Mental health is important to me. I've worked diligently to make the distinctions between what's GOOD and what's not good. I'm vigilant to maintain the distinction and an sometimes quick to point them out to infants. Sometimes i don't care to discuss it. But since this is in the psychology forum, and some mind might be genuinely interested in mental health, i'm sometimes making those distinctions for inquiring minds that may not yet know the difference. The god of the Bible is NOT good...at all. The god of the Bible is the *god of this world*. Beyond the god of the Bible, there's GOOD. The god of the Bible competes with GOOD for all attributes belonging to GOOD, such as the attribute of REALITY. The god of the Bible is responsible for all that the human eye can see, being responsible for the human eye. What the human eye can see, in it's normal operation, is NOT REALITY. There is complicity between the eye that can see the UNREAL, and the god of this world. What we see is a matter of choice. Confusing these issues is what leads to so much of the world's mental health problems. Actually, the world you see is the net effect of just these kinds of confusing distinctions. It's the effect of a mental health problem. Faith is actually extremely pernicious relative to it's initial design. It only becomes useful when it's used to reverse it's own mind-entrapping effects. It must be deliberately applied toward Real Reality, and not toward perceived reality. The real power behind faith is wishing (which is also translated as hope, and desire). So faith is really just a way of getting *what you want*. So, to find Reality, you must first desire to do so (must want it). Till then, there will remain a WISH to call a lie the Truth. In this way, a lie is given legs and made to "live". We find the Truth by not accepting anymore the counterfeit currency of fantasy based faith. The Bible helps us justify our brutal fantasies. At some point, it's no longer acceptable.
When speaking of salvation if you are wrong and I am right...Then I would persuade you to re-consider and realize that the consequences of your decision not to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and to be damned for eternity in Hell is just a bad decision and could be the worst one you made in your life here on earth. but...this is off topic (but important). ES
As mentioned, the god of this world, which is the god of the Bible, competes with the Truth for all it's attributes. The terms Truth and Reality are interchangeable, being the same thing. The god of the Bible offers us a substitute for the Truth. As for Jesus, i'm convinced he understood the Truth, and understood it to be his Self. And then, he taught others to follow his example, and to love others as their Self. He connected any and all peoples to his Self. For example, "What you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to Me". If you are really following Jesus, you will see One Self. That Self is the Truth...which is also Reality. The "lie", therefore, is the fantasy...the unreality...or what some call "the illusion". When you believe that a man is the Truth, you are believing the lie. When you believe the Truth is Spirit, which can't be seen by human eyes, you are getting a little closer to the Truth. Thus, if you can see the man, but can't see the Spirit, you are proverbially blind. And in your case, it is a case of blind leading the blind. Oh, and the "world" of the god of this world is actually "hell". Did you expect it to tell you the truth about hell? So we are already here. The question, now, is, A.) why are we "here" (in hell), and, B.) how do we escape? One last thing. You can't believe the Truth and a lie at the same time...which is what you are doing. You will believe one or the other. What you give to one you take from the other and visa versa. So what you are doing is taking from GOOD, and giving it all to the god of this world and it's stories. So, you cannot see the man and the Spirit at the same time. You will see one or the other, but not both.
It's useful that inquiring minds should see the utter incompatibility between your version of Reality and Mine. Yes, these versions should be held side-by-side for a while, so that a learning (repenting) mind can eventually tell the difference. The "old" (way of thinking) and the "new" (way of thinking) side-by-side. Your words, appropriately, are colored blood red. My words should be colored Royal Blue Red is for man-colored blood...for humanity Blue is for "blue blood", a term i'll use to describe Divinity. You'll have one or the other coursing through the veins of your desire driven faith. You will be "saved" by the Blue Blood. You will be "damned" by the red blood. Rather, the red-bloods are "condemned already", meaning, the god of this world has already transformed you from a Divine Being to a human being . And to the god of this world, you are yet a loyal subject. Yes, you are "saved by the blood", but it's color is BLUE, not red.
Convicted~ Old way of thinking: to be found guilty New way of thinking: to be convinced of the Truth Old way: drives you crazy New way: mental healing, mental health
Baptism~ Old way of thinking: to be dunked in water, not committed to one (water/truth) or the other (flesh/lies) to go back and forth, up and down, both, double-minded. New way of thinking: to be completely immersed in the Truth, which Spirit to stay in the Truth, by Being the Spirit, single-minded. Old way: is confusing, drives you crazy New way: is healing, mental healing, mental health
Lord~ Old way of thinking: an other to be subservient to New way of thinking: a Self to Be Old way: affirms and validates a false self New way: affirms and validates a true Self Old way: abdicates responsibility, dedicates self, must be told the "truth" New way: takes responsibility, dedicates Self, knows the Truth Old way: blames, maims, defames, takes away, puts down New way: forgives, gives, keeps on giving, lifts up Old way: out of control, happenstance, happens by chance, accidents happen New way: in control, nothing happens without Self consent
Therefore~ Old way of thinking: God must be the author of the Bible. New way of thinking: GOOD must NOT be the author of the Bible.
A) By our own wish; B) There are 3 ways out there: 1.Bhakti (devotional service to the Supreme God); 2.Ashtanga (not recommended in Kali - no one will make it,ever); 3.Gyana (the path of philosophical thinking). There is another one - Karma Yoga,but it is still has to do with the material world.By heading this way you can only re-born on Earth again,in better conditions,if you did good. So, in reality,there are only 2 ways to ''escape''.But there is still no guarantee.So make your choice.