Atheist to New Age to Jesus

[Daniel Balan]

1 hour ago, Nemra said:

@Daniel Balan, basically, you like animism.

 

I've gone towards atheism, but I felt so alone, I used to pray as a young Christian child, it made me more secure, now I ask the earth and nature to protect me when I feel that my life is threaten. Even though I know that all is fantasy. But asking the earth to protect me is still making me feel a bit more secure, whereas if I go the atheistic route, only luck has spared my head from being hit by a rock from space today. 

Edited June 10 by Daniel Balan

[Nemra]

@Daniel Balan, let me tell you something funny.

When I was tripping, the experience got so raw and unbiased that I became afraid, so much so that I started telling myself, "I need to believe, I need to believe, ...".

But I think that belief in yourself and your actions is appropriate to some degree.

Edited June 10 by Nemra

[Daniel Balan]

33 minutes ago, Nemra said:

@Daniel Balan, let me tell you something funny.

When I was tripping, the experience got so raw and unbiased that I became afraid, so much so that I started telling myself, "I need to believe, I need to believe, ...".

But I think that belief in yourself and your actions is appropriate to some degree.

Yea I agree! But I don't believe in anything per se, in that regard I am completely atheistic! But I started few years ago to see the magic in how nature and its seasons unfold, the intelligence of trees, of roses, how beautifuly trees and nature blossoms in the spring and how brutal it dies during fall! I started to realize that earth is a living, intelligent being, not just a dumb rock as I previously assumed! And for that I pray in my thoughts, asking the earth to not kill me! Every time I drive my car to protect me from accidents, everyday I go to work to not fall off of the construction site, I pray to nature to let me live yet another day! Survival is brutal, and as far as nature is concerned, my life is as important as that of the snail I crushed unintentionally with my foot while walking on the grass!

[Nemra]

@Daniel Balan, nature has been forgiving to me lately, and there are still problems. But it was brutal back then.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy years ago, and it could activate anytime, and it's not curable.

[Daniel Balan]

46 minutes ago, Nemra said:

@Daniel Balan, nature has been forgiving to me lately, and there are still problems. But it was brutal back then.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy years ago, and it could activate anytime, and it's not curable.

May Gaia heal you! May nature love you! 🥹

[Nemra]

1 hour ago, Daniel Balan said:

May Gaia heal you! May nature love you! 🥹

Thank you. 🙂

The struggles were also love from nature, but accepting them is difficult.

Probably, I wouldn't see it as love if I had constantly been suffering.

Edited June 10 by Nemra

[Grateful Dead]

On 10.6.2025 at 11:03 AM, Leo Gura said:

Course In Miracles is good.

But it works without the Jesus.

You do not need Jesus to love people. You can just love them. Jesus did not invent love and has no monopoly on love.

Well, Jesus guided me and, through his teachings, showed me a way to open my heart to love. I think one should give credit where it's due – to each saint his candle.

Of course, everyone is free to find their own way to overcome the ego. But without such an effective approach, it would have taken me forever.

[kbone]

22 hours ago, Nemra said:

If people understood what belief is, would they seek truth by believing?

The devil is in the detail.

Belief as a tool cannot compete with meditation and especially psychedelics. Although if you don't question beliefs, they might infect the tools that actually change your state.

Yes, keep continuing to question beliefs, the mind, and all the shadows on the wall. Eventually, the cave will no longer be tolerable, giving rise to the impetus to get off your ass and not seek Truth, but find IT.

[kbone]

3 hours ago, Grateful Dead said:

Well, Jesus guided me and, through his teachings, showed me a way to open my heart to love. I think one should give credit where it's due – to each saint his candle.

Of course, everyone is free to find their own way to overcome the ego. But without such an effective approach, it would have taken me forever.

What was the approach, and what was found?

I'm glad the belief helped in the context. In hindsight, did you first give credit to Jesus himself, or was it the gratitude for the teaching presented via the protagonist known as Jesus? That is, was it the belief in Jesus, or the insights into the self, its wants/'needs', its impulses, its nonsense, etc that you knew you had to let go of?

Edited June 11 by kbone

[Leo Gura]

5 minutes ago, kbone said:

and what was found?

There's the rub!

[kbone]

28 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

There's the rub!

[integral]

They want a parental figure to love them, that's part of the reason they feel so loved with religion.

it offloads the burden of loving them to the parent.

