Relief of the Heart

I’ve been considering last night’s class more as I have woken from a good
night’s sleep. There was some opinion expressed in last night’s class about
the Bible. The opinion didn’t hold the Bible in very high regard, and some
of what was expressed was founded in a belief that the Bible is difficult
to understand. This is true for those people who hold the belief. And yet,
I have another approach.

I had a tumultuous relationship with the Bible. That relationship continued
until I decided that I didn’t need to have that relationship any longer.

TODAY’S READING:
437.5-439.1

I’ve been considering last night’s class more as I have woken from a good night’s sleep. There was some opinion expressed in last night’s class about the Bible. The opinion didn’t hold the Bible in very high regard, and some of what was expressed was founded in a belief that the Bible is difficult to understand. This is true for those people who hold the belief. And yet, I have another approach.

I had a tumultuous relationship with the Bible. That relationship continued until I decided that I didn’t need to have that relationship any longer.

My first major in University was Film Production, this was before changing to the acting and directing track of a Theatre Production Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (which is what I earned ultimately). During my first year as a Film Production student I made a short film that elucidated my feelings about being gay and the relationship of gay oppression using cherry picked Bible quotes.

“Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”

— Leviticus 18:22

&

“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”

— Leviticus 22:13

There they are. The passages in scripture that were used to vilify me personally. It’s no wonder I never wanted to find a relationship with a Christian God (Side note: Even though used by Christians, these passages are in the Old Testament. The Old Testament covenant was deemed moot and a new covenant was created for those who place their faith in Jesus, that’s the whole point of the New Testament—ok, religious lesson done). I was also struck with the contradiction that David (yes… King David… who killed Goliath) seemed to have a deep (and sexual) love for Jonathan.

“And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”

— 1 Samuel 18:1

&

“I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.”

— 2 Samuel 1:26

The film I made pointed out these contradictions aurally against a visual backdrop of two men, one of whom is struggling with finding the love within himself.

That was then.

What is my approach to the Bible now? Well, it is a work of mystical wisdom that must be interpreted in a contemporary context, and should be understood as metaphor.

Mostly the question to be asked is this: How do I interpret the meaning for myself?

One of the students in class last night spoke of the challenge of understanding, and how Google searches commenced to try to get to a place of understanding for the quotes that were being used. Google can help with intellectual understanding. Nothing  replaced intuitive understanding, though, and that is the power of the Bible (and frankly all books of faith).

I learned to reconcile my relationship with the Bible in this way. And let’s face it… much of what we will be reading this year will be Ernest Holmes' interpretations of the Bible (that’s a LARGE portion of the book, The Science of Mind). If we approach this course of study with a self-imposed mental block against the Bible, we will never evolve past that block.

This actually brings me to one of the points in today’s reading that is one of the most transformative actions we can take to deepen our revealing of God in all things: Forgiveness.

Forgiveness heals.

I had to find forgiveness in my heart for myself (for the self-condemnation) and for those whom I believed had wronged me (by their vilification of the aspect of my life as a gay man).

Forgiveness is powerful because it releases us from the burden of the past. It has to do more with US rather than anyone else. If we live with forgiveness in our hearts we release the weight of the action we feel we need to forgive. If we feel immobilized by something, forgiveness is key to mobilization. We are freed in forgiveness.

Forgiveness is an ultimate act of love. The very word suggests the giving of ourselves. Unconditional love is for giving. Get it?

Today is a day for giving and of forgiving. Take the time to forgive and see what it does for you!