Month: April 2015

5.4.15 – Christogram – Psychological: Insecurity/anxiety Vs. Self-esteem/confidence Social: Dependence/demanding Vs. Independence/partnership Moral: Exclusivity/possessiveness Vs. Freedom/self-expression – Economic survival Vs. Individual freedom Vs. Intimate relationships – What does this thinker/leader/writer/speaker say about marriage? That would show a lot about who he/she really is as a person! – Alimony – The only way that the weaker can survive in this world is not by somehow gaining some control over the stronger, but it is only by the weak becoming strong! Even the strong being considerate to the weak is only a secondary strategy to true equality. – Only those who have deeply tasted freedom can take up any commitment sincerely, maybe our society is full of people who are compelled to do the latter without laying the foundation of the former! Self-responsibility > commitment to another – Permanent, exclusive & total – Love = mutual liking, trust & respect – Movies: “Room in Rome” Which is a greater tragedy: The ideal, but fleeting Or The mediocre & lasting? When both the partners experience more freedom & intimacy in a relationship, then the incentive & motivation for long-term commitment to each other is very high! Ending – do they get together as a couple, or is she just showing her athleticism to her lover? Infatuation Vs. Affection Vs. Commitment Is it possible to be both adventurous & wise? 6.4.15 – “The heart wants what it wants” Redeeming desire – can you feel your heart still beating inside your chest, or are you dead already? – Why do I repeatedly leave the Scooty key on the vehicle, even when I am decidedly more careful?!  ;-( Why? I want to understand why! How can I live with such experiences, from which I can make absolutely no sense?? – Because the Word became flesh, we can now make words (meaning/sense) out of flesh (raw experience)! – Easter Monday Saul – better late than never! – Dissembling before the face of almighty GOD, our heavenly Father… – You must use Scripture in order to be immersed in its spirit, by taking in large portions of the text, so that you don’t get caught up in the details of the past, but are always being moved into the future as you get in touch with the ever-present One! – I remember the last time I came to Mahabalipuram alone! – Ordinance –> memorial –> feast A perpetual memory! – Perpetua Felicita – Most of the sins of the Old Testament will still be considered unethical/immoral, even in this age, post-sexual revolution! – Compare: The posture of the Buddhist monk & The disposition of the Christian saint – I never imagined that these exotic services & exciting opportunities would be within my reach, so soon!  🙂 But am I sure that I can afford them? It’s not just a matter of money…… And don’t forget, these are just like kids’ toys. – Handling negative emotions: Be still – sit or lie down for a while Breathing exercise & mindfulness meditation Go for a walk outdoors Pray – kneel, raise hands & recite (standard/traditional/biblical prayers) from memory Clarify thinking & decide response Then get on with the day’s work! – Plagues –> Passover –> Exodus –> Law –> Conquest Passion –> Crucifixion –> Resurrection –> Appearances –> Pentecost – Passion – What is the use of suffering, if you don’t complete it with death?! – Cross – the vertical comes first, but it is later cut across by the horizontal! – Compare: Osho & Aurobindo – Love = two-way, voluntary self-giving Distinguish: Mutual & Reciprocal – Personal/private space & Family/social time Make it easier for yourself & others by clarifying borders! Be disciplined (as a general rule), but also be flexible (for the rare exceptions)… 7.4.15 – Sincerity, earnestness & honesty – If we get enough sleep at night, then is it not unnecessary to get any more rest or relaxation during the day? The day is for working, reflecting, relating & entertainment! – There is a kind of love that is threatened & shrinks when encountering other affections, & there is a kind of love that is enriched & flourishes by this diverse exposure! – In what way is Christianity just another religion & in what way is it a radically unique way? In what way am I just another man, & in what way am I utterly singular? In what way is marriage just another relationship, & in what way is it totally different? – Righteousness –> prosperity (& persecution) – There are those who can see & walk even