Had to blog this since the FB site trashed this post in a site generated 'ESC'

(Had to blog this since the FB site trashed this post in a site-generated 'ESC')

I do agree that we may be beating the same horse to death but at different parts of the beast.

Al, you were right-on about Jewish theology. Yet the Pharisees and the Sadducees rendered unto Caesar what is Caesar's to the fault of rendering the innocent of innocence, as they rent their fine cloaks in posturing, pomposity. They were not going to give up that last intangible by which they identified their being to some rube and his ethics from the sticks.

Rose, excellent point about speaking (teaching) in parables. Yet, after the encounter with the rich man who went away crestfallen (and chagrined?) when Jesus told him to sell all his goods and come follow him. AND THEN Jesus had to admonish his own followers who muttered amongst themselves about the incredibility for anyone (them) to make it into the kingdom, let alone passing through an eye of a needle, goes to show that then as now, it's easy for the grand, public declaration. But when it comes down to the substantive effort which requires a profound ego-adjustment, 'Ummmm, hold-on now' (and forever in avoidance and procrastination).

I am NOT advocating in any way the insignificance of the implications Jesus' words had in exhorting people to give up their 'worldly goods and trappings' of the carnal life. I AM asserting that carnality is not irrelevant in the spiritual scheme of things. It is the means by which the 'word' becomes flesh and manifests itself. Though the world of people has gone astray and run a muck, Nature's processes , ala the Cosmos, has been and is the affirmation of spirituality for those with eyes to see and ears to hear with an open heart, unblindered focus-as the signs and symbols of 'God' and the mystical literature derived by that concept.