THE GNOSTIC WAY

Iam= Excellent point, I am forever frustrated by people's idea that a friggin book is the 'Word of God.' Even by its own definition it isn't, and I use the very words of the 'scripture' to point that out, but to little avail. No 'ears to hear,' I guess...

Bob= I have always had so much trouble with the regular mainstream 'christian' view of Christ, where God is somehow happy that we butchered his only son, weird, and it never floated with me. Now I understand that it was his life that was to be focus on anyhow, the example he set, and when one goes to all sorts of backend reasonings to justify a horrible murder of a lamb of peace (tho He knew it would happen) and focus so stringintly on His death they seem to skip or forget about His life, His teachings, the example He set....(sigh)

I still think it's important to focus on His suffering in Time, for that is the same problem we have. To paraphrase the "Round Dance of the Cross"-"If you know how to suffer you will know how not to suffer. My passion is the passion of all man...etc."

But in reality (such a funny word) the Christos didn't suffer, only the body of Yeshua did.

Suffering is an illusion as well, wouldn't you say?

I believe suffering is an illusion b/c it is POSSIBLE not to suffer, even under circumstances that seem like suffering is there. One example, is the ability to "hypnotize" oneself to not feel physical pain. This and other examples are proof enough that MIND is truly beyond the suffering of this world.

I do not follow suffering being an illusion. Hows that? I mean look around the world today at the sufferage that is taking place its hardly an illusion...