They can't love themselves or others so they need the parental figure to be the one who loves everyone and them.

Edited June 11 by integral

[UnbornTao]

Exchanging beliefs can be useful but it is not the same as becoming conscious of stuff.

[kbone]

4 minutes ago, integral said:

They want a parental figure to love them, that's part of the reason they feel so loved with religion.

it offloads the burden of loving them to the parent.

They can't love themselves or others so they need the parental figure to be the one who loves everyone and them.

As an intercultural language fella, I found that such statements using stereotypes and personal pronouns tends to introduce judgment into and 'personalize' the context of a discussion that might otherwise expand the view to a more objective, impersonal look at what the mind is doing.

Imo, the previous writer was showing an authentic gratitude for a positive aspect of a teaching in their life, and was even willing to take a risk in doing so. 

How might the crux of these statements be made using the passive voice and/or without such stereotypes, assuming you are are native speaker of English? I assume you are speaking from your own experience and/or with at least a few Christians in mind, and that's fine. I getcha.

 

[integral]

46 minutes ago, kbone said:

As an intercultural language fella, I found that such statements using stereotypes and personal pronouns tends to introduce judgment into and 'personalize' the context of a discussion that might otherwise expand the view to a more objective, impersonal look at what the mind is doing.

Imo, the previous writer was showing an authentic gratitude for a positive aspect of a teaching in their life, and was even willing to take a risk in doing so. 

How might the crux of these statements be made using the passive voice and/or without such stereotypes, assuming you are are native speaker of English? I assume you are speaking from your own experience and/or with at least a few Christians in mind, and that's fine. I getcha.

I analyzed the videos and the woman went through the whole spiritual path everything possible and in the end she needed "the father" to love her to fill the void that she's been desperately searching for (seeking).

I could adjust my writing style to remove "i, they, your..." so on. Thanks for the reminder 

Edited June 11 by integral

[kbone]

1 hour ago, integral said:

I analyzed the videos and the woman went through the whole spiritual path everything possible and in the end she needed "the father" to love her to fill the void that she's been desperately searching for (seeking).

I could adjust my writing style to remove "i, they, your..." so on. Thanks for the reminder 

Aaah, I misspoke then. I was referring to @Grateful Dead. I haven't watched the vids.  So, she was going on and on about seeking skydaddy's love and approval? Yeah, that does tend to happen.

Don't mind me; I'm just old and weird, hehe.   I had just written to GD and Leo on the topic at hand and was completely ignorant of the video content.

Peacely 🤙

 

Edited June 11 by kbone

[Grateful Dead]

19 hours ago, kbone said:

What was the approach, and what was found?

I'm glad the belief helped in the context. In hindsight, did you first give credit to Jesus himself, or was it the gratitude for the teaching presented via the protagonist known as Jesus? That is, was it the belief in Jesus, or the insights into the self, its wants/'needs', its impulses, its nonsense, etc that you knew you had to let go of?

At its core, the Course teaches how to unlearn fear through forgiveness, and remember love as the only truth. It opens with the line: "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." That captures the essence of the Course quite well.

What I found was an inner framework that helped me shift my perception and, as a result, transform my mind. It doesn’t really offer a new belief system; rather, it helps to undo the old egoic one.

At first, I didn’t believe in Jesus or that the teachings were truly his. But as you said, I knew I wanted to let go of the self, I just didn’t really know how. And in the Course, I immediately recognized a path that actually made it possible for me. Jesus then began to reveal himself quite quickly, as a kind of inner guide or higher self. But it took me a long time to accept him and begin to understand what he is really about. And I still haven’t fully grasped how this mind works, so my understanding keeps deepening.

[kbone]

1 hour ago, Grateful Dead said:

At its core, the Course teaches how to unlearn fear through forgiveness, and remember love as the only truth. It opens with the line: "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God." That captures the essence of the Course quite well.

What I found was an inner framework that helped me shift my perception and, as a result, transform my mind. It doesn’t really offer a new belief system; rather, it helps to undo the old egoic one.

At first, I didn’t believe in Jesus or that the teachings were truly his. But as you said, I knew I wanted to let go of the self, I just didn’t really know how. And in the Course, I immediately recognized a path that actually made it possible for me. Jesus then began to reveal himself quite quickly, as a kind of inner guide or higher self. But it took me a long time to accept him and begin to understand what he is really about. And I still haven’t fully grasped how this mind works, so my understanding keeps deepening.

