不只是人類,每樣東西都是那稱為生命的「歷程」。這樣的觀念將改變你和每樣東西的關係。現在,每樣東西都是一個東西,而這一個東西(One Thing)就稱為神。這並不是什麼新觀念、新思維或「新時代」的觀念。你們許多科學家和哲學家幾世紀以來,都一直在這樣說。事實上,這觀念是一個科學、哲學與宗教相遇的交叉路口...:
聽神談人類【科學、哲學與宗教將一致認同的觀念】
神並非一個單一的超級生命體,而是個稱為生命的非凡特殊歷程。(God is not a singular Super Being, but the extraordinary process called Life.)
尼爾:這論點非同小可。在我們的神學架構裡,這是個很大的改變。對某些人而言,這是一個重大的轉變。對另一些人而 言,這是一種褻瀆。
然而,這份「你們對神的看法和了解」之方式的轉變,能夠拯救世界 (this shift in the way you view and understand God can save the world)。它能夠維護你們在地 球上的生命和生活的方式(preserve your way of life)。
過去在人類,大多數信神的人,認為神是一個超級生命體,那容許他們在他們心裡創造一個像人類一樣的神。換言之,一個更大版本的他們自己。
以這樣的方式想像,並以這樣的方式建構神,他們以人的形象和模樣創造了神───那正好跟「他們所說的神」做出的事背道而馳。
許多人說,神告訴世界,神以神的形象和模樣創造人類。當然,如果你想像神只是一個更大、更壯觀、更具力量的版本的人類,認為神是個超級生命體,或說是你們的一個超級版本,那你之所以是你現在的樣子───儘管不完美───對你而言就很合理了。
但,如果我現在告訴你,神根本不是個超級生命體 ,只是一個稱為生命的「歷程」,你們「堆滿蘋果之手推車似的神學」便會整個被打翻。突然間,不只是以神的形象和模樣創造的人類,每樣東西也都是那稱為生命的「歷程」。這改變了你和每樣東西的關係。現在,每樣東西都是一個東西,而這一個東西(One Thing)就稱為神。
這並不是個新觀念。這並非「新思維」或「新時代」的觀念。你們許多科學家和哲學家幾世紀以來,都一直在這樣說。事實上,這觀念是個科學、哲學與宗教相遇的交叉路口。跨越這個交會點後,三者往各自的方向前進,繼續發展它們自己的路,但如果它們忘記或忽視它們曾在這觀念交會的事實,那麼它們將會有危險!它們的學科(disciplines)會因為它們的教導不完整,而變得無用。
新靈性並沒有忽視這觀念的交叉路口,反而是明確地站在叉路中間。
當這「新靈性」廣被採納時,無疑地,將改變世界。它能拯救世界免於自我毀滅。
因為,如果人類認為他們是在「對他們自己」做這些事的話,那麼,人類就再也不會對地球做些他們現在正在做的事,更不會去做他們對彼此做出的一些事了。
因為,「自我維護」的意識會開始運作。你們固有的細胞密碼───存活───會立刻排除這種行為。你們會本能地排斥那樣的行為。
摘自《重新定義神》第5章
Tomorrow's God is not a singular Super Being, but the extraordinary process called Life.
Neale: This is not a small thing here. This is not an insignificant change in our theological constructions. For some, this is a major shift. For some, this is blasphemy.
Yet this shift in the way you view and understand God can save the world. It can preserve your way of life.
On humanity's yesterdays most people who believed in God thought of God as a Super Being, which allowed them to create a God in their mind who is like a person. In other words, a Bigger Version of themselves.
In thinking this way and constructing God in this way, they created God in the image and likeness of humans—which is exactly the opposite of what they said that God did.
Many humans say that God has told the world that God created humans in the image and likeness of God. And, of course, if you imagine God to be simply a larger, more magnificent, more powerful version of humans, it makes sense to you that you are the way you are—albeit imperfect—and that God is a Super Being, or a Super Version of you.
But if I tell you now that God is not a Super Being at all, but the process called Life, your theological apple cart is turned upside down. Suddenly, not only is humanity the image and likeness of God, everything else is as well. This changes your relationship with all things. Now, everything is one thing, and that One Thing is called God.
This is not a new idea. This is not "New Thought" or "New Age." Many of your scientists and philosophers have been saying this for centuries. In fact, this is the crossroad where science, philosophy, and religion meet. Each may continue beyond this crossroad, taking once again their individual direction, but if they forget or ignore the fact that they have intersected here, they do so at their peril. Their disciplines become useless, for they are incomplete.
The New Spirituality does not ignore this crossroad, but stands squarely in the middle of it.
That this New Spirituality, widely adopted, would change the world, there is no doubt. It could save the world from self- destruction.
Because human beings would never do the things they are now doing to the earth, much less the things they are doing to each other, if they thought they were doing all these things to themselves.
Exactly. Self-preservation would kick in. Your built-in cellular encoding— survival—would immediately preclude such behavior. You would instinctively repel from it.