Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say,
"Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives among the seven golden lamp-stands: I know your activities, your hard work and your perseverance. I know you cannot stand wicked people, and how you put to the test those who were self-styled apostles, and found them false. I know too that you have perseverance, and have suffered for my name without growing tired.
Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make: you have less love now than formerly. Think where you were before you fell; repent, and behave as you did at first, or else, if you will not repent, I shall come to you and take your lamp-stand from its place. It is in your favour, nevertheless, that you loathe as I do the way the Nicolaitans are behaving.
Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life set in God's paradise."
5 comments:
Hello Kwakersaur and all,
I pose to you and others that the context and meaning of these ancient texts have been lost on those confused by the assertions of religious leaders and founders. Ancient wisdom has been purposely recast and obfuscated into religion and mysticism. Consequently, the interpretations presented about the sources and meaning of these texts and the philosophy and cosmology of ancient Hebrew sages is completely wrong. Before you scoff and write me off, you should understand that I speak from personal experience...
Understanding the Fatal Flaws in Judeo-Christian-Islamic Prophecy
Remember the saying that "the truth will set you (and others) free?" How does "opening one's eyes to the truth" relate to "making the blind see again" or "shining the light" or "illuminating a subject?" Notice the inherent symbolism associated with this supposed New Testament "miracle?"
As certain world leaders strive to instigate a fabricated "battle of Armageddon," it is vital to understand and spread the truth about these ancient texts to help bring about an end to such abominable evil. You can never expect philosophies based on lies and great error to lead to peace and harmony. How many more millennia of terrible proof is necessary before humanity finally gets a clue that most have been utterly deceived by the very concept of religion.
Without it, Bush, the Neo-Cons, and their cohorts could never have gained and retained political power by manipulating an already deluded and susceptible constituency. Likewise, their thinly veiled partners in crime, Bin Laden and his ilk, could never have succeeded in their roles in this centuries-old Vatican-led grand deception.
We are all trapped by a web of deception formed by money, religion, and politics. The great evils that bedevil us all will never cease until humanity finally awakens, shakes off these strong delusions, and forges a new path to the future.
Here is Wisdom...
Peace...
My vote is to delete the above comment from "seven star hand" as spam-worthy, but as censorship comes with a price I'm open to confirmation of this leading.
This one is a weed. But I wouldn't pull it, myself. We're supposed to be an open group; we've received one comment from the guy, not an encyclopedia.
What I'd like to say to old "seven star" here, is that you haven't proved anything to our satisfaction, and you won't unless you slow down enough for us to follow.
One step at a time can sometimes be a good way to avoid stumbling.
The Revised Standard has this passage say, rather: "that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember, then, from what you have fallen, repent, and do the works you did at first."
The difference? This sounds more willful than to "have less love." And to "behave as you did at first," to a reader whose mindset emphasizes lack of misbehavior, might be taken as a negative injunction. But this is not merely "do as you did before," but "do WHAT you did before." Bruce Malina clarifies this a bit, but I'm putting that quote into my comment on Kwakersaur's take (next post.)
"you have less love now than formerly":
OMG, I'm certainly guilty of that. 50 years ago I was a burning brand, on fire for God. If I had continued in that mode, I think I would be long gone from this planet and perhaps looking down at you from Heaven and being grateful for the insights that you are gaining.
Sadly to say, I slowed down. Less love? First of all it depends on what the word meant (to him and to you). MO first love is fiery; if it continues thusly, it soon burns out.
I supposed I'm being facetious. I think that intruded into my psyche to quiet that fire.
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