All Posts Tagged ‘Gospel of Thomas

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Thought/Thinking involves (and is) Measurement

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The thinking process is largely based on (and dependent upon) measurement. Without measuring, consciously or unconsciously, thinking (for the most part) would not exist. We have concepts about time — like the past, present, and future — and these aspects of thinking are learned measurements, (and may not necessarily reflect true reality). We have mental labels for certain animals and plants, and these mental labels are largely based on measurements and measure-oriented attributes about the animals and plants. Sometimes measurement is necessary but all too often we engage in it in excess (which results in comparison, greed, jealousy, conflict, frustration, judgment, and discrimination).

Real bliss in life, however, occurs beyond mere measuring and labeling. Measuring and labeling are always partial, limited, and fragmented. A brain that mostly just measures and labels is likely a rather robotic brain that is not of a blissful whole.

The following is one of the many koan-like sayings that occur within the Gospel of Thomas. Some top biblical scholars say that this gospel — which was banned by the so-called high priests who were controlled by the Roman Empire — was closer to the historical Christ and is more pristine than the other politically endorsed gospels. One is not necessarily positing that the following saying means anything specific, but it does pertain to going beyond measurement. (Assessing weight is measurement.)

Jesus said, “The father’s kingdom is like a woman
who was carrying a jar full of meal.
While she was walking along a distant road,
the handle of the jar broke
and the meal spilled behind her along the road.
She did not know it.
She noticed no problem.
When she reached her house she put the jar down
and found it empty.”

Soaking sun … Photo by Thomas Peace c. 2022
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Merry Christmas!

3 comments

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Perhaps real spirituality is not found — locked up in confinement — in temples, where masses of people often worship self-created images, but is found when one understands oneself alone, such as when one is out in nature (without deception, without fabrication, without endless, internal chattering, and without a bunch of pretense).

After the death of the historical Christ, there were many Gospels and bibles about Jesus that different groups of people cherished and felt were legitimate.  Many years after the death of the historical Christ, The Gospel of Thomas — which many of the world’s top (current) Biblical Scholars feel was written before the standard four — was declared heretical by the high priests who catered to Rome’s Emperor Constantine… no doubt largely because it called for finding God for oneself and not by following others (such as priests, leaders, and gurus).  Some top scholars even feel that the Gospel of John was written as a rebuttal against the Gospel of Thomas.  (Jesus was initially an ardent follower of John the Baptist, who advocated finding God far from the temples, out in nature; John was terminated by the authorities.)  From the early Greek version of the Gospel of Thomas found at the ancient Oxyrhynchus site:

Jesus said, “Where there are three, they are without God.  And where there is only one, I say, I am with him.  Lift up the stone and you will find me there.  Split a piece of wood and I am there.”

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[The Christmas ornaments are on the left.  One of Santa’s reindeer is on the right.]

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  Photo by Thomas Peace 2014

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Photo by Thomas Peace 2014