Soul-lover 2020

If this planet is Heaven, then there should be no evil, sickness and death. Unfortunately there is, so your claim isn't valid.

No one is capable of creating the whole of reality in their head. You need help.

Abrakamowse, Jesus wasn't a heretic at all because He never broke God's Law. And it was the religious leaders who were the true sons of the Devil, not Him. Jesus was equal to God because He is God. It is written: John 1:1-5 New King James Version The Eternal Word In the beginning was the Word (Jesus Christ) , and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Andrea

The above does not apply to what I'm saying. The Truth doesn't change to suit you, rather you need to receive the revelation concealed within it to gain true understanding. The Bible is spirit-breathed of God, whether you like that fact or not.

The problem here is that the supposed Gospels of Thomas and Mary Magdalene, Book of Thomas the Contender, and the Dialogue of the Savior are not accepted as biblical canon. They are gnostic, not Judaeo-Christian, in origin. Gnosticism is unbiblical heresy!

Rilles, The following scripture from the Holy Bible may help you to make up your own mind with regard to whether reincarnation is true or not: Hebrews, chapter 9, verses 27 & 28 New King James Version And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. It's also worth noting that there isn't any convincing hard evidence for reincarnation, only the claims of certain individuals that haven't been backed up by reliable eye-witness accounts. At the very least, an attitude of healthy skepticism is a good position to take on the subject. Happy searching.... Andrea

Experience is usually an integral part of reality, though drugs can distort one's perception of it. Perceived reality can be skewed by unseen forces beyond our control, e.g. the spirit realm. "Don't play with fire" applies - unless you're in communion with your Maker, i.e. God. If something doesn't feel right, or is scary, avoid it.

All, To kick things off, here's something that I found interesting. It's to do with mental illness: What These 16 Mental Illnesses 'Look' Like Andrea

Natasha, You have my permission to turn my poem into a song if you wish. You're free to perform it as I've no intention of copyrighting it. It's just a one off. Andrea

I have already seen.... Andrea

Here's an interesting interview with an ex-New Age guy who met with God.... Steven Bancarz – From New Age Influencer to Jesus Follower Happy searching guys. Andrea

Thank you dear lady.

Nahm, I'm NOT interested in sharing in your confusion.

What apocalypse?!!

Here's a poem that I wrote last year: The Lovers. Lover: "Come, my beloved, let us drink deeply from the chalice filled with the nectar of Love. She stirs our hearts with desire - I sing joyously of thee." Beloved: "For thee alone, my handsome prince, do I sing Love’s passionate song. Ye are mine and I am thine - our hearts beating in unison..." Lover: "Together do we eagerly dance to the rhythm of Love's song, entering the heights of Her rhapsodies - souls in passionate consummation, delighting in the sacred union that's transforming us within..." Beloved: "And with Her tender embrace does Love draw us deeper into the One - our rapturous spirits worshiping the Divine." - Andrea La Rocca 30th April 2018

But are "visceral mystical experiences" sufficient for dealing with the real world? I can't see how.

You will one day.

Not so. I rely purely on the realism which is anchored in the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples.

Bill W, My thread is intended as a place where I shall just be sharing things which I find interesting. People should feel free to agree or disagree, or simply share their own real world insights in relation to whatever is shared. You are free even to rate what I share. But please be polite about it. Mental illness interests me because I suffered a partial mental breakdown 32 years ago, and there was a spiritual dimension to it. I was a young man of 20 years of age and had been a Christian for only a few months. I went to a "church" that wasn't mainstream, and the elders didn't have a clue about how to help me. The leader turned out to be a "loose cannon". He would talk about Jesus Christ and demons, but wasn't a respected Bible teacher. At the time I realized I wasn't safe for my girlfriend to be with, and decided that we should split up. She developed bipolar. Young people have to be handled with great sensitivity and care. Since then I have known some wonderful Christians, including my beloved late wife. Andrea

All, And that's my last word here. If you are interested in reading any future posts from me, go to "my thread". The reason why I am saying this is because fellow members have complained, and as a result I've received 6 warnings. I have been truthful at all times. I have been as respectful as I can be. But apparently that's not been enough. I am a Christian realist. 'Bye for now. Andrea

Ajasatya, You're sincerely seeking, are you? You're thirsty for the Truth? Well you can read about Him here: John 4 : 1 - 26 New International Version Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John — although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you — I am he.” Andrea

Well, that's me finished for today. Goodbye.

Here is some information on gnosticism: https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=IT0003839

Gnostics don't accept the Holy Bible as being the only authoritative written Word of God for humanity. Those who know Jesus Christ do.

As in recognized by the Spirirt-filled elders of the early Christian Church. The "Gospel of Thomas" was written several decades after the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and was found to be incompatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ.