Eden is a metaphor. Eden is a state of mind. 'Our fall' was buying into the illusion that God would ever reject us. That he does not live in a state of Unconditional Love.
He created us in his likeness, giving us the ability to create and dream anything we wish. But after eating from the tree of knowledge and judging ourselves for it, we have created 'Him' in Our likeness. A demanding God full of Judgement.
The word 'Stigma' comes from ancient Greece, where they would brand anyone who they wanted shunned from society. We do that as individuals too: "Eeeew, I hope that doesn't happen to me" "Oh shame on them!" "You're going to hell, sinners!". In this post [here] we explored how our fears motivate our stressful lifestyles. Here we are exploring how Judgement creates an alienating society.
Does criticism serve us?
Do we have to make something wrong in order to chose what is right?
Do we need to agree on what is bad?
Is punishment effective, or does it just produce a fearful environment?
Are those who 'act out' not in the most need of love and acceptance?
Are they not reflections of a piece of the system that needs repair?
We think if we can force everyone to act the way God wants us to, he will let us back into the garden. But every thing we stigmatize, will rear its ugly head in an act of desperation, as a cry for love. If we didn't think we lived in exile, if we didn't form so many judgements on ourselves and on others, we would not have created such a hostile society.
It is natural to do good if you feel loved and secure. If we could so easily dream the dream that the world is a place of 'sin' and therefore create it. Can we not just as easily dream the dream of utopia and create that?
He created us in his likeness, giving us the ability to create and dream anything we wish. But after eating from the tree of knowledge and judging ourselves for it, we have created 'Him' in Our likeness. A demanding God full of Judgement.
The word 'Stigma' comes from ancient Greece, where they would brand anyone who they wanted shunned from society. We do that as individuals too: "Eeeew, I hope that doesn't happen to me" "Oh shame on them!" "You're going to hell, sinners!". In this post [here] we explored how our fears motivate our stressful lifestyles. Here we are exploring how Judgement creates an alienating society.
Does criticism serve us?
Do we have to make something wrong in order to chose what is right?
Do we need to agree on what is bad?
Is punishment effective, or does it just produce a fearful environment?
Are those who 'act out' not in the most need of love and acceptance?
Are they not reflections of a piece of the system that needs repair?
We think if we can force everyone to act the way God wants us to, he will let us back into the garden. But every thing we stigmatize, will rear its ugly head in an act of desperation, as a cry for love. If we didn't think we lived in exile, if we didn't form so many judgements on ourselves and on others, we would not have created such a hostile society.
It is natural to do good if you feel loved and secure. If we could so easily dream the dream that the world is a place of 'sin' and therefore create it. Can we not just as easily dream the dream of utopia and create that?
Yes - we're in the Garden and we always have been. The "sin" (or the "fall") comes into it when we forget,intentionally or not.
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