Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

What is Christian meditation of self-emptying? Can you give an example?

Examples are provided here : Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

​

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

I bet Christian meditation of self-emptying starts out with concentrating on your breathing...

No, it does not.

Explanation of Christian meditation of self-emptying is provided here : Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

 

[Gordon]

It might be so for some people, and this is precisely the reason why we have the early Christian meditation of self-emptying:

" Richard Rohr, as a Catholic priest and Franciscan monk, will offer a concise history of how Western Christianity once had, soon lost, tried to retrieve, and now is roundly rediscovering its own traditional understanding of unitive consciousness (Non-Duality) via the early Christian meditation of self-emptying. The Christian contemplative mind was usually a subtext, and yet it was always clearly there too, and much closer to the surface, but only for those exposed to the mystical base that was revealed in the Gospel of John, the Desert Fathers, and what was generally referred to as the apophatic or wisdom stream of Christianity. These had been our many saints and mystics. This possibility was brought to the fore by Thomas Merton in the middle of the last century, and is now flowing in many positive directions. It is now our task to rediscover the early Christianity that revelled in “the cloud of unknowing”, and the very notion of deep Mystery itself. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His teachings are grounded in the Franciscan practices of Christian meditation of self-emptying."

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God is coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you.” — Luke 17:20–21​

Christian mystical Non-Duality means that we have never been separated from God, because the kingdom of God has always been deep within us. We have been children of God all along, and forever after, and God will never disown us, despite naturally being, like a loving mother, compassionately angry with us whenever we happen to harm ourselves with our sins, and threatening us with eternal Hell to sober us up. Because, being spiritually immature, we all, in essence, live lives of the prodigal son (or daughter) from the Biblical parable, God being a stern, but loving and forgiving Father, has been kindly allowing us to keep reincarnating for as long as we need in order to purify our mind by spiritually growing in our unconditional Love for all living creatures, including all the Buddhists, because Christ urged us to love even our enemies. For in God’s Heaven, there is only Divine Love and perfect harmony, all revelling in the Non-Dual divine Glory of God’s Holy Light.​

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • " Richard Rohr, as a Catholic priest and Franciscan monk, in his long-awaited book explores what it means that Jesus was called “Christ,” and how this forgotten truth can restore hope and meaning to our lives. In his decades as a globally recognized teacher, Richard Rohr has helped millions realize what is at stake in matters of faith and spirituality. Yet Rohr has never written on the most perennially talked about topic in Christianity: Jesus. Most know who Jesus was, but who was Christ? Too often, Rohr writes, our understandings have been limited by culture, religious debate, and the human tendency to put one’s self at the center. Drawing on scripture, history, and spiritual practice, Rohr articulates a transformative view of Jesus Christ as a portrait of God’s constant, unfolding work in the world. Jesus’ life was meant to declare that humanity has never been separate from God. When we recover this fundamental truth, faith becomes less about proving Jesus was God, and more about learning to recognize God’s presence all around us, and in everyone we meet. Thought-provoking, practical, and full of deep hope and vision, The Universal Christ is a landmark book from one of our most beloved spiritual writers, and an invitation to contemplate how God loves and liberates all that exist, including all the Buddhists."​

I'm reading your inserts as if they remain a contract that can be deciphered and it tells me the nature of your practice. It appears that Jesus does not need to be sought as Savior as the only way to the Father, because god is within all of us? Your language is replete with the word "mystical" which has its own eastern connotation. Proof something is wrong is when reference is made to a universal Christ that will liberate even the Buddhist. I've been down this road before as I have explained, but I would add one more thing to my warning. Silent prayer is not a biblical principle. The principle of prayer in the Bible amounts to ask, seek and knock which amounts to making a lot of noise before the thrown beginning with HELP ME JESUS! What you are sharing is the work of another god and spirit, which I was once familiar with. So from experience I say leave this behind, start over with God and rededicate your life to Jesus alone.

 

[TonyChanYT]

Examples are provided here : Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

​

Thanks for the references. To save the effort of readers, this is how to do referencing in a scholarly manner:

1. Give the source/citation.
2. Provide the URL link to the source if available.
3. Indent the quoted text.
4. Bold the relevant keywords that are important to the point that you are making.
5. Be concise and to the point.

This is what I do for others who read my posts. It is a standard high-school scholarship. If you practice this, I guarantee you: it will improve your analytical thinking. In any case, no one is required to do it here.

 

[Mr E]

Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

Richard Rohr, as a Catholic priest and Franciscan monk, will offer a concise history of how Western Christianity once had, soon lost, tried to retrieve, and now is roundly rediscovering its own traditional understanding of unitive consciousness (Non-Duality) via the early Christian meditation of self-emptying. The Christian contemplative mind was usually a subtext, and yet it was always clearly there too, and much closer to the surface, but only for those exposed to the mystical base that was revealed in the Gospel of John, the Desert Fathers, and what was generally referred to as the apophatic or wisdom stream of Christianity. These had been our many saints and mystics. This possibility was brought to the fore by Thomas Merton in the middle of the last century, and is now flowing in many positive directions. It is now our task to rediscover the early Christianity that revelled in “the cloud of unknowing”, and the very notion of deep Mystery itself. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His teachings are grounded in the Franciscan practices of Christian meditation of self-emptying:

https://quantumantigravity.wordpress.com/4Dave

Lest anyone be impressed.....

