Saving Marriages in Arizona

I no longer have the letter I recently received so as to quote it exactly, but it was a letter and a questionnaire from an Arizona group that had as part of its banner Saving Marriages in Arizona. It asked me to volunteer to call or go house to house to get signatures on a petition that would prevent or at least diminish the possibility for same gender marriages within our state, implying that by so doing I would save the institution of marriage.

I returned the questionnaire with comments that I am sure they didn't appreciate, for my first thought was "Whose marriage are they seeking to save?" Mine? If two same gender people succeed in getting legally married does that mean that my marriage is null and void? Does it mean that my commitment now has been diminished or somehow tainted by the choice of another? I don't think so. And, does it now mean that an overwhelming number of young people will begin to look at others who share their same genitalia structuring but now with the thought of marriage? I don't think so.

Fear is an ugly thing, for in this instance it is seeking to make another wrong, very wrong, so that they can be right, so that they can feel good about themselves. "But the Bible says," my clergy brethren and others would say. The Bible says many things about societal values and couches much in very stringent rules with horrendous and often lethal outcomes for violations. Yet many of the laws stated within the Bible would be laughed at today if we sought to apply them, for we would run afoul of the current laws of our land. So, we pick and choose not the things that give us reason to exercise the overt ancient ordinances that call for an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth, for the laws of today would not allow this, but now many settle upon such things as gay or lesbian issues. "Would you want your son to marry another man?" "Would you want your daughter to have sex with another woman?"

And the fires are fanned by those who seem to live for the opportunity to point a finger at some and use the label, sinner. So, as you read this guest editorial, can you remember the day when you made the choice to see in the opposite sex someone attractive and even desirable? Probably not. Probably it was just a natural sequencing of thought and feeling as something within you now began to see in another something that was sexually attractive. What if, just what if, for you that other person shared the same basic plumbing that you have, and no matter what you were told by others, or tried to make it disappear and go away, that urge or desire just wouldn't go away, then finding someone you wanted to share your life and were told that the same basic rights afforded to opposite gender couples was not there for you? I would feel singled out and denied my basic rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

If this be a sin, then Jesus spoke to that asking anyone who was without sin to cast the first stone. A number of months ago as I watched reports on television of same gender couples being married I saw such love in their eyes. When love is present, can this be wrong or sinful? This clergyman doesn't think so. I believe that God is but love and whenever love is present, then I am not about to cast the first or subsequent stone. If love isn't present, then that isn't my issue, but another's. Does either scenario affect my marriage and commitment? Of course not. I believe the world be a better place if we just lived our lives and allowed others to live theirs, and that the best gift we can give is loving acceptance of another, especially when another's liberty, life or limb isn't being threatened. If a gay marriage diminishes any reader of this writing, get a grip, put this energy toward solving world hunger and the planet's need for peace, things worthy of energy and time.

I am called sexually straight, but to my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters I give a gift of acceptance, and a prayer that you might peacefully find fulfillment, acceptance and love in your journey of life.

The above was submitted to the Tucson Citizen as a guest editorial. And published by them 6/21

Neutral

What would be different in your life if you began to view each whatever that entered the screen of your life as initially neutral? Very much like the story in Genesis where God brought before Adam all the beasts of the field and birds of the air and waited to see what Adam named them. Now, in our lives it isn't God as an anthropomorphic being who is bringing events, circumstances, personalities and such to our lives, but it is God as Principle working through consciousness that is. Certainly we will in all probability name them, but have you noticed that the moment we name these events with such names as horrendous, disaster and the like that they appear to take on an even greater sense of sting and hurt? What if we looked at these moments as an opportunity to bring to them the gift of Love and thereby look within us as we seek to discover the magnet that brought them to us. Remember, there is absolutely nothing outside of us, just us demonstrating back to us through the guise of person, place or thing. The next time you have an opportunity to name something (you won't have to wait long...), try embracing it with Love and let it but take you on a journey of love within as a belief or an idea that are not founded in Truth can be debased. Try it.

