Dec 13
21
How Can I Know I’m Right With God? 2
One Reason That Goal Setting May Be Dangerous.
My goal is to become a shark rider.
When we set a goal, an intention …and it keeps us from reaching our potential, because it is not aligned with our purpose for being in this physical manifestation …then, from that one perspective, it could be considered dangerous, could it not?
I mean, imagine going through all the rigmarole of learning the various highly touted goal-setting programs or methods and I finally set some goals that seem appropriate for me, only to become aware later that all the goals I have so carefully written down or put onto a “vision board,” or whatever, have actually taken me in a direction that is contrary to where I really want be and, therefore, could we not say that setting such goals are worse than merely a waste of time?
Further, imagine that I have also applied some well-tested time management techniques that will help me overcome my tendency to procrastinate, you know, such as putting off one of the important “action steps” I had specified as a means to reach a goal that I now realize was bogus in the first place.
Following your goals may seem like a good idea.
By looking at goal-setting from this perspective we can easily begin to see how a goal can cloud our vision for whatever is our ultimate purpose and destiny.
The point is obvious – without a clear vision for what my purpose is in life and my ultimate destiny, goal setting can be …well dangerous.
Now then, what is the purpose for going through all this – and why, you ask, is there such a proliferation of goal-setting programs and seminars recently by a rapidly growing number of self-pronounced, albeit certified, “Life Coaches?” Certified by whom, pray tell?
Surely you remember the old story about a frog getting ready to cross a river which was quickly becoming swollen towards flood stage from a storm.
A scorpion sidled up to the frog, “Hey buddy,” it said, in a tone it had manufactured to sound as harmless and friendly as possible, “any chance for a ride across to the other side?”
“Not a chance,” the frog immediately retorted, “We’d get half way across and you’d sting me.”
“Now, be reasonable,” sez the scorpion, continuing in as soothing a voice as it could muster, “if I did that, I‘d drown – that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, does it? You’ve got a reputation for being kind and generous; please help me out, okay?”
It did make sense to the frog and, after all, it had determined long ago that giving strangers a helping hand was the proper thing to do. “Okay, get on my back it croaked,” then paused and said, “Now, you promise you’re not going to sting me, right?”
“You don’t have a thing to worry about, buddy,” said the scorpion soothingly, “I want to get across to the other side, and I really appreciate your help.”
Who's riding on your back?
As you remember, half way across the river the scorpion stung the frog… just as they both were going under, the frog with its last breath gasped, “You promised not to do that …why?”
“Just because that’s what scorpions do,” replied the scorpion, just prior to going under.
In other words, that’s just what “Life Coaches” do to earn their money …helping people focus on goals and action plans. Is it fair to label all “Life Coaches,” with certification or no, as scorpions?
Of course not, the first time I remember telling that old tired joke was in reference to some advice a couple, who operated a small business, had received from their accountant; advice which sounded wise and was certainly conservative, but was also obviously contrary to the stated mission and purpose of their business.
Could there be a scorpions tail beneath these robes?
When I pointed this out to the owners of the company, one of them had asked, “Why would our accountant tell us that?” (Because that’s what accountants do).
The second time I used the same joke to make a point, was to a woman who had basically asked the same thing about advice her pastor had given her. (Because that’s what pastors do). Does that make all pastors scorpions? …Again, of course not.
After all, the same finger could be pointed at me …I say what I say because my purpose in life is to stay continually connected to our (your and my) SPIRIT-PARENT and a subset of that purpose is to share what works for me in that regard.
Let’s stop here for a moment and bring something into focus. Is an accountant, a pastor, a priest, a doctor, lawyer or any other advisor who has received expert training to do what they do, the one you should trust with YOUR life? The appropriate answer to that question is perhaps and perhaps not.
If you or I have not yet discovered what our primary purpose is for being on this planet, then how can anyone, certified or no, expert (and, again, certified by whom and why should that make a difference?) whose purpose may well be different than YOUR or my purpose, be in a position to advise us about anything? Shouldn’t our very first effort be aimed at finding out what OUR purpose is?
Okay, I snuck (or, if you prefer, sneaked) into all the foregoing what my purpose in life is and I use any number of tools I’ve been given that work for me to maintain that purpose to the max. I’m sharing what works for me, in that regard, not advising anyone – and it is highly doubtful that the tools I use will mean anything to you if you have a different purpose. Why are you here?
What does Brad have under his robe? Could there be a scorpions tale.
However, when you assert that you have the same purpose as I and you see or sense something in me that you think you want – I may well challenge you to try one of the tools that work for me.
I often realize, (mostly after the fact) that I’ve slipped into the role of my past ambition: To be a preacher! That became a goal for me – one I chased after, received the requisite education and certification (ordination) from a recognized denomination – only to discover, that it was detrimental to my underlying, above stated purpose for being on this planet.
The language I use for such challenges often gets in the way of effectively communicating what I feel almost DRIVEN to share – the gap in communication often happens as a result of the language I use, by which some folks are repelled.
Particularly, some people do not like it when what I’m saying sounds like it comes from a religious bias. When I make reference to the Avesta, or the Bible, the Book of Certitude, the Qur’an, the Veda or other texts which some people regard as sacred – I’m not using them in religious reverence, but rather as references from which I can find expressions of deep truth, for me.