in the dark, & there are those who grope blindly in the daylight! – The double meaning of ‘grope’ – “Soul-anchor” What is the basis of your sense of self? What is the source of your liveliness? What sustains you in adversity? – Maybe morality & brutality are not that far apart! – The financial is much more complicated than just the material dimension of life, & refuses to submit itself to the physiological! I will live in rebellion against this culture. – The fear/concern is that, without sexual exclusivity, romantic love will wither & fade away… How different is mature marital love from the romanticism of youth? – I want to know who you really are, not necessarily all that you do. – But when Salome & the others went into the room, they did not find his body! – In what ways should we not attempt to imitate or emulate Jesus? – His physical resurrection is the guarantee of our eternal life! – This one exceptional historical miracle is the sign that reveals the divine wonder in all of our experienced reality! – The universality & inevitability of (subjective) interpretation: If you had any clue of the magnitude & degree of difference between the divine & the human, then you would realize the impossibility of any direct, unmediated communication between the two! In fact, this is true of all inter-personal interactions…… – Yes, I will live among you, but I never can or will be one of you. This is my ministry! – The only way to save your soul is by risking everything that you have for the sake of your faith! – Faithfulness = liberation through truth! – Do you believe that this change will destroy you or transform you? Both! – If you have to choose between social security & individual freedom, which one would you sacrifice? Unfortunately, in this present culture, they cannot coexist. So the only way to change the present is by bringing in the Future! But of course, that will cost you dearly…… – I remember the last time when he subjected me to intimidating moralism & oppressive guilt, this time, that is not going to happen, because this is not the same old Joe who is going to cry & recant! – Anti-fragility – Presssent – Cross: Subjective dissociation –> physical resurrection! Would you risk psychological death for the sake of spiritual revival? – What is the opposite of vilify? Am I (not) doing this to myself?? – What does it mean to renounce Satan? – Freedom is fearless worship! – Work: Is your job primarily a means of livelihood, through which you also (attempt to) fulfill your mission in the world? Or Is your job primarily the way to express your uniqueness for the welfare of your context, which also pays for (most of) your material needs? – Do not lead us into the temptation of surrendering to any (evil) power on earth (within or without us) which seeks to force us to forfeit our freedom, in exchange for security, wealth, pleasure, etc. For your true power ultimately overcomes all such brute forces! Amen. – Conscience = critical moral consciousness, not dumb submission to given norms! Don’t forget that the most important form of vigilance is self-critique, because the most subtle (& therefore, also the most powerful) form of illusion is self-deception. – Even the celibate monk is a sexual anomaly! – Is marriage primarily a relational, sexual, religious, moral, social or legal arrangement? – Defensive – some people read ‘redefine’ as ‘undermine’! – Blood-bank – few people have found new ways of surviving as a vampire without harming others! Compare (movies): “Only Lovers Left Alive” & “Thirst” If you are living underwater, you better invent some kind of special breathing apparatus, soon! – Sexual, psychological, economic vampirism We are all both donors & recipients. – The divine name: “I AM” = you are not! – In what way is this relationship different from the one you had before? That explains why you cannot do what you did before! – National security Vs. First Amendment Divine authority Vs. Human freedom – “Get up, Joe!” “And do what?” “Nothing… Just be awake.” “Why?” “Because you’re alive, & sleep is a form of death within life itself.” “Hmmm…… What if I don’t wanna be (fully) alive?” “Then please just die! But do NOT waste life.” – It could be that this whole thing is a hoax/rip-off! And why not?! After all, we are all caught up in some vain pursuit or other…… – I came here to meet GOD, & I ended up finding only myself… I am definitely not a mystic, only a theologian. Study > contemplation – Is it possible that someone could be more real when they are absent than when they are present? – Retreat – maybe the increased sleep could enhance the awareness/attention during the waking hours, thereby compensating for the lack of quantity with a concomitant increase in quality…! – Along with the whole company of earth, heaven & hell… – Is the only goal of our ‘deadly foe’, to make us question & reject the chains of our benevolent master?? – Revelation – GOD –> Word –> flesh (his descent) – Kenosis! Liturgy – flesh –> words –> Spirit (my ascent) – Theosis! – The ocean, the mountain & the forest Keep in touch!  🙂 – Maybe Christ was born to die (sacrifice) so that we could have a life worth fighting for (love)! So that we wouldn’t have to be saviours, but could just enjoy being human…… – JIJ: Personal retreat – 6 – 8.4.15, Room no. 3, Scripture Union Camp, Mamallapuram. – Back to RAW – the challenge is to overcome (or bypass) culture/technology/politics, & live in direct unison with people & nature! – Intimacy & commitment Privacy & freedom Contradictory, or complementary? Personal growth & relational health – in fact, they are interdependent! – Distinguish: Quietism & Mysticism Contemplation & Passivity – Fallen – such tall trees & such shallow roots! – Sea-breeze – the kiss of GOD! – The roaring & foaming respiration of the wild waters…… Be inspired, before you finally expire! As long as it lasts, let the spark be as bright as possible. He/she who has lived fully need not struggle (in vain) against the hour of death! – I should take my camera when travelling. – Is the infinite greatness of GOD meant to make us prostrate in worship, or to raise us up to the glory of our divine image? – The victory of our GOD –> the heritage of his people! – “…world without end…” – No matter what happens to me, however I feel, or whatever I do, I can always say this! – Breathe ~ feel ~ think ~ sing! – The festival of unleavened bread & The parable of the Kingdom as yeast Souring Vs. Lightening Corruption Vs. Humour – Removing the curse = blessing! – If you don’t believe in the resurrection, you will die in your sins! – Resignation – The positive side of despair? Surrender – The positive side of domination? – I am glad I miss her!  🙂 – How can those who (still) believe in the authority of the Law (ever) “reign in life”? – No fasting day during Easter week & Christmas week. – Contemplation + company = communion! – Time – personal, relational, social Switch modes, Joe! Personal time (includes private) – work, rest, reflection, entertainment – Can sexual desire & personal love ever be completely separated? Why should they?! Body & soul are always together in life. – Dark violence Vs. Bland existence Vs. Bright wildness Vs. Correct discipline Vs. Passionate service – On the Cross, GOD finally got rid of his alter-ego – the Devil! – Prayer feels more & more dry, mechanical & meaningless to me! Even using the prayer book feels like a heavy burden…… – The greatest cause of all evil in the world today is the absence of the divine in human experience! 8.4.15 – Live in such a way that you will never die! Nothing lasts forever – neither life nor death…… – Only a part-time job can be called ‘tent-making’. It must not only help meet your material needs, but also allow enough time & energy to be used for vocational/missional fulfillment! – Govern = unite, guard & guide – “I sought him whom my soul loves, I sought him, but found him not.” Even the whole world cannot make up for this Absence……! “Have you seen him whom my soul loves?” – Changed… by sleep! – Proclaiming the name (Jesus Christ), but allied with this culture of death Or Seeking the Kingdom by resisting the powers of this evil age Which would you choose? Is it possible to combine the two? – Wrap-up – Sexual capitalism & economic socialism Or Economic capitalism & sexual socialism – I know I am pulling the rug from under my own feet, but there is no way of changing the rug without falling during the transition! – Accept & affirm your spiritual style, by living accordingly. Resist trying to imitate other types which have traditionally been praised. – My ministry (SFG membership) will not be suitable for the charismatics & mystics. Crusaders could benefit. But it will be best for the theologians. Therefore, charismatics & mystics can opt to attend only the retreats & seminars that I conduct. – I am a theologian-crusader. – “Dear