Religiosity vs Spirituality

I'm going to get myself into trouble, but I'll do it anyway. Religiosity is anything that has been added to the broad definition of God as but Love that now imposes rules, regulations, questionable standards and a human hierarchy. You see, God doesn't care (here just the word care implies a Being somewhere with very human traits of liking, disliking, caring and non-caring, and this isn't what I am seeking to do, but we are stuck with words...) anyway, God doesn't care what length hair one has, whether or not any specific part of the body is covered (society might), if make-up is used or not used, a beard is present or absent, if one is baptized or not, or even if one goes to Church or not. And, it is for sure that God doesn't demand or even acknowledge rules that give men priority over women and allow them to be treated as chattel or objects of pleasure. Spirituality, on the other hand, is a gentle journey that one makes into the inner chamber of the mind and heart where acceptance and love is one's standard for the self, and forms the basis for his/her approach to all life. Spirituality recognizes only the God self and the good self for each and all. Spirituality is being open and receptive to the inner guidance of Spirit seeking yet greater ways to promote peace. Religiosity is promoted and taught by those who know not and know not that they know not. Shun them, their agenda is hidden and questionable.

Hate

Do you yet have the word "hate" in your vocabulary? Do you ever say, I just hate that about a person, event, place or thing? Isn't there enough hatred in the world? Hate...the very word...carries with it a vibration that is sent forth and therefore available to be received and accepted by all life everywhere and anywhere. If you cannot move to loving whatever, at least begin by saying in a different way your feelings about something or someone you don't appreciate. Remove hate. I like to say, "Hate nothing." You see, we are either part of the problem or the solution be it within our lives or within the world. If at all possible--and it always is--move to Love; allow Love to be your decision.

Prosperity

If there is lack in your life...if you have no money, it isn't the "fault" of the Universe (God...Source...First Cause) Who knows only Its Abundant Self. If there is a glitch anywhere in the process of manifesting abundance, it is we who have accepted somewhere in consciousness a thought system based on unworthiness or scarcity. The path of least resistance however, and one the majority of people take, is to then play the blame game. "It's their fault for they don't pay me what I'm worth." "It is the fault of the management or the government." "The company that handles my retirement investments did me wrong." And on and on. No it isn't! All things can be brought back to consciousness...our consciousness. Change what you believe about the worth of self and stabilize the unshakeable realization that it is God Who is your Source and not the channels through which your good is made manifest and things will change. Examine the environment you grew up within. What was the prevalent thought about money and prosperity? Was its foundation one of fear and shortage? Look within yourself and see if you still believe some of these things. A favorite affirmation of mine is:

I am created by and out of the Unlimited Universe...because my Source knows not lack, I decree an abundance of unlimited dollars to flow into my ever receptive bank account. Thank you God for my unlimited prosperity.

The ongoing journey

Before you read this, be sure you have read from my first postings, for they are the foundation for this one. What happens when someone departs from this dimension? (Many call it death, but I don't really like that term, for it means cessation, and that is impossible.) Do they go to be with God and or Jesus? Notwithstanding the possibility that our Elder Brother might present Himself as a cameo appearance because of deepseated expectations on the part of the individual whose physical form no longer worked, but please understand that His message wasn't dependency on Him, but on self. And, if one subscribes to going to be with God, then this means that omnipresence isn't. Friends, we cannot ever be closer to God than we are in any present moment of any now, and heaven is not an actual place where we are issued white robes and a harp, and walk on golden streets forever. How boring. Life is a never-ending adventure where we but fine-tune our God given abilities as a co-creator. Remember, this is what we are doing now, but the best is always yet to be as we awaken more and more into the truth of who and what we are in God, and Who and What God is in us.

Failure

Do you know that you have never failed? Divorce, bankruptcy, employment matters...anything! All we ever experience are either what we term happy successes or unhappy successes, but never a failure, for because our life is just and only our consciousness in expression, we always manifest exactly what we have decreed. How powerful we are! So, you have a few unhappy successes in your life, what do you do? First, embrace them and claim the outcome as a choice you made. And, if you would but know it, each "happy" or "unhappy" success is cosmically neutral, but awaiting your pronouncement upon them. You see, if you do not embrace them they will always be an adversary in your mind and will stand in the way of new and better choices. In each unhappy success that we experience there are things we can learn about ourselves and how life works. True? Then, prior to moments of decision in future choices, enlist the Source of Infinite Intelligence within you. Some call this the Holy Spirit. A wise metaphysician once cautioned, "Never go out into your day in just your humanhood." Don't fall into the trap of placing responsibility for any happy or unhappy success on something outside of you. Claim self-responsibility, smile, learn, and move onward to new and more wonderful moments.

