89th Live Stream with Carlton Pearson - Do we need Jesus to protect us from God?

About this sermon

Do we need Jesus to protect us from God? I continue to get questions from fundamentalist Christians, who not only follow Jesus, but worship him. They ask: "Where is Jesus in all of this 'New Thought' and 'Expanded Consciousness' stuff?” Eric Butterworth in his book, Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within wrote: "The history of man on the eternal quest has been a strange odyssey. In his search for the “holy grail” man has looked everywhere and in vain, but he has failed to look within himself. Occasionally, a prophet came, telling of the world within.(Jesus was one of them) But instead of following him into the deeper experience, men invariably made a god of the prophet—worshiped him, (killed him) and built monuments to him. They then trapped themselves in a religious practice that had no within. How many times has this happened? How many religions are there in the world? The pages of history tell and retell the story of mystic teachers who found it and of the ensuing religions that lost it." The issue of our religious disparities starts with fear-based theologies that teach that God or "the gods" are angry and need to be appeased or horrifying destruction will come, both now and in eternity. This is where and why humans began formulating religious and moral codes designed to appease an angry God or please a difficult one. So far the prescriptions haven't worked, but a few placebos seem to, at least temporarily. Christianity, the religion I was born and reared in, believes that we need Jesus to protect us from the wrath of God. He (Jesus) is God dying thru crucifixion, primarily the blood part of it, more than the asphyxiation, to appease and please this same God, so "He" won't torture "His" creation with eternal damnation in a customized torture chamber called hell. Virtually, Jesus protects "believers only" from such terrorizing anger and judgment. Do you really believe this? And if so, why? And does this really feel right, deep down in your heart and spirit, or is it just religious manipulations based on tradition (traded down presuppositions), ignorance, culture, fear and some 2000 years of entrenched indoctrination? Carlton Pearson After college at the Oral Roberts University in Tulsa Oklahoma he served for 15 years on its Board of Regents, and two years as Associate Evangelist of The Oral Roberts Association, (ORA). In 1977, Pearson founded Higher Dimensions Ministries (now New Dimensions ), in Tulsa, which grew to over 5,000. Bishop Pearson was consecrated to the office of Bishop in 1996 thru a College of Bishops headed by Bishop Charles E Blake, presently the Presiding Bishop of the Churches of God In Christ, the denomination he was raised in and through whom he was ordained in 1971. In 1993, Carlton married the former Gina Marie Gauthier who is a professional Life Coach and Yoga teacher. More recently, he has felt a passion to proclaim the "Gospel Of Inclusion" and has written a widely acclaimed book by that name, published by Simon and Schuster. It confronts the Christian church's exclusivism as being inconsistent, in spirit with the teachings of Jesus. Pearson's frank and often controversial take on a number of different subjects has earned him appearances on television programs such as NBC and MSNBC's Dateline, ABC's Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley, The Edge with Paula Zahn and Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Monique Show on BET, and a number of other television, radio and print media outlets. Bishop Pearson was recognized as one of America's 10 Most Influential Black Ministers by Gospel Today and Belief.net. He has received several honorary doctoral degrees. Bishop Pearson recently served as the Interim Senior Minister at Christ Universal Temple in Chicago. He and Gina now host New Dimensions of Chicago, building a local multi-cultural and radically Inclusive spiritual community that emphasizes expanded consciousness and Self Actualization. His newest book, God Is Not A Christian, Nor A Jew, Muslim, Hindu...God Dwells With Us, In Us, Around Us, As Us was published by Simon and Schuster and released in the spring of 2010. Visit our Youtube Channel for more video! Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/bishoppearson Website: http://www.bishoppearson.com Join Email List: http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?llr=cqgwpvn6&p=oi&m=1011112155650

Topics

• Jesus Christ