July 29, 2009
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Simple Innocence
I'm sure Jesus has a sense of humor. Today I was talking with my friend, collaborator and Xanga-fellow in Holland, Annelies, about a new comedy show about Jesus starting on the Dutch Evangelical TV network, EO. The host of the show Arie Boomsma, had apparently just been given a three month leave of absence, by the same network for posing (partially) in the buff for some kind of fashion magazine, but then he was brought back. The outgoing president of said network (EO) had said that the only thing to do would be "to pray for Arie, and for the network." Perhaps I should send him a postcard with Logion 37 from the Thomas Gospel which reads as follows:
When you take your clothes off without guilt, and you put them under your feet like little children and trample them, then you will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid. (PGoTh, Logion 37)This is the essence of what the teaching of Jesus is all about, for naturally all feelings of shame and guilt are related to a feeling of inadequacy that goes along with our choice for the ego thought system, and our mistaken identification with the false ego self, with the roles we play in the world, father, mother, husband, employee, employer, bum, bumette, etc. none of which represent who we truly are. Of course we would be full of shame and guilt while we are trying to be someone whom we are not. Therefore when we truly practice quantum forgiveness as Jesus teaches in the Course, we regain that childlike innocence, in which no pretense that we are somebody is further necessary, we can just be ourselves, children of one father, who made a mistake and lost the way home, and are now finding it back in total innocence. By then we are on the path of realizing that truly my brother's interests and mine are completely the same, because we're all looking for the way home. By definition if we regain that innocence, not out of recklessness, but because we cleaned the Augias stables of our mind, we are in inner peace, and without care or worry, just like the image that is evoked by Logion 37.
And now for the premise of the show. The premise of the show will be to ask a number of non-religious stand-up comedians to play out their own version of Jesus, and in preparation they will be given a Bible, and an Ipod version of the Gospel according to Mark. They will be left completely free otherwise. The title of the show is: A Man Walks on Water. Interesting.
If you want to check it out for yourself... The magazine he posed was a special issue for men, titled L'Homo, and the tone of the publication was for men in general, be it heterosexual or homosexual. So there is also an undertone of confronting that issue, and Arie, though being heterosexual himself (he's about to get married in California this year), clearly feels that God loves us all, whatever our preferences. Very interesting.
What do you think?
Comments (7)
Interesting.
I don't think God would be offended by nudity.
ENDI: "we all go to hell'...
I couldn't help but think of what Jan Willem Kaiser says about nakedness: "And because of that [our choice for ego, I suppose], we go about in a great variety of dress here, but when God calls us, we know ourselves Naked, and we are ashamed of our Nakedness, as we are estranged from it." (from your translation of his wonderful The Wisdom of Fairy Tales)
Speaking of shame, J in the Course tells us that the prodigal son "was ashamed to return to his father, because he thought he had hurt him." (ACIM T-8.VI.4:2)
Interesting.
from Lenore
@elalight - Thanks so much, and for the sake of other readers I merely want to add that Wisdom of Fairy Tales, is not now available in print, but is in preparation for a future publication.
That's actually seems like a really good idea. I like his thoughts on God loving us no matter our preference. Though many people would disagree, I feel that's the way it should be. What's with all the hate you know?
@RogierFvV -
I look forward to Fairy Tales.…Oh, and I think your story about Arie Bloomsma and the outgoing prez of EO and your idea about sending Logion 37 on a postcard is hilarious! Loved it!!—I think J would enjoy it, too, from what I hear.
The EO comedians need to get hold of Logion 37, as it alone lends itself to a bit of humorous fun, and I’m sure they’d have a hay day with it! Would make a good contest—to see who could come up with the best joke about it. I can almost hear a rendition already.
Oh! (enough enough)
******