folks… I request you all to put the social networking apps on your smartphone (WhatsApp groups, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) – anything other than direct messages & calls – to silent mode (mute/no notification). This will help you to be focused on your own present context, without repeated distraction/disturbance, & to participate in the conversations that interest you, at your leisure… SHALOM” 9.4.15 – Can the fruit of virtue flourish without the soil of piety? – I am coming very close to the hour of choosing between the moderate/diluted life & ministry, and a radical alternative that is both unknown & terrifying, but also irresistible! – I want to live in a way that is outrageous, meaningless & useless according to the prevailing moral, religious & economic standards! By so doing, I want to insult, reject & condemn these (so-called) powers………. – Fuck your principles & values! I am not willing to work, suffer & die for YOUR God. I live by MY faith. – The passive crusader & the active contemplator. Changing the world by witnessing against it through who I am, what I believe & how I live. Communing with GOD through critical, radical engagement with my (inward & outward) context. – My burden is to deliver human culture from the hegemonic clutches of religion, moralism & economics! – In order to be saved, & therefore transform the world, I only need to stop trying to become the saviour! I must only be (fully) who I am, instead of doing a particular ministry – I have to become the witness! – The fundamental conflict in existence is not Good Vs. Evil, but Spontaneity Vs. Necessity! – Maybe my struggle with sexuality, depression, freedom, etc. are more authentically spiritual & ultimately more beneficial, than all my ministry programs put together! – Revolutionize marriage – personalize! Revolutionize ministry – randomize! Revolutionize family – communalize! Revolutionize leisure – spiritualize! – entitative – Marriage: From exclusivity to uniqueness. From permanence to commitment. From romance to intimacy. – We are not GOD & we will never be. So let us be humble & content. But we are human. So let us fully express our freedom! – The exceptional miracle is meant to be a sign of a hidden universal reality! – The Trinity is ONE-in-three, not THREE-in-one. 10.4.15 – Distinguish: Science & Technology – Multifarious Polyvalent The uncontainability of (charismatic) gurus! – The inertial force of normative tradition – Broken people who relate to each other in wholesome ways… WOW! – Female, dark-skinned gurus! – Sacred texts, rituals, places, experiences & persons – Unconverted disciples, syncretic spirituality & ecumenical universalism – Guru organizations – Hey… Where are the extended & diverse narratives in the New Testament – The equivalent of what follows Judges up to the Wisdom books & Prophets? Acts (of the Apostles) sounds too brief & neat. Refer the early church history…… – There are 2 kinds of social service: 1. Being respected by society & building up what is weak. 2. Being opposed by society & breaking down that which is not ultimate. – outlier – eclat – elide 11.4.15 – There was once a tree of the knowledge of good & evil in the midst of the Garden of Eden. And GOD had commanded Adam & Eve to eat of it, because the day they would eat it, their eyes would be opened & they would be transformed from children into adults, and they would become just like the One who created them. Then they could move out into the world (outside the Garden) to cultivate & develop it. But they were tempted by the serpent to doubt the goodness of the One who commanded them to grow up, & terrified them with tales of life “out there in the godforsaken wilderness”… So they refused to eat it, & instead chose to eat of the tree of life, so that they could forever remain perpetual (immortal!) infants – as beloved children of their perfect Father – in the familiar safety & comfort of Eden. By this ingenious move, they would escape altogether all experience of ‘evil’ (they did not know it’s meaning as suffering & death yet!), or so they fondly imagined. This is how they schemed to accomplish their own salvation. Therefore, the LORD was forced to kick them out of the Garden & bar them from re-entering. So this is how we ended up East of Eden, & now we have no choice but to go forward to fulfil our original vocation of maturity – freedom, responsibility & wisdom.