Forgiveness

I know of few people who don't have forgiveness issues. Does this include you? It has been said (don't you enjoy these sanitized references to someone...) that the only thing that keeps us returning to this three-dimensional plane of experience is one of learning to accept and extend forgiveness, which of course is but Love in action. So, why extend forgiveness? Let me assume that we have moved, or are moving, past feeling justified in feelings of animosity toward another because of what they have done. "Just look at what they did to me!" "Just look at what she said about me!" For here we but wallow in self-pity and continue to roll over our yesterdays into our today's saying, in effect, I give myself permission to use what happened so I can feel just as crappie today as I did when I was wronged. This is okay, for it is but a neutral choice to use God-energy as it moves through us, but the outcome isn't pleasant and we are seldom fulfilled and happy. Forgiveness is really a very selfish gift that we give not to another, but to ourselves as we allow ourselves to move forward into new experiences and not remain stuck within the mire of fear, for this is what it is as we but have two major choices in life, either love or fear. Is anything worth an eternity of return trips to puberty?

Heaven and Hell

Alright, let's get this one straight...finally. Friends, heaven and/or hell are not pieces of celestial or very warm real estate, they are terms for states of consciousness. Hell is the result from beliefs in separation from God. Heaven is the result of approaching the eternal Idea of Oneness with God. Now, we are always someplace, so in this context the experience that resembles hell or heaven is a place, but only because we are there and we always take ourselves with us. Ask yourself...would Love create a place of eternal punishment and fire because He/She got ticked at something you did? And...you don't have to wait to be in heaven, or hell for that matter. You do it now for there is only now. I have said many times, there is never anywhere for us to go, just something for us to be. Entertain making Love your decision. Ask the indwelling presence of God (some call this the Holy Spirit) for more insight into your Oneness with Her. Choose forgiveness, understanding, acceptance and similar things. Go ahead...be in Heaven...now!

Sinner!

Ever been called a sinner? If you have had that wonderful empowering experience it was probably from the mouth of someone who also had all the answers for your salvation as well, and it was (surprise!) the path or belief system they were on or espoused. Initially, reject anything that brings up fear, for that is the first clue that it isn't of or from God, but from man who knows not and knows not that he (she) knows not. Shun them, they are fools. I believe that the concept of one's actions or choices impacting God was seized upon throughout the years by people who had agendas of control, for if I could convince anyone that they stepped over the line and were practically anathema to their Creator, but that I held the key to their salvation, then guess what...I've got them. A sin is a religionists term for a choice that didn't work. In our lives, it is a choice of thought, word or deed that didn't fulfill the highest purpose, but to then say that we now made God angry or we are going to hell is simply incorrect. Ever sinned? Ever made a choice that you would re-do? Welcome to the club! However, you are still the beloved son/daughter of God and you can make the choice to choose again. If restitution, apology or some other action is germane, then do it, but don't cower under the mistaken belief that God is no longer but Love in your life. You can't undo what God in perfection did, and God created you!

Marriage

So much controversy today about marriage and what it means as well as who it should include and exclude. I am married to a beautiful woman, very soon this May for 42 years. Out of our marriage have come 3 fantastically wonderful children all hovering close to 30 years of age. In our case our children came through adoption, 2 from Vietnam and one from a local hospital here in Tucson. I say these things because another's choice as to what marriage might mean to them and their life has no impact on me and my marriage whatsoever. Thus said, if same gender couples who love each other want to enter into a legal and contractual agreement that gives them the same rights as opposite gender couples, I find no fault with it. "But it says that it is wrong in the Bible," my clergy brethren might say. Well, it says many things in the Bible and much of it was for very contemporary reasons and purposes. I say, if Love is present, then who am I to tell someone who deeply loves another that it is sinful or wrong. Embrace who and what you are. If another is simply being who and what they are, if you go out of your way to do anything, let it be to understand and to love, not to condemn.

Prayer

Another mistaken thought...prayer isn't for God, prayer is for us and is a way of centering the mind and heart in what has already been given or extended. Remember, there isn't a God "out there" somewhere Who is waiting to be convinced with promises that are seldom kept, but an ever present essence of pure Being that is within the center of our beingness. It is we who accept our true heritage of Life, Love, Peace, Abundance and Joy, or who hold it at arms length because of feelings of unworthiness and separation. So, correctly understood, prayer isn't a "Dear God, please come and do," but the everpresent thought that our very Soul expresses of "Thank you, dear God, for Your presence within me as the Life of the body, the Abundance of my finances, the Love that fills my world and the Joy that forever unfolds me." You are so very worthy of all of the Kingdom...and, you don't have to wait to go anywhere for it, for it is now right where you are!

The Greatest Gift

The greatest gift that anyone can bring into his or her world is the gift of Love. To love one's self is as close as we can come to "think(ing) the thoughts of God after Him." (Forgive the use of gender; sometimes it is difficult in writing/speaking not to do so.) When do we love ourselves? Just when we are "very good" and peforming acts of kindness and caring? Certainly, but because these moments are already on the plus side of the ledger, so to speak, it isn't that difficult to do. However, the times when we are not kind, performing acts of a questionable character, and speaking harsh words...here too we need to learn to love the self, for love will allow us to penetrate through these not-so-swift moments we each experience and the quicker rediscover the God-self that we truly are. Remember, God only knows you as She ( :-) ) created you to be, and our learning curve will take us to that same point of vision. Love yourself today! Love without exclusion or judgment for you are worthy of none else.

Christ, an eternal Idea

Let me clear up a misunderstanding. Many almost think "Christ" to be Jesus' last name. True, we read that Peter had a great insight as he responded to the question "But who say you that I am" and especially "Thou are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Helping to make this clear is the understanding that Jesus isn't the great exception, but the great example and gave evidence of this level of God-awareness that is before each one of us to also embrace and become. In Truth, your inescapable potential is also to become Christ, for this is what is what God created you and each to be. It may not be called this in everyone's vocabulary, but the equivalent will be realized and demonstrated. It is inevitable. More correct it would be to understand Jesus as our Elder Brother, Wayshower and Friend. He yet is accessable and continues to work through an open and receptive mind and heart, but His eternal message would be to direct each inward to their own Oneness with their Source, and then realizing this Truth to then live, move and have their being from a Christed level of consciousness. Do I believe Jesus to be the Holy Son of God? Certainly, but so are you! God has only one Idea of perfect man-ifestation, and you and Jesus share that together.

Life is consciousness

Our world and everything in it from the experiences we experience, to the people with whom we share the path of life, to absolutely everything, is but a physical, emotional or psychological reflection of the self. The process we are always within is sending our requests forth from consciousness to what I call central carpentry and casting so as to demonstrate a tangible reflection of what we believe and what we expect. Rejoice, for it is only by and through this process that we eventually will come to begin to explore what it is that we really believe, and how we are using the Energy of Spirit as it moves through our spoken word and thoughts. All that we presently experience is our consciousness reflecting back to us...No luck, no chance, no accident. Claim self-responsibility and the process at last begins.

"The Passion of the Christ"

I think it is equally important to hear from those of us who made the choice not to go and see. Unity embraces not the need to reflect and gorge upon what the fundamentalists do so well, the perceived pain and suffering of "God's only Son" who then died for our sins by somehow placating a God that still was hung up on Adam and Eve's faults. I answer those who say that I cannot make such a judgment call without seeing the film for myself. I choose not to go to a bullfight, cockfight, dogfight or boxing match because I don't feel the need for this level of "entertainment." I would not go and see an execution as well. If God is but Love, and if, as New Thought and Unity teaches, is example and not exception, then the whole of Holy Week, specifically the crucifixion is on a completely different level than human consciousness can comprehend. Think of the control Jesus had over the dream of humanhood to do what He did. If God be but Love, could not he have done what He did minus the need for personal pain, yet poignant enough to leave an indelible record of what is greater than the worst the world can do? The crucifixion was the worst that the then world could do, but Jesus was not of the world...He told us that. To see the movie is to revel in the filmmaker's ignorance of a man who was perceived as a victim...not the Jesus I know. If God is but Love and I yet perceive pain and unkind judgments toward mankind from God--and if I go out of my way to feed these beliefs and images through events such as this motion picture, and yet claim to be in New Thought (Unity), perhaps I need to re-look and reexamine what I believe.