RELIGION:101 PART TEN

Two things that I also wanted to include was a look at Scientology and an overall look at Mary the mother of Jesus. Scientology has been much in the news lately and is growing. Mary is mentioned in most every religion but is held in a different light depending on the religion that you are looking at.

Scientology is comprised exclusively of the teachings of one man: L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard's theories, assumptions, and techniques for practical applications that make up the rituals of Scientology, are sometimes called the "Spiritual Technology," or simply "the Tech."

Hubbard claimed to have discovered certain "natural laws" of the spiritual universe, which he claimed can be used to predict and control behavior and phenomena in a manner similar to the way in which the natural laws codified in the physical sciences can be used to predict and control phenomena in the physical world.

Scientology assumes that spirituality and thought (called "thetan") is an energy existing in its own universe, separate and distinct from the physical universe of Matter, Energy, Space and Time (MEST), and that spirit (thetan) is senior to, and indeed created, the physical universe (MEST).

Each individual person (called a "thetan") is considered to be a "thought unit" of the spiritual universe which interacts with the physical universe (MEST), usually by inhabiting a human body. The Scientology term "thetan" is what has commonly been known as the "spirit" and it is defined in Scientology as the source of life; in the individual, it is recognized as the core of personality or essence of oneself, quite distinct and separate from the physical body or the brain.

Scientology proposes that in its "native state" the spirit/thetan is immortal and god-like and possesses the potentiality of knowing everything, but that in present time its true capabilities have been lost and forgotten. As an immortal entity, the spirit/thetan lives on after body death and is born into a new physical body, again and again, lifetime after lifetime, in an endless cycle of birth and death. As a result of traumatic incidents extending back from the present life through a long series of "past lifetimes" hidden from conscious memory, the spirit/thetan has become trapped in the physical body and the physical/MEST universe.

Content of these traumatic incidents may influence a person's current life, causing physical and mental illnesses, irrational thoughts and acting-out behavior, and limiting one's creativity and other abilities. Scientology claims that these traumatic incidents, along with each spirit/thetan's personal history, are recorded in complete detail on the "time track," sometimes called the "whole track," which for each person is many trillions of years in length. Scientology proposes that through a process called "auditing" that uses techniques developed by Hubbard (often assisted by a device called the E-Meter), an individual can be guided to find and "discharge" these hidden traumas, thus escaping the suffering and limitations imposed by the past.

Further, as one progresses through a series of auditing "levels," one can eventually be restored to native state and can attain the status of "operating thetan," wherein one is free of attachments to the body and, even while "exterior" to (outside) the body, one can consciously control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life. Hubbard's writings and lectures include many tantalizing details of the god-like abilities that may be gained through auditing.

For most individual Scientologists, recovering these god-like abilities (and encouraging and assisting others to do so as well) is the primary goal of participation in Scientology. The "levels" through which a participant progresses make up what is called "The Bridge to Total Freedom." Progress through all the levels of the "Bridge" often takes many years of dedicated study and practice.

According to examples given in Scientology, the content of "whole track" incidents can include (but is not limited to) attempted abortions and other fetal traumas, acts of torture and violence experienced both as victim and as perpetrator, encounters with the Marcab Confederacy and various Invader Forces from spacefaring Galactic civilizations, life on earth as a clam, "implants" of ideas and artificial purposes sometimes administered with a pain-drug-hypnosis combination, and other experiences that almost always include pain and/or confusion and/or unconsciousness.

While many of the traumatic incidents addressed in auditing are unique to the individual, some key incidents are thought to be common to all humans on planet earth. One very important such incident supposedly occurred some 75 million years ago. Scientology warns that until one has completed a series of preparatory steps, exposure to the details of this particular incident can cause severe illness or even death. Thus, these details are carefully guarded and kept secret until, at the level called "Operating Thetan III" the member is deemed properly prepared and is granted permission to view and "audit" this information.

I will finish this up with Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Much has been said about this blessed woman of God. Hopefully I can cover most of the beliefs of some of the churches here.

With the Orthodox she is listed first among the saints, Mary called Theotokos [the birthgiver of God] She was chosen by God and freely cooperated in that choice to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the God-man. They believe that Jesus from the moment of conception was both 100% God and 100% Man. She is called Theotokos as an affirmation of the divinity of the one to whom she gave birth. It is believed that virginity was not compromised in giving birth to God incarnate, that she was not harmed, that she felt no pain, and that she remained forever a virgin. Because of her unique place in salvation history, she is honored above all the other saints and especially venerated for great work that God accomplished through her.

Catholics call her the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, called Theotokos. Mary was a virgin when she gave birth, and remained a virgin her entire life. They believe that Mary was conceived without original sin in order to be a sinless bearer of God incarnate: Jesus Christ. This is known as Immaculate Conception. This sinlessness was accomplished only on account of God’s grace, and not on Mary’s merits.

[The Orthodox also believes that Mary was sinless when bearing Jesus, but the moment of sinless is debated. Both Catholics and Orthodox believe that after Mary completed the course of her earthly life, she was assumed into heaven, similar to the way the great saint Elijah was.]

Mary is the Mother of us and the mother of the Church, and just as Christ is the new Adam, Mary is the new Eve, who obeyed God where Eve disobeyed.

Since she is clearly the mother of the Redeemer, she is clearly the mother of the members of the Church—since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of bringing the birth of believers in the church, who are members of its head.

Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it. The union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to His death. It is made manifest above all at the hour of His Passion. Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood, in keeping with the divine plan, end sacrifice in her mother’s heart, and lovingly consenting to the immolation [sacrifice] of this victim, born to her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying on the cross, as a mother to His disciple, with these words: “Woman, behold your son.”

After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers." In her association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation.

Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death.

She is our Mother in the order of grace By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary realization" (typus) of the Church.

Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.

This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . . . .

Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.

Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it. No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.

All generations will call me blessed: "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to Christian worship. The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and needs. . . .

This very special devotion . . . differs essentially from the adoration which is given to the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration. The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary.

After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way to conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is in her mystery on her own "pilgrimage of faith," and what she will be in the homeland at the end of her journey. There, "in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity," "in the communion of all the saints, the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as Mother of her Lord and as her own mother.

In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim People of God.

By pronouncing her "fiat" at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation, Mary was already collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish. She is mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body.

The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.

We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ.

With the story that has evolved of Mary we will end this part.

We have traveled down a long road, a road that was longer than when we fist started. Now where do we go? We have learned the basics of all these groups, but still what is true and what is false.

Again we go back to the every scripture we gave at first.

God never changes
Hbr 1:8 But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne , O God , [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The only way to God is through His Son Jesus
Jhn 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

We have angels to guide and protect us but even they tell us not to bow down to them.
Psa 91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
Rev 22:8-9 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I feel down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things.
9) Then saith he unto me, see thou do it not; for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev 19:9-10 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, "These are the true sayings of God.
10) And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not; I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

We shall have no other god's before Jesus
Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have on other gods before me.

We are not to take or add to the Word of God
Rev 27:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book
19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

There are other scriptures and in looking at the Word we will show that which is false and that which is true.

We thank you for sticking with us and pray that you will continue to read as this series goes into its second part. Answering the questions that have been raised.

God bless
rECj/LJG