28.3.15

– What if Kierkegaard had married??
The sexual lives of philosophers

– Moment of truth:
In every person’s life, there comes a time when they must choose if they will be the crucified or the crucifier!
You can no longer be neutral.
That’s when, just for a second, all the grey clarifies into pure black & white……!

– Spiritual promiscuity & sexual exclusivity

– Spouse – can you be just my friend for a while (without the usual complications of marriage)??

– The more you tighten your grip, the more I try to wriggle out!

– Highly original people often have disastrous marriages.
True or false?

– “Beautiful Day” by Joshua Radin

– “All Over” by Cruisr

– “Believe in me” by Michelle Williams

– “Boys Latin” by Panda Bear

– “Breaking Through” by Tear Out the Heart

29.3.15

– Evil (spiritual)
Sin (moral)
Crime (legal)

– Palm Sunday
The praise (of men) before the Passion (social rejection)
&
The vindication (by GOD) after the Passion (spiritual forsakenness)
Is your worship more like the Hosannas (of the crowd) on Palm Sunday, or is it more like the Hallelujahs (of the disciples) on Easter?
Does your worship come out of your own need to be blessed & saved, or does it flow out of the vision of divine victory & glory?

– Jesus
Vs.
Christianity

– Why is sexual morality integral to the ethic of (almost) all the major world religions?

– Programs without process are in vain.
And process without decision is in vain.

– temerity

– How do we deal with this (apparent) absence (of the sense) of GOD in (my) religion today?

– Miraculous answer to prayer
&
Spiritual conversion
What is the value & relevance of one’s personal testimony as a divine message to other people?
How would (the theology of) someone like Robert Capon or Peter Rollins or Stanley Hauerwas respond to such a powerful personal story of divine/supernatural intervention??

– 2 Kings 19:30 – “And the surviving remnant shall again take root downward & bear fruit upward.”

– Conversion – intellectual understanding, emotional appreciation & volitional surrender

– “The goodness of God leads you to repentance”

– How shall we get away with it if we neglect such a great gift?!

– “For this is the will of GOD, your sanctification”

– “For you know what (teaching) we gave you in the Lord Jesus”

– 1 Thessalonians 4:8 – “Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but GOD, who gives you the Holy Spirit.”

– “But in your hearts, sanctify Christ as Lord…”

– World – The people
World – The (Satanic) systems/powers
World – The created natural order

– Consecrated body, gifts & relationships

– Chance
Vs.
Choice

– Discussion (trying to seek the truth together)
Vs.
Argument (trying to prove I am right & you are wrong)

– The one who pays the price alone has the right to forgive.

– “Hey, this is what happened!”
“Oh! But since I don’t know how such a thing could happen, I cannot (will not/should not) believe that it happened.”

– Consecrated is not the same as sinless.

– Faith > discipline

– The crucified ego – the transformation of the interaction between the superego & the id so that Christ (instead of your same old self) is formed in you!

– Try crucifying yourself!

– Faith in the truth is what saves, not any amount of sincere or skilled effort!

– Believe, live, practice & preach

– Trying –> tiring

– How do you renew a tree from the root upwards, without killing it?

– Transformation
Insurrection
Revolution

– Converted
Consecrated
Commissioned

– missive

– snide

– disparage

– invidious

– trolling (online)

30.3.15

– Accredited programs

– Fearless questioning, creative imagination and disciplined reorientation

– Misunderstandings and disagreements

– Co-counseling – “getting on with life wholeheartedly”

– Skills – communication/conversational, interpretative/interventional and relational/inter-personal

– Befriending, counseling & social support

– Vocational counseling and spiritual guidance

– Maybe he should be a sort of pioneer in exploring these uncharted waters, and then take her along after he has initially tested the unknown, exciting and dangerous terrain. But this must be done with a lot of patience and tact, otherwise it could backfire badly!

– Non-judgmental empathy

– The counselor’s mentor

– Theories and techniques

– Intra-personal conflicts and defences

– Experiential understanding

– Free Internet access
WOW!

