“When you experience your god as with form, there is your envisioning mind, and there is your god. There is a subject, and there is an object. But the ultimate mystical goal is to be united with one’s god. With that, duality is transcended and forms disappear. There is nobody there, no god, no you. Your mind going past all concepts, has dissolved in identification with the ground of your own being, because that to which the metaphorical image of your god refers is the ultimate mystery of your own being, which is the mystery of the being of the world as well.”

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell, pp. 262–63

25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that ahateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. First of all, Jesus is speaking to the people and speaking of the people. Second, he isn’t necessarily talking about physical death. So this is a lame assumption.

Now while different Christian denominational mythos will differ in this, Mormon mythology dictaties that Jesus did have to die a physical death. But, he had to more than just die, he had to suffer pain and humiliation and sickness in order to feel all that mortals feel. Jesus had to die. Now to kill Jesus is something else. This is where I get pissy about some Christians who accuse Jews as a whole for killing Jesus. You can’t blame the decendants for something that had to happen in order to bring about redemption. So a Christian who denies Jesus had to die denies the process of redemption. This does not mean that we kill Jesus but that we accept that Jesus had to die.

Many religions have a savior that has to die for their people, Christian mythology, Greek & Roman mythology, Norsic belief. Now, these savior/heroes willingly gave their lives. They did not ask of their followers to kill them, there was already a nemesis ready to do so. But, they had to die.

Now, a side step, Klingons are the only ones I know of who killed their Gods. But that is science fiction. Humans nowadays do kill their Gods in disbelief, which is I am sure what you are eluding to. Then, that would lead to the death of religion as well. Which is obviously the key idea here. &nbsp

God is Dead! Long Live God! Since He/She is gone, I can get back to my popcorn.

Jesus is entombed in the beliefs and institutions that bear his name. The truth of Jesus story can only be set free by letting him rise from that tomb through our disbelief. The stories of his life are not prose, no matter how much we want them to be. When we look beyond the image of Christ, we see the truth of the metaphor of Christ.

I’m more incline to believe the accuracy of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Even if a book isn’t historically true (I’m looking at you, Bible) I’m still willing to see what truth is there. Historical accuracy is irrelevant. Many of the most important books of human wisdom are works of fiction. If we treat them like nonfiction, we’re likely to miss the point.

I suppose I should get to bed so I can make it to church on time.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1)

feast upon the words of Christ (2 Nephi 32:3)

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; (Jeremiah 15:16)

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. (Ezekiel 3:1–3)

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:8–10)

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51)

Actually, I plan to post about God as metaphor and poetry pretty soon which may address some of what you’re saying.

I think where I differ from many of the religious is to what domain I assign God: math or art?

Whether Mona Lisa posed for her portrait or not, the painting has no meaning to me. It is just another assembly of colors that illustrate someones perception of a female who is foreign to me. A painting of her becomes about as revelent as a painting of Jesus. Neither will feed me, cloth me, or help me survive. I guess that’s because I’m not a painter