Pearly Gates are represented by the moon. If you look at a Tree of Life diagram, God removes his third away. This has already happened hence the state of Earth now, he isnt working at ghe moment and nor are Christs or His Angels, just guides since 99% of people are reincarnated now. The Source and his staff oversee judgement day and determining who can get through to God. And it doesnt even say The Lamb is Jesus!!! I wouldnt assume that.
        Its actually really easy to understand, but Christianity as a whole has an obsession with teaching crock…literal sheep!!
        Doesnt matter, we are at the end of Revelation now, Satan is ruling Earth for a short time after a 1000 year stint in Hell/The Abyss and people are being judged now, al, reincarnated people on Earth are now here for the end anyway. Jesus has already done his 1000yr rule of Earth via Christianity, ending i 1977ish when God quit Earth for a while anyway.
        Take care,
        K
        PS..to answer the actual question, I used Revelation to point out what the real God wants from us to get through His doorway as Neale asked, since thats where its published!

  2. Jean Avatar
    Jean

    I think the most important ‘problem’ is not what we believe. The only question is to know if our heart is open or not. It’s not a question of being good or bad. I am sure that terrorists who kill people think that they are doing the good and they will go to heaven. As their heart is closed, they are totally identified with their belief. When our heart is open, we are much less identified with beliefs and we feel connected with all human beings. We see all human beings as brothers and we could never doing harm to others as they belong to our family.
    We are all playing a cosmic play, and every soul who comes on this earth has a role to play. We can feel compassion for everybody as each role is useful. A theater play with only ‘good’ guys would be boring and not helpful to express who we are.
    I write this text with humility as i don’t pretend to be an example. Most of the time i don’t have my heart open, and i forget that i am a soul.

  3. Spiritual_Annie Avatar
    Spiritual_Annie

    Neale, it sounds like what you’re looking for is what’s commonly called a “Statement of Faith.” A clear and concise putting our beliefs into our own words. Thank you for that, because it led me to solidifying my own set of beliefs, something I haven’t done in a long time. It was an excellent exercise. So, here it is.

    My Statement of Spiritual Beliefs

    I believe that, in the beginning, there was only one thing, which I call Divine Energy or Divinity or God. Because there was only one thing, all of Creation consists of and is part of and is connected through that Divine Energy–rocks, air, trees, insects, water and animals, including human beings. That’s ALL human beings, regardless of their beliefs or actions. I believe we are not only all equal, but every thing is connected with and through Divine Energy, as One.

    I believe that Divine Energy doesn’t need to present itself as God, Goddess, Yaweh, Allah, Jesus, Buddha (and all the other names for God), but can do so for our sakes if we find that personification easier to relate to. I do not believe I need an intercessory between myself and Divinity (though sometimes we choose to interact through my Soul), nor that I need to follow detailed instructions on how to act that have been codified in sacred texts or traditions.

    This is because I believe that most sacred scriptures and organized religions misunderstand what Divine Energy “wants,” which is nothing. There is nothing one needs to do, or needs not to do, to “earn God’s favor,” which means I also don’t believe Divine Energy judges anyone or anything. I don’t believe in Heaven or Hell, except as we create them here on Earth.

    I believe that we are all triune beings consisting of our physical selves, our Souls​, and Divine Energy. I believe we are always interacting from and with all three parts, often unconsciously or subconsciously. I believe that we were created in the image and likeness of Divinity, which means we are creators ourselves. We can choose to both interact with and create consciously from our triune parts, fulfilling the purpose of each.

    I believe that we choose to be who we are. We choose it through the act of creation, consciously or not. We choose it through how we relate to our own experiences, both internal and external. We choose it through our thoughts, words and actions. We choose it by what we’re not willing to do, the boundaries we choose not to cross. We choose it by how we treat ourselves, how we treat others, and how we allow others to treat us.

    To say it directly, I believe billions of people have a misunderstanding about what God is and wants. The Divine Energy that we are made of and part of and communing with and living as, wants nothing save to experience itself as every possible variation and permutation of what it is. In that we are each unique, this is something we cannot fail to do.

    Love and Blessings Always,
    ~Annie

    1. Gross Prophet Avatar
      Gross Prophet

      “I also don’t believe Divine Energy judges anyone or anything.’