31.3.15

– Sucicide bomb – I have to (brutally & courageously) do for others around me, what GOD has (so selflessly & graciously) done for me!
I love you, that’s why I must be myself for you, and therefore leave you, to find yourself……

– Utopian
I am!

uto·pi·an \-pē-ən\
adjective
Usage:  often capitalized
– 1  : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a utopia; especially  :having impossibly ideal conditions especially of social organization
– 2  : proposing or advocating impractically ideal social and politicalschemes
– 3  : impossibly ideal : visionary
– 4  : believing in, advocating, or having the characteristics of utopiansocialism
First use: 1551
Synonyms: idealist, quixotic, quixotical, romantic, starry, starry-eyed, idealistic, visionary
Antonyms: clear-eyed, clear-sighted
Synonyms: Don Quixote, dreamer, fantast, idealizer, ideologue (alsoidealogue), romantic, romanticist, idealist, visionary
Antonyms: hardnose, pragmatist, realist

2utopian
noun
– 1  : one who believes in the perfectibility of human society
– 2  : one who proposes or advocates utopian schemes
First use: circa 1873
Synonyms: idealist, quixotic, quixotical, romantic, starry, starry-eyed, idealistic, visionary
Antonyms: clear-eyed, clear-sighted
Synonyms: Don Quixote, dreamer, fantast, idealizer, ideologue (alsoidealogue), romantic, romanticist, idealist, visionary

utopian
adjective
having or marked by a tendency to be guided more by ideals than by reality 
Synonyms idealist, quixotic, quixotical, romantic, starry, starry-eyed, idealistic, visionary
Related Words impractical, unrealistic; crusading, messianic, zealous; dewy-eyed, moonstruck, moony, sentimental, tender-minded; hopeful, optimistic, Pollyannaish (also Pollyannish), rosy, upbeat; doctrinaire, ideological (also ideologic)
Near Antonyms hardheaded, hard-nosed, tough-minded, unsentimental; practical, pragmatic (also pragmatical), realistic
Antonyms clear-eyed, clear-sighted

2utopian
noun
one whose conduct is guided more by the image of perfection thanby the real world
Synonyms Don Quixote, dreamer, fantast, idealizer, ideologue (alsoidealogue), romantic, romanticist, idealist, visionary
Related Words emotionalist, sentimentalist; daydreamer, fantasizer, woolgatherer; Micawber, optimist, Pollyanna; do-gooder, reformer; perfectionist; doctrinaire, theorist, thinker
Near Antonyms cynic, defeatist, pessimist; empiric, empiricist
Antonyms hardnose, pragmatist, realist

– What would the world be like if every human being was totally free (from all social & moral constraints)?!
Would it be Heaven or would it be Hell??

– amphibology \am-fuh-BAH-luh-jee\
noun
: a sentence or phrase that can be interpreted in more than one way
Examples:
Still feeling some of the effects of her recent cold, Tara was bemusedby the amphibology on the café’s menu: “Try our soup—you won’t get better.”
“I have started an amphibology collection: my favourite to date is the garage that advertises its services with the words: ‘Why go anywhereelse to be robbed?'” — Jonathan Ford, Financial Times, July 27, 2012
Did you know?
A venerable old word in English, amphibology is from Greekamphibolos (via Late Latin and Latin). Amphibolos, from amphi-(“both”) and ballein (“to throw”), literally means “encompassing” or “hitting at both ends”; figuratively it means “ambiguous.” Amphibologyis an equivocator’s friend. An editor who has been sent an unsolicitedmanuscript to critique, for example, might reply, “I shall lose no time in reading your book.” Or a dinner guest who feels the onset of heartburnmight say something like, “Ah, that was a meal I shall not soon forget!” But amphibology’s ambiguity can be unintended and undesirable as well, as in “When Mom talked to Judy, she said she might call her backthe next day.” (Who said who might call whom back?)

– Time to stop talking (about stuff, to others) & start living out (what is inside me, before others), irrespective of the consequences.

– Cut off all the vestigial organs from the body, (even) before it causes (any more) problems!

– Is the next stage of my evolution beginning?! This will probably be the bloodiest, maybe even more than my (physical) death!
Enough of trying to do your best within the current limitations, it is now time to throw all caution to the wind & launch out into the whirlwind……
Absurdist fideism!
Nihilistic humanism!
Material Christianity!

– Putting the material (physical, biological, sexual) over the immaterial (social, moral, structural)!
The psychological/spiritual is formed at the interface of these two levels (epiphenomenon?).
Material existence is always better than non-material existence. And of course, existence is always better than non-existence.

– Push-back

– The Real is encountered (momentarily) when the Imaginary trumps the Symbolic!

– Abstinence from a small thing –> indulgence in something far greater!
Oh WOW……

– The spring is fully wound… now just waiting for the release – it will be something to behold!
Recoil & rebound……….

– Sanctification
Or
Sanitization?

– The labour is almost over, just keep pushing. Once the delivery is over, you will be relieved! So move towards what you anticipate – don’t stop in between…

– Feeling sick,
Feeling sad,
Feeling afraid….
The flesh screams “Stop!”, & the spirit whispers, “Push on.”

– Grace = GOD’s love for me
Faith = my love for GOD
1 –> 2

– Shock therapy!

– Psychonaut

1.4.15

– Unnerving
Enervated

– Faith conflict:
Cross/event
Vs.
Bible/words

– Truth is that set of theories & practices that cultivate the perspectives & attitudes that are most beautiful & beneficial to all!

– CSF & seminal fluid
The emasculated mind!

– If you refuse to respect my privacy, then I will take it forcibly, by zealously protecting my space from any interference!
Yes we are married, but my body does NOT belong to you. It is solely mine, & I share it with you voluntarily, because I love you as my spouse. What I do with my body is none of your business, my dear!
But for the sake of my integrity & the common good, I will (try to) do what you require (for now)…

– Social order
&
Divergent individuals

– Rebel without a (non-controversial) cause!
“Purposeless malcontent”

– I am torn between ripping the old life apart & going after a totally new kind of existence, or just reforming the old way to function better in the future……

– “Master of the barbed aside”

– Gnomic

– Etiolated

– I took the Narcissistic Personality Inventory, my score was 16/40. So I am not a narcissist, but my score is higher than 65% of the population.

– zany

– From tolerance to accommodation (Awakening with the Brahmakumaris)

– Sex:
Male – physical lust
Female – soul lust!

– Beginning:
Sadhu Sundar Singh
End:
Osho

– I want to deal with crises (e.g. Marital) in a different way from most other people, so that I can see for myself, the fruit (both the bitter & the sweet) of the alternative option!

– It is always harder to choose the long-term, radical solution than the short-term, superficial adjustments!
But if you are strong enough, you will (ultimately) reap richly……….

– When the older/stronger/husband releases the younger/weaker/wife, it is not only about the child becoming independent, it is also about the parent overcoming their need to take care of (protect, provide & guide) the other!

– I am very comfortable with my mother (most of the time), because she is also independent, like me. And when I am with her, I feel I can breathe free (psychologically), because she doesn’t suffocate me (with so-called affection)……

2.4.15

– Stay together for the marriage,
Stay together for GOD,
Stay together for the kids,
Stay together for the parents,
Stay together for the society……

– What is marriage according to you?
What is marriage according to me?
……Now, let’s decide if we can live together!

– When a couple starts talking about duty & mores, love has long gone out of their relationship!

– Dependence (on the other) –> demanding (from the other) –> retarding (of both)!

– Let us make the (necessary) change!
Let me die so that I might live anew, again……

– Internal conviction
Vs.
External compulsion
The former always wins!

– I MUST do what (I believe) is right, even though (I feel) I CANNOT do it! When this truth grips me, I WILL do it.

– Radical Grace + Liberal Theology + New Age –> ?!
Can an orthodox Christian devotion be integrated (or at least reconciled) with this new radical spirituality??

