Myth or reality
We hear many
“Reason for the Season” every year. The miraculous birth of Jesus in an obscure stable in Bethlehem dominates the religious community. There is something in the air that is not felt at any other time of year. It has always been a magical time in my experience. I have read and studied the four gospels in the New Testament many times. I also studied the historical Jesus and found that there is little to no record of the birth of Jesus Bar
Joseph. As a matter of fact, there were many want-to-be messiahs in Jerusalem at the same time as Jesus. Roman records reveal that about three hundred of these were arrested for sedition and subsequently crucified. Jesus was among them, although there is no record of his crucifixion in the Roman records.
While all the songs and celebration seem to be about the physical Jesus, the real reason-for the season is the spiritual Jesus. Most all of the gospels and all of the rest of the remaining books in the Bible were written well over a hundred years after the reported time of Jesus. It is safe to say that none of the writers ever met Jesus physically, however, that doesn’t mean they were not inspired by stories of the spiritual Jesus. The dogma taken by fundamentalists has taken the beautiful story of each and everyone’s birth of their own divinity and turned it into nonsense. Ernest Holmes said that there is no sin but a mistake, and no punishment but a consequence. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that there is no sin but ignorance and no punishment but an enlightenment. All the talk of sin and punishment, heaven and hell, and eternal destruction are distortions of the teachings of Jesus.
Meister Eckhart said, when informed of doubts about the physical Jesus, “We will have to invent Jesus in our heart.” We need what Jesus represents. We don’t necessarily need virgins, Shepards or angels, but we need the inspiration and directive to, “go and sin no more.” Christ is not Jesus’ last name. It is a state of consciousness. It is a recognition of your higher self, which we all have but few claim it. I guess going to church to have the hell scared out of you has discouraged that. Peddling fear is a great disservice to mankind. Spreading love is the antidote.
The Jesus we read about in the Bible was beautiful and masterful. He said that the things he has done, we can do, and greater things shall we do. Well, I am not going to put all the liquor stores out of business by turning water into wine, but I am going to know the truth and be free of lack, limitation and loss.
I love all the songs of
Christmas. I also love all the songs about Santa. Both the religious and the so-called secular songs are songs of love and love is the reason for the holiday.
Say to yourself, “I celebrate the Christ awareness within me. I let the birth of beauty and love flow through me. I take the high road to fulfillment. I give and receive love with every opportunity.
Have a very Merry Christmas
God is Love and Loving You Right Now!
(The Rev. Dr. Walt Sharer is minister at Bishop Church of Religious Science, located at 129 E. Line St., Bishop. Rev. Freda Lindsay and Rev. Walt officiate the weekly, Sunday services at 10 a.m. You can hear Rev. Walt’s message on “The Devotional Hour” on Sierra Wave KSRW 92.5 FM Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. The church can be reached at (760) 873-4195 for more information.)