      I believe that what has come to be described as heaven is that feeling that one gets when one is in communion with/suffused by that divine energy, and that what has been described as ‘hell’ and ‘judgment’ are what we experience when we ourselves review what we did, or failed to do, during our just-departed lifetime.

      While ‘god’ does not judge or condemn any of our actions/inactions, we ourselves can see where we hurt someone else, or failed to respond humanely (humanly) to another’s pain or grief. Even now, as I write this, I have a hard time forgiving myself for some of the things I have done, even though I know it will all work out in the end. It is very humbling, and compelling, to know that we have ‘sinned’, or done ‘wrong’, but are ‘forgiven’ anyway.

      Wishing you the blessings that you so deserve…

      1. Spiritual_Annie Avatar
        Spiritual_Annie

        I agree, with the exception that I would call it a “review” that shows us our interconnectedness and how far reaching our affects have been, without judgement but rather to gain understanding. And it’s very humbling to know that “sin” originally meant something like “aiming but missing the mark.” The intention is part of the measurement, and one need not always hit a bullseye.

        Love and Blessings Always,
        ~Annie

  4. Eva Büttiker Avatar
    Eva Büttiker

    Good evening
    I think what is portrayed here are only belief patterns. These do not necessarily correspond with the reality of our heart or God. I think that God has so much compassion that it does not matter whether a child is baptized or not nor does matter what gate we choose to go to heaven. We come out of unity, play a self-chosen role on the earth (soul plan) and when we die, we return with our experiences back to unity or to our soul conglomerate. We come to earth to experience, to learn and to grow. At the moment, very much happens. We have the chance to grow and rise our consciousness!
    Namaste Eva

  5. Jethro Avatar
    Jethro

    In my heart… The first gift to humans was another human and then another. Every day we receive that gift in abundance, so much so that we do not see other humans as a gift. I don’t have to go on about this, communication is abundant enough these days that we all see a problem. A constant argument over who is right or wrong. Plenty of fear and anger to help the worlds destruction.

    We all have a belief. Each and every person on earth has a lifetime of beliefs based on a lifetime of experience. It would be a very odd occurrence for any two people out of billions of them, to have exactly the same beliefs. We may find someone in our lives that is very close but never will it be exact. There is no reason for hatred over beliefs that do not harm others. We can say that people are being harmed with beliefs of course but beliefs must be adopted by the believer. The responsibility of beliefs fall on the believer, not the person sharing their beliefs. If you feel you have been damaged by anothers beliefs because they mysteriously became your own, and you are angry with them, you are angry with the wrong person.

    I have always tried to be true to my own thoughts. As a child its impossible to be anything other than who you are. I have been thinking a lot about my feelings about things when I was very young, I’m blessed to still remember. There is not enough experience to fake it, or be what we are not as a child, but we learn to fake it way too soon. When I was young, I could not believe in a God I knew nothing about, so my belief was in humans, the older humans in control. After many years of being told about God from their perspective, I left the church as a teenager and God didn’t sound like a God. God sounded like a brat and I was going to hell no matter what I did. Since those days I have talked to many people that have had great experiences in their churches and a better Idea of God than I was taught. I have accepted that I was not given the best understanding. I have no immediate plans to go back to church, so for the moment I accept a God that is better than I am in every respect. For instance, I don’t always need someone to apologize to me for them to be forgiven. I would like to think God is the same or better.

    I thought that I invented this theory but it turns out I’m one of an unknown number who think this way….”Why would a God who is so demanding, Give me life without any knowledge of God, without any divine guidance built in. Then I’m handed over to those who seem to be very confused by the very God they have decided to teach me about. On top of that, it turns out that there are a bunch of religions who claim to be the right religion, and if I ignore any of those religions, I’m doomed to eternal torment. All of that because of the people I was born to. That is, The right God depends totally upon who we are born to. There is something wrong with all of that. There is something wrong with all of that to me, I don’t require anyone else to feel that way. I have not given up on knowing a God. I hang on to several Ideas of God that were taught to me growing up. Love, Kindness, sharing, caring… the very best idea I have about how humans should treat each other per my understanding. Everyday I learn to be a little more understanding. I have also come to understand that people are not the only lives that are important or deserving of love and caring. the universe and everything in it and more to the point, the planet, all that exists on our planet. What we are seeing and experiencing right now is caused by a lack of love and caring for our planet. Unbreathable air, melting ice caps, warming seas, species of animals killed to extinction or dying out, plants dying out of existence, and the list goes on.

    Do I care which God you call your own? I do not. Which god is the right God? The one telling people that Life through out the universe is more important than personal gain. None of that reduces our need to be human, we must care about ourselves first, but we should not view ourselves as being the only life we serve.

    .Love without prejudice. I do it all the time and it’s not painful, in fact, I feel better!

  6. Jethro Avatar
    Jethro

    Neale,
    I carried many ideas of God from childhood that I disagreed with. The God of my Grandparents and parents was not a very convincing God. It was so embedded into my beliefs that when I read “New Revelations”, I almost put it down for fear of going to hell. Then it hit me I was in my second marriage, and reading your book in a jail cell. No worries about a book sending me to hell. I thoroughly enjoyed that book. It made so much sense towards bringing about a new world view. Now, I have not made it a secret that I do not agree with all that you wrote and I’m happy to hear your ok with that. It’s a statement to your character. I also have enjoyed that you do not hide the fact that you are also human. I feel comfortable being human with you too. I had many questions about the religion I was raised in, and differing beliefs based on a God of their description. Most of my thoughts that argued with that religion were the thoughts of a child, until we get into how women are treated and why. Your first book spoke the words of a child’s belief. You see, You confirmed a lot my thoughts, your book made it OK to believe what I had assumed all along. Imagine my relief when I found out your words were so popular that there was over 8 million people, at the time, that found a need to buy your books, not to mention the unknown number of people who read your books. One of the things that I cherish the most…No prejudice towards other beliefs. Nobody is condemned to hell for believing something different. That is a God I can believe in. That is a God better than myself. My second favorite message in your books that I had never contemplated, 10 commitments. I share that one quite often. Everyone knows humanity will not be commanded, but if living right will commit to something higher. After all you shared that I will not forget anytime soon, if I ever do, I’m very happy to know I was able to give something to you.

  7. Marko Avatar

    I thought of writing a poem in the past called “Grandma loves me more than Jesus” in regards to the old religious views of a condemnatory God & being sent to hell for minor infractions etc.

    My hope is that mankind will totally evolve out of such crazy primitive religious beliefs. In the meantime, I’m more interested in being with those who share my own beliefs & being a light in such a way that those who are opposite of me are seen in a compassionate light,– and we can live together & disagree with out being verbally or physically violent or mean to each other. Thus we live what we believe by our thoughts, speech & actions.

    I’m not sure you can argue or reason with certain mentalities to change them, it’s rare from my personal experience. We simply change ourselves & let that be the example to others.

  8. Spiritual_Annie Avatar
    Spiritual_Annie

    I found it interesting that a message I received today, in the midst of this particular conversation, had the following quotes (with little else):

    In the world of quantum physics, “at that deepest subnuclear level of our reality, you & I are literally one.” (John Hagelin, PhD).

    “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” (John Muir)

    “A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” (Albert Einstein)

    “In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be…This is the inter-related structure of reality.” (Martin Luther King)

    These sound and feel like truths to me.

    Love and Blessings Always,
    ~Annie

  9. Gross Prophet Avatar
    Gross Prophet

    Evidently, ‘god’ wants us to experience physical matter reality (PMR), in all its glory — its pain, and its pleasure; its triumph, and its heartache; its sublime splendor, and its basest manifestations. Else why create it all? And create it the way it is?

    But to believe that ‘god’ wants or needs anything else from us is ego-centric nonsense. God is love, pure and unconditional — absolutely unconditional. There is nothing we must, or can, do, or be, or believe, or have, or long for, that can make any difference whatsoever in either the depth, or the quality of that love.

    Every single human being that has ever lived will eventually arrive at the same ‘place’, regardless of their path to get there, or how many times they want to experience some particular aspect of PMR, or any other parameter you can think of.

    When enough other people realize these things, we will begin to create ‘heaven’ right here where we are.

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