And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
-Mark 15:38
When we think of Christianity ideas of dogmatic practices and mega-churches come to mind. We see this billion dollar industry living tax free in America. Stereotypical visions of prosperity preachers passing collection plates come to mind. A few may picture evangelicals who angrily shout and wave Bibles in the faces of people at gay rights parades but the result is still the same. Christianity has been branded in the worst possible ways.
In many ways this reputation is well earned. Furthermore, entire congregations wear this sort of label like it’s a symbol of prestige. Ancient Greek fabrications of Hades have been reshaped and made into a blanket term know known as Satan to blame the decline in congregations. The more crafty types have adopted the model of the persecuted Christian willing to be stoned to death for the faith. Never mind the crusades, inquisitions, witch trials, and the churches involvement with the transatlantic slave trade.
Of course, all of the aforementioned stereotypes have absolutely nothing to do with what Yeshua taught. My guy tossed over money changers tables and chased salesmen away from the Temple in a burst of anger. (special shoutout to the churches who have the Starbucks inside them) These types of people seem to want to be seen as Christians rather than actually following Yeshua’s guidance.
Sadly, modern prosperity preachers are the modern versions of Sadducees- the wealthy upper class who participated in Temple life. Evangelicals are more political in nature and have more in common with a little known group called the Sikarim- these were zealots who got angry at fellow Jews who didn’t want to oppose Roman rule. (think of preachers who scream “GET OUT DEMON!’ at any Democrat who may be in the congregation)
You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
-Matthew 12:37
Hatred and greed produce more hatred and greed. Screaming at people we don’t agree with isn’t living in love. When one isn’t living in love then they’re not living anything like Yeshua. To think it only took a few hundred years to take Yeshua’s helakhah- a manner of living that internalizes love and justice in our daily lives- to become a bastardized love child of Hellenistic ideologies. (i’ll cover that topic thoroughly over time)
Christianity was never meant to exist. Yeshua didn’t come to gift the globe with another religion. He came to teach us how to live in a manner that will help us understand how our inner dialogue can be shifted to change the way we view the world we live in. It was pure mysticism. Yet somehow a few mistranslations led to an apocalyptic vision pushing fear on a population based on the Roman model of dictatorship.
Even then, the truth made its way through all of that political posturing and deception. The veil in the Temple was torn in two. The separation between the Holy of Holies and humanity was ripped away.
NOTHING separates of G-D.
Mystical Mindstate 