Doctor Manhattan (real name Jonathan "Jon" Osterman) was a nuclear physicist transformed into a godlike being by a radioactive particle test. Cold, distant, and easily distracted, he was instrumental in Ozymandias' prevention of nuclear war, and altered the timeline of Prime Earth as part of his experiments.

 

[Cassandra]

He is just cutting and pasting. There is no explanation, save what he copies from the website.

 

[Mr E]

He is just cutting and pasting. There is no explanation, save what he copies from the website.

He's adopted the persona of a comic book character. Respond accordingly, if at all.

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

Doctor Manhattan (real name Jonathan "Jon" Osterman) is a nuclear physicist transformed into a godlike being by a radioactive particle test.

The above is an inaccurate and malicious gossip about me being spread on the internet by demon-possessed atheists and satanists.

And the truth is that due to my Christian meditation of self-emptying I have been transformed into a Christian mystic, and I praise our Lord Christ Jesus. AMEN.

 

[TonyChanYT]

The above is an inaccurate and malicious gossip about me being spread on the internet by demon-possessed atheists and satanists.

Did you not approve of people's making accusations without proof?

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

He's adopted the persona of a comic book character. Respond accordingly, if at all.

And you, Mr E, have adopted a magical persona of a speaking white horse!

 

[Mr E]

The above is an inaccurate and malicious gossip about me being spread on the internet by demon-possessed atheists and satanists.

And the truth is that due to my Christian meditation of self-emptying I have been transformed into a Christian mystic, and I praise our Lord Christ Jesus. AMEN.

Does your mom know you are on the computer? Go outside and get some fresh air.

 

[amigo de christo]

Who are they ?

If you can count each individual number of the sands of grain on a beach then feel free to ask that question again .
In other words neither you nor i nor any has the time to make that list , let alone to count it .
a general summation however is easily seen . You see in truth there are only truly two religions
ONE IS OF GOD and would adhere to the love of HIS every word , the other , yes the other
though it can often quoate his words , TWISTS THEM to serve the god of the mirror .
I suppose to generalize the THEY , THEY is really an entity that is portraying itself as THE ENTITY . AKA
the god who desires to be AS GOD . and boy does he work through the flesh of man .
BOUT TIME WE BIBLED UP my friend . Learned GOD and HIS CHRIST FOR OURSELVES .
cause the they , which are the many , are under the influence of the he who desires to be as GOD
That god is a flesh feeder . and those who loveth the desire and recongnition of men , GONNA SIT UNDER that one .
IT can speak truths so beware it . IT has been even since the days wherein man was first put into the garden .
It can quoate the bible better than any thing ever created , but beware it , beware it .
Rather let us learn THE BIBLE and TRUST IN THAT GOD

 

[amigo de christo]

I bet it starts out with concentrating on your breathing...

IT DO . it starts out with breathing and or focusing on an object .
visualizing something , speaking something . AS THOUGH GOD HIMSELF dont already KNOW what we have need of .
THAT IS HOW I KNEW IT WAS FALSE . right from the beginning i knew it was false .
Cause JESUS himself , when speaking about our needs , TOLD US NOT TO PRAY as do the heathen
for they THINK they gonna be heard for their many words . GOD ALREADYKNOWS what we NEED sister .
we dont need beads , we dont need breathing , we dont need many words , we dont need circles
we dont need to try and do anything TO MAKE GOD HEAR US , TO ETC
BUT THIS IS THE BACKBONE OF NEW AGE and of the GOD OF SELF .
The truth is , i am so fully persauded that GOD HIMSELF knows what i need FAR MORE than i even could THINK I might know what i need
That GOD HIMSELF is so far ahead of me , THAT HE ALONE will know what i needed ten months from now
and i myself dont even know about TODAY . I SAY WE TRUST IN GOD , and if we THINK we have need
THEN GO TO HIM in prayer . IF we dont get what we thought we needed then rest easy , ITS CAUSE HE KNEW
what we needed . Man can often slip and think IF I Had this or that i would be better off
WHEN IN TRUTH IF WE HAVE GOD CHRIST , we GOT ALL WE NEED . He will GIVE US what HE KNOWS is best for us
and When HE STRIPS from us , AS HE DID JOB , let us learn to take that patiently too . CAUSE GOD
is simply DOING what HE , not us , BUT WHAT HE KNOWS is best for us and that which will DIRECT US TO WHO EXACTLY
we needed IN THE FIRST PLACE . TRUSTING IN GOD ALONE in CHRIST ALONE . that IS WHAT IS BEST FOR US .
THOUGH the flesh be contrary , though man might think , I SAY TRUST IN GOD and let us learn the bible .

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

Does your mom know you are on the computer? Go outside and get some fresh air.

Does your animal mare-mom know that you are horsing around on the internet, White Horse?

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

I sure don't know why Fathers Main's input is important here.

Am I supposed to say, "Oh, OK".

If this was a true deal, God would've had it written about it in the Bible.
No one is limiting God. But we are not putting words in His mouth, either.

And the New York Times Bestseller? Is that supposed to be the definitive thing?

Dear Cassandra,

Thank you very much for your serious and important questions.
Much appreciated.

I do not suppose what you are supposed to say.
You are responsible for yourself, and for your own Salvation.
I am not here to tell you what to think, nor what to do.
You are free to say whatever you like, and so am I.

" If this was a true deal, God would've had it written about it in the Bible."

Christianity did not end with the Old Testament,
and neither it ended with the New Testament.

Christ's ascension to Heaven was not the end of Christianity either. Quite to the contrary. Christ's ascension was just the beginning of Christianity, and Christianity will be unfolding and growing, being guided by the Holy Spirit, until the Second Coming of Christ, and beyond it, in Heaven for eternity.

Most importantly, Cassandra, in the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks to his disciples of his continuing presence following his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension:

" I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you will also live. I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and also remind you of all that I have said to you."

" I sure don't know why Father Main's input is important here."

Well, nobody here knows everything.
For me, and for tens of thousands of Christians around the world, who compose the body of the World Community for Christian Meditation, Father Main's input is much more important than your humble input here.

" And the New York Times Bestseller? Is that supposed to be a definitive thing?"

In principle, no New York Times bestseller could possibly ever be a definitive thing, in any sense of the word. And no sane Christian would ever replace the Holy Bible even with the all-time Number One bestseller from the New York Times Bestseller List, of course.

This bestseller, however, was written by Father Richard Rohr, a Catholic priest and a Franciscan monk, for Christians. I do realize that just because one million Christians happened to agree with Father Richard Rohr, it does not logically follow that they all must be correct.

And neither it logically follows that they all must have been deceived by the Devil.

If you prefer to prudently and safely limit yourself just to the Holy Bible, nobody will blame you, of course. Just keep in mind, please, that your valid self-imposed limits don't need to necessarily be the limits of the entire Truth.

Cassandra, I want you to know how much I do appreciate your noble intent to prevent others from going to Hell. You are not alone, because in addition to you, there is also God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God's Angels, who all keep their watchful eyes on all of us, sinners. AMEN, sister.

 

[Mr E]

 

[SavedInHim]

Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

Richard Rohr, as a Catholic priest and Franciscan monk, will offer a concise history of how Western Christianity once had, soon lost, tried to retrieve, and now is roundly rediscovering its own traditional understanding of unitive consciousness (Non-Duality) via the early Christian meditation of self-emptying. The Christian contemplative mind was usually a subtext, and yet it was always clearly there too, and much closer to the surface, but only for those exposed to the mystical base that was revealed in the Gospel of John, the Desert Fathers, and what was generally referred to as the apophatic or wisdom stream of Christianity. These had been our many saints and mystics. This possibility was brought to the fore by Thomas Merton in the middle of the last century, and is now flowing in many positive directions. It is now our task to rediscover the early Christianity that revelled in “the cloud of unknowing”, and the very notion of deep Mystery itself. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CBarcode) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His teachings are grounded in the Franciscan practices of Christian meditation of self-emptying:

https://quantumantigravity.wordpress.com/4Dave

All you had to say was Richard Rohr. Anything that guy's associated with should be avoided like the plague by disciples of Jesus.

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

Cassandra said: I bet it starts out with concentrating on your breathing...

IT DOES . it starts out with breathing and or focusing on an object .
visualizing something , speaking something .

No, it does not.

Explanation of Christian meditation of self-emptying is provided here : Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog

But, is breathing unnatural, un-Christian, non-Biblical, evil and satanic, perhaps?

Jesus had never been breathing ?

Did God not blow His breath into Adam to give him life?

Is concentrating on one's breathing a sin?

 

[TonyChanYT]

Father Main's input is much more important than your humble input here.

Right. So how do you discern the Father's input? How often do you read the Bible? How often do you pray out loud? When you habitually make accusations with no proof, are they your Father's input?

 

[Dr. Jonathan Österman]

All you had to say was Richard Rohr. Anything that guy's associated with should be avoided like the plague by disciples of Jesus.

All I had to say is here : Christian Meditation and Interfaith Dialog, which you didn't even bother to read.

And what Father Richard Rohr, a Catholic priest and a Franciscan monk, stands for is exactly the same Christian meditation that is being promoted by the World Community for Christian Meditation.