people, just like the electric chair at present. Nobody in their sound
mind would have thought of adopting a cross as a symbol of their
faith, just as now nobody would think to wear an electric chair on a
pendant if Jesus had incarnated at present and had been executed in
the electric chair.
Well all this that you say seems to me quite strong for Catholic or other
Christian believers to take on board.
Perhaps, but it is the truth and what we intend here is that people
open their eyes to spiritual reality. Bear in mind that the mission of Jesus
on Earth was to indicate the path to spiritual evolution. The religious
institutions of that era had been impeding the spiritual progress of
people for some time, with a load of superstitions and lies, putting fear
into people and using God's name to satisfy their yearnings for wealth
and power. They had a complex system of rituals to distract people
and above all submit them to their will, to take their money from them
and to live lavishly at their cost. And as Jesus showed them up, they
killed him. That Jewish "Church" was very similar to the contemporary
Christian Church, living at the expense of the figure of Jesus and
manipulating his message, and with their methods impeding the
spiritual progress of humanity. Now is the time to put things in their
place.
All these allegations against rituals are all very well, but for a Christian,
what is not taken from the Bible...
Well in that case review chapter 12:28-34 of Saint Mark's Gospel, where
more or less this same message is taken:
" One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of
all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most
important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our
God, the Lord is one. Love the lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The
second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no
commandment greater than these." “Well said, teacher,” the man
replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other
but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding,
and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is
more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw