I wasn’t saying that reading the Bible and what not wasn’t a valid thing to do. It’s just not going to earn you brownie points and the spirit isn’t more there than it is anywhere else…that’s all.

“But you’re still communing with the HS when you’re doing anything…even if it’s wrong because the spirit is always there.”

When you sin, I think that the Holy Spirit is still in/with you (as I don’t believe that He leaves), but I wouldn’t go as far as to say that you’re communing with him. Just like I can be sitting next to you but not partaking in your conversation… we’re not really relating at that point, but I am still there.

That’s my view, anyway. I do think that we can serve Christ through doing our weekly chores, but I do think that prayer and reading the bible (and going to some sort of “church” – even if that means just discussing things of God) are very valuable to the Christian, and shouldn’t be forsaken.

And you mean to tell me that I’m NOT going to get a bigger mansion than you because I like the KJV? Crap!

I hope you don’t mind if I’ve put a link to your site on my blogroll. I really like your reasoned approach to the subject. For many Christians in the US (but not even all evangelicals) the action of examining beliefs using rationality and logical examination of anything beyond accepting common Biblical interpretation is equivalent to heresy.

Strike a blow for free will. Where would the world of Christian thought be if a young Jesus hadn’t questioned the teachers in the local temple?

My sarcasm is just my sense of humor. I didn’t start this blog to make people happy or change their opinions. If one is easily offended then perhaps one shouldn’t read my blog. I just like making people think. I’m fully aware that I could be wrong.

I also think there’s many ways to worship as Jill stated. And I don’t disagree with Dana’s striving to grow in her relationship or her spirituality.

Leanne, you will have to be patient. I can’t let all my secrets out right away ha ha ha

I guess I’ll just say this. Just because the spirit is amongst something doesn’t make that one thing good. But you’re still communing with the HS when you’re doing anything…even if it’s wrong because the spirit is always there.

I know if I start arguing philosophical semantics and biblical “truths,” you’ll probably roll your eyes, so I will spare you the nuanced nonsense. It is good to see that you are willing to challenge your previous beliefs; honest inquiry is the only way of finding the reality behind the curtain.

One piece of advice (you know I had to say something critical, right?): don’t eat up everything the Nexus gang says without doing your own research. I think you can find some excellent spiritual and psychological truths within that sort of group, despite their lack of historical knowledge. The one teacher has his history degree in modern history, the other in psychology – neither knows anything about historical gnosticism.

All I am saying – don’t slam gnostics until you read… gnostics. Christianity has been dualistic since its conception, as does any religion coming from Middle eastern roots. Gnostic Christianity was actually more holistic, for many of them believed in the merging of the secular and the sacred, whereas it was the “orthodox/centrist/Pauline” church that called for the stricter dualism of sacred and secular. I leave you with saying 3 of the gnostic gospel of Thomas:

Jesus said, If those who lead you say to you, ‘See the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you do not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty.”