In a continuation of last week's post, I have further the pondered the significance of Yeshua ben Joseph and his impact on the world just by showing up on this planet and being who he was.
No less than several significant thoughts have floated around in my mind about this whole thing...I will share with you the two most prominent ones.
1) What's the deal with the belief of Yeshua supposedly "dying for our sins"?
Last I checked, Yeshua only died because the Sanhedrin got jealous of Yeshua's popularity with the people to the point of being really pissed off. The idea of him dying to "save us from our sins" didn't come along till the philosophical doctrine of "original sin" entered the world playing field. Now, you talk about us humans getting creative with our power dramas...you'd think we'd be smart enough at the first to see through the papal bullshit. But no. A good many of the Christian followers were illiterate, and the Church counted on this illiteracy to stay in power.
So because of this illiteracy, the idea kept getting perpetuated that we're no good unless we acknowledge Yeshua as some sort of almighty savior who's going to rescue us just by allowing himself to get whipped severely, nails put into his hands and feet and being left for dead until some devout followers (and still-observant Jews) come and have him cut down before sundown on the Sabbath.
Sounds like another "ghost story to scare the kiddies into behaving" type of thing. And then there's the whole "worthy is the lamb who was slain" thing. Yeah, Yeshua was a pretty upstanding dude...I mean, the most passionate of hippies--including my Druidic self--could get behind this fella. Not only did he have long hair and sandals, but he said some pretty deep, yet simple stuff like "Love thy neighbor," "Turn the other cheek," and "Take the plank out of your own eye before you remove the splinter in someone else's." But apart from some feelings of awe from his followers at his trippy tidings of joy (and believe me, I've felt that same awe at Jon Anderson's gorgeous, inspiring lyrics), I wanna know what qualifies Yeshua to be "worthy" of "being slain," which goes right into that whole "Lamb of God" thing.
The only remotely logical reason someone would create an ephithet like that is that waaay back when, animal sacrifices were made to God (or whatever deity the tribes decided was high enough--and therefore perhaps vindictive enough--to need regular appeasement) in order to be granted boons, favors or other special requests. The base of such requests was fear that the deity or deities in question would be angry at us humans for making some silly mistakes. Another fear-belief was that the deities supposedly had specific rituals that we were supposed to follow just for the sake of following the rituals, and if we did not do so on a regular basis, we'd be punished somehow.
Can you see how the concept of "if you are bad, God will punish you and send you to hell" might have gotten started? And of course, this extended into the whole "Santa Claus will give you coal if you are naughty" spiel parents often have given their children. Oh, the ideas we dream up to keep people under our petty tyrannies of fear and mind control.
As for Idea #2?
The part of me that continues to believe in Love, Peace and all that good stuff keeps telling me that what will 'save us' from our 'sins' is not the whole crucifixion thing Yeshua went through. That was a very violent result of what he came here to do, but that's not really what we should be focusing on...neither that or the supposed 'resurrection' thing. Yes, the 'resurrection' might have happened literally, but I think it was more shamanic than anything.
No, I think the key to Yeshua's purpose on earth was to be yet another embodiment of the kind of heavenly love that might make you regret the things you've done, but you'll still feel accepted by the Divine Presence despite all that...because heaven is Home. What is true Home but being accepted and loved despite your missteps and failings? THAT is what will help humanity get it together again...that is what will stop us going wrong.
Love...
So perhaps I can once again feel comfortable with the word "savior" being applied to Yeshua. It's a bit of a messianic, apocalyptic hyperbole of a word, IMO, but if we apply what Yeshua set out to teach us, along with what Buddha has given us as well, then we'll perhaps have helped fulfill whatever mission it was that Yeshua set out to accomplish. Maybe he wasn't meant to "save us" outright...but that he was to kickstart us on a different way of being.
I have yet to puzzle it all out...all I know is:
1) I still enjoy the Nativity story because it signals a new beginning for humanity (and considering this guy was born, like the rest of us, of a female, I relish the notion that the Divine Feminine part of the Force was behind Yeshua's arrival all along!)
2) Christmas is definitely more than just Rudolph and Frosty, and paired with the Winter Solstice (known as 'Alban Arthuan' in the Druidic parlance) that we Pagans celebrate, the holidays are that much more magickal when all blended together. (Remember, I have that 'Happy-Everything' Sagittarius ascendant kind of running the show in my chart)
3) As always, no matter what you believe, the Time is Now...the Word is Love...
Blessed Be,
Rev. Kat ^.^
