Adult Spirituality Group notes, 10/16/11

With love, respect, and hope, Jesus repeatedly inquires of his followers, “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20; Matthew 16:15) At some point along our faith journey, Jesus turns to each one of us as well, and asks us this same question. “Who do you say that I am?” (p. 13)

And so we responded:

Charles – Jesus was a humanization of God so people could relate, to make humans in God the focus.

Rose – What’s the difference between Jesus and humankind? I see Jesus as a mentor, showing people how to live. Jesus was fully human and divine. I give my all to work. How much energy at the end of the day do I have to ponder who I am?

Bob – We, in Western society, can’t help but anthropomorphosize ourselves.

Day – It’s an identity question. Are we the body & our set of relationships? What are our potentials and potencies? I’ve been reading about the concept of divinity in humans. Check out “The Spark of God lives within the Heart - http://ebookbrowse.com/guidance-the-spark-of-god-lives-within-the-heart-pdf-d54467180.

Pastor Dan – The kingdom of God lives within. God is everywhere. The Dalai Lama, Bishop Tutu, and Mother Theresa cleanly see divine reality everywhere.

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Bob – E.g., Mother Theresa says that Jesus’ pronouncement to seekers of the divine to give up our material wealth truly means to give up the veil of our egos.

Charles – It’s important to understand our use of the word “ego”. As we use it, “ego” is actually “Id”. The id comprises the unorganized part of the personality structure that contains the basic drives. The id acts according to the "pleasure principle", seeking to avoid pain or displeasure aroused by increases in instinctual tension.^[2] Ego is trying to make reality fit us. Instead, God wants us to serve others as a vessel of the divine reality.

Bob – People learn separation over time to survive in the world.

Charles – The ego helps us relate to the world. Jesus wasn’t appealing to the ego, but to the reality of our divine source.

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For Next Week (10/23): Reread Chapter 2, as we only got through a few questions.