Eckhart Tolle Quotes Jesus on the Cross

During his online class with Oprah reviewing chapter 5 of his book A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle quoted Jesus concerning forgiveness and unconsciousness among people who are spiritually wayward.

Tolle: "Jesus on the cross said it all when He says, 'Forgive them for they know not what they do.' Which means they are unconscious. So when you realize that you naturally forgive."

Tolle mentions a unique insight when referring to the words of Christ. Jesus could see that the people were being influenced and governed by a spirit other than God's Holy Spirit. Therefore Jesus could see beyond their dysfunction and immorality. Christ knew they were not being led by the Holy Spirit, but were driven by evil spirits and self-willed agendas to fulfill their own lusts (or the lusts of the spirits driving them).

God who is love certainly doesn't give man a spirit to kill innocent human beings, as did the Romans and Jews who slayed Christ.

Jesus said of the devil, "He was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44). The Lord Jesus recognized what spirit people were of and being led by often.

Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44).

Jesus even rebuked His own disciples on one occasion when they thought to kill and take vengeance into their own hands.

Read more »

Posted in: Quotes,Religion

Religion In Peru

Peru's principal religion is Roman Catholicism, as with many other Latin American nations. It is the official state religion and has been exerting influence on affairs of the state and daily administration for the past 400 years. Most church activities and clergy are centered in and around Lima, which is the state capital.

Most of the official functions of the state are incorporated into the rites of the church. The investiture of the president begins with high mass in the cathedral, followed by Holy Week events and then the celebration of major Peruvian saints' days and festivals, like Santa Rosa de Lima.

Historically, the policies of the Church have been considered very conservative and high handed in their dealings with the native Quechua and Aymara people. It was only in the fifties that this policy was substantially changed with many foreign priests coming into the clergy. This resulted in the materialization of a powerfully populist and social activist theme among several of the clergy with many priests and nuns working to lend a hand to the poor.

As the dominant religion ruling over a group of people that uphold their strong native cultural traditions, Roman Catholicism is intricately mixed with the features of Incaic thinking and following. The native inhabitants hold firm animistic concepts about the spirits and forces that are present in natural settings. The Incas and other Andean people venerated the inti (sun), the pacha mama (earth mother), and other gods. In converting the people to Catholicism, the Spaniards followed a purposeful tactic of syncretism where in they replaced Christian saints for local deities and often used existing temple location as the setting of churches.

Read more »

Posted in: Religion