I use them as much as anything else to alert those who consider one of them to be their “Holy Word of God” and yet their group practices things which the writers have said clearly and specifically, DON’T!
Born in the light or born As the Light?
I’ll prove the point, in the immediate foregoing, just a little later …along with something by which some people may even be terrified – so get ready!
I have patterned my life on what Jesus said about praying and using what he referred to as the “faith-of-God” or “God-faith” as a means to both acquire and apply the same faith he acquired (in other words, I’m being quite contrary to a religious notion about Jesus and, that is, that he was born with it, which seems, to me, to be at odds with his own words) and employed to produce the seeming miraculous, because it fits into MY purpose. Again, if it doesn’t fit YOUR purpose, why are you here?
I stumbled onto a passage in the Gospel of Luke one night that started no little of my anti-religious bias. Luke was reporting something Jesus said that exploded in my brain. What he quoted Jesus as saying is: “What is the point of calling me ‘Lord’ if you don’t also do what I tell you to do?”
These words were followed by a well-known story about what happens when somebody builds their house –an obvious metaphor for life– without a foundation as opposed to the person who builds their life on a firm foundation – the firm foundation to which Jesus is making reference is doing what he said, not running around talking about making him ‘Lord.’
Does agreement with what one said, preclude agreement with the other?
My admitted focus is on those things Jesus said about faith and prayer without dismissing what he said about myriad other things.
I’ve often said, and I repeat it now, I refuse to refer to myself as a Christian. Let’s take it a bit further …I also refuse to refer to myself as a Muslim. NOW HEAR THIS: I firmly believe, which doesn’t make it true, that Muhammad (by whatever other way anyone insists it should be spelled) was a messenger, a prophet, if you prefer, guided and directed by our SPIRIT-PARENT. The same SPIRIT-PARENT Jesus introduced to us; the very same SPIRIT-PARENT he said lived within him and with Whom he was one in the same.
NOW HEAR THIS: Jesus also clearly stated that this very same SPIRIT-PARENT was available to live in and be ONE with each and every individual who set that as her or his ultimate purpose!
Did these men need more than one messenger? Do you?
I also believe the same about any number of other historical figures, that is, the same SPIRIT-PARENT directing Jesus was directing them. Believing, however, that Moses was also a messenger from the same SOURCE – does not make me a Jew; nor does believing the same thing about Baha’u’llah make me a Baha’i; and believing the same thing about Zoroaster, which does not translate into my being a Zoroastrian – and here’s a Brad Cullen statement that is aimed at saying WAKE UP, for God’s sake (to what I’m saying …nothing else):
I mention these five individuals, yes I’m including Jesus, again, with Muhammad, Moses, Baha’u’llah, and Zoroaster because each of them felt directed by God to say and do what they said and did and I am saying that I agree with their premise that they were sent by the SOURCE, but the import of their words is that each of these, including both Jesus and Muhammad, said clearly and distinctly that they, personally, were NOT the SOURCE, but directed BY the SOURCE to share what they shared. That statement is offensive and I realize it. I have the perfect way, however, that you can test its veracity for you. Ask the same SPIRIT-PARENT who Jesus and the rest proclaimed would guide us into all truth if the statement is true and, thus, that you should stop being offended by it.
Here is where I will offend some Christians and what else is new about that! Based on my own studies of the writings of the four others (Jesus, after all, wrote nothing), I firmly believe which, again, doesn’t make it true, that these four, put things on paper that have been confirmed to me by our SPIRIT-PARENT as emanating from HER/HIM/IT and can be a source of truth for anyone who will open their minds and hearts to receive it.
WHAT? How can that be true? Did Jesus submit to the will of God?
A little more offensiveness cometh NOW: Therefore, please pay attention so that you can get your own religious dander up at such unmitigated gall! I find no argument within me against what these men (and, again, others which include women) have written as being directed by the SOURCE of everything.
Some of those who claim to be followers, of any of these others, however, obviously didn’t read the same things that I have read which, again, were written by the leader whom they say they hold in such high esteem. In a moment I will take this to my usual extremes to provide an example or two.
Just as Jesus has informed me, yes personally (he is willing to do the same thing for you so I’m not holding myself out as being anyone or anything special here), that some purported followers of his have sorely missed the boat.
Muhammad has also informed me, basically along the same lines and one example, which was rather startling to me, is that the government of Iran, back in the late 1800s, purporting to be Islamic and which, said government, banished Baha’u’llah, the revered prophet of many Muslims of that day …that government was acting contrary to Muhammad’s deepest wishes! Muslims, however, don’t trust me any more than Christians do to make claims coming directly from their purported Leader!
Baha’u’llah? Who's that?
An interesting historical fact which I find amusing is the parallel between Baha’u’llah and Muhammad. Muhammad began his teaching aimed at fellow Arab members of a sect of Judaism; Baha’u’llah same/same, but with fellow Arab members of a sect of Islam. Both were bringing messages of correction from God to their Arab brothers. The parallel also applies to Jesus speaking exclusively to Jews with a message of correction from God.
Now then, I wish nothing but the best for all adherents of Baha’i, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism (as well as Hinduism, Buddhism, and any of a bunch of other religions for which I have respect) – but please don’t call me by any title that implies I am a follower of any or all.
Philosophically I am tuned into this quote from Nietzsche: “You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
That’s it for PART TWO. Stay tuned for Brad’s Master/Mind which is PART THREE.