– Whoever said “The show must go on” is a great fool!
The show may end, but life still goes on……

– Hey bro… you should either be a wild tiger or a domestic cow, you can’t forever stay a domesticated tiger!

– Eucharistic miracles & the real, personal, corporal presence!

– “It is not for you to know now what I do for you!”
But you will understand, when you do the same for others…

– What happens when the Judge becomes the scapegoat??
It decisively ends the era of absolutist morality & ushers in the age of humanist ethics!

3.4.15

– There is a charity, humility & sacrifice that lies on the OTHER side of freedom, dignity & privilege. Have you even glimpsed that yet??
These two are NOT contrary sets of values, but complementary ones!

– Rites of passage:
GOD sets himself free of the burden to be our parent/master, & consequently, we are also set free from the role of being his children/servants!

– According to me, psychological independence (even in marriage), is an essential part of adulthood. Financial dependence is okay, if it is within one’s own immediate family.
Because healthy individuality is threatened only by the former, & not by the latter (if it is not accompanied by psychological complications).
Financial capacity is always only a matter of external necessity (when current resources are not enough to meet needs), but psychological independence is an intrinsic value, irrespective of the social context!

– The Passion – be feisty, until the end!
Life & truth is always worth fighting for. Never give up on what you believe & love, and you will surely be vindicated.
Be good, no matter what the cost, & your destiny will be beautiful!

– Loving others by being oneself,
Loving others by doing things for them,
Loving others by having a common life.

– Women in a masculine world,
And men in feminine relationships.

– The woman stresses the need for the man to be financially self-supporting, & the man stresses the need for the woman to be psychologically (more) independent.
What is the theological/philosophical perspective on this issue? Or is it a matter that is purely subjective/relative?

– How can I try to help you to be healthy & happy without compromising my central values, and how can you do the same for me?
We are NOT supposed to be trying to meet each other’s needs!

– Holiness = holistic health!

– She says he is selfish, & he says she is worldly……

– My parents’ money can be mine too, but a husband’s body/emotions cannot be the wife’s also!
Certain things can be held in common, but persons are always primarily individuals.

– Maybe I should also become immune to the criticisms of near & dear ones, just as I have insulated myself against the attacks of outsiders!

– Only John’s Gospel (high Christology) has the feet-washing!
Only the synoptic Gospels (low Christology) have the Transfiguration!
WOW

– The Venus Project

– The woman:
Value – Social status/financial security
Offensive label – whore
The man:
Value – psychological independence/sexual freedom
Offensive label – beggar

– Good Friday – “We are not meant to admire Jesus for his wonderful suffering, but be deeply disturbed by the Cross of Christ!”

– What is the opposite of ‘prude’?
Immoralist!

– “Real life has to be lived without habits.
You have heard, again and again you have been told, “Drop bad habits.”
I tell you: Drop habit as such! There are not good and bad habits:
all habits are bad. Remain without habits, live without habits; then you live moment-to-moment out of freedom.”
“I am a spiritual playboy!” – Osho
No-thought for the day.
Zorba the Buddha!
No-mind
“Irreverent, wise, humorous, crazy, and ultimately very sane.”

– Consciousness –> joy –> love

– “The light of life”

– Awareness = freedom!

– bistro

– If religion, morality, etc. can be used in such a way that they become hindrances to accessing GOD, then HOW do we view & use them in such a way that they remain open avenues?

– “What you have only heard,
You will now see.
And what you have not heard,
You will now understand.”

– “Who will move the stone for us from the mouth of the tomb?”
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

– Anastasia

– “He who lives & believes (in me) will never die… ”
Only what follows resurrection can be called Life!
“She is only sleeping…”

– “Death only has the power that you give to it (through fear)!”

– Fullness of life = Joy + love + knowledge

– Jesus is the only one who predicted his own resurrection!

– Holy, almighty, immortal one

– Children of promise,
And the grace of adoption.

– Air – Spirit
Water – Church/sacraments
Fire – suffering
Soil – death