What gives me purpose is my awareness of my inner sense of being,
and how to live aligned with it that will bring me the most peace and joy
in this life.
Not too disimilar I imagine to yourself?
You class me as a " Non believer " ,
Yet just as just beacause I haven't travelled the same path as yourself,
or come to the same intellectual conclusions.
I believe the sense of peace and comfort we are describing though are the same?
If you have found peace and love through Jesus's teachings great!
That's the goal isn't it? The spirit of the whole journey?
I just don't think Jesus has a monopoly on wisdom though,
Wisdom is wisdom.
He is pointing you
to the wisdom.
He was an enlightened being by all accounts,
But no more the Son of God than you or I.
I think that's were we differ?
When he said " the only way to the father etc......"
I understand it more so not to say hey follow me, adorise me,
He's my Dad I've got his mobile number / direct line I'll let him know about you
Rather the only way to peace, love, God? What ever you want to call it
is through the teachings. The basic principles which apply in most religions and the natural world.
An Athiest, in your sense probably yes,
But I acknowledge and Respect the Natural Laws ( If you want to call that God that's up to you )
that are intrinsic to the functioning of life and the universe.
Why they are there, and who or what what orchestrated them I do not proclaim to now.
However I totally acknowledge that they are there,
For example the energy that brings the tide in and out
in a perfect and predictable order and sequence.
The mathematical symmetrical perfection of a flower petal,
these phenomena
are seen.
The seasons changing and operating perfectly to compliment each other.
The perfect balance to nature, everything we need is here on this planet.
I have tried to cheat, trick, drug, drown these Laws but alas I realised
that only when I align with the inherent natural best practises does my life
work, and abundance enters.
I pushed that game until I saw death,
It was then that I chose life.
" In the darkest corners we find the deepest treasures "
Since I have changed the direction and choices of behaviour I have been blessed with abundance
and a fruitful, healthy life.
I think your book has a lot of great quotes, analogies and parables.
God did not stick his hand out of the clouds though,
It was written by men with the understanding and level of awareness they
had at the time, to even understand what these parables were meant to convey imo.
Don't even talk to me about the Old Testament
As stated though let's not get stuck on petty differences like who created the Universe
To me it's the spirit, the "vibe ".
If you've come to that realization through the understanding and teachings of Jesus,
Power to you!
I just believe that you can also come to that realization and feel your " Supernatural "
connection sitting in nature.
Or others find it through Buddha, Mohammed , or just through Moral and ethical and moral thinking,
without having to necessarily think there's an angry old man with a long grey beard,
Sitting up on a cloud throwing lightning bolts, fire and brimstone
We are physiologically wired to live well, to love.
Our concious effects us when we live based on emotions stemming from negativity,
fear, or what you would call sin in the big book.
So in a nutshell my purpose stems from my understanding that when I live
motivated by Love, positivety, and light my life flows and operates more joyously.
As apposed to harbouring Fearful / Negative ( Sinful !
)
emotions such as greed, anger, jealousy etc,
which as I sew (
) reap a poorer performance in my life.
I seek to love and respect my family,
and would hope they feel the same way about me.
I endeavor to wish my fellow brothers and sisters peace and happiness,
and if you find peace though JC cool,
or some just find it looking at the beauty of a butterfly.
Peace