As in the Course in Miracles, yes?

I must say, I was a little interested to see a Deadhead speaking of Jesus on this website. Times are interesting. 

Great, unlearning is a big factor, to be sure. It's more or less a 'becoming conscious of and letting go process', yes? 

If comfortable with doing so, please share what you mean by "Jesus then began to reveal himself quite quickly, as a kind of inner guide or higher self. But it took me a long time to accept him and begin to understand what he is really about."

What would you say about differentiating between say, Jesus the man versus the realization as the Christ? According to the Bible, Jesus is claimed to have said, "I and the Father are One".......“Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” (John 10:30-38). What do you think was meant by that?

It is self honesty that helps deepen the understanding of how the mind works. It sounds like you've gotten over 'the hump', so to speak, and are appreciating some peace from a previous storm. Take your time---- lots of cool Dead songs about the journey.

 

[Grateful Dead]

22 hours ago, kbone said:

As in the Course in Miracles, yes?

Yes.

22 hours ago, kbone said:

I must say, I was a little interested to see a Deadhead speaking of Jesus on this website. Times are interesting. 

Lol yeah you know, once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right  

22 hours ago, kbone said:

Great, unlearning is a big factor, to be sure. It's more or less a 'becoming conscious of and letting go process', yes? 

Yes, the process feels very much like becoming conscious and letting go. But I would describe it more as a process of forgetting illusions and remembering the truth, as the Course frames it.

22 hours ago, kbone said:

If comfortable with doing so, please share what you mean by "Jesus then began to reveal himself quite quickly, as a kind of inner guide or higher self. But it took me a long time to accept him and begin to understand what he is really about."

I can try but it will sound crazy lol. Shortly after I began reading the Course, I had like a paranormal experience, in which Jesus introduced himself to me, and a kind of inner dialogue began. At first, I honestly thought I was going psychotic. But my doubts mostly faded as time went on and he told me things about the “outside world” that turned out to be true every time. Then also Miracles started to happened through me regulary, which had a direct impact on the people around me. Also I got answers to most of the questions I had and was shown things I needed/wanted to see, like what seemed to be past lifes etc. I also received specific instructions for deepening my awakening, and they worked. Like what I used to reach mostly through psychedelics or intense meditation became natural and normal.

However, I still had doubts about who I was really in contact with, and part of me still thought that maybe I was just crazy and imagining it all (which is true in a way). So eventually, he revealed to me that he is like a reflection of my higher self, and that I just wasn't quite ready to accept that yet. And to some degree, I still haven't.

Another user of this forum(@puporing), who was sadly banned by Leo, claims to have completely merged with the mind of Jesus. Although I am still skeptical of such claims, I can no longer dismiss them based on my own experiences.

23 hours ago, kbone said:

What would you say about differentiating between say, Jesus the man versus the realization as the Christ?

I've come to see Christ as our true Self, the shared identity beyond the ego. Jesus, as a man, remembered this completely. He rejoined the awareness of Christ fully, and now he lives from that awareness. He remains in that consciousness and, in my experience, tries to lead me and also everyone else back to it.

23 hours ago, kbone said:

According to the Bible, Jesus is claimed to have said, "I and the Father are One".......“Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods” (John 10:30-38). What do you think was meant by that?

I think Jesus was saying that he realized what was being communicated to them in their sacred law, and that they could realize it too, based on the very law they claimed to believe in.

23 hours ago, kbone said:

It is self honesty that helps deepen the understanding of how the mind works. It sounds like you've gotten over 'the hump', so to speak, and are appreciating some peace from a previous storm.

Ah yes… it’s been a long, strange trip. And now, I’ve kind of settled down, enjoying the stillness of my nature.

23 hours ago, kbone said:

lots of cool Dead songs about the journey.

Dude, finally another one here who appreciates the Grateful Dead.

[Santiago Ram]

Well, Jesús Is the Way because he Is the Best example of a Godly Life.

It Is NOT Idol worship IF you understand this. You aré identical to Christ AND must behave like him IF you aré to see your Father (realize GOD).

Sainthood Is just a Life that resembles Christ's. That is why they get Stigmas on their hands and feet, a